Rail Users Research Articles

Welfare loss of pricing schemes in commuting train and interregional train operations

As metropolitan areas expand, commuter rail increasingly extends outward, creating unintended competition with interregional rail. Competition between commuter train service and interregional train service engenders an inefficient allocation of rail services, thereby inducing welfare losses. Hence, the imperative arises to stratify train classes clearly via rail fare adjustments. However, the public nature of rail services acts as a price ceiling, making it challenging to implement rail service fare increases, thus necessitating a solution capable of distinguishing between train classes with minimal fare adjustments. This study employs a Stated Preference (SP) survey targeting rail users traversing the Seoul-Suwon and Seoul-Cheonan segments of the Gyeongbu Line in Korea to elucidate remedies for enhancing the inefficiency prevalent in the rail pricing schemes. Distinct preference clusters for each rail service and the value of time and seat reservation service for rail users were preliminarily discerned by leveraging the SP survey. The proposed solution advocates for an increase in interregional rail service fares of $0.52 for the Seoul-Suwon section and $3.14 for the Seoul-Cheonan section, along with a restriction in seat reservation services, to achieve differentiation between train classes. Implementation of this solution is anticipated to recalibrate the mode share within the rail services, fostering efficiency in service allocation and bolstering the profitability of rail operators, thereby mitigating welfare losses. This study contributes to rail pricing and efficiency of railway operations through SP analysis of rail transportation.

Train passengers' perceptions and preferences for different platform and carriage design features

Specific design features and functions on the platform and inside of the train carriage can significantly affect how efficiently and smoothly passengers can move in and out of the train. Industry follows the design standard and guidelines to satisfy the minimum requirement. However, the views of rail users are often overlooked and not well understood. This study fills the knowledge gap by investigating different platform and train carriage design features and understanding train passengers' perceptions and preferences for the proposed design. An online passenger survey targeting Melbourne Metro train users was conducted. By analyzing 429 valid responses, we gained insights into passengers' perceptions and preferences regarding train and platform design. A novel finding is that a vertical pole is the most preferred handhold type, while a rigid handrail is the least preferred handhold type. The 2+2 seating is voted as the most preferred interior layout, which is consistent with previous studies. The ranking on 2+2 seating layout is moderately associated with travel time and travel frequency, while the ranking on 2+3 seating is strongly associated with travel time. It is also found that the preferences for boarding sign and occupancy sign design are significantly associated with gender, age group, and travel frequency. Surprisingly, no statistically significant associations were found between any of the personal or travel variables with queuing sign preference, side seating ranking, or hanging strips ranking. The findings drawn from the analysis and the recommendation of this paper can provide valuable guidance for rail manufacturers in implementing design changes, as well as for service operators in adopting new strategies and interventions to enhance service quality and customer satisfaction.

Modeling Extended Service Quality for Public Transportation in the Post-Pandemic Period: Differentiating between Urban and Rural Areas: A Case Study of Intercity Railway, Thailand

Background: Scholars have indicated differences in the attitudes of urban and non-urban populations, especially after the COVID-19 outbreak, which extend to their needs and expectations regarding rail transport development. The aim of this study is to enhance the quality of train services in the post-pandemic era, and multigroup analysis will be applied to achieve the difference in area context. Methods: The research data were collected from rail transport users throughout Thailand, consisting of 665 urban and 935 rural users. The questionnaires primarily focused on user expectations regarding rail service quality and travel conditions in the post-pandemic landscape using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA). Results: The results unveiled significant variations in user trends and needs across different contexts and areas. In urban settings, there was a notably higher overall service expectation compared to rural areas. Specifically, urban users prioritized factors such as accessibility and service empathy, whereas rural rail users placed greater emphasis on staff quality and reasonable pricing. Conclusions: These findings furnish rail transport service agencies with valuable insights and guidance for comprehending their users’ needs. They can develop appropriate organizational strategies, service quality enhancements, and policy adjustments tailored to the unique demands of urban and rural areas in the post-pandemic era, thereby ensuring sustainability. Additionally, the methodology of multigroup analysis served as a significant scientific contribution; this showed that the statistical analysis of different area contexts in the study should not be ignored.

Understanding high-speed rail users in the US – Environmental and sustainability perspectives

The US lags behind many countries in high-speed rail (HSR) development. As HSR is a new phenomenon in the US, it remains unclear whether or not US travelers perceive HSR as a sustainable transport mode and their intention to travel by HSR. The extent to which travelers might consider environmental impacts when choosing HSR for domestic travel is also unknown. This study collected survey data from US travelers (n = 684) and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling and hierarchical logistic regression. The sustainability analysis, based on the three-pillar theory, revealed significant influence of safety and accessibility (social dimension) and environmental impact (environment dimension) on the perceived sustainability and intention to travel by HSR. The logistic regression further indicated that environmental factors, compared to demographic and travel characteristics, can better predict the level of environmental consideration of US travelers when deciding to use HSR. The environmental factor was important in both analyses, suggesting a relatively high level of green travel awareness among US travelers and potential acceptance and intention toward HSR. The findings contribute to the knowledge of HSR and sustainability from the perspective of travelers, and provide practical implications for the US to move toward a sustainable transport system.

Research on Multi-frequency Network Optimization Strategy for LTE-R System in High-Speed Railway Scenario

LTE-Railway (LTE-R) is a 4th-generation wireless communication technology that provides voice, data, and video services through LTE, optimized for the railway environment. The number of LTE-R users continues to rise, and traditional single F network coverage cannot meet the requirement of users. Moreover, the speed perception of high-speed rail users becomes worse. The optimization of LTE private network of high-speed rail is proposed through F+D dual-band network, layering between VOLTE and data service, public network user moving out, high-speed railway user migration back, downlink Doppler shift optimization, FDD blending networking and other aspects jointly. This method is meaningful for meeting the service growth of future high-speed railway user group and enhances the LTE network rate perception of high-speed railway users.

Trip-based Modal Shift Behaviour of Mode Users along the Proposed Extension Metro Corridor in Chennai (India)

Object of this study is to predict the ‘Probability of Shift’ to the proposed metro corridor from two-wheeler, car, bus and suburban rail in Chennai. To achieve this, a Stated Preference survey questionnaire was prepared and survey was conducted among two-wheeler users; car users; bus users and suburban rail users through face-to-face interview method. The collected SP data were coded, analysed and mode-wise/ trip-based binary logit models were developed using Statistical Software Tools (SST) software. From the developed models, it is observed that irrespective of mode & trip purposes, the choice of metro is fully driven by the proposed metro fare. From the predicted Probability of Shift, it is observed that car users are more willing to switch to metro as well as relatively price sensitive when comparing with other mode users.

The Demand for Rail Feeder Shuttles

Rail transit systems offer opportunities for travelers to avoid traffic congestion in large urban areas. This article explores the possibility of expanding access to existing rail transit systems through demand responsive shuttles. It examines demand for such an innovation in the San Francisco Bay Area where relatively good rail service already exists. Using survey data collected in a case study of one urban and one suburban neighborhood (N=800 individuals surveyed) served by the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit agency, this article investigates the influence of several factors on people’s willingness to use, pay for, and wait for the shuttles. The results indicate that a significant percentage of the surveyed population is willing to try the shuttle. Higher willingness to use the shuttle was associated with women, younger and elderly respondents, noncommuters who travel by SOV, and rail users who access the stations by transit. Higher willingness to pay for the shuttle was associated with suburbanites.

Perceptions of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) at Australian Railway Stations

Personal safety and security are essential criteria for measuring the quality of public transport, and research has consistently demonstrated that crime and fear of crime affect levels of patronage. Although authorities throughout the world are implementing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), research and practice commonly focus on the elements of surveillance, territoriality, and controlling access. Few studies have investigated the CPTED concepts of “image management” or “geographical juxtaposition” (the surrounding environment). This research compares and contrasts the perceptions of rail users and security experts in relation to two railway stations in Perth, Western Australia. One station was designed in accordance with CPTED principles, and one was not. Interestingly, the findings indicate that the rail users perceived the station that was not designed using CPTED to be marginally safer and to exhibit slightly higher levels of CPTED qualities. This exploratory investigation suggests that the effectiveness of CPTED is mediated by the local environment surrounding each station and its associated image.

Tackling Crime and Fear of Crime While Waiting at Britain’s Railway Stations

Crime on the railways in Britain is an increasing concern for train operating companies, the British Transport Police (BTP), passengers, and local residents. Significantly, rail users consistently perceive their risks from crime to be considerably higher than official crime statistics indicate, having a negative affect on levels of patronage. This article presents an exploratory study of passengers’ fear of crime while waiting at railway stations using Quick Time Virtual Reality (QTVR) walkthrough scenes. QTVR arguably represents an innovative, dynamic, and interactive environmental stimulus for gaining insights into passengers’ fear of crime. Visibility at stations was identified as a crucial factor in determining levels of fear of crime. The design of the station shelter is analyzed as an example of how crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is being implemented on railway stations by Valley Lines (Wales and Borders Trains) on its network in South Wales (UK).

