Applicability of low-floor light rail vehicles in North America

Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1995. Paperback. Fine. Quarto in grey wrappers; 173 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm. Fine. Includes bibliographical references (pages 170-173). Scarce. "The report investigates the state of the art of low-floor light rail vehicles and assesses the applicability of their use in North America. Low-floor light rail vehicle categories have been developed to facilitate the understanding of the different types of vehicles and their applications. The report describes the growing trend toward low-floor light rail vehicles and the reasons for this growth. It provides 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. The report also develops example applications to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of using low-floor light rail vehicles, the source of risk, and the trade-offs regarding the use of low-floor versus high-floor light rail vehicles. || Contents: Summary -- Introduction -- State-of-the-art review -- Application considerations -- North American light rail transit systems characteristics -- Applicability framework assessment model -- Case studies -- Conclusions -- References -- Appendix A: LF-LRV database -- Appendix B: North American LRT systems database -- Appendix C: Glossary -- Appendix D: Bibliography. Electric railroads -- Cars -- Design and construction. Street-railroads -- Barrier-free design. Light rail transit. Light rail vehicles. Low floor vehicles. || Light rail transit; light rail transit "Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation."