APPLICABILITY OF LOW-FLOOR LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES IN NORTH AMERICA. TCRP REPORT 2

This report will be of interest to transit managers, engineers, and policymakers considering the introduction of low-floor light rail vehicles (LRV) in existing or planned light rail systems. The report investigates the state-of-the-art of LRVs and assesses the applicability of their use in North America. Low-floor LRV categories have been developed to clarify the different types of vehicles and their applications. Critical factors that should be examined before considering low-floor LRVs are identified and discussed. The report describes the growing trend toward LRVs and the reasons for this growth. It provides an extensive compilation of data on low-floor LRVs, information on North American light rail system characteristics, and key issues relevant to the applicability of this technology in North America. The report also develops two illustrative examples to show, in a realistic North-American setting, the cost-effectiveness of using low-floor LRVs, the source of risk, and the trade-offs regarding the use of low-floor versus high-floor LRVs. The report concludes that low-floor LRVs provide improved accessibility and are more easily integrated into the existing environment than conventional light rail vehicles. An extensive database record of available European low-floor LRVs is provided in Appendix A. Appendix B provides light rail transit system descriptions of 14 North American cities. This report also provides a glossary of terms.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared for the FTA Transit Cooperative Research Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Booz-Allen and Hamilton, Incorporated

  Transportation Consulting Division, 4330 East-West Highway
  Bethesda, MD  United States  20814

  Transit Cooperative Research Program

  Transportation Research Board, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20418

  Federal Transit Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 179 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cost effectiveness; Light rail vehicles; Low floor vehicles; State of the art; Technology assessment
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00711332
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Transit Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: TCRP Report 2
• Files: TRIS, TRB, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 18 1995 12:00AM