Transit Technologies. Worksheet
1 2 A Review of Transit Technology Specifications
1. Heavy Rail Transit 2. Commuter Rail Transit 3. Light Rail Transit 4. Modern Streetcar 5. Heritage Trolley 3 4 6. Dedicated Lane BRT 7. Express Bus
5 6
Photo credits from left to right 7 1. answers.com 2. newrecruit.com 3. lightrail.com 4. APTA Heritagetrolley.org 5. APTA Heritagetrolley.org 6. sfcta.org 7. thetransitcoalition.us 8. infilldenver.com Heavy Rail. Transit
Definition: The term heavy rail refers to a mode of transportation that is defined less by its vehicle weight than by its complexity and operational rigidity. Heavy rail systems typically consist of steel-wheeled, electric powered vehicles operating in trains of two or more cars on a fully grade-separated right-of- way. (FTA)
Example Cities: Station Type: Typical Power Source: Washington DC (Metro) Station, Platform Electric San Francisco (BART) New York (MTA) Distance Between Stations: FRA Compliant: (Able to run on Boston (MBTA) Urban Core >1 mile tracks with freight trains) Chicago (CTA) Periphery 1-5 miles No
Projected Costs per Mile Service Frequency: $50-$250 Million 5-10 Minutes (Peak) High System Cost: $558 Million (Estimated) Alignment: San Francisco Central Subway Separate Right of Way
Low System Costs: Right of Way Width: $73.12 Million (Estimated) 25-33 Feet Chicago Blue Line Rebuild Turning Radius: Service Type: 330 Feet Regional, Urban Vehicle Length: Photo: New York City Subway Operating Speed: 40-70 Feet per car From: Answers.com 50-80 MPH Up to 10 car trains Commuter Rail. Transit
Definition: Commuter Rail is an electric or diesel propelled railway for urban passenger train service consisting of local short distance travel operating between a central city and adjacent suburbs.
Example Cities: Operating Speed: Vehicle Length: Boston (MBTA) 30-60 MPH 150-500 Feet New Jersey (NJT) Engine and Coaches New York (Long Island RR) Station Type: Dallas – Fort Worth (TRE) Station, Platform Typical Power Source: San Jose – San Francisco Diesel (CalTrain) Distance Between Stations: 2-5 Miles FRA Compliant: Projected Costs per Mile Yes $3-$25 Million* Service Frequency: 20-30 Minutes High System Cost: $16.57 (Estimated) Chicago Southwest Corridor Alignment: Commuter Rail Generally built on existing tracks at grade street crossings Low System Costs: $1.2 Million Right of Way Width: Nashville 37+ Feet
Service Type: Turning Radius: Photo: Caltrain, San Fransisco Peninsula Regional, Intraurban 140-460 Feet From: newrecruit.com Stephen DesRoches Light Rail. Transit
Definition: The term light rail refers more to this mode’s relative simplicity and operational flexibility than to actual vehicle weight or cost. With an overhead power supply, light rail systems can operate in mixed traffic and widely ranging alignment configurations.(FTA)
Example Cities: Station Type: Vehicle Length: Denver Sidewalk Sign, Station, 50-80 Feet per car and up to 4 Minneapolis Platform car trains Dallas Houston Distance Between Stations: Typical Power Source: Salt Lake City ~1 Mile Electric
Projected Costs per Mile Service Frequency: FRA Compliant: $20-$60 Million ($56)^ 5-30 Minutes No High System Cost: $65 Million Alignment: Los Angeles Gold Line (2003) Aligned center or side of street ^ This includes estimates and corridor on separate right of figures for Complete Systems Low System Costs: way in Final Design, Under Con- $34 Million struction, or completed after Houston (2004) Right of Way Width: 2003 that do not include tun- 19-33 Feet (Double Track) neling
Definition: The U.S. term streetcar is generic to most forms of common carrier rail transit that runs or has run on streets, providing a local service and picking up and discharging passengers at any street corner, unless otherwise marked.
