Light Rail Transport Research Articles

The Use of Hydrogen as Fuel Gives Rise to Emerging Environmental Concerns

Given the urgent global warming situation and the need to decrease carbon emissions, this research project is essential for examining alternative energy sources, like hydrogen, for sustainable transportation and power production. The increasing urbanization and enhanced urban mobility emphasize the significance of building energy-efficient transport systems, such as Light Rail Transport, to offset environmental consequences. This study seeks to enhance the current discussion on moving towards a more sustainable and ecologically aware energy model by examining the practicality and advantages of these developing energy alternatives.

AUTONOMY OF URBAN LIGHT RAIL TRANSPORT SYSTEMS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON USERS, EXPENDITURES, AND OPERATIONAL COSTS

The aim of this paper is to study and highlight various effects of automizing urban light rail transport systems by examining the impact of such structures on common users, as well as the expenditures and operational costs involved. By providing an overview of different transportation networks through the three categories of expenditure—transportation, maintenance, and administration—an idea of the general operational cost can be established. Additionally, by indicating the aforementioned cost, the effect of the grade of automation on costs can be determined and explained. However, this paper does not include an attempt to estimate these costs; it only states what may affect such costs. Furthermore, the factor of safety is considered by underlining the changes expected to occur with the implementation of such networks. The implementation of autonomous rail systems would result in lower operational costs, which is discussed in this paper based on another study. At the same time, the factor of safety was also observed as simultaneously increasing, as were the overall experiences of users, both in terms of aesthetics and function. The only setback found by the research is that some users would be reluctant to use a network without an operator.

Comparison of fast bus and light rail transport based on SWOT analysis

The rapid expansion of urban areas requires the application of more capacious technologies of public passenger transport. New public transport technologies should provide satisfactory transport characteristics with acceptable capital investment and a short implementation period. Two basic public passenger transport technologies that can provide good transport quality with reasonable investment are Bus rapid transit (BRT) and Light rail transit (LRT). The characteristics of these public transport subsystems largely depend on the implemented technological elements. Within this paper, a comparison of BRT and LRT will be performed based on SWOT analysis, so that city administrations can make appropriate strategic decisions when choosing technology.

Cross-national collaboration in strategic transport projects: The impact on benefits realization

This study investigates cross-national collaboration to realize benefits in strategic transport projects (STPs) characterized by complexity, ambiguity, and collaboration challenges between project organizations. With the increasing importance of STPs in realizing (developing) countries’ adequate transport needs and demands, we respond to calls for a more in-depth and long-term exploration of the benefits realized in STPs across the project lifecycle. We conducted a multi-method, longitudinal case study of the Addis-Ababa light rail transport project by building on interviews, observations, and secondary data. By adopting a longitudinal perspective, our findings draw out the collaboration challenges, and their impact on benefits realization, in a cross-national STP across the pre-planning, development, and operations phases. We contribute to how organizations collaborate in a cross-national STP to realize pricing and infrastructure benefits, and thereby provide an extension to our understanding of crucial benefits of STPs that go beyond the iron triangle.

Timetable Optimization for Energy Savings and Efficient Capacity Utilization of Light Rail Transport in the Metro

Timetable Optimization for Energy Savings and Efficient Capacity Utilization of Light Rail Transport in the Metro

How does the extension of existing transport infrastructure affect land value? A case study of the Tyne and Wear Light Transit Metro system

This paper seeks to investigate the timing of land value uplift associated with an extension to an existing light rail transport system. It seeks to understand the amount of land value increase on residential properties at different stages of the infrastructure delivery process of the Tyne and Wear Metro (TWM) system in the North East of England. This is to shed light on the potential use of land value capture methods for subsequent extensions. Whilst there has been substantial international research into transport related land value capture methods, this tends to take place in atypical capital cities with buoyant land markets and/or entire transport systems. This is reflected in England, where research is less frequent in major conurbations outside of Central London, which are more typical of urban areas in this country. In response, the intention is to shed new light on this situation by updating historical research into the impact of the TWM. Its primary focus is the longitudinal performance of the 2002 Sunderland Metro Extension (SME). This historical appraisal of impact is significant because it is important to understand when and how much uplift is generated. This in turn helps to evidence any justifications for subsequent extensions and funding via Land Value Capture. This study uses a novel time based analysis to quantify differences in property prices before, immediately after and fifteen years after the Sunderland Metro Extension (SME) was constructed. The original results show that property values increased immediately after the extension becomes operational, though no significant results were found 15 years later.

Assessment of Service Quality and Customers’ Satisfaction in Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit

The issue of urban mass transportation is becoming the center of cities' sustainable development and revitalization strategies. Hence, conducting a scientific inquiry into customers' satisfaction and service quality in urban light rail transport is vital to make policies and intervention measures instrumental and valid. The purpose of the study was to assess service quality and customer satisfaction in urban transport service delivery with particular reference to Addis Ababa City Light Rail Transit. To this end, the service performance (SERVPERF) model has been adapted and utilized as measurement constructs and a quantitative approach has been employed. The study was a descriptive and explanatory type involving the analysis of data collected through questionnaires from passengers of the Light Rail Transit. To analyze background information of respondents and their perception of service quality, descriptive statistics were applied. Besides, the study has utilized correlation and regression analysis. The finding of the study shows that the customers are moderately satisfied with assurance and responsiveness while they are dissatisfied with affordability, tangibility, reliability, and empathy. The correlation analysis of service quality dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and affordability) has shown, they all are positively correlated to overall service quality. Besides, all service quality dimensions have a significant effect on customer satisfaction implying that the higher the quality of service, the higher is the level of customers' satisfaction. In light of this, it is recommended that Addis Ababa light rail transit can improve customers’ satisfaction by working on quality.

Service Quality and Customers’ Satisfaction in Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit: Context, Relationships and Effect

The issue of urban mass transportation is becoming the center of cites sustainable development and revitalization strategies. Hence, conducting a scientific inquiry into customers’ satisfaction and service quality in urban light rail transport is vital to make policies and intervention measures instrumental and valid. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess service quality and customer satisfaction in urban transport service delivery with particular reference to Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit. To this end, dimensions as adopted in modified SERVPERF model have been utilized as measurement constructs and a quantitative approach has been employed. The study is a descriptive and explanatory type involving the analysis of data collected through questionnaire from passengers of the light Rail Transit. In order to analyze background information of respondents and their perception on service quality descriptive statistics is applied. Besides, the study has utilized correlation and regression analysis. The finding of the study shows that the customers are moderately satisfied with assurance and responsiveness while they are dissatisfied on affordability, tangibility, reliability and empathy. The correlation analysis of service quality dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and affordability) shows, they all are positively correlated to overall service quality. Besides, all service quality dimensions have a significant effect on customer satisfaction implying that the higher the quality of service, the higher is the level of customers’ satisfaction. In conclusion, it is clear that Addis Ababa light rail transit can improve customers’ satisfaction by working on quality. Keywords: services, quality, customer satisfaction, light rail and SERVPREF DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/13-5-02 Publication date: March 31 st 2021

Эволюция конструкции подвижного состава легкорельсового транспорта в Санкт-Петербурге

Эволюция конструкции подвижного состава легкорельсового транспорта в Санкт-Петербурге

A Sustainable Approach to Innovation Adoption in Light-Rail Transport

This article primarily aims to understand how the Light-Rail Transport (LRT) pricing and infrastructural innovations from a Chinese context have been adopted to the Addis-Ababa city context. Secondly, it wishes to show what were the economic, social, and environmental effects of these adapted innovations on passenger service delivery and Multi-National Corporations (MNCs), and what effects the resident’s proximity had on commercial activities along the LRT route. Thirdly, it identified re-adaptations to a more sustainable LRT with respect to the passengers, MNCs, and residents. This study has revealed economic, social, and environmental effects that may influence innovation adoption, such as the following: reduction in carbon emissions; fare evasion; inconvenience; affordability; less revenue; less proximity to commercial activities; and an increase in travel distances for pedestrians. A mixed method for a single case study was used, including semi-structured interviews with light-rail experts and a passenger survey. The results show that economic sustainability factors account for 12 out of 14 sustainability factors and 2 out of 14 social and environmental sustainability factors. The results are intended to be used as a decision support system for innovation adoption in other cities with similar context, in order to develop a sustainable approach to LRT planning.

Развитие легкорельсового транспорта в китайском горном городе Чунцине

The article discloses the concept and essence of light rail transport as exemplified by the Chinese town Chungking. It is a large modern megapolis, centre of economic, financial, scientific and technological innovations, navigation, commerce and logistics of China. The analysis of transport system and economy development peculiarities of Chungking and its surroundings is given. The international experience of light rail transport is examined.

Adapting Urban Light-Rail Transport to the African Context: A Process Conducted by Transport Authorities and Chinese Rail Corporations in Addis-Ababa, Abuja, and Lagos

A contextual approach to Light-Rail Transport (LRT) needs to be tailored towards specific contexts, in terms of situations or contingencies, such as socio-economic and environmental factors. This research intends to discuss the societal benefits comprised of well-informed contextual factors for policymakers and urban transport authorities, to enable them to be able to formulate objective policies for a city’s socio-economic development. The aim of this article is to analyze the contextual factors in three cities which are responsible for the contextualization of infrastructural innovations of urban light-rail transport from China. The methodology that has been used is a qualitative method using multiple case studies, which includes a pilot and semi-structured interview. The analysis compares the similarities and differences within Nigeria, and between Nigeria and Ethiopia. The most perceptible contextual factors which influence infrastructural innovations in Nigeria include an electric energy supply, modernization of LRT and their stations, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), and seamless integration of LRT with other transport modes. The most conspicuous factors in Ethiopia are emergency ticket shops, seamless integration of LRT with other transport modes, and Non-Motorized Transport (NMT). Nigeria and Ethiopia both share the seamless integration of LRT with other transport modes. Therefore, academically analyzing contextual factors helps to unravel the poly-contextualization and context-specific decision-making processes in LRT implementation.

Frugality in multi-actor interactions and absorptive capacity of Addis-Ababa light-rail transport

Cities in transition need strategies to do more and better using less or limited resources, i.e., to be frugal in approach, especially when implementing expensive infrastructures. Addis-Ababa city in recent years acquired the light-rail transport (LRT) from China, which entails different multi-actors interacting to achieve resource-efficient LRT in terms of cost, technical knowledge and time. Addis-Ababa re-organized their organizational structure to interact with multi-actors, in providing affordable LRT, measurable technological transfer and learning routine via structured absorptive capacity, delivering an environmentally sound electrified light-rail, as a zero-carbon emission transport system. Using mixed research methods, consisting of light-rail expert's semi-structured interviews and passenger's survey, this article aims to know how the multi-actor interaction processes and absorptive capacity structure have delivered frugality in urban rail transport. Thus, delivering the LRT, despite inadequate country-owned financial resources, less technological and knowledge capability of LRT, within a limited period of three years. Results show that frugality strongly depends on the structure of absorptive capacity and process of multi-actor interactions. In addition, tacit knowledge developed by Addis-Ababa, as an existing knowledge base is vital in harnessing the explicit knowledge provided by China. This frugally delivered light-rail consequently brought changes to the low-income passengers, including some part of the bottom of pyramid (PoB) category, and a fraction of modal shift from other motorized transport modes to the light-rail public transport.

Infrastructure imaginaries: The politics of light rail projects in the age of neoliberalism

In the last decade light rail transit systems have become a popular mode of public transport in many cities around the world to upgrade the existing public transportation network, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to support neoliberal urban development strategies. The paper takes its starting point in the growing critical literature discussing the politics of light rail and related transport infrastructure projects in the context of neoliberalism. The paper uses the case of Aalborg, Denmark, to demonstrate how light rail projects are embedded in particular infrastructure imaginaries, which reflect wider political agendas of promoting urban development and economic growth. In the case of Aalborg, the city’s spatial strategies have played an important role in constructing an imaginary of the city as the region’s ‘growth dynamo’, which in turn have led to a growth-fixated conceptualisation of the city’s spatiality, and contributed to rationalising the need for investments in light rail. The paper argues that light rail projects are first and foremost politically rationalised as important investments for facilitating urban development and supporting entrepreneurial city strategies of urban and economic growth, whilst their social objectives of providing affordable public transportation play a less prominent role in the contemporary imaginary of the city.

BASES OF THE CONCEPT OF A COMBINED GROUND METROPOLITAN IN DNIPRO FROM A TUNIS EXPERIENCE POSITION

Purpose . The authors developed a specific version of the combined ground metro in the city of Dnipro based on the Tunisian experience in creating and operating this type of transport. Methodology. To achieve this goal, the authors analyzed the experience of creating lines of various types of light rail transport, in general, and ground-based metro in particular. The features of the types of light rail transport in Greece, Germany, the Russian Federation, as well as the light metro of the city of Tunisia were determined. The advantages and disadvantages of land and aboveground lines are analyzed. Findings . After analyzing the foreign experience, it was found that the basic option for the combined ground metro is metrotram. For the city of Dnepr a ground metro route has been developed, in which solutions from several varieties of ground metro have been used. This made it possible, first of all, to take into account the peculiarities of the city, its topography and urban solutions, and at the same time to minimally violate the already existing complex transport system. The route of the ground metro from the rounabout on the Igor Sikorsky street to the. Labor reserves street, Topol-3 estate, the originality of which lies in the fact that some of it is based on alienated territories and out-of-operation railway line. Originality. The basics of the combined ground metro concept in Dnipro developed from the point of view of the Tunisian experience and the rationale for this concept determine new results in the field of urban transport, in particular, the changed patterns of passenger traffic. Practical value. The development of a promising ground-based metro route using the Tunisian light rail and light rail experience, as well as the Ukrainian high-speed tram experience, will create a transport network that greatly simplifies passenger transportation in the Dnipro.

Urban Light Rail Transportation Systems Catenary Line Anti-Icing Applications, Laboratory and Field Tests

Problems such as freezing, icing, and / or snow accumulation in the machine systems during the winter can adversely affect the performance of the systems, sometimes stopping them altogether. One of the systems affected by winter conditions is the energy transmission lines. If not intervened, snow and / or ice accumulating on electrical wires can cause electrical transmission performance to drop, and extreme cases can cause wire breaks due to heavy wires. One of the energy transmission systems where power lines are open to the atmosphere is the pantograph-catenary systems that take up electrical energy. Frosting and ice accumulation on the catenary lines leads to arc formation and, in some cases, can interfere with electrical conduction between the pantograph and the catenary line. In the case of light rail transportation systems, this problem could lead to problems at higher rates than other rail systems. In Turkey, the activities to be done for preparation of winter and route maintenance in the intercity railway transmission lines are well known, but procedures for light rail systems are being newly prepared. In particular, the use of light rail systems in winter, where the conditions are more difficult, brings with it some problems. It is inevitable to anticipate the problems that may arise and to work to solve these problems. In this study, an experimental setup was designed to simulate the snow, dew formation on the copper wires in order to prevent / eliminate the icing problem that occurs in the urban light rail transportation systems catenary lines. Field tests were also carried out by applying anti-icing chemical solution in the catenary lines of the Eskişehir urban light rail transport system (ESTRAM). As a result of the field tests, it has been seen that the mono ethylene glycol application to wires can reduce arc formation and wear of the lines considerably. It has even been found that the application mono ethylene glycol before freezing of the line has the potential to reduce wear, breakdown and maintenance costs in the catenary lines.

Satellite remote-sensing monitoring of a railway construction project

ABSTRACTCurrent satellite remote-sensing technologies enable the timely and detailed monitoring of human activities on the Earth’s surface. Sub-metre spatial resolution satellite images can picture the ongoing works of railway and highway construction. The synoptic view of satellite images is useful to assist the monitoring and management of such construction projects. In this article, we present an integrated remote-sensing change detection framework applied to monitoring the Light Rail Transport construction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, using sub-metre optical remote-sensing images, Pleiades. Focusing on the known local area surrounding a construction site, the recognition process starts from the completion stage, checking conditions based on pre-defined rules, applying the recognition process corresponding to that stage, or moving to the immediately preceding stage if appropriate. The process ends when a new stage is identified and recorded into a spatio-temporal database or it reaches the previously detected stage as retrieved from the database. The experiment proved the effectiveness of the proposed framework, with an overall accuracy of about 80% and a low false detection rate. The proposed framework can be extended to monitor other similar scheduled works. Future studies will integrate multi-sensor satellite images including synthetic aperture radar images to expand further the practicality of the framework.

Justification of Indicator System of Social and Economic Efficiency of High-Speed Urban Transport Development Strategy

Introduction. At the present stage of developing methodological approaches to assessment of social and economic efficiency, all the external effects of the project are divided into effects that can be estimated in value terms, and effects that cannot be expressed in monetary units. In turn, the latter are divided into effects that have a quantitative expression and effects, described only on a qualitative level. External effects, which can be estimated in monetary terms, are directly included in the calculation of the social and economic efficiency of the project in the form of additional inflows and outflows of money. Problem. The conceptual basis for assessing the social and economic efficiency of new high-speed lines is the comprehensive consideration of all external effects from the implementation of the investment project (economic and non-economic) that do not affect the cost parameters of the project participants. Objective. The aim of the work is to develop a system of indicators for assessing the social and economic efficiency of the strategy of the development of high-speed urban transport. Methods. Study of existing methods of assessing social and economic efficiency, searching for disadvantages and advantages, exploring the advantages of magnetic levitation technology. Results. The development of this system of indicators for magnetic levitation transport, which is distinguished by such advantages as the impossibility of derailment, greater route speed, hence less time travel, less noise and vibration than light-rail transport and metro, complete absence of dust, is especially important. Conclusion. The proposed system of indicators for assessing the social and economic efficiency of the strategy of the development of high-speed urban transport takes into account all the advantages of magnetic levitation technology and makes it a priority when choosing high-speed urban transport.

Environmental Ground-Borne Noise and Vibration from Urban Light Rail Transportation During Construction and Operation

Environmental vibration and ground-borne noise from light rail transport (LRT) networks consists a major impact on the urban environment. Since experiments are often difficult to obtain and to interpret especially for environmental vibration, designers and researchers generally resource numerical model to assess vibration levels and understand the complex mechanism of generation and propagation of ground vibration. In this paper, some highlights are provided on vehicle/track/soil modeling for railway-induced ground vibration, including the proper definitions of each of these subsystems. The nature of the wheel/rail interaction is also important, especially in urban area, so a case study demonstrates that local unevenness are important sources of vibrations. On the other hand, specialized prediction models and dose-response relationships for airborne rail noise during operation and construction phases of urban light rail transport networks (both underground and surficial) are needed to be evaluated, in order to quantify the impact of the technical characteristics of the noise source, the operation mode with emphasis to speed, the propagation, the implementation of quiet facades, and the number and distribution of high-level noise events. In the present paper, two distinct case studies are presented in order to emphasize the need and the necessity of using proper tools to predict, access, monitor, and evaluate the environmental impact of LRTs to the urban acoustic environment: (a) the new Brussels Regional Express Network and (b) the new Athens Metro Line 3 extension to Piraeus port in an underground tunnel (length 7.6 km).

Graph transformation based simulation model generation

The graph transformation based method presented in this paper can automatically generate simulation models assuming that the models are intended for a certain domain. The method differs from other methods in that: the data used for model generation does not contain specifications of the model structures to be generated; the generated simulation models have structures that are dynamically constructed during the model generation process. Existing data typically has quality issues and does not contain all types of information, particularly in terms of model structure, that are required for modelling. To solve the problem, transformation rules are designed to infer the required model selection and structure information from the data. The rules are specified on meta-models of the original data structure, of intermediate structures and of the simulation model. Graph patterns, pattern composites and graph pattern matching algorithms are used to define and identify potential model components. Model composite structures are represented by hypergraphs according to which simulation models are generated using model components as building blocks. The method has been applied practically in the domain of light-rail transport.