XGBoost-Based Heuristic Path Planning Algorithm for Large Scale Air–Rail Intermodal Networks

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1.       The literature review could be expanded to include a broader range of existing algorithms and technologies specific to intermodal transportation path planning. Comparison with recent deep learning approaches could provide a clearer positioning of the XGB-HPPA's novelty and benefits.

2.       The paper provides limited details about the dataset and the specific features used for training the XGBoost model. More transparency regarding data preprocessing, feature engineering, and the rationale behind feature selection is crucial for reproducibility and scientific rigor. A discussion on why certain features were considered or discarded would help in understanding the model's efficiency and accuracy.

3.       There is a lack of robust validation techniques to assess the model's performance across different scenarios or datasets. Cross-validation or other model validation techniques could enhance the credibility of the results. You could Implement and describe a comprehensive validation strategy, such as k-fold cross-validation or time-based split testing, to evaluate the model's performance more reliably.

4.       While the paper discusses computational efficiency improvements, there is no detailed analysis of the algorithm's complexity or scalability, especially in ultra-large-scale networks. You can provide a theoretical analysis or empirical evidence of the algorithm's time complexity and scalability. Include benchmarks against networks of varying sizes and complexity to demonstrate the algorithm's performance in real-world scenarios.

5.       The evaluation primarily focuses on computational speed, with less emphasis on the quality of the paths generated and their practical applicability in real-world scenarios. You could enhance the results section by adding metrics that evaluate the practicality of the paths generated (e.g., total travel time, costs, passenger convenience).

6.       The methodology describes the use of heuristic factors to speed up computation, but the impact of these adjustments on the accuracy of the path planning results is not deeply analyzed. You could conduct a sensitivity analysis to explore how changes in heuristic factors affect the path quality and computational time.

7.       The discussion section lacks a critical evaluation of the limitations of the proposed methodology and potential areas for future research.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

An interesting study regarding the problem of route planning. The research follows a heuristic approach to solving a rail-air passenger transportation network. 

The Introduction needs improvement in relation to previous works relevant to the addressed problem. The authors present literature on the algorithms used in previous works but it is presented as a list (lines 43-47). Have these algorithms been applied on air-rail networks or other transportation mode(s)? What were the results? 

The methodology and the experiments are analytically described. 

The conclusion section also needs improvement. Were there any limitations to applicating this methodology, what could be done in future steps?

Why are lines 305-311 in bold letters? Is there a specific reason for that? 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx