Innovative Rail Safety Outreach for a New Rail Transit Service in Austin, Texas

This paper describes how optimizing safety is a major task facing America’s rail transit operations, especially with New Start systems in areas where the public are unfamiliar with such operations. In the Austin, Texas area, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro) is installing a new rail transit system (Capital MetroRail) using diesel-powered multiple-unit rolling stock that will run on 32 miles of existing agency-owned freight tracks between the exurb of Leander and downtown Austin, serving 9 stations. In certain segments of the line, these light regional passenger rail (“commuter”) trains are expected to reach speeds of 75 mph. nationally, rail transit ridership and passenger mileage have been increasing dramatically – but this growth has been accompanied by increasing safety challenges. According to a report prepared for Capital Metro by Glenn Gadbois of the Texas Citizen Fund, in 2003 U.S. rail transit agencies reported nearly 3,000 accidents across all modes, resulting in 39 fatalities and 3,066 injuries.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/1931594317
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Henry, Lyndon
  • Curtis, Matt
  • Schram, Alissa
• Conference:
  • 2008 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Rail Conference
  • Location: San Francisco CA, United States
  • Date: 2008-6-1 to 2008-6-4
• Publication Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: 5p
• Monograph Title: Rail Conference 2008 Proceedings

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Light rail transit; Multiple unit trains; Public transit; Rail transit; Railroad commuter service; Railroad safety; Rolling stock; Transit operating agencies
• Uncontrolled Terms: Passenger rail services
• Geographic Terms: Austin (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01115222
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594317
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 25 2008 7:32AM