Simulation Analysis of APM Systems in Dense Urban Environments — Part 1: Transit User Experience

Abstract

This paper is the first in a series of two technical papers which define the key issues to be analyzed in the study of dedicated transit systems such as Automated People Mover (APM) systems for circulation within dense urban environments. It is quite complex to accomplish an apples-to-apples comparison between alternative transit technologies for urban district circulation systems because of the different travel times, access convenience and walk distances between the alternatives, all of which effect the transit user’s choice. These papers describe the suitability of the ALPSTM simulation tool for such analyses including discussion of the characteristics of the urban environment, the nature of transport systems suitable for circulation system application in urban centers, and trade-offs between at-grade and aerial transit system alignments. Simulation-based case studies are presented that illustrate the analysis of APM transit technologies using ALPS. This first paper addresses the representation of the transit user’s complete experience within the simulation model, including the approach to modeling transit ridership and the related pedestrian facilities associated with the transit stations and the means of access to the transit. The second paper describes the capabilities within ALPS to represent transit system operations, including train performance modeling, guideway and alignment configuration, demand-responsive scheduling, and options for dynamic routing of APM systems.