Abstract:
The state of the art in the development of low-floor light rail vehicles (LFLRVs) is investigated, and the applicability of LFLRVs for use in North America is assessed. LRV categories have been developed to facilitate understanding of the different types of vehicles and their applications. Forces driving the growing trend toward using low-floor vehicles are described, and an extensive compilation of data on LFLRVs and on North American LRT system characteristics is provided. An analytical perspective on the issues relevant to North American policy makers, managers, and engineers is presented, and sample applications are developed to demonstrate issues of cost-effectiveness, sources of risk, and tradeoffs between use of low-floor and high-floor LRVs.
Supplemental Notes:
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