CHANNEL RAIL-LINK DILEMMA. PUBLIC OBJECTION SPEEDS LEAP IN COSTS

This article critically discusses some engineering and planning problems of the Channel Tunnel Railway Line. The author first suggests some aspects of organisation and timing, which have impeded the project. Taking account of the public's feelings is now necessary. Landscape architecture is an important aspect of railway design; the public's fear of noise and vibration in new high-speed railways is however probably the chief obstacle to the new channel tunnel line. The chief source of noise is friction and oscillation between wheel and rail. Some recent developments in noise suppression are described. Plastic pads between rail and sleeper seem effective, although high-speed lines, to minimize maintenance, need an inherently noisy solid rail bed. The author describes a detailed design for the channel tunnel rail line: in open countryside, it would run in a cutting, both reducing visual intrusion and containing, within side walls, much of the airborne sound waves. Polystyrene mixed in the rail ballast would absorb much conducted noise. The line could run in tunnels near centres of population. Lastly the choice of route is discussed. A London terminus at Covent Garden is proposed and British rail's reply and justification of their White City Site, follow. The public should be more involved in making this choice.

• Corporate Authors:

  Foundation Publications Limited

  7 Ongar Road
  Brentwood CM15 9AU, Essex,   England 

  Foundation Publications Limited

  33 Short Croft
  Doddinghurst, Essex,   England 
• Authors:
  • Tilden, R O
• Publication Date: 1974

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 26-30
• Serial:
  • Underground Services
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Foundation Publications Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cutting; Damping (Physics); Environmental impacts; Equipment; High speed rail; Itinerary; Landscaping; Noise barriers; Noise control; Planning; Prevention; Public opinion; Public transit; Railroads; Rapid transit; Sound; Transportation planning; Tunneling; Vibration
• Identifier Terms: British Rail
• Geographic Terms: France; United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Noise attenuation; Railway
• ITRD Terms: 2812: Cutting (earthworks); 3674: Equipment; 8036: France; 699: Itinerary; 2887: Landscaping; 143: Planning; 9149: Prevention; 1181: Rapid transit system; 6748: Sound; 8119: United Kingdom; 5558: Vibration
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads; Security and Emergencies; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00099707
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 18 1976 12:00AM