After several fatal accidents, improving the safety of rail-track workers became a political priority in The Netherlands.
Maintaining the track was one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. ProRail divides its infrastructure
into working zones to be taken out of service during maintenance. We developed a two-step method of constructing
a four-week maintenance schedule in which each working zone of the main lines is closed to trains
at night exactly once. The alterations in trains’ departure and arrival times are within the restrictions imposed
by train operators. Workers have accepted the resulting schedule, which provides them with a manageable
maximum workload per night. Such a schedule is unique in Europe. It has been in operation since 2000 and
has clearly proven its benefits.