Difference between revisions of "Rail transit"

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[[File:Redsub.jpg|right|300px]]
  
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Trains are vehicles that operate on tracks.
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Rail transit encompass various public transit lines that operate on tracks. Historically, public transit lines began in most cities in the 19th century with rail vehicles (horse or steam propelled, later cable and electric propelled). As automotive technology advanced and roadways improved, many rail lines were converted to buses during the Great Depression and after World War II. Today only some pre-World War II rail transit systems remained. Other rail transit systems were constructed since the 1960s to provide a high speed, high capacity alternative to buses and freeways.
  
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In transit/railroad terms, a '''car''' means a single rail vehicle. A train means multiple rail cars connected together (2-car trains, 5-car trains).
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Rail transit service vary depending on the infrastructure and operating environment.
  
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Passenger trains vary in speed and distance. Some trains in the East Coast and abroad can operate faster than 125 mph connecting major cities. Some rail lines in the Bay Area function like a local bus with stops every few city blocks.
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==Types of rail transit==
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===Street railway===
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Rail vehicles that primarily run on the streets similar to buses, providing local transit service.
  
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Below are the basic passenger train types. These categories, however, are shades of gray because a train system may have more than one function (Amtrak inter-city trains serving commuters). Also, train systems that have similar functions can have major differences in underlying technologies and legal requirements. See [http://www.bayrailalliance.org/types_trains BayRail Alliance] for alternate explanations.
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* [[Historic streetcar]] - Service using actual historic vehicles or historic replicas. Some lines provide key transit service while some operate as tourist/excursion trips.
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* [[Modern streetcar]] - Service using modern vehicles.
  
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==High speed trains==
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===Light rail===
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High speed trains are generally defined as trains that can operate 125mph or faster. High speed trains generally connect large metropolitan areas (with very few stops in between) and are competitive with airlines in terms of overall travel time.
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[[File:5thavestn.jpg|right|300px]]
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[[Light rail]] is a lower capacity rail mode that can operate on-street and other off-street environments including subways.
  
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There's a proposal to construct a high speed rail system between the Bay Area and Southern California via the Central Valley.
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===Rapid transit===
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[[Rapid transit]] (or heavy rail) is a high capacity rail mode that operate on segregated right of way mostly on elevated structures or in subways.
  
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==Inter-city trains==
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===Commuter rail===
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Inter-city trains generally mean trains traveling long distances connecting metropolitan areas. Although the distances covered by some of these trains are comparable to airlines, inter-city trains generally operate at highway speed. Long distance inter-city trains may provide amenities not found on most other forms of transportation, including sleeper-cars and cafe/dining cars.  
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[[Commuter rail]] is a mode where trains operate according to railroad rules and can share tracks with intercity and freight trains. Many commuter rail routes are of commuter nature (picking up from the suburbs and going to downtown) and have limited or no service during off peak hours, in non-commute direction, and on weekends.
  
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[[Amtrak]] is the operator of inter-city trains in the United States.
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===Hybrid rail===
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[[Hybrid rail]] is a newer form of rail transit combining characteristics of light rail and commuter rail. These systems use lighter weight, short diesel multiple unit trains on railroad corridors.
  
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Although riding Amtrak is much slower than flying, inter-city trains are nonetheless valuable. Between metropolitan areas, Amtrak trains serve small cities that aren't served by airlines.
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===Automated people mover===
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[[File:Bartoac.jpg|right|300px]]
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[[Automated people mover]] is a transit mode with driverless vehicles, operate in a grade separated environment similar to heavy rail, but operate on short routes essentially functioning as a horizontal elevator.
  
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==Commuter trains==
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===Intercity trains===
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Commuter trains generally mean trains connecting suburban areas with the central city and primarily serves riders to and from work. Commuter trains typically run on weekdays, during rush hours, and only in the peak directions. A prime example would be [[Altamont Corridor Express]], which run from Stockton to San Jose during weekday mornings, and from San Jose to Stockion during weekday afternoons.
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Inter-city trains generally mean trains traveling long distances connecting metropolitan areas. Although the distances covered by some of these trains are comparable to airlines, inter-city trains generally operate at highway speed. Long distance inter-city trains may provide amenities not found on most other forms of transportation, including sleeper-cars and cafe/dining cars.  
  
