徐行方
(同濟大學交通運輸工程學院教授,博士生導師)
近年來,我國快遞年業(yè)務量已逾千億件,居世界第二,且以20%~30%的年增率增長;我國高鐵線網(wǎng)已覆蓋了超過90%的50萬以上人口的城市,而高鐵承擔的快遞運輸比例卻很低。由于客流在時間(從小時到季節(jié)不同時間維度)、空間(從區(qū)段、線路到地區(qū)不同空間維度)上的波動,導致高鐵線路時空運能利用不均衡,部分運能得不到充分利用,而時效性相對寬松的物流運輸可以填補高鐵運能利用的不足。
高鐵快遞物流利用已有高鐵線網(wǎng)資源,以高鐵客運能力余量為基礎,采用一定的運輸組織模式,從而發(fā)揮高鐵快捷、準時、低碳的特性,為社會提供高質(zhì)量快遞服務??梢娺\輸組織模式是高鐵物流實施的關鍵要素之一,高鐵物流運輸可分為“專列貨運”和“非專列貨運”兩大類,并細分為四種模式。以下對這四種模式及其可行性作一簡要分析。
“專列貨運”是指開行專門的快遞列車,高鐵運輸呈現(xiàn)“客貨混跑”模式。按照快遞列車開行時段的不同,可分為非客運時段開行(模式一)和客運非高峰時段開行(模式二)兩種運輸組織模式。
模式一:非客運時段開行。該模式是利用非客運時段(通常為00:00~06:00)的非“天窗”時間集中開行快遞專列。所謂“天窗”,是綜合維修作業(yè)時間的形象化表述。這種模式是現(xiàn)有高鐵“確認車”的拓展。所謂“確認車”,就是利用“天窗”后早上開行的首趟“探路車”,它用于線路安全檢查,雖不載客但可以運輸貨物。其優(yōu)勢在于有獨立的運行時段,不受旅客列車運行影響,停站裝卸作業(yè)時間較充分,對客運作業(yè)干擾較小。缺點是夜間運輸意味著高鐵快遞只能做到隔天送達,而且與“天窗”時段有較大沖突,可供開行的時間范圍較小(約2 h左右)。該模式的關鍵在于協(xié)調(diào)好快遞專列運行與綜合維修天窗的關系,其難點是高鐵網(wǎng)絡維修天窗方案的優(yōu)化設置。
模式二:客運非高峰時段開行。該模式是利用非高峰時段高鐵線路富余能力,開行一定數(shù)量的快遞專列。其優(yōu)勢在于可供專列開行時間范圍較廣,物流輸送能力有較大彈性。由于客貨混跑時段總列數(shù)的上升,將對旅客列車正常運行產(chǎn)生一定干擾,增加了列車調(diào)度指揮的復雜性及難度。此模式下,車站除了需增設相應的貨運設施設備、部分車站增設越行線外,由于快遞專列與旅客列車同時段混跑運營,需加強車站客貨運流線組織,使客流區(qū)與物流區(qū)保持必要的安全距離。該模式的關鍵在于協(xié)調(diào)好混跑時段客貨列車的數(shù)量比例關系,減少車站裝卸作業(yè)對旅客列車正點運行的影響。
“非專列貨運”即不組織快遞專列,依賴于現(xiàn)有旅客列車完成快遞運輸。根據(jù)貨物裝載車廂位置的不同,可分為“客車帶貨”(模式三)和“客貨混編”(模式四)兩種。
模式三:客車帶貨。該模式是在客車車廂內(nèi)設置少量專用物流空間,在客運非高峰時段利用圖定旅客列車捎帶貨物,由于儲物空間有限,僅適用于少量零散輕小型快遞。其優(yōu)勢在于不必改變列車時刻表和高鐵行車組織,在不增加停站作業(yè)時間情況下,線路通過能力不受影響。為減少對客車定員的影響,物流空間不宜過大,因而對快遞物品的品類、體積、質(zhì)量有較大限制,物流運能較小,無法滿足規(guī)模化高鐵物流需求。此外,客貨流線存在一定的交叉,需同時兼顧客貨運輸?shù)陌踩?。此模式的關鍵是對現(xiàn)有客車進行改造,合理確定快遞空間大小,并將其設置為活動空間,以便在客運高峰期可恢復客運功能。此外,要求較高的裝卸作業(yè)效率,以不增加停站作業(yè)時間。
模式四:客貨混編。該模式類似于傳統(tǒng)旅客列車編掛的行李車,物流空間以車廂為單位,在列車編組輛數(shù)一定的情況下,根據(jù)客貨運量比例,調(diào)整列車端部1~2輛為快遞專用車。該模式優(yōu)勢在于不影響原列車運行計劃,物流輸送能力大于模式三。除了始發(fā)終到站之間的點到點快遞物流外,沿途物流以裝卸作業(yè)不增加停站時間為限制條件,要求裝卸作業(yè)簡單、快捷,并使客貨運流線分開,對站臺重新劃分客流區(qū)和物流區(qū),兩區(qū)保持必要的安全距離。該模式除了需要平衡客運運能與物流效益的關系外,還須解決兩個問題:一是為了減少對車站客運組織的影響,車站需改擴建物流作業(yè)區(qū)域,劃出物流作業(yè)區(qū)供快遞物件的裝卸與堆放,避免客貨流線沖突;二是為了減少對線路通過能力的影響,應開發(fā)快速裝卸作業(yè)的相關設備,從而縮短裝卸時間。
以上四種高鐵物流模式在技術上都具有可行性,可結合不同地區(qū)、不同線路、不同物流特征,從輸送能力、運輸組織、運營效益以及對客運影響等方面進行綜合評價,選擇合適的運輸組織模式。
Commentary
High-speedRailwayLogisticsModeandFeasibility
XUXingfang
(Professor, PhD.Tutor at Institute of Rail Transit, Tongji University)
The yearly volume of delivery in China has exceeded 100 billion particles in recent years, ranking second place worldwide, rising by 20%~30% per year.High-speed line network in China has covered over 90% of the cities with population above 500 000, while high-speed railway is sharing low percentage of the deliveries.Since passenger flow fluctuates in time(temporal dimensions from hour to season)and space(spatial dimensions of section, route, and region), the spatial-temporal capacity of high-speed railway is not exerted to full extent, and logistics can make use of the deficient part because of its flexible timeliness.
