Cost optimization of multi-mode train conversion for discontinuously electrified routes

Rail decarbonization is a popular topic in the transportation industry. The transition from diesel-fed trains on unelectrified routes to hybrid trains or infrastructure electrification has been widely studied. However, previous studies rarely considered the installation of pantographs, fuel cells, and battery packs on multi-mode trains. This paper proposes an approach to evaluate and optimize the performance of multi-mode trains. It aims to achieve the minimum total cost, including multi-mode train conversion and route rebuilding costs, energy costs, and other maintenance costs. A simulator was developed to compute energy consumption, journey time, and onboard device replacement for multi-mode trains on discontinuously electrified routes. An evaluation has been made using the fitness function for the total cost and journey time to rank the new optimal method. A particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was used to find the optimal solution. For the case study of the rebuilding plan from London St. Pancras to Leicester, before the energy price change, the optimal train costs are 34.9% less than the benchmark diesel train. After considering the future increase in energy prices, the benefits of the optimal train with low energy consumption become more significant to 40.4%.