Patent ID: 7792616

Claim:
A method using a processor for computing car switching solutions in a railway switch yard containing a switch, a plurality of classification tracks and a reswitching track, the reswitching track defining a path that re-circulates cars from a position downstream the switch to a position upstream the switch, said method comprising: a) receiving at an input first data conveying information about a size of a given train block to be assembled by the switch yard; b) computing with the processor a car switching solution for one or more cars of the given train block, wherein a computation of a car switching solution includes a selection of at least one car switching option among a set of car switching options, one car switching option of the set including switching the car of the given train block to a classification track and another car switching option of the set including switching the car of the given train block to the reswitching track; c) using during said computing the information about the size of the given train block as a factor in selecting between a car switching option to switch the car to a classification track and a car switching option to switch the car to the reswitching track; d) releasing at an output second data conveying the car switching option selected on a basis of said computing.