Line capacity analysis for adding new connecting trains for increasing ridership between Polgahawela and Kurunegala

Abstract

Rail transport is a major public transport system in Sri Lanka. Polgahawela station is a junction - station. Although the Sri Lankan railway network does not cover majority of the country's districts, Railway network within Kurunegala district has a wider connectivity combining many cites in the country making the city a major transport hub. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the possibility of scheduling new connecting trains between Polgahawela and Kurunegala as the passengers can travel to Colombo in a minimum time. Selecting Polgahawela Station which is a a junction station where passengers can use trains from both lines, as a case study. Other purpose is attracting more bus passengers to rail transport and reducing the private vehicles on the road. Therefore, moving bus passengers to the rail is a beneficial thing. Therefore, the proposal is based on diverting some trains that are running towards to Rambukkana to Northern line. This research has been done to analyze the possibility of the above situation and find a possible time schedule and cost benefit analyzing has been done as a part of this research. Two trains were diverted to Upper and Lower direction with the objective of increasing the rail ridership between Kurunegala and Polgahawela railway station.