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Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

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647 pages | 8.5 x 11 | PAPERBACK

ISBN 978-0-309-25824-1 | DOI 10.17226/22800

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GET THIS BOOK Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc., Metro Tech Consulting Services, Engineering and
Architecture, P.C., Track Guy Consultants, and Ihrig and Associates Wilson,
Inc.; Transit Cooperative Research Program; Transportation Research Board;
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Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

TCRP REPORT 155

Track Design Handbook
for Light Rail Transit

Second Edition

Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc.

Washington, DC

in association with

Metro Tech Consulting Services, Engineering & Architecture, P.C.

New York, NY
Track Guy Consultants
Canonsburg, PA
Wilson, Ihrig & Associates, Inc.
Emeryville, CA

Subscriber Categories
Public Transportation  •  Railroads

Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the Transit Development Corporation

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD

WASHINGTON, D.C.
2012
www.TRB.org

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM TCRP REPORT 155

The nation’s growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, Project D-14
and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Current ISSN 1073-4872
systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand ISBN 978-0-309-25824-1
service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve Library of Congress Control Number 2012940282
these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating problems, to © 2012 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to intro-
duce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Cooperative
Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by
which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
to meet demands placed on it. Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining
written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously
The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report
published or copyrighted material used herein.
213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987
Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this
and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation
publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the
Administration—now the Federal Transit Admin­istration (FTA). A understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA,
report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), FMCSA, FTA, or Transit Development Corporation endorsement of a particular product,
Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem- method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for
educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of
solving research. TCRP, modeled after the longstanding and success­ any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission
ful National Cooperative Highway Research Program, undertakes from CRP.
research and other technical activities in response to the needs of tran-
sit service providers. The scope of TCRP includes a variety of transit
research fields including planning, service configuration, equipment,
NOTICE
facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and
The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the Transit Cooperative Research
administrative practices.
Program, conducted by the Transportation Research Board with the approval of the
TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Pro- Governing Board of the National Research Council.
posed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was autho-
The members of the technical panel selected to monitor this project and to review this
rized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.
of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement out- The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to
lining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooper- procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved
by the Governing Board of the National Research Council.
ating organizations: FTA, the National Academies, acting through the
Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the
researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation
Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a nonprofit educational and research orga- Research Board, the National Research Council, or the program sponsors.
nization established by APTA. TDC is responsible for forming the
The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, the National Research
independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Council, and the sponsors of the Transit Cooperative Research Program do not endorse
Project Selection (TOPS) Committee. products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names appear herein solely because
Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but they are considered essential to the object of the report.
may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility
of the TOPS Committee to formulate the research program by identi-
fying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS
Committee defines funding levels and expected products.
Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel, appointed
by the Transportation Research Board. The panels prepare project state-
ments (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide techni-
cal guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process
for developing research problem statements and selecting research
agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research pro-
grams since 1962. As in other TRB activ­ities, TCRP project panels serve
voluntarily without com­pensation.
Because research cannot have the desired impact if products fail
to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on dissemi-
Published reports of the
nating TCRP results to the intended end users of the research: tran-
sit agencies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other support- are available from:
ing material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for Transportation Research Board
workshops, training aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure Business Office
500 Fifth Street, NW
that results are implemented by urban and rural transit industry Washington, DC 20001
practitioners.
The TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively and can be ordered through the Internet at
address common operational problems. The TCRP results support and http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore
complement other ongoing transit research and training programs. Printed in the United States of America

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific
and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. On the
authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal
government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel
organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the
National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also
sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior
achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members
of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the
responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government
and, on its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the
Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of
science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in
accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the
National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and
the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine.
Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

The Transportation Research Board is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council. The mission of the Transporta-
tion Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange,
conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Board’s varied activities annually engage about
7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia,
all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal
agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individu-
als interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org

www.national-academies.org

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS

CRP STAFF FOR TCRP REPORT 155

Christopher W. Jenks, Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Crawford F. Jencks, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Stephan A. Parker, Senior Program Officer
Megha Khadka, Senior Program Assistant
Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications
Ellen M. Chafee, Editor

TCRP PROJECT D-14 PANEL

Field of Engineering of Fixed Facilities
Charles L. Stanford, North Olmsted, OH (Chair)
David N. Bilow, Skokie, IL
Arthur J. Keffler, Leesburg, VA
Kenneth J. Kirse, Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District, Portland, OR
Dingqing Li, Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, CO
Eric Madison, District of Columbia DOT, Washington, DC
Najmedin Meshkati, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
William H. Moorhead, TRAMMCO, LLC, Smithfield, VA
David F. Peterson, AECOM, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Jessica Shaw, FTA Liaison
Martin Schroeder, APTA Liaison
Peter Shaw, TRB Liaison
Jennifer Rosales, TRB Liaison
Ann Purdue, TRB Liaison

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

FOREWORD

By Stephan A. Parker
Staff Officer
Transportation Research Board

TCRP Report 155: Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition provides
guidelines and descriptions for the design of various common types of light rail transit
(LRT) track. The track structure types include ballasted track, direct fixation (“ballastless”)
track, and embedded track. The components of the various track types are discussed in
detail. The guidelines consider the characteristics and interfaces of vehicle wheels and rail,
tracks and wheel gauges, rail sections, alignments, speeds, and track moduli. The Hand-
book includes chapters on vehicles, alignment, track structures, track components, special
trackwork, aerial structures/bridges, corrosion control, noise and vibration, signals, traction
power, and the integration of LRT track into urban streets. These chapters provide insight
into other systems that impact the track design and require interface coordination. In
addition, the Handbook includes chapters on the construction and maintenance of LRT
trackwork. This Handbook will be of interest to designers, operators, manufacturers, and
those maintaining LRT systems.

In the research effort led by Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc., the research team collected over
500 documents related to the topic through literature searches and contacts with professional
colleagues, agencies, and the industry. The collected information was uploaded to a project
collaboration website. Site visits were made to the San Francisco Municipal Railway and
the two LRT systems in Germany. In addition, numerous contacts