APTA STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM APTA RT-ST-GL-001-13 Approved March 26th, 2013 GUIDELINE American Public Transportation Association APTA Streetcar Subcommittee Work Group 1666 K Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20006-1215 Modern Streetcar Vehicle Guideline Abstract: This document provides guidelines to support specification and procurement of modern streetcar vehicles by identifying and describing important technical and operating principles relating to their application. Keywords: modern streetcar, light rail, low-floor vehicle Summary: Modern light rail and streetcar vehicles are fundamentally very similar, the differences having largely to do with how they are applied. The primary difference between the two modes is the degree of integration into the urban environment and the scale of the associated infrastructure. This difference in application makes some common light rail vehicle design features unnecessary for streetcar application but may also require the use of other features that may or may not be incorporated into a typical light rail vehicle. The Guideline includes an introduction and four chapters: Vehicle Configuration, Vehicle/Platform Interface, Vehicle/Track Interface and Power Supply. Recognizing that streetcar systems vary considerably in form and function, the document identifies and explains the underlying principles and interdependencies associated with each topic, and examines the trade-offs involved in various different design approaches. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the need to treat vehicles, infrastructure and operations as an integrated system. Scope and purpose: The purpose of this Guideline is to facilitate the successful introduction of modern streetcar vehicles into North American systems by promoting understanding of the core technical and operational issues. From this understanding, agencies will be able to better navigate the process of specifying a vehicle and designing compatible infrastructure. The document is intended to provide guidance to planners, transit agencies, local governments and others interested in developing new streetcar systems or enhancing existing streetcar systems using low-floor modern streetcar vehicles. High-floor vehicles and heritage streetcars fall outside the scope of this document, although many of the same technical and operating fundamentals also apply. This Guideline represents a common viewpoint of those parties concerned with its provisions, namely, transit operating/planning agencies, manufacturers, consultants, engineers and general interest groups. The application of any standards, practices or guidelines contained herein is voluntary. In some cases, federal and/or state regulations govern portions of a transit system’s operations. In those cases, the government regulations take precedence over this standard. APTA recognizes that for certain applications, the standards or practices, as implemented by individual transit agencies, may be either more or less restrictive than those given in this document. © 2013 American Public Transportation Association. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, in an electronic retrieval system or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the American Public Transportation Association. Contents APTA Streetcar Subcommittee Membership ................................................... iii Participants CHAPTER 1: VEHICLE CONFIGURATION ........................................................ 8 1.0 Introduction........................................................................................ 8 The American Public Transportation Association greatly appreciates the 1.1 Duty Cycle ......................................................................................... 8 contributions of John Smatlak (project 1.2 Optimizing the Vehicle for the Streetcar Operating Environment .... 9 manager), John Aurelius, Stephen Bonina, Jack Boorse, Tim Borchers, Jacques 1.3 Capacity ........................................................................................... 14 Drouin, Tom Furmaniak, Jim Graebner, 1.4 Vehicle Width and Interior Layout .................................................. 18 Paul Grether, Lyndon Henry, Tom Hickey, 1.5 Partial vs. 100 Percent Low-Floor ................................................... 25 Tom Irion, Carl Jackson, Russ Jackson, Richard Krisak, Stephen Lam, Larry 1.6 Single vs. Double-Ended ................................................................. 27 Lovejoy, Scott McIntosh, Bill Moorhead, Jason Mumford, Margarita Novales, Jim CHAPTER 2: VEHICLE/PLATFORM INTERFACE ........................................... 30 Schantz, John Schuman, Eric Sitiko, and John Swanson, who provided the primary 2.0 Introduction...................................................................................... 