Integrated Planning of Virtual Coupling Train Convoy Formation Schemes and Timetables With Dynamic Coupling–Decoupling

Virtual coupling technology provides a novel approach to increasing the transport capacity of freight railway corridors. To enable the dynamic formation and adjustment of train convoys during a trip from origin to destination, this study develops an integrated planning model for virtual coupling train convoy formation schemes and timetables. The model simultaneously incorporates infrastructure characteristics and the coupling–decoupling process, which is described by a “waiting and sequential braking” strategy. The objective is to maximize the residual transport capacity, while considering constraints related to convoy formation, train timetables, convoy adjustment and arrival–departure times, coupling–decoupling within sections, and station capacity. Considering the characteristics of the problem, we design a heuristic optimization framework combining the Advantage Actor–Critic algorithm and the Gurobi solver. Numerical experiments based on the Ningwuxi–Diliudeng segment of the Shuohuang Railway reveal that, compared with Moving Block systems, virtual coupling trains achieve a 9.9% reduction in operating energy consumption with only a 1.5% increase in travel time. In the tested scenarios, the transport capacity can be increased by 25%, provided the coupling–decoupling time penalty remains within a reasonable range. In addition, the maximum convoy length, track availability, and section length are found to significantly affect the efficiency of virtual coupling trains.