Metro Rail Design Criteria Section 10 Operations
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METRO RAIL DESIGN CRITERIA SECTION 10 OPERATIONS METRO RAIL DESIGN CRITERIA SECTION 10 / OPERATIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS 10.1 INTRODUCTION 1 10.2 DEFINITIONS 1 10.3 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PLAN 5 Metro Baseline 10- i Re-baseline: 06/15/10 METRO RAIL DESIGN CRITERIA SECTION 10 / OPERATIONS OPERATIONS 10.1 INTRODUCTION Transit Operations include such activities as scheduling, crew rostering, running and supervision of revenue trains and vehicles, fare collection, system security and system maintenance. This section describes the basic system wide operating and maintenance philosophies and methodologies set forth for the Metro Rail Projects, which shall be used by designer in preparation of an Operations and Maintenance Plan. An initial Operations and Maintenance Plan (OMP) is developed during the environmental phase and is based on ridership forecasts produced during this early planning phase of a project. From this initial Operations and Maintenance plan, headways are established that are to be evaluated by a rail operations simulation upon which design and operating headways can be established to confirm operational goals for light and heavy rail systems. The Operations and Maintenance Plan shall be developed in order to design effective, efficient and responsive transit system. The operations criteria and requirements established herein represent Metro’s Rail Operating Requirements / Criteria applicable to all rail projects and form the basis for the project-specific operational design decisions. They shall be utilized by designer during preparation of Operations and Maintenance Plan. Any proposed deviation to Design Criteria cited herein shall be approved by Metro, as represented by the Change Control Board, consisting of management responsible for project construction, engineering and management, as well as daily rail operations, planning, systems and vehicle maintenance with appropriate technical expertise and understanding. 10.2 DEFINITIONS Active fleet Portion of the total fleet which is available for revenue service, including peak vehicle requirements, ready reserve and maintenance spares. Alignment Classification Metro uses definitions adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission concerning classification of a rail alignment. Pertinent classifications include “exclusive”, “semi- exclusive” and “non-exclusive.” Auxiliary tracks Tracks other than Main Line tracks. Base Headway This refers to the off-peak standard time interval between trains. Often, the base headway is considered to occur during weekdays at mid-day times. Civil design speed (civil The design speed, which derives from the guideway speed limit) geometry. Consist The makeup or composition of cars of a train. Metro Baseline 10-1 Re-baseline: 06/15/10 METRO RAIL DESIGN CRITERIA SECTION 10 / OPERATIONS Crossing (track) A special trackwork unit, assembled from rails and frogs that allows crossing of two tracks at the same level (at grade). Crossover Track with two turnouts, which provide connection between two other tracks. Incident in which one or more wheels of a transit vehicle Derailment unintentionally leaves the rails. Design Headway The “Design Headway” is the closest interval of time between trains that could be operated. Dwell time The period of time measured from the instant a train stops at a station/terminal until the instant it resumes moving. Gap train/Ready Reserve A reserve train stationed at a designated non-revenue track or Train maintenance facility ready to enter into revenue service to provide consistent delivery of service. Metro uses these trains to fill-in service when a train is delayed, incurs a mechanical problem and to accommodate special events: sporting events, community services, dignitaries’. Gauntlet track A Structure consisting of two tracks built with overlapping Running Rails; a rail of one track falling between the rails of another track. Grade crossing In Metro rail system it is a place, where a street (any roadway with vehicular traffic) or a pedestrian walkway is crossing Metro track (tracks), which are on a street level (at-grade). Guardrail A special trackwork unit – an additional rail, installed inside the gage to guide the flange of the wheel in sharp horizontal curves (restraining rail) or additional protection in case of derailment on structures (emergency guardrail). Headway The time interval between the successive trains, moving in the same direction on the same track. Common terms applied to headway include “Base headway”, “Design Headway”, “Operational Headway”, “Peak Hour Headway” and “Off-Peak Headway.” Hold track An auxiliary track in a Yard or a passenger station to temporarily hold the car or train awaiting disposition order. Main Line tracks Tracks, used for regular scheduled train operations under the Central Control Maintenance of Way access The places along the guideway/alignment, where Metro points Maintenance of Way personnel may enter the Right-of-Way from public street