ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE ASSESSMENT OF RAILROAD ELECTRIFICATION
Energy considerations are causing railroads, especially East Coast commuter lines, to reconsider electrification of main lines to replace or partially replace diesel-electric power. Among the secondary benefits, reduction in wayside noise is often cited as a significant environmental improvement. The noise problem may be more complex than assumed at first glance. Using a recently developed prediction model based on the highway noise computer model developed by the Transportation Research Center of the U.S. Department of Transportation, it is shown that wayside noise is strongly dependent on higher speeds attainable as a result of the track improvements associated with electrification . The exhaust noise from the diesel electric locomotive is replaced by wheel/rail noise which can at higher speeds be a more significant noise source. Replacement of the diesel-electric locomotives by high speed electric locomotives may show benefit only in that the new source is closer to the ground and as a result is subject to ground effects and shielding.
-
Supplemental Notes:
- Presented at the 1976 International Conference on Noise Control Engineering, Washington, D.C., 5-7 April 1976.
-
Corporate Authors:
Institute of Noise Control Engineering
Iowa State University, 210 Marston Hall
Ames, IA United States 50011-2153 -
Authors:
- HANSON, C E
- Conference:
- Publication Date: 1976
Media Info
- Features: Figures; References;
- Pagination: p. 191-196
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Car wheels (Railroads); Diesel engines; High speed rail; Mathematical models; Noise; Railroad electrification; Railroads
- Old TRIS Terms: Diesel engine noise
- Subject Areas: Environment; Railroads;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00152440
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Institute of Noise Control Engineering
- Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: May 11 1977 12:00AM