Abstract:
In retrospect, given the time between scheduled delivery and revenue service of the line and the problems that have occurred, Tri-Met might have been better served had it required a production prototype before commencing the fabrication of the fleet. This approach would have allowed for in situ design review and test, and modification where required, to only one car. The remainder of the production could be expected to proceed more expediently. This approach can only be considered when schedule and resources permit and requires a protracted and probably expensive process on the part of the car builder to obtain and assemble single-item units. In theory the prototype car is highly attractive but in practice, in a small procurement such as Tri-Met's, it is an expensive proposition. (Author)
Supplemental Notes:
This paper appeared in Transportation Research Board State-of-the-Art Report 2, Light Rail Transit: System Design for Cost-Effectiveness. Presented at the Conference on Light Rail Transit held May 8-10, 1985, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
