PROCEDURE FOR OPTIMIZING RAPID TRANSIT CAR DESIGN. ABRIDGMENT

This paper discusses a methodology that can be used to either develop an approximate initial car design or to analyze an existing design by varying the number of design elements to determine their effects. A computer program was developed to implement the methodology. The program is designed to perform an economic analysis that provides the minimum total annual costs. A set of equations was developed to describe the interactions between car design elements and cost. The study concludes the there are many possibilities for using this methodology. Sensitivity analysis have show that the program operates realistically. Cost comparisons may be made for cars of different lengths, various interest rates on capital investment, and various system parameters such as headway, demand, and system length. This program may also be updated for new data and new costs to account for inflation, changing technology and other factors.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1977/627/627-002.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=PROCEDURE+FOR+OPTIMIZING+RAPID+TRANSIT+CAR+DESIGN.+ABRIDGMENT&author=M.+Huss&author=R.+Roess&publication_year=1977
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309026520
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Rail Systems Planning and Development. This paper is from Huss' doctoral dissertation submitted to the Polytechnic Institute of New York. 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:
  • Huss, Martin F
  • Roess, Roger P
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: pp 4-7
• Monograph Title: Rail transit
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 627
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Economic analysis; Headways; Investments; Life cycle costing; Mathematical models; Operating costs; Optimization; Passenger cars; Rapid transit cars; Service life; Urban transportation; Vehicle design
• Old TRIS Terms: Passenger car design
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00167599
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309026520
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 30 1983 12:00AM