or another roadway. Maximum Consist Length This refers to the maximum number of cars of a consist. For light-rail transit, this will be 3-car trains of approximately 270 feet in length. For heavy-rail transit, this will be 3 married pair- car trains of approximately 450 feet in length. MIS Major Investment Study Metro Baseline 10-2 Re-baseline: 06/15/10 METRO RAIL DESIGN CRITERIA SECTION 10 / OPERATIONS Off-Peak Headway The Off-Peak Headway refers to the scheduled time interval between trains operating at times other than the “Peak Hour.” These typically are established based on ridership levels, and not to exceed a minimum service level determined by Metro policy. Operating Headway “Operating Headway”, for light-rail transit, refers to the reliable train movement based on the schedule as established by the Operations and Maintenance plan Operating Margin Refers to a measure of time between “Design Headway” and “Operating Headway.” The “Operating Margin” is the interval of time available for scheduled service to respond to variations in time for operating a train over a line and reflects the level of flexibility a train line has to maintain a schedule or return to a published schedule. Overhead /Contact System Overhead Contact System is an overhead contact wire and its (OCS) support system providing traction power to rail vehicles through suspended contact wire. Scheduled Operating speed An authorized operating speed based on schedule headways and train control speed codes. Scheduled operating speeds can not exceed the civil design speeds. Operators Transition Point A location within the Main Line, where a train operator can be relieved en route; includes a short platform and may be located or close to a Yard. Operators Dispatching A location within the Operations and Maintenance Facility, Office where operators report for work. The dispatch office is located in close proximity to employee welfare facilities. Peak Hour Headway The headway required to provide a system capacity sufficient to carry projected peak hour peak direction ridership at the peak of the load point of a line or branch for a given design year. The design of the systems shall meet the short term headway needs for the opening day of revenue and also the long term requirements which will take into account potential expansion of the system and growth in ridership. Pocket track An auxiliary track, located between Main Line tracks and connected to both Main Line tracks at both ends (run-through pocket track) or at one end only (stub-end pocket track) with a length, sufficient for a maximum length consist; may be used for trains to pass, meet, as a crossover (run-through only) and also to hold a train. Pre-Revenue service The minimum 12 week period prior to beginning of revenue service on a new line or line extension, in which the project is tested for compatibility, stress, and which trains are operated on a simulated revenue service schedule; however, passengers are not permitted aboard trains. Metro Baseline 10-3 Re-baseline: 06/15/10 METRO RAIL DESIGN CRITERIA SECTION 10 / OPERATIONS Push button operations Method to operate turnouts and signals using the stand-alone electrical switch (button) located at the turnout; train operator may change the position of the turnout switch by pushing the button through the open cab window prior to proceeding through the turnout. Quad gates An arrangement of crossing gates, which prevents road vehicles from moving around the closed gate, by installation of gates on outbound traffic lanes as well, as on inbound lanes, both sides of the tracks; simple grade crossing of the roadway without center divider requires four gates. Remote control and Method to operate turnouts and signals from remote location, operations such as central control facility; in Metro Rail System it is ROC for Main Line or Yard Control in a Yard. ROC Rail Operations Center-location from which mainline operations are authorized, controlled and directed Run-around track A Yard track, which connects all the rail facilities in a Yard to each other and to Yard Leads; no storage, hold or maintenance of rail vehicles are allowed on a run-around track. Run-through track A track, where rail vehicle or a train may enter at one end and exit through another track. Scheduled Operating speed An authorized operating speed based on schedule headways and train control speed codes. Scheduled operating speeds can not exceed the civil design speeds. Siding track An auxiliary run-through track, located alongside the main tracks and connected to the adjacent main line tracks at both ends; may be used for train to pass and meet (cannot be done without siding on a single track line) or to hold a train Single track operations Operations within defined limits governing bi-directional train movement over a single track on the mainline. Speed codes Maximum speed limits for particular segments of the line, established by automatic train control system. Special trackwork Trackwork, which consists of more than two rails and ties. Stand alone push button A device to house an electrical switch (button) for push button unit operations.