RAILBUS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT. FINAL REPORT

The City of Kenner, LA., and the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority sponsored a 3-week commuter rail service demonstration of a Railbus built by Associated Rail Technologies (formerly BRE-Leyland) between Kenner and downtown New Orleans. The Railbus is a diesel self-propelled rail passenger car that may be operated in single or multiple units at up to 75 mph. The unit seats 40 passengers and has a crush capacity of 70 persons. The Railbus made 3 daily round trips between December 6, 1984 and January 11, 1985. The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) provided a grant to the RTA for an evaluation of the demonstration. The Railbus ran on 11 miles of Illinois Central Gulf Railroad track (shared with AMTRAK passenger and Louisville and Nashville Railroad freight trains). A shuttle bus connected New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal with various downtown locations as a convenience to Railbus passengers. The operating experience was considered successful, and few problems were encountered. The report provides details on the cost of the project, ridership, trip purpose, mechanical problems of the vehicle, operations. etc.

• Corporate Authors:

  Regional Transit Authority

  1001 Howard Avenue
  New Orleans, LA  United States  70113

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1985-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 85 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demonstration projects; Evaluation; Railbuses; Railroad commuter service; Shuttle buses
• Identifier Terms: Urban Mass Transportation Act
• Geographic Terms: Louisiana
• Old TRIS Terms: Railbus; Umta section 6
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00462900
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-LA-06-0006-85-1
• Contract Numbers: LA-06-0006
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 28 2004 4:21AM