FINALLY SOME OPERATING EXPERIENCE WITH LOW FLOOR LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES (IN NORTH AMERICA)

Tri-Met in Portland, Oregon, placed North America's first flow floor light rail vehicles (LFLRVs) into revenue service during 1997 and 1998. This paper examines Tri-Met's experience with these new LFLRVs during the first 18 months of revenue service and seeks to answer whether original expectations have been met. A brief chronology and description of the Tri-Met LFLRV and a description of the operating conditions are first provided for context. Initial reliability parameters are quantified and compared with those of the older high floor light rail vehicles. As assessment is made of the contribution of the low floor elements of the new vehicles to the reliability results. Accessibility features, and their operation, are described in detail; station dwell time reduction and service reliability improvements are discussed; ride quality and the performance of the center truck are evaluated; and a number of miscellaneous features of the LFLRV are reviewed. Finally, public acceptance of the LFLRVs is discussed.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1201 New York Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20005
• Authors:
  • Porter, D L
  • Heilig, T
• Conference:
  • 1999 Commuter Rail/Rapid Transit Conference, Proceedings
  • Location: Toronto, Canada
  • Date: 1999-5-22 to 1999-5-27
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 274-281

Subject/Index Terms

• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00766397
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 17 1999 12:00AM