ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF MOTIVE POWER FOR SUBURBAN RAIL RAPID TRANSIT

Unconventional modes of rail motive power are considered. High capital costs of extending existing or new rail rapid transit lines into the more distant suburbs may have been a deterrent to implementation of some proposed extensions. Such high costs are caused, in part, by use of third-rail electrification with the perceived need for full grade separation. The longer the extension, the less the traffic on its outer extremities is a general condition that works against extension of full grade-separated rail transit into the far suburbs. Several forms of motive power are described that could offer much lower implementation costs for suburban rail rapid transit. The same concepts could apply to suburban electrified commuter railroads where electric operation is mandatory on critical center city terminal portions of a system. The proposed alternatives for heavy (i.e., high-platform) rapid transit ought to have costs on the order of those usually associated with light-rail transit, and yet would provide the spaciousness and comfort associated with suburban heavy-rail rapid transit. The unconventional motive power units described herein are intended to allow extension of existing (or proposed) electric rail transit into distant suburbs using nonelectrified railroad track that may be abandoned or used by an occasional freight train. Such existing rapid transit or commuter railroad lines are electrified because of underground operation in center cities. They generally have a roster of existing rolling stock that would have to be modified for use on nonelectrified extensions, and such modifications are described. A moderately deep discussion of technology is necessary to explain what is feasible and why. Precedent is cited in which transit trains have shared track with railroad freight trains.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1990/1266/1266-027.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=ALTERNATIVE+FORMS+OF+MOTIVE+POWER+FOR+SUBURBAN+RAIL+RAPID+TRANSIT&author=J.+Vigrass&publication_year=1990
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1266, Urban Public Transportation Research 1990. 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
• Authors:
  • Vigrass, J William
• Publication Date: 1990

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 259-265
• Monograph Title: Urban public transportation research
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1266
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Horsepower; Rail transit; Rapid transit; Suburbs; Technology
• Old TRIS Terms: Motive power
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00602766
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309050189
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 31 1990 12:00AM