High-speed railway logistics makes use of the existing high-speed line network, taking the margin of passenger transport capacity for basis, adopting certain organization mode for transportation, so as to prompt the benefits of speedy, timely and low-carbon of high-speed railway, providing premium delivery service for the society.Evidently, transportation organization mode is one of the key factors to enabling high-speed railway delivery business.High-speed railway logistics can be classified into two general types of ′specialized cargo freight′ and ′non-specialized cargo freight′, and four modes in detail.The four modes and their feasibility are analyzed respectively.
Mode 1: Operating outside passenger transport hours.This mode uses non ′skylight′ time of the non-passenger transport hours(usually at 00:00~06:00)for continuously operating delivery specialized trains.As for ′skylight′ time, it is a metaphorical expression for the comprehensive maintenance hours.This mode is an extension of the high-speed railway ′confirmation train′.As for ′confirmation train′, it is the first ′patrolling train′ after ′skylight′ time in the morning.It operates for route safety check and is available for cargo.The advantage is that the operating hour is independent from passenger train hours.There′s enough time to load and unload, less disturbance to passenger transport operation.The disadvantage is that high-speed train can only deliver in 3 days and the overlapping with the ′skylight′ period makes the applicable time range too small(about 2 hrs).The key to this mode is to coordinate well between delivery specialized train and skylight for comprehensive maintenance.The difficulty is in optimizing skylight scheme for high-speed railway network maintenance.
Mode 2: Operating during passenger transport non-peak hours.This mode schedules certain number of delivery specialized trains during non-peak hours, making use of the margin capacity of high-speed railway.The advantage is wide time range, giving flexibility to the logistics organization and capacity.With the increase of total train numbers during the passenger-cargo mix operating hours, normal operation of passenger trains will be interfered, adding up the complexity and difficulty of train coordination and command.Under this mode, other than adding corresponding cargo freight equipment and overtaking lines at some stations, train operation organization for mix operation of delivery and passenger at each station needs to be reinforced as well so that safe distance is kept between passenger area and logistics area.The key to this mode is to balance the ratio of cargo and passenger trains during mix operation, minimizing impact of loading and unloading work on the timetable of passenger trains.
′Non-specialized cargo freight′ is to not involve delivery specialized train, and to utilize currently available passenger trains for delivery transport.According to the location of cargo compartment on the train, there can be ′passenger train delivery′(mode 3)and ′mix formation of passenger and cargo transportation′(mode 4).
Mode 3: Passenger train delivery.This mode is to spare a limited amount of space in passenger compartment for delivery, and the scheduled passenger trains transport cargo during non-peak hours.The limited storage space only allows small amount of individual pieces.The advantage is to maintain the current timetable and the train organization of the high-speed railway, while not interfering with station stopping time and line passing capacity.To minimize the impact on fixed number of passenger train, the logistics area shouldn′t be too spatial, and there are limitations to parcel category, volume, mass, and logistics capacity.All of these prevent the scaling up of high-speed railway logistics.In addition, there are certain crossovers of passenger and cargo flow lines, requiring consideration of safety of passenger and cargo freight simultaneously.The key to this mode is to upgrade the current passenger trains, rationally defining delivery area size to be a flexible space, so that it is available for passengers during peak hours as well.Besides, high efficiency of loading and unloading operation is required, so that there′s no extra station stop time.
Mode 4: Mix formation of passenger and cargo transportation.This mode is similar to the conventional luggage compartment connected to passenger train.The logistics space is counting compartment as per unit.When the number of trains in a formation is fixed, according to the ratio of passenger-cargo capacity, 1-2 compartments at the train end can be modified for delivery.The advantage is that the original train timetable is not disturbed while the logistics delivery capacity is larger than that of mode 3.Other than the point-to-point delivery between terminals, under the premises of taking no extra station stop time, logistics along the way requires simple and fast loading and unloading operation, separating passenger and cargo flow lines, as well as passenger and cargo areas on station platform, between which safe distance must be kept.Besides that this mode requires balance between passenger transport capacity and logistics efficacy, two other problems must be confronted as well: firstly, to reduce impact on station passenger transport organization, station must reconstruct and extend a logistics operation area, isolated for delivery loading and storage, avoiding conflict between passenger and cargo flow lines; secondly, to reduce impact on line passing capacity, equipment relevant to efficient loading and unloading work should be developed to guarantee time management.
All of the above four high-speed railway logistics modes are feasible from technical perspective.Considering the characteristics of different regions, routes and logistics, comprehensive evaluation can be carried out from aspects including transporting capacity, transport organization, operation efficacy and influence on passenger transport, so that appropriate transport organization mode is chosen.
TranslatedbyZHANGLiman