CE 515 Railroad Engineering

Passenger Rail-Intercity and Commuter Rail

Source: AREMA Ch. 10, REES Module 5

“Transportation exists to conquer space and time -”

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Intercity Rail

• Express train passenger

• Covers long distances (between cities)

• Limited stops, comfortable carriages to serve

log distance trips

• Speed: 60-125 mph/ frequency

• International: Europe

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Passenger Rail in US

• Usually operating on freight tracks

• Locomotives similar to freight locomotives

• Diesel-electric propulsion

• Amtrak: major agency operating passenger rail

in US

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Passenger Rail in US

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AMTRAK

• Established in 1970

• Ridership: 28.7 million passenger (2007-2008)

• Network:21,000 miles of routes

• 46 states

• Busiest station: New York

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AMTRAK

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Passenger Rail in Japan

• 6 main regional passenger

services: Japan Railways Group

• Four companies operate very

fast trains

• Rest of the cities limited express

• Trains every one hour or more

frequent

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Passenger Rail in China

• Network: 89,000km• Speeds up to 125 mph• 4 classes of trains

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Passenger Rail in India• 63,000 route miles,

6,800 stations • Third biggest in the

world• Biggest in passenger

kilometers• Intercity & suburban

operations

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Passenger Rail in Europe: Network

• Connectivity

– International

– Multimodal

Passenger Rail in Europe

• England: 21,000 miles of line,2600 stations, regional companies • France: 128 million passengers in intercity rail, TGV

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Passenger rail in Europe

• Italy: intercity trains, 86 daily trips, 200 stations, speed up to 125 mph. 15111 miles of tracks

• Spain: 9,375 miles, high-speed rail (AVE) between major cities (188-220, mph), moderate train (125mph)

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Passenger rail in Europe-Eurostar

• High Speed Rail• France, Britain and Belgium: International rail• Service started in 1994• Speeds: 106 mph, 208 mph• 17 trains/ day

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Passenger Rail in Europe

• Germany: Hourly services, speed: 125 mph• Russia: Dense network, long distances (625-

1250 miles), low speeds (38-44mph). Most famous: Trans-Siberian Railway (Moscow-Vladivostok)

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Commuter Rail

• Between city center and suburbs

• People travel on a daily basis

• Stops, frequency

• Speed: 50-90 mph

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Commuter Rail in US

• Systems: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco

• Largest systems: New York (Long Island, Metro-North, and NJ Transit), Chicago (Metra)

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Metra-Chicago

• 3,700 square miles• 11 separate lines, 487.7

route miles• 100 communities, 240

rail stations• 322,100 weekday

passengersMETRA-video

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Passenger vs Freight

• Passenger: more sensitive on time schedule

• Accurate in minutes vs accurate in hour

• Maintenance: should be faster/ avoid delays

• Higher superelevation

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Students Websites

• Alex: Shanghai maglev; video• Andy: Maglev trains• Angie: Funding for Maglev• Ben: railroad guide• Cliff: UK rail-upgrade of railroads• Dan: Rapid transit system-Chicago• Danielle: High-Speed Rail Corridor Descriptions• Dennis: fastest train in the world

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Students websites• Eric: older cars• Evan: Shanghai maglev• Jeff: Chinese HSR• Megan:

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/images/chsr/20091001231546_CHSRAARRAFACTSHEETFINAL.pdf

• Michael: Australia railroad-worst in the world; Railroad in South Wales

• Na: High Speed Trains Around the World; Chinese high speed rail -- CRH3C 350km/h Pass Through

• Nicole: Street elevator in Dubuque; Passenger rail in Dubuque