Freight Routing and Scheduling at CSX Transportation

Two of a railroad’s fundamental tactical operations are routing shipments along its rails and scheduling trains necessary to service the routes. The computer-aided routing and scheduling system (CARS) bridges the gap between these day-to-day operations and strategic planning. By investigating low-cost routes and schedules in a controlled environment under various cost scenarios, CSX Transportation’s strategic planners can better account for these tactical operations in their long-range policies.