Timetable Development

We have several tools at our disposal to support timetable development:

Microsoft Excel™

Developing a basic standard hour timetable specification in tabular form can be accomplished in Excel™, so long as not too many trains are involved. We have built an Excel™ macro to create simple timetable graphs from tabular timetables.

CMS Timetables™

For complex timetabling projects we use DeltaRail's CMS Timetables™. CMS Timetables™ is particularly strong where there is a considerable amount of Rules of the Plan (ROTP) conflict detection and resolution to be undertaken as it has industry-leading inbuilt Rules of the Plan conflict detection. This is available as a log and on user-editable timetable graphs. The software highlights key ROTP deficiencies, including headways, platform reoccupation and junction margins at a TIPLOC level.

The windows based graphical user interface enables users to quickly create timetables either from scratch or by copying trains from other timetables and then edit then in a working timetable format or by "dragging and dropping" on a timetable graph.

Exporting data to other systems including our DISPO™ rolling stock tool is easy through the wide range of file formats that are available (including CIF and PIF).

RailSys™

RailSys™ contains a powerful timetable editor, which enables the analyst to create or retime trains and then assess any conflicts created. "Drag and drop" functionality allows the analyst to rapidly perform "what if" analyses. The fact that RailSys™ calculates running times based on technical characteristics means that RailSys™ can be used to rapidly text the impact on a timetable of changing stock types or train performance characteristics. Platforming is very straightforward in RailSys™. RailSys™ provides automatic guidance on technical conflicts (for example, where signalling headways have been infringed) but requires the analyst to manually check for ROTP compliance.