Delays and Timetabling for Passenger Trains

One problem affecting both passengers and businesses in Sweden is train delays. One way of describing these is by looking at the proportion of trains that arrive more than five minutes late. Measured in this way, approximately 90 per cent of all trains are punctual. This has been the case for many years. In one sense, this is impressive, given that far more trains are now operating. Unfortunately, it also means that an increasing number of passengers are affected by delays. This causes considerable frustration, threatens the continued shift of transport towards rail, and imposes significant costs on society. More trains need to arrive on time.

My research shows that delays are mainly caused by minor disruptions of up to a minute or so. Over long journeys, these small disruptions accumulate and can result in a substantial overall delay. These disruptions occur primarily at stations, where trains are scheduled to stop but are then unable to depart on time. It is difficult to say exactly what causes these disruptions, but the scheduled dwell time at stations is often too short.

Another relationship can be seen between delays and weather conditions: when temperatures are either high or low, delays increase rapidly. And despite the fact that winter and snow arrive every year, they continue to cause major difficulties.

I propose a number of measures to reduce delays. One is the use of platform markings showing where trains will stop, where the doors will be located, and where passengers should stand. This is a simple and inexpensive way of speeding up station stops so that trains can depart on time.

Another measure is to remove points. This reduces the number of potential faults, and those that remain can be maintained more effectively.

A third approach is to adapt the railway system so that it can better withstand both current weather variations and the climate changes that lie ahead. One measure implemented in other countries is to provide shading and ventilation for trackside electronics and signalling equipment. This prevents them from becoming overheated and helps trains run on time more often.

Timetabling also offers significant opportunities to improve punctuality without increasing costs. More of the planning process can be automated, allowing additional time to be devoted to ensuring that trains are allocated appropriate dwell times. The Swedish Transport Administration should also do more to monitor and improve the rules and guidelines used in planning. In this way, timetables can be improved year by year, resulting in progressively fewer delays.

These proposals will not solve all the problems facing the railway system, but they would help many more trains arrive on time. This would create capacity for even more trains and passengers on the network.