Open Access Conference Proceedings

The aim of this study was to propose a system that increases the reliability of the supply chain using a rail mode of transport. Such system will reduce delays in a supply chain where a train is use as a mean of transport. In this paper, rail vehicles delays were identified as the problem in the break of the supply chain. Such situation can be caused, among others, by the immobilization of the locomotive on the route due to damage of locomotive pantograph.The paper presents the scale of the problem related to damages of the pantograph – overhead contact line (OCL) system, and gives the overview of currently existing systems, which are used to diagnose the condition of a pantograph – OCL system. In the paper authors present the existing systems used by railway carriers. The target was to identify the benefits of implemented systems and find the gap and possibilities to improve the diagnostic system to reduce the rail delays and cost of the current collectors’ services. For this purpose, there was conducted simulation using Artifitial Neural Network (ANN), which predict the technical condition of a pantograph.The performed review shows that there is no system, which can support decisions about technical operations and service of a pantograph. Based on the developed method described in this paper, it is possible to create the system, which will support decisions about pantograph sliding strip replacement.Simulation results shows that system will enable reduction of train delays, which will significantly affect the reliability of the supply chain.

Keywords: Rail delays, variant analysis, pantograph, current collector, rail transport, decision supporting system, delays simulation

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