30 effort in the drafting of this guideline. 2.1 The Evolution of the Streetcar Stop ................................................. 30 At the time this standard was completed, the 2.2 New vs. Legacy Systems ................................................................. 31 Streetcar Subcommittee included the following members: 2.3 Platform Configuration .................................................................... 31 James Graebner, Chair 2.4 Vehicle Doors .................................................................................. 35 Tom Hickey, Vice Chair 2.5 Bridgeplates (if used) ....................................................................... 37 Tim Borchers, Secretary 2.6 Streetcar and Bus Sharing a Platform .............................................. 40 See next page for a list of the Streetcar Subcommittee members. CHAPTER 3: VEHICLE/TRACK INTERFACE ................................................... 44 3.0 Introduction...................................................................................... 44 3.1 Unique Aspects of Streetcar Track Design ...................................... 46 3.2 Unique Aspects of Streetcar Vehicles ............................................. 52 CHAPTER 4: POWER SUPPLY ........................................................................ 58 4.0 Introduction...................................................................................... 58 4.1 Operating Voltage and Current Collection ...................................... 59 4.2 Energy Savings ................................................................................ 60 4.3 Off-Wire Capability ......................................................................... 61 4.4 Ground-Level Power Systems ......................................................... 66 5.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................... 69 6.0 ABBREVIATIONS and ACRONYMS ......................................................... 70 7.0 GLOSSARY ................................................................................................ 71 8.0 SUMMARY OF CHANGES ......................................................................... 74 9.0 DOCUMENT HISTORY ............................................................................... 75 Project Team Charles Joseph Appendix 1: Carbuilder survey ................................................................. 75 Senior Project Manager American Public Transportation Association © 2013 American Public Transportation Association ii APTA Streetcar Subcommittee Membership Dan Abernathy Paul Grether Paul O'Brien Susannah Kerr Adler Wulf Grote Thomas O'Brien Paul Aichholzer Jeff Hamm Trevor Ocock Lewis T. Ames Curvie Hawkins Lucas Olson Randel Anderson Chris Heald Aaron Overman John Andreas Katrina Heineking Sasha N. Page John Aurelius Cliff Henke Rocco Paiano Tim Baldwin Lyndon Henry Matthew Palilla Christoper G. Barber Arturo Herrera Pankaj Pandit DJ Baxter Robert C. Highfill Wright C. Parkes John Bender Boris Homenock Philip G. Pasterak Derek Benedict Robert Holmquist Angel Pena Robert Bergen Niklas Hook Herbert Pence Steve Bethel Kammy Horne Frank M. Pierson Mark Bishop Emmanuel S. (Bruce) Horowitz John R. Post Adam Blakeley Christine Hotchkin Meghan Powell Stephen Bonina Gary Howard Paul Przepiorka Jeffrey F. Boothe Perry Howse Thomas Purmort Joseph Boscia Peter Hrovat Jeffrey Rankin Winsome Bowen Kenneth J. Hughes Ken Rees Ken Boyd Mathew E. Hughes Andrew Robbins Christina Briggs Carl Jackson Steve Roescher Trip Brizell Russell Jackson R. Scott Rodda Richard Brown Karl Johnson Jerry Rutledge Ralph Burns Kevin Johnson James (Jim) Schantz Ed Byers Keith Jones Todd Schultz Richard Cain Joseph E. (Joe) Kenas John Schumann John F. Calnan David W. Kilmer Kevin Seto Paul V. Campbell Cheryl King Joseph Shaffer Klaus Peter Canavan Jay Kline Jane Shang Bruce Cardon Kirk Klug Matthew Z. Sibul Raymond Carini Francois Kneppert Ruby A. Siegel Richard A. Carman Andrew Kooiman Kenneth G. Sislack Steven M. Carroll Richard Krisak Eric Sitiko Mattie Carter John Kut John Smatlak Patrick Charpentier Stephen Lam Ryan Snow Dan Cohen Tom LeBeau Marc K. Soronson Michael P. Collins Alan Lehto Harvey Stone David Colussi Thomas Ligenfield Peter Straus Marlene B. Connor Benjamin Limmer John Swanson RoseMary Covington George Long James D. Switzer Greg Crocombe J. Sam Lott David M. Taylor William Cross George Louie Jerry Thompson Frank R. Culver Lawrence Lovejoy Ronald J. Tober Richard D. Curtis William Lutz Frank T. Tobey III Jeffrey Damon Bob Ly Jitendra S. Tomar Jeremy Daniel Eric L. Madison Edward J. Toomey Chris Davis Tom Marking Rob Troup William J. Deville George V. Marks Virginia Verdeja