Advanced definition and analysis of anti-icing methods to balance energy usage and dependability in railways

Rail transport is increasingly favored for its safety and reliability, but severe weather conditions, such as snow and ice, pose significant challenges, especially to railroad switches, which are vital for safe train routing since their failure can lead to derailments or collisions. Aiming at promoting intelligent railway systems, this paper proposes advancements in the efficient management of heater-based anti-icing systems for railroad switches. The goal is to reduce energy consumption while ensuring reliable performance. Main novel contributions comprise both a richer set of software policies for an efficient anti-icing system management An advanced modeling framework supports the novel extensions, and the analysis results are useful for railway companies in selecting policies that achieve an appropriate balance of energy consumption and dependability.