Estimation of Transport Potential in Regional Rail Passenger Transport by Using the Innovative Mathematical-Statistical Gravity Approach
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
I find the article both interesting and well written. The authors develop the Lill´s gravity model for transport potential calculation for the selected relations. A comprehensive exercise has been done to present a good manuscript with concentred effort. Scope and results are presented on high level.
The used research approach is balanced; the proposed methodology is examined based on the Slovak railway network what I accept due to . The contribution does not content the practical application, but I suppose it is not necessary for the presented research approach and it may be an aim of next research output.
I find the presented and assembled model correct, understandable and confirmed for use in practical calculations.
Referencing is done according instructions, please add citation of next relevant authors in the research field. Please, translate to English the citation No. 34 (Lill, E.). The paper represents a contribution to the sustainable public passenger transport.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The topic addressed in this investigation is within the scope of this important journal. The scientific quality is generally good. In order to be suitable for journal publication, the paper should be improved addressing the following comments.
- Please avoid some informal expressions as an academic article. For instance, the sentence should not start with ‘we’. The full title of Reference [38] should not be given as it has been cited.
- Please consider expanding the introduction from a more general view. The reviewer suggests highlighting the difficulty and complexity of the construction of railway infrastructure, as it has a track, vehicle [*] and traction power system [**]… Due to the huge cost in the construction, operation and maintenance, the improvement of traffic efficiency is desired.
[*] S. Iwnicki, M. Spiryagin, C. Cole, T. (Timothy) McSweeney, Handbook of railway vehicle dynamics, Second Edition, CRC Press, 2019.
[**] Y. Song, Z. Liu, A. Ronnquist, P. Navik, Z. Liu, Contact Wire Irregularity Stochastics and Effect on High-speed Railway Pantograph-Catenary Interactions, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas. (2020). doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2020.2987457.
- It is suggested that the literature review section should be moved to Introduction.
- The main conclusion of this paper relies on the selection of the parameters in Eq. (2). The author should indicate the details how these parameters are selected.
- The new contributions of this paper in comparison to what is already published in the literature should be clarified and highlighted in the conclusion.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
All my comments are properly addressed by the author. I think this paper deserves to be published.
