A simulation platform for interior railroad noise

Abstract

High railroad noise levels are a challenge for both the exterior and interior environment of a train. The DESTINATE project (partially funded by the European Union’s Shift2Rail programme) aims to find cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce railroad noise. Although most focus is placed on exterior noise, reducing noise inside the cabin increases the cabin comfort for passengers and thus the attractiveness of this mode of transport. An analysis is made of different interior noise sources. To evaluate mitigation measures for railroad noise, a simulation platform is presented that provides both audible as well as visual stimuli for test subjects. In this platform, source sounds are converted to the corresponding sound source at the receiver by taking into account propagation through materials and the atmosphere. These can be combined with sound from the environment to create a realistic simulation of train noise inside the cabin. In addition to the audio experience, a visual experience is also presented...