High-Speed Rail Planning, Policy, and Engineering: Trends and Advanced Concepts in High-Speed Rail looks at some of the most recent developments in high speed and other ground transportation around the world, and closely examines the Northeast Corridor in the United States, surveying the flaws and potentialities, projecting what could be done with some moderate improvements in its infrastructure. Other possible improvements with more general application are reviewed, and some non-rail transportation alternatives are also examined.
This second volume of High Speed Rail Planning, Policy and Engineering examines one particular potential high-speed rail line in the United States, looking at the possibility of operating high-speed freight trains to help increase revenues to finance the system. The evaluation includes a look at fixed property, track and terminals and patronage. The proposed route is examined in some detail and the best types of trains for the route are also discussed. The author brings attention to existing conditions, potential line improvements, and development of the proposed line, as well as costs for operating and equipment, particularly fuel, motive power, track and structures.
High Speed Rail Planning, Policy and Engineering looks at the question of where a high-speed passenger rail line would be most productive and how it could be profitable. It investigates the political issues confronting high-speed rail funding and location. This first volume looks at recent achievements in high-speed rail, including record high speeds for trains operating with steel wheels on steel rail. It also covers the history of high-speed rail operations, particularly in the United States. The book examines possible existing routes for development of high-speed rail systems, how right-of-way and terminals might be configured, and the possibilities of track structure. This volume also reviews operating parameters, including the relationship between cost and speed, the issue of security in all aspects as relates to high-speed rail, and different types of high-speed rail systems are evaluated, including true purpose-built high-speed systems, hybrid systems, and what are called blended systems.
Volume three of High-Speed Rail Planning, Policy, and Engineering-Operations explores the high-speed operations of a hypothetical reconstruction of a former railroad main line between Chicago and New York. The former Pennsylvania Railroad main line between New York and Chicago, via Trenton, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Canton, and Fort Wayne, is studied in its existing condition and under various phases of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Operation of high-speed passenger and freight trains under various scenarios of reconstruction of the aforementioned rail line is studied. The possibility of long-distance commuter operations is investigated. Cost analysis, marketing, track maintenance, and equipment maintenance for a proposed high-speed rail system are also discussed.
Over the past decade, China has built 25,000 km of dedicated highspeed railway—more than the rest of the world combined. What can we learn from this remarkable experience? China’s High-Speed Rail Development examines the Chinese experience to draw lessons for countries considering investing in high-speed rail. The report scrutinizes the planning and delivery mechanisms that enabled the rapid construction of the high-speed rail system. It highlights the role of long-term planning, consistent plan execution, and a joint venture structure that ensures active participation of provincial and local governments in project planning and financing. Traffic on China’s high-speed trains has grown to 1.7 billion passengers a year. The study examines the characteristics of the markets for which high-speed rail is competitive in China. It discusses the pricing and service design considerations that go into making high-speed rail services competitive with other modes and factors such as good urban connectivity that make the service attractive to customers. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Chinese experience is the rapid pace of high-quality construction. The report looks at the role of strong capacity development within and cooperation among China Railway Corporation, rail manufacturers, universities, research institutions, laboratories, and engineering centers that allowed for rapid technological advancement and localization of technology. It describes the project delivery structures and incentives for delivering quality and timely results. Finally, the report analyzes the financial and economic sustainability of the investment in high-speed rail. It finds that a developing country can price high-speed rail services affordably and still achieve financial viability, but this requires very high passenger density. Economic viability similarly depends on high passenger density.
High-Speed Rail Planning, Policy, and Engineering: Trends and Advanced Concepts in High-Speed Rail looks at some of the most recent developments in high speed and other ground transportation around the world, and closely examines the Northeast Corridor in the United States, surveying the flaws and potentialities, projecting what could be done with some moderate improvements in its infrastructure. Other possible improvements with more general application are reviewed, and some non-rail transportation alternatives are also examined.
The book Prime Archives in Transportation and Logistics focuses on all sectors of the supply chain, logistics, and transportation. The topics covered, but not limited to, transport networks, policy formulation, operational management, public transit, road traffic, air transport, management strategies, and techniques.
A multi-disciplinary approach to transportation planning fundamentals The Transportation Planning Handbook is a comprehensive, practice-oriented reference that presents the fundamental concepts of transportation planning alongside proven techniques. This new fourth edition is more strongly focused on serving the needs of all users, the role of safety in the planning process, and transportation planning in the context of societal concerns, including the development of more sustainable transportation solutions. The content structure has been redesigned with a new format that promotes a more functionally driven multimodal approach to planning, design, and implementation, including guidance toward the latest tools and technology. The material has been updated to reflect the latest changes to major transportation resources such as the HCM, MUTCD, HSM, and more, including the most current ADA accessibility regulations. Transportation planning has historically followed the rational planning model of defining objectives, identifying problems, generating and evaluating alternatives, and developing plans. Planners are increasingly expected to adopt a more multi-disciplinary approach, especially in light of the rising importance of sustainability and environmental concerns. This book presents the fundamentals of transportation planning in a multidisciplinary context, giving readers a practical reference for day-to-day answers. Serve the needs of all users Incorporate safety into the planning process Examine the latest transportation planning software packages Get up to date on the latest standards, recommendations, and codes Developed by The Institute of Transportation Engineers, this book is the culmination of over seventy years of transportation planning solutions, fully updated to reflect the needs of a changing society. For a comprehensive guide with practical answers, The Transportation Planning Handbook is an essential reference.
High speed rail (HSR) is being touted as a strategic investment for connecting people across regions, while also fostering prosperity and smart urban growth. However, as its popularity increases, its implementation has become contentious with various parties contesting the validity of socioeconomic and environmental objectives put forward as justification for investment. High Speed Rail and Sustainability explores the environmental, economic and social effects of developing a HSR system, presenting new evaluations of the proposed system in California in the US as well as lessons from international experience. Drawing upon the accumulated experience from past HSR system development around the world, leading experts present a diverse set of perspectives as well as diverse contexts of implementation. Assessments of the California case as well as cases from Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, China, and the UK show how governments and stakeholders have bridged the gap between the vision and the realities of connecting metropolitan regions through HSR. This is a valuable resource for academics, researchers and policy-makers in the areas of urban planning, civil engineering, transportation and environmental design.
Handbook on High-Speed Rail and Quality of Life outlines global experiences of high-speed rail development, including its construction, impacts, and planning, with a special focus on countries that are planning implementation in the coming decade. High-speed rail infrastructure can bring considerable socioeconomic benefits that cannot be captured through econometric modeling alone. Thus, analysis of the true impacts requires a scalar as well as a temporal lens. The studies in this handbook discuss transport infrastructure projects of varying geographic scale and describe the underlying complexities of developing an infrastructure system while focusing on the aspects that can enhance quality of life. The cases, concepts, and ideas presented in this handbook were discussed and refined during a conference and seminar series held at the Asian Development Bank Institute in Tokyo and special sessions on transport and quality of life at the 15th World Conference on Transport Research at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in Mumbai. The special sessions were jointly organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute and World Conference on Transport Research Society Special Interest Group A4, "High-Speed Rail: Policy, Investment, and Impacts". The conference and special sessions highlighted critical issues and delivered key messages on the broad research on high-speed rail and quality of life.