Example Cities: Station Type: Vehicle Length: Portland Sidewalk Sign, Station, 35-60 Feet Seattle (Design Phase) Platform Washington DC (Under Typical Power Source: Construction) Distance Between Stations: Electric 0.25 Miles Projected Costs per Mile FRA Compliant: $10-$25 Million Service Frequency: No 8-15 Minutes High System Cost: * Modern Streetcar and Light $23.7 Million Rail systems are often lumped Portland Alignment: In Street with traffic, no grade in with road and utility recon- Low System Costs: separation struction increasing the costs. * Low cost systems are viable Right of Way Width: however there are no examples Service Type: 19-24 (Double Track) at the moment Urban Circulator 11-13 (Single Track)
Operating Speed: Turning Radius: 8-12 MPH 40-80 Feet Photo: Portland Streetcar From: railwaypreservation.com Heritage. Trolley
Definition: The terms Heritage Trolley and Vintage Trolley are used to describe modern use of trolleys of a design dating from roughly 1900 to 1950. The terms can be used to refer either to a replica car that more or less accurately reproduces a trolley from the first half of the 20th century, or to an original preserved car restored to accurate or nearly accurate standards. (APTA)
Example Cities: Station Type: Vehicle Length: New Orleans Sidewalk Sign, Station, 35-50 Feet Memphis Platform Little Rock Typical Power Source: Kenosha Distance Between Stations: Electric Galveston 0.25 Miles FRA Compliant: Projected Costs per Mile Service Frequency: No $2-$12 Million 8-15 Minutes High System Cost: $12 Million Alignment: Charlotte In Street with traffic, no grade separation Low System Costs: $2.5 Million Right of Way Width: Kenosha, Wi 19-24 (Double Track) 11-13 (Single Track) Service Type: Urban Circulator Turning Radius: Photo: San Francisco F Line 40-50 Feet From: APTA Heritagetrolley.org Operating Speed: 8-12 MPH Dedicated. Lane BRT
Definition: Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a relatively new umbrella term for urban mass transportation services utilizing buses to perform premium services on existing roadways or dedicated rights-of-way.
Example Cities: Station Type: Vehicle Length: Boston Sidewalk Sign, Station, 30 -50 Feet Pittsburgh Platform Cleveland Typical Power Source: Eugene Distance Between Stations: Diesel, Electric 0.25-2 Miles Projected Costs per Mile FRA Compliant: $4-$40 Million Service Frequency: N/A 8-20 Minutes High System Cost: $55 Million Pittsburgh West Busway Alignment: HOV lanes or separated right Low System Costs: of way in median or on curb $6.25 Million Los Angeles San Bernadino Right of Way Width: Freeway HOV Busway 12 (Pittsburg Single) 28 (Pittsburg Double) Service Type: Regional, Urban Turning Radius: Photo: Proposed Van Ness BRT 40-70 Feet From: sfcta.org Operating Speed: 8-12 MPH Express. Bus
Definition: An Express bus is a bus service that is intended to run faster than normal bus lines. These buses usually run between the downtown sections of cities and the more residential Suburbs or Outer Boroughs.
Example Cities: Alignment: Any City with a Bus System In Street with traffic
Projected Costs per Mile Right of Way Width: $1-$2 Million Street Width
Service Type: Turning Radius: Regional, Urban 33-46 Feet Operating Speed: Vehicle Length: 15-19 MPH 30-50 Feet Station Type: Sidewalk Sign, Platform Typical Power Source: Diesel Distance Between Stations: Limited stops along normal FRA Compliant: N/A bus routes Photo: Maple Grove Minnesota Express Bus Service Frequency: From: www.ci.maple-grove.mn.us/adminis- tration/transit 10-20 Minutes Contact. Us
Data Sources:
APTA HeritageTrolley.org TCRP 90 - Bus Rapid Transit Reconnecting America Lightrail.com DART Technology Review Report 436 14th Street Suite 1005 ‘Future Transport in Cities’ - Brian Richards ‘Urban Public Transportation - Oakland, CA 94612 Systems and Technology’ - Vukan R. Vuchic (510) 268-8602