Sustainable transport choices in public transit access: Travel behavior differences between university students and other young adults

This research investigates the socioeconomic and travel characteristics of student transit users in comparison to other young adults and quantifies behavioral differences in public transit access between these two population groups. Using data from a 2015 system-wide on-board survey in the Denver-Aurora region, CO, we seek to understand whether college and university students make more environmentally sustainable choices when accessing bus and light rail transit as well as identify the determinants of their choices. Our results indicate that student transit riders live in larger households with more vehicles per household member and are located substantially farther from the city center and the light rail compared to other young adults. The majority of student light rail users drive alone to light rail stations and typically do not park at the station that is the closest to their home. On the other hand, most other young adults walk to light rail stations. We also find that travel time and vehicle ownership per household member have a significantly lower impact on student choices. The identified travel differences and behavioral variations between the two population groups may be associated with the lack of affordable housing for students in the central and transit-rich neighborhoods of large metropolitan areas.

The impact of rail-based stations on passengers’ safety perceptions. A systematic review of international evidence

Feeling safe in public transport is essential for mobility, and fear of crime can be a larger problem for the individual than crime itself. The aim of the present paper is to systematically review the international evidence in rail-bound environments regarding (a) characteristics impacting safety perceptions and (b) behavioural consequences of unsafety, using the databases ScienceDirect, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar. From a selection of 3226 publications, 52 were selected. The sample sizes range from 16 to 137 513 rail users or potential users. A social-ecological framework was adopted to categorize the findings in which place, social, individual, and temporal characteristics were identified along with short-term and long-term behavioural consequences of unsafety. Among the most important characteristics affecting passengers’ safety are lighting, surveillance, other persons’ behaviour, time of day, and one’s own gender. Future studies should further explore the complexity in interactions between characteristics connected to perceived safety.

Safety and risk analysis at railway crossings of north-south Addis Ababa light rail

Purpose Railway-level crossings (RLCs) are the point of intersection between rail and road users and are therefore hotpots of road-rail user conflict and catastrophic collisions. The purpose of this study is to assess the risks associated with RLCs and suggest probable reduction measures. Through questionnaires and visual inspection, the authors identify the safety risks, hazards and hazardous events at some railway crossing of Addis Ababa light rail transit (AA-LRT) north-south (N-S) route. The identified risky events are then categorized based on As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) principle and generic risk ranking matrix. The authors then examine existing safety management measures at railway crossing and assess the need for additional safety management. Five major crossings on the 16.9 km (10.5 mi) N-S line, starting from Menelik II Square to Kality, were considered for the study. This study is carried out by data collection from about 145 stakeholders and the application of statistical data and risk analysis methods. The major findings of this study and the recommendations for improvement are suggested. Design/methodology/approach The research followed a case study approach. Through questionnaires and visual inspection, the authors identify the safety risks, hazards and hazardous events at some railway crossing of AA-LRT N-S route. The identified risky events are then categorized based on ALARP principle and generic risk ranking matrix. Collected data was then analyzed using SPSS to deduce relationships. Findings The study findings reveal human factors as the greatest cause of accidents, injury or death. About 22% of hazards identified by category are human factors, whereas 20% are because of technical problems. Intolerable risks stand at 42%, whereas the tolerable risks are at 36% according to risk classification results as per the ALARP model. Because the process of risk management is a long-term cycle, its importance should not be missed at any time. Research limitations/implications Because of design considerations of RLCs and the difference in generalized human behaviors for people of a given region, the results are limited to AA-LRT RLCs. This study opens a discourse for detailed evaluations, qualitative and quantitative analysis into the categorized identified hazards. There is also room for additional research into the performance of RLCs aimed at formulating standard necessary features that should be included on RLCs for proper risk control especially in emerging economies. Originality/value The research paper is original and has not been submitted for consideration to other journals.

