BACKGROUND

TCRP Report 57: Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, published in 2000, provides guidelines and descriptions of various types of designs for tracks of light rail transit (LRT). The track structure types covered include ballasted, direct fixation (ballastless), and embedded track. The components of the various track types are discussed in detail. The guidelines consider the characteristics and interfaces of vehicle wheels and rail, track and wheel gauges, rail sections, alignments, speeds, and track moduli. 

Subsequently, TCRP Report 155: Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition, published in 2012, revised and updated the previous edition. In the 12 years since 2012, significant changes have occurred in railway track design. Several innovations and track components have been introduced, particularly in the field of direct fixation track. Advances in light rail vehicles, special trackwork (frogs), embedded track accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists, prevention of stray current, requirements for track modulus of elasticity, and rail/structure interaction on bridges, to name a few, are topics that need to be updated and clarified.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this project is to provide a comprehensive review of the guidelines for light rail track design as an update to TCRP Report 155. This review should include summaries of and references to other recent reports published on this subject.

RESEARCH PLAN

The anticipated product of the research is practical information that light rail track system design engineers, operations and maintenance professionals, vehicle design engineers and manufacturers, and others interested in the design of light rail track systems can readily use. The reader is assumed to be a degreed civil engineer or similarly qualified individual who is generally familiar with trackwork terminology and experienced in the application of guideline information to design light rail track systems. The contractor shall identify innovative ways to present the information (case studies, creation of evaluation frameworks, fact sheets, etc.) and consider the following: 

• General Introduction
• LRT Vehicles 
• Track Geometry
• Track Structure Design
• Track Components and Materials
• Special Trackwork
• Structure and Bridges
• Corrosion Control
• Noise and Vibration Control
• Transit Signal Works
• Transit Traction Power
• LRT Track in Mixed Traffic
• LRT Track Construction
• LRT Track and Trackway Maintenance

The research shall include a scan of all topics listed above and a deep dive into the following: 

• Noise and vibration mitigation measures for special trackwork
• Rail lubrication applications and technologies
• Track stiffness and vibration mitigation 
• Track types and use of different track support products
• Embedded track design, analysis, and construction
• Durability of innovative track support structures and life cycle costs
• Prevention of stray current and corrosion control
• Green track feasibility and application
• Modern track inspection and maintenance tools
• Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) considerations

The researchers should consider all industry standards and manuals, eliminate discrepancies, and suggest best practices with allowable vs. absolute minimums and recommended values.  

The research plan shall be divided into tasks that present, in detail, the work proposed in each task. The research plan shall describe appropriate deliverables that include, but are not limited to, the following (which also represent key project milestones):

• Interim report (i.e., a technical memoranda or report) and an in-person panel meeting, which occurs after the expenditure of no more than 40 percent of the project budget.
• Draft report.
• Final report.
• Technical memorandum, titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”.

STATUS: Proposals have been received in response to the RFP. The project panel will meet to select a contractor to perform the work.