Title: A novel approach to allocation and scheduling of rail rakes and wagon management for transportation of petroleum products

Authors: Sandesh Gaikwad; Pravin D. Suryawanshi; Akansha Kumar; Sai K. Jayakumar

Addresses: Jio Platforms Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India ' Jio Platforms Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India ' Jio Platforms Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India ' Jio Platforms Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: Rail transport is one of the most economical modes of transportation for various petroleum products. With increasing demand from multiple players and limited rake availability, there is uncertainty regarding the number of rakes each player can obtain. The problem is further constrained by numerous operational and regulatory factors, making the scheduling and allocation of railway rakes a challenging problem. We propose a novel mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model that incorporates key real-world business constraints to generate optimised rake schedules and wagon allocation plans. Key observations from the MILP includes, 100% rake utilisation under high-demand conditions and limiting demand curtailment to approximately 7.6 klpd, whereas, zero curtailments during lower demand situations. The rakes utilisation is maintained between 50-100% when an inventory coverage across network is varied by ±2 days. The proposed framework provides a systematic decision-support tool that enhances planning transparency, improves resource utilisation, and offers actionable insights for refinery planners.

Keywords: rake scheduling; wagon allocation; mixed-integer linear programming; MILP; oil and gas industry; rail transportation; scheduling; mathematical optimisation; transportation planning; supply chain analytics; operational research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAOM.2026.155520

International Journal of Advanced Operations Management, 2026 Vol.17 No.3, pp.291 - 311

Received: 29 Jan 2025
Accepted: 23 Jan 2026
Published online: 04 Aug 2026 *

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