HY-RAIL RYD-A-RAIL: WHERE DID THE FLURRY GO?

Early versions of road-rail vehicles are described, more recent interest in combination cars in reviewed, arguments are presented for road-rail service, and the study of the service in Hartford, Connecticut is outlined. A possible solution of the conflict of who and how many shall operate while the intermodal vehicle is on rails, is the state takeover or subsidization of little-used railroad lines and their operation under a new code of rules. In Hartford, 5 state and 3 federal bodies participated in a 2-phase study on the alternatives of coverting a rail line to an exclusive bus road and equipping it for road-rail vehicles. It was shown that conversion to a bus road would cost $6,109,123 while equipping for the road-rail would cost $1,817,244. An engineering study found the project wholly unsuitable as a transit enterprise. It is indicated that an laternative preferable to extensive track upgrading on many lines is improvement of the vehicle technology to allow a smooth ride even on rough track. Calculations for a schedule for the vehicle must include road-rail-road conversion times. Comments are also made relating to operating speeds and areas of service suitable for road rail. The theory of using a rail line in lieu of a crowded highway, and of increasing the versatility of a rail vehicle by making it capable of road running is considered valid.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trnews/trnews61_p4-8.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/07386826
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Prosser, R S
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 4-8
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research News
  • Issue Number: 61
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus lanes; Costs; Intermodal transportation; Public transit; Railroad transportation; Scheduling; Speed; Subsidies; Technology; Tractor trailer combinations; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Conversion
• Old TRIS Terms: Combinations; Vehicle combinations
• Subject Areas: Design; Finance; Highways; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00131348
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM