An investigation of the state of the art of low-floor light rail vehicles and an assessment of the applicability of their use in North America are presented. Low-floor light rail vehicle categories are developed to facilitate the understanding of the different types of vehicles and their applications. The growing trend toward low-floor light rail vehicles and the reasons for this growth are described. An extensive compilation of data on low-floor light rail vehicles, information on North American light rail system characteristics, and an analytical perspective on key issues relevant to the applicability of this technology in North America are provided. In addition, example applications are presented that demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of using low-floor light rail vehicles, the sources of risk, and the trade-offs regarding the use of low-floor versus high-floor light rail vehicles.
In Europe, significant progress is being made on the development and deployment of low-floor light rail vehicles. Interest in low-floor light rail vehicles in the United States began in the 1960s, but gained support more recently because of the need to be responsive to regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act. Moreover, transit operators have come to recognize that improved system-performance benefits can potentially be achieved under certain conditions by using low-floor design concepts. For example, reduced boarding times mean faster service and shorter trip times for all passengers. This enables transit operators to use equipment more efficiently, thereby potentially reducing operating, maintenance, and capital costs.
Research was undertaken by Booz-Allen & Hamilton Inc. to assess the potential applicability of low-floor light rail vehicle technology in North America. A comprehensive review of existing information on the state of the art in low-floor light rail vehicles was conducted. As part of this process, transit agencies using and considering low-floor light rail vehicles and the suppliers of these vehicles were contacted to obtain information and operating experience on vehicles both in revenue service and in research and development. The research focused heavily on current European experience with low-floor light rail vehicle technology. Upon collecting this information, a framework for assessing the application of low-floor light rail vehicles in North America was developed focusing on the critical factors that should be considered. The results have been published as
TCRP Report No. 2, "Applicability of Low-Floor Light Rail Vehicles in North America."
TCRP Report 2 is also available in portable document format (PDF). (A free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader is available at
https://www.adobe.com.) Double-click on the files below to access the report.
Front Matter; Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: State-of-the-Art Review (1,484 Kb)
Chapter 3: Application Considerations; Chapter 4: North American Light Rail Transit Systems Characteristics; Chapter 5: Applicability Framework Assessment Model; Chapter 6: Case Studies; Chapter 7: Conclusions; References ( 560 Kb)
Appendix A: LF-LRV Database (1,928 Kb)
Appendix B: North American LRT Systems Database; Appendix C: Glossary; Appendix D: Bibliography (588 Kb)