The Intersection Between Highway and Railway at the JPL 295 in District of Lamongan

The intersection between highway and railway (commonly known as JPL), precisely at the JPL 295 in District of Lamongan, is the level crossing which separates two residential areas from the northern and southern sides and is next to the highway. There are other JPL nearby JPL 295 which also separate residential areas located 180 m away to the left and 290 m to the right of JPL 295. These two JPL have single narrow median opening only available to accommodate motorcycle movements. Based on the qualitative observation results at the field, people utilize JPL 295 as the main intersection as indicated from the highest significant traffic flow compared to other JPL. Thus, this research focuses on JPL 295. Double-track railway is available at JPL 295 which indicates relatively high volume of railway traffic. Hence, barrier gates are not included as the main safety system. The focus of this research is on the potentials that may cause accident. Swedish TCT method was implemented in this research in order to provide information in term of road user characteristics involved in conflicts with other road or rail users. It is by calculating the Time to Accident (TA) and Conflict Speed (CS) from every direction and vehicle involved in conflicts and plotting them in the severity level curve. The obtained results are: (1) direction B and C are categorized as severe traffic conflict by 53%, (2) direction B1 and C1 are categorized as severe traffic conflict by 57%, (3) direction D and E are categorized as severe traffic conflict by 77%, (4) direction A vehicle toward train are categorized as severe traffic conflict by 40%, (5) direction B2 vehicle toward train are categorized as severe traffic conflict by 20%. If given a tolerated conflict value by 50%, certain treatments must be performed when reaching the maximum point to lower the level of resulted severe conflict.

Railway track availability modelling with opportunistic maintenance practice

The geometry of railway track must be maintained within certain standards in order to provide a highly available network, as well as good ride comfort and safety for all rail users. Modelling is well utilised as part of asset management tools in exploring the effectiveness of different rail geometry maintenance strategies. By considering the rail route as an entire system – in contrast to a track section in isolation – a more effective maintenance strategy can be developed, including the deployment of opportunistic maintenance practice. This study presents a Coloured Petri Net model of railway track degradation, inspection, and maintenance planning and delivery, for an entire route of track sections. Opportunistic maintenance is introduced through a novel search transition function, which groups interventions based on local adjacency. Testing explores the availability and maintenance demands expected when following a series of different management strategies. This is extended to testing under heatwave conditions, a known disrupter to track geometry maintenance delivery. Simulation results show that in following an opportunistic strategy, greater availability can be achieved on the modelled rail line. Further, resilience to the heatwave disruptions can be achieved by selecting the correct maintenance strategy parameters. This asset management tool can provide guidance on management strategies for a full route of track sections as a combined system.

Regulating the effects of climate change on weather resilience: a spectrum of practice

Climate change and the need for weather-resilient infrastructure is introducing new safety, performance and financial challenges and opportunities to regulators and those that are regulated. As the safety and economic regulator for railways in Great Britain, the Office of Rail and Road is required to protect the interests of rail users and funders by improving the safety, value and performance of railways, today and in the future. The approach to and understanding of climate change and weather resilience is developing; however, there is an expectation of infrastructure managers to make their asset types more resilient to climate change. This paper explores potential gaps in industry knowledge, what is ‘good’ practice, how to assess safety and efficiency and how to measure value. Understanding these questions will inform an approach. Regulatory experience suggests that a spectrum of practice exists, from more resilient business as usual to technology adoption. Regional variation has implications for funding, accountability and stakeholders. In this paper, the authors have collected examples across the spectrum; these have been grouped into four themes and an accessible model created to optimise decision making. The authors conclude that proactive value-driven approaches to weather resilience are possible but will require organisational adaptability and recognition that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

Changes in Passengers’ Travel Behavior Due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has changed the way people travel due to its highly contagious nature. In this study, changes in the travel behavior of passengers due to COVID-19 in the first half of 2020 were examined. To determine whether COVID-19 has affected the use of transportation by passengers, paired t-tests were conducted between the passenger volume of private vehicles in Seoul prior to and after the pandemic. Additionally, the passenger occupancy rate of different modes of transportation during the similar time periods were compared and analyzed to identify the changes in monthly usage rate for each mode. In the case of private vehicles and public bicycles, the usage rates have recovered or increased when compared to those of before the pandemic. Conversely, bus and rail passenger service rates have decreased from the previous year before the pandemic. Furthermore, it is found that existing bus and rail users have switched to the private auto mode due to COVID-19. Based on the results, traffic patterns of travelers after the outbreak and implications responding to the pandemic are discussed.

