THE ADVANCED PASSENGER TRAIN: AN ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TRACK FOR HIGH SPEED

This paper examines to what degree reasonable extensions of established railway technology may be made and then to determine to what extent and at what cost such "stretched" technology can satisfy foreseen market needs. It was this approach, to see how big a stretch could be effectively made taking account of technology and economy, that led to the concept of the British Rail Advanced Passenger Train (APT). Hence APT may be defined as a train incorporating stretched railway technology and designed to run at maximum speed on existing good railway track incurring the minimum cost penalty for speed. The beneficial features of the train, which will be taken as the basis for comparison in this paper, can best be appreciated by first examining the problems encountered in guided wheel transport. The production cost of APT (maximum speed 250 k.p.h. and plus minus 9 degrees powered tilt) will be much the same as that of conventional trains with lower speed capability. Put another way, the cost of one APT is about equal to 1 or 2 km of new track laid on new right of way. It is designed to be economical of traction energy and maintenance cost. It is compatible with existing rail infrastructure. The most telling point in favour of APT is that its adoption permits of a staged investment strategy in keeping with the growth of measurable benefits. No initial massive infrastructure cost is called for and the trains may be introduced at a rate in keeping with observed net revenue benefits.

• Corporate Authors:

  International Railway Congress Association

  17-21 rue de Louvrain
  1000 Brussels,   Belgium 
• Authors:
  • Jones, S
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 605-614
• Serial:
  • RAIL INTERNATIONAL
  • Issue Number: 7

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; High speed rail; High speed track; Technology
• Identifier Terms: British Rail
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced passenger trains
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00127386
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Rail International
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 5 1975 12:00AM