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Commuter trains however can run more service than what the category typifies. [[Caltrain]] for instance operates 7-days a week with all-day train service in both directions. Many also considers [[BART]] to be commuter rail because of suburbs the system serves.
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[[Amtrak]] is the operator of inter-city trains in the United States.
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==Rapid transit==
 
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Rapid transit, which is also known as metro, subway, and heavy rail, mean trains that generally serve the urban-core, have large passenger capacity, and operate totally separate from road traffic. In order to run separately from road traffic in the city-core, rapid transit trains would run either above or underground.
 
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Many major cities (like New York, London, Washington D.C.) have extensive systems that make traveling within a city fast and convenient. [[BART]] is the rapid transit system in the Bay Area. However, BART does not serve San Francisco as extensively as other systems do in their cities.
 
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==Light rail==
 
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Light rail, which might be also known as trolley and streetcars, mean trains that function as local transit in an urban-core and can operate on the street-level. Compared to rapid transit, light rail costs less, is more pedestrian friendly, but has less passenger capacity.
 
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In [[Sacramento RT Light Rail|Sacramento]] and [[VTA Light Rail|San Jose]], light rail trains run faster in the suburbs (dedicated tracks) and slower in downtown (street median). In [[Muni Metro|San Francisco]], trains operate in mixed traffic outside downtown and underground in downtown. Light Rail stations can be a few city blocks apart in downtown and a mile or more apart in the suburbs.
 
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Generally fares for light rail are the same as the buses.
 
  
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Light rail are modern versions of the trolleys and streetcars before the age of automobiles and buses. [[F-Market & Wharves|San Francisco]] and [[VTA historic trolley|San Jose]] feature services provided by historic vehicles. San Francisco's [[cable car]]s function very similar to light rail except that the vehicles are pulled by underground cables.
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===High speed trains===
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High speed trains are generally defined as trains that can operate 125mph or faster. High speed trains generally connect large metropolitan areas (with very few stops in between) and are competitive with airlines in terms of overall travel time for short and moderate distance.
  
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[[Category:Terminologies]]
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{{transit modes}}
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[[Category:Transit modes]]

Latest revision as of 17:37, 19 May 2019

Redsub.jpg

Rail transit encompass various public transit lines that operate on tracks. Historically, public transit lines began in most cities in the 19th century with rail vehicles (horse or steam propelled, later cable and electric propelled). As automotive technology advanced and roadways improved, many rail lines were converted to buses during the Great Depression and after World War II. Today only some pre-World War II rail transit systems remained. Other rail transit systems were constructed since the 1960s to provide a high speed, high capacity alternative to buses and freeways.

Rail transit service vary depending on the infrastructure and operating environment.

Types of rail transit

Street railway

Rail vehicles that primarily run on the streets similar to buses, providing local transit service.

  • Historic streetcar - Service using actual historic vehicles or historic replicas. Some lines provide key transit service while some operate as tourist/excursion trips.
  • Modern streetcar - Service using modern vehicles.

Light rail

5thavestn.jpg

Light rail is a lower capacity rail mode that can operate on-street and other off-street environments including subways.

Rapid transit

Rapid transit (or heavy rail) is a high capacity rail mode that operate on segregated right of way mostly on elevated structures or in subways.

Commuter rail

Commuter rail is a mode where trains operate according to railroad rules and can share tracks with intercity and freight trains. Many commuter rail routes are of commuter nature (picking up from the suburbs and going to downtown) and have limited or no service during off peak hours, in non-commute direction, and on weekends.

Hybrid rail

Hybrid rail is a newer form of rail transit combining characteristics of light rail and commuter rail. These systems use lighter weight, short diesel multiple unit trains on railroad corridors.

Automated people mover

Bartoac.jpg

Automated people mover is a transit mode with driverless vehicles, operate in a grade separated environment similar to heavy rail, but operate on short routes essentially functioning as a horizontal elevator.

Intercity trains

Inter-city trains generally mean trains traveling long distances connecting metropolitan areas. Although the distances covered by some of these trains are comparable to airlines, inter-city trains generally operate at highway speed. Long distance inter-city trains may provide amenities not found on most other forms of transportation, including sleeper-cars and cafe/dining cars.

Amtrak is the operator of inter-city trains in the United States.

High speed trains

High speed trains are generally defined as trains that can operate 125mph or faster. High speed trains generally connect large metropolitan areas (with very few stops in between) and are competitive with airlines in terms of overall travel time for short and moderate distance.

Transit modes: Shuttle connection Bus | Light rail connection Rail | Ferry connection Ferry
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