Many urban areas in the United States are considering new or expanded rail transit services. In a number of these areas, active railroad trackage (freight and/or passenger) provides an opportunity for a potentially cost-effective joint-use rail transit alternative.
Of particular recent interest has been the potential joint operation of light rail transit (LRT) or lightweight diesel multiple unit (DMU) vehicles with railroads. Thus far, technical, institutional, and regulatory issues have limited consideration of such operations in the United States. In other countries, however, joint operation of LRT or lightweight DMU vehicles with railroads has been achieved through incremental research, institutional change, and safety applications of technology. As such, questions have been asked about its potential feasibility in the United States.
The objectives of this research were to (1) identify and examine issues relevant to the safe joint operation of rail transit services with railroads; (2) prioritize the most critical issues affecting such joint operation using LRT or lightweight DMU vehicles that do not meet current U.S. railroad regulations, standards, or practices; and (3) offer potential guidance on the most critical issues pertaining to implementing joint operation using LRT or lightweight DMU vehicles. The research provides insights as to whether the joint operation of LRT or lightweight DMU vehicles with railroads is a viable transportation option in the United States and offers guidance that could facilitate its implementation.
Status: The final report has been published as
TCRP Report 52, "Joint Operation of Light Rail Transit or Diesel Multiple Unit Vehicles with Railroads".
TCRP Report 52 is also available in portable document format. (A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader is available at
https://www.adobe.com.) Double-click on the links below to access the report.
Front Matter; Chapter 1: Current Regulatory and Institutional Environment for Joint Operations
Chapter 2: Operating Standards, Practices, and Issues Associated with Joint Operations
Chapter 3: Physical Plant Issues Associated with Joint Operations
Chapter 4: Inventory and Description of Rail Transit Vehicles Currently Available for Potential Join Operation with Railroads; Chapter 5: Shared Track by Railroads and Rail Transit
Chapter 6: Joint Use Risk Analysis (and Guide)
Chapter 7: European Joint Use Experience
Chapter 8: Japan and Pacific Rim Experience (sections 8.1 through 8.5)
Chapter 8: Japan and Pacific Rim Experience (Sections 8.6 through Endnotes)
Chapter 9: Findings and Conclusions
Appendixes A through H
Appendixes Ia, Ib, J, Ka, Kb, and Kc
Appendixes Kd, L, M, and N; Glossaary; Bibliography
