Simulation and Animation Model for Planning and Designing Transit Terminals

This Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) project had the goal of developing a rapid assessment tool for evaluating the impact of internal layouts and traffic management strategies on vehicular flow within and in the vicinity of transit terminals. The project's main output, the Intermodal Terminal Simulation Model (ITSIM), can be used by transit agencies or their consultants to simulate, animate, and compare approach and internal delays, queue lengths and durations, etc., under a variety of stochastic parameters, and different terminal configurations. ITSIM is comprised of three modules. The data input module is used to: (i) construct the approach roadway, intersections, and terminal configuration; and (ii) enter vehicle characteristics and mix, arrival rates, dwell times, and distribution of buses to the relevant stop within the terminal. The computation module is comprised of separate sub-modules to generate transit vehicles, assign characteristics to the vehicles, record the positions of vehicles, and compute basic statistics and performance measures. The third module is the animation and output module, which displays the activities and produces summaries of instantaneous or overall performance as graphs and tables as well as EXCEL data files that could be further analyzed. The model was calibrated and verified at the Silver Spring Metrorail station in Maryland.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/archive/studies/idea/finalreports/transit/Transit32_Final_Report.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This Transit IDEA project was conducted by TransAn LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Seneviratne, Prianka N
• Publication Date: 2005-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 14p
• Serial:
  • TRANSIT-IDEA Program Project Final Report
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer animation; Intermodal terminals; Layout; Planning and design; Rail transit stations; Simulation; Technological innovations; Traffic control; Traffic flow
• Identifier Terms: Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) (Program); Metrorail (Washington Metropolitan Area)
• Geographic Terms: Silver Spring (Maryland)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01102910
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Transit IDEA Project 32
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 19 2008 12:23PM