Investigating the effectiveness of safety countermeasures at highway-rail at-grade crossings using a competing risk model

Introduction: Highway-rail at-grade crossings (HRGCs) are critical locations where a railway and a roadway intersect with one another. Crashes at those locations often result in fatalities and economic and social damages due to the impacts on both road and rail users. The main purpose of countermeasures at HRGCs is to permit safe and efficient rail and highway operations. Method: Countermeasures at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) considered in this study include all traffic control devices and other warning and barrier devices at or on approaches to crossings. In general, active devices are commonly accepted as more effective countermeasures than passive devices. However, many of the previous effectiveness studies are either at the project level or were conducted without considering the before-improvement condition. This study focuses on the network-level marginal effectiveness of countermeasures on crash rate and severity levels during the 29-year study period from 1990 to 2018 by fully considering before-improvement control levels. A competing risk model (CRM) is able to accommodate the competing nature of crash severities as multiple outcomes from the same event of interest, which is crash occurrence in this study. Subsequently, CRM is used in this study as an integrated one-step estimation approach that investigates both crash frequency and severity likelihood over time. Results: The study findings indicate that adding audible devices to crossings already equipped with gates will result in a considerable annual decline in crash occurrence likelihood (0.25%). The same device installed at crossings already controlled by gates and flashing lights results in less reduction in crash occurrence likelihood of 0.14%. Moreover, adding a stop sign to the active crossing controls of gates, standard flashing lights, and audible devices will lead to a decrease in the probability of crash occurrence and severe crashes (injury and fatal). However, adding stop signs to crossings equipped only with crossbucks will increase the crash occurrence.

Preferences of urban rail users for first- and last-mile autonomous vehicles: Price and service elasticities of demand in a multimodal environment

Integrating autonomous vehicles (AVs) into transit networks is a critical problem for metropolitan areas worldwide. This study investigates the preferences of urban rail/rapid transit users for first- and last-mile AV services, which are not well understood. First, it develops an access mode choice model incorporating on-demand transit access enabled by AVs. Second, the model is estimated with stated choice data obtained from a survey of 2,300 residents living within 1–5 km of their nearest rail stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area, in which choice tasks are based on recent access to home-end stations. Finally, estimated models are used to compute elasticities of demand for access modes with respect to AV cost and wait time. The results show that price sensitivities of demand for AV services lie within a reasonable range of transit fare elasticities. AVs have diverse substitution patterns with existing modes. Riding in AV services is more likely to be a substitute for riding on buses/in slower modes of transit for all travel purposes, and for driving cars, particularly for leisure trips, but less likely for cycling and walking, particularly for work trips. The AV wait time elasticities might vary according to the waiting environment and conditions. The results also suggest that AVs may particularly benefit those who currently have restrictions in accessing transit.

Adaptation of trips by metro rail users at two stations in extreme weather conditions: Delhi

Weather influences travel behavior in both the short and long-term. We have studied the impact of extreme weather conditions of high temperatures, low temperatures, rain, thunderstorms and fog on travel choices by the metro rail users at two stations in Delhi. Stated adaptation choice survey is conducted at two metro stations (underground and elevated) having different built environments and transport infrastructure in the buffer area. The mode used and travel time to access metro stations vary between the two stations; however, the stated choices do not significantly vary between them. As per the analysis, the respondents are more likely to change their existing trip patterns during either rains or high temperatures. The metro rail users traveling for longer distances are less likely to change their existing travel patterns. Access travel time has a significant and positive impact on the alteration in travel choices during extreme weather conditions. The study highlights the need for provision and management of transport systems to support access/egress leg of the trip to minimize the exposure of users to extreme weather conditions. The study also identifies the impact of income, gender and trip purpose on the adaptation strategies.

Analysis of Trip Distributions of Human Mobility Patterns and Their Transit Behaviors Using Mobile Call Detail Records

Rapid urbanization and modernization are increasing worldwide, including in Myanmar. Mobile call detail records (CDRs) provide new opportunities for measuring transport demands and problems in transportation planning. This research aims to analyze trip distributions and transit behaviors of mobile phone users based on their call activities. Origin-Destination (O-D) pairs were computed for the entire city, and the trip distributions help understand human mobility. It was found that zone-to-zone flow has the highest flow in commercial and industrial areas. Moreover, the logical assumptions were specified to extract the transit behaviors of users. The results indicate the degree of mode-to-mode transfer behaviors of users. Among the four categories of transit usage, only rail users do not transfer to other modes, having the lowest proportion, with other mode-to-other mode transfers having the highest proportion. The results were validated with the Person Trip Survey for Comprehensive Urban Transport Plan of the Greater Yangon. This study contributes significantly to the expansion of current and potential future transit systems, which can provide a new and improved transport system for Yangon City to meet its demands. This information is helpful in conducting disaster management and emergency preparedness in terms of trip distributions of human mobility patterns changing over space and time and the transit behaviors of the transferring mode in daily trips.