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Headings denoted with an asterisk ( * ) is retrieved from the course syllabus version Autumn 2024
Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
The course includes strategic, tactical and operational planning in the following five fields:
The railway system
Infrastructure planning and the national transport plan
The structure of the infrastructure and maintenance of railway
The environmental impact of the railway
Risk Management and accident risks
Passenger traffic
Vehicles for passenger traffic
Supply and demand in passenger traffic
Cycle planning of vehicles
Freight
Vehicles for freight
Supply and demand in freight traffic
Train formation and marshalling
Capacity and punctuality
Capacity assignment and capacity calculations
Timetable planning
Punctuality and disturbances
Traffic control
Signal and safety systems
Traffic management
Intended learning outcomes
The course is intended to give the students general knowledge about the railway system and the train traffic and its planning in both strategic and tactical and operational time horizons.
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
Understand the structure and function of the railway system
Be able to design a schedule and analyse capacity utilization and robustness
Have knowledge of the different preconditions of passenger traffic or freight and be able to include demand and economic analysis in planning of traffic systems
Learning activities
The course consists of lectures, seminars and study visits, along with exercises and a project. A written exam takes place at the end of the course.
Detailed plan
Attendance and active participation is compulsory for two of the exercises and at the project presentation seminar.
Important dates and deadlines
Deadlines for mandatory project and exercise submissions, mandatory attendance, and the written exam are found in the following table. Study visits (not mandatory but highly recommended) are also included.
What
How
When
Note
Exercise: Capacity calculation Friday 24 Jan.
Mandatory submission on Canvas
Deadline: Friday 31 Jan. at 19:00
Exercise: Timetable construction Wednesday 29 Jan.
Mandatory submission on Canvas
Deadline: Wednesday 5 Feb. at 19:00
Exercise: Train path allocation Friday 31 Jan.
Mandatory attendance and participation
Taking place: Friday 31 Jan. at 08:15-12:00
Bring a laptop with Matlab installed.
Catch-up session scheduled if needed.
Exercise: Demand modelling Wednesday 5 Feb.
Mandatory submission on Canvas
Deadline: Wednesday 12 Feb. at 19:00
Exercise: Procurement Friday 7 Feb.
Mandatory attendance and participation
Taking place: Friday 7 Feb. at 08:15-12:00
Catch-up session scheduled if needed.
Project: Review of the first report version
Mandatory peer review of two reports
Deadline for sending your report to review: Thursday 6 February at 19:00
Deadline for returning your two reviews: Monday 10 February at 19:00
Project: Presentation seminar
Mandatory attendance and participation
Taking place: Wednesday 12 Feb. at 13:15-17:00
Catch-up session scheduled if needed.
Study visit: Hagalund
Highly recommended
Taking place: Friday 14 Feb. in the morning
Project: Submit the final report
Mandatory submission on Canvas
Deadline: Monday 17 Feb at 19:00
Study visit: Årsta
Highly recommended
Taking place: Wednesday 19 Feb. in the afternoon
Exercise: Freight Friday 21 Feb.
Mandatory submission on Canvas
Deadline: Friday 28 Feb. at 19:00
Study visit: Sweco
Highly recommended
Taking place: Wednesday 26 Feb. in the afternoon
Written exam
Mandatory
Taking place: Wednesday 12 March at 8:00-13:00
Re-exam Tuesday 3 June at 8:00-13:00.
Preparations before course start
Literature
Course compendium, lecture notes and other handouts available on Canvas.
Harris, N.G., Haugland, H., Olsson, N., Veiseth, M. (2016). An Introduction to Railway Operations Planning.
Equipment
A laptop is needed for at least one exercise.
Software
One of the exercises requires you to have Matlab and MS Excel (or equivalent spreadsheet software) installed on your laptop.
Support for students with disabilities
Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:
PRO1 - Project assignment, 1.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F
TEN1 - Written exam, 4.5 credits, Grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
ÖVN1 - Exercises, 1.5 credits, Grading scale: P, F
Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.
The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
PRO1 - Project assignment, 1.5 credits
For pass (P), the project must have been presented at a project seminar and the individually submitted final report must have been graded with pass. In case of late report submission (after the specified deadline), the submission may not be corrected until after the end of the course. The course's ethical approach is applicable.
TEN1 - Written exam, 4.5 credits
A calculator is allowed on the exam.
ÖVN1 - Exercises, 1.5 credits
For pass (P), all the six mandatory exercises must have been graded with pass. Two of the exercises require attendance and active participation, and four of the exercises require individually submitted assignments. In case of late submission (after the specified deadline), the submission may not be corrected until after the end of the course. The course's ethical approach is applicable.
Other requirements for final grade
For final grade, attendance at compulsory course elements is required
Grading criteria/assessment criteria
The grade is assigned based on how well the student has reached the three intended learning outcomes, which are examined across the course modules.
Intended learning outcome
Examination
Understand the structure and function of the railway system
Written exam Exercises
Be able to design a schedule and analyse capacity utilization and robustness
Have knowledge of the different preconditions of passenger traffic or freight and be able to include demand and economic analysis in planning of traffic systems
Project assignment Written exam Exercises: Demand modelling, Freight
Assignment of grades
The score obtained on the written exam (TEN1) is calculated as a percentage of the total exam score. The exam grade is assigned according to the following table.
TEN1 grade assignment
TEN1 result [%]
0-44
45-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
80-89
90-100
Grade
F
Fx
E
D
C
B
A
The grade on the written exam (TEN1) determines the final grade of the course, provided that the project (PRO1) and the exercises (ÖVN1) have passing grades.
Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination
In the case of grade Fx, a supplementary examination is required within 15 working days from the grade Fx being reported in Ladok. If the student passes the supplementary examination they receive the grade E. Otherwise the grade is F. The examiner contacts the student to initiate the supplementary examination.
Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination
An approved grade can be raised by re-taking the written exam.
Alternatives to missed activities or tasks
Attendance and active participation are compulsory in two of the exercises, the presentation seminar for the project, and the written exam.
In case of absence from a mandatory exercise, a make-up session is scheduled.
In case of absence from the project presentation seminar, a make-up seminar is scheduled.
In case of absence from the written examination, the student is referred to the re-exam in June.
Reporting of exam results
The grade is reported in Ladok.
Ethical approach
All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
Course policy for generative AI
It is not allowed in this course to use generative AI to produce or revise text. Standard spelling and grammar checkers, such as the built-in functionality in MS Word and comparable word processors, are allowed. If you are unsure whether a tool is allowed or not, ask the course coordinator.
Further information
Changes of the course before this course offering
The course is new and given for the first time in P3 2025.
Contacts
Communication during course
Communication during the course is mainly handled through Canvas. On Canvas you can communicate with course teachers and other students participating in the course, access course information and material, submit assignments and receive feedback on reviewed submissions.
For general questions about the course, schedule, etc., contact the course coordinator.
For questions on the content of a specific lecture, exercise, etc., contact the responsible teacher.
Communication during the course is mainly handled through Canvas. On Canvas you can communicate with course teachers and other students participating in the course, access course information and material, submit assignments and receive feedback on reviewed submissions.
For general questions about the course, schedule, etc., contact the course coordinator.
For questions on the content of a specific lecture, exercise, etc., contact the responsible teacher.