A simulation tool for combined rail/road transport in intermodal terminals

A simulation tool to model the flow of Intermodal Terminal Units (ITUs) among intermodal terminals is presented. This terminal simulator tool is part of the DGVII EC-funded PLATFORM project. The terminal model is composed by road and rail gates and by a set of platforms. Intermodal terminals are inter-connected by rail corridors. Each terminal serves a user catchment via a road network. The internal terminal is modelled as a set of platforms, which are served by a number of cranes (in the model: gantry cranes and front lifters). The user of the simulation tool can define the structure of the terminal model and the input scenarios. The input scenarios are defined by imposing a train timetable and the patterns of truck arrivals for ITU delivery and pick-up. The tool can be used to simulate both a stand alone terminal, once provided all the inputs via rail and road, and a rail corridor, that is two interconnected terminals which exchange ITUs. During the simulation, various statistics are gathered to assess the performance of the terminal equipment, the ITU residence time, the terminal throughput. The simulation software has been implemented as a discrete event model, using MODSIM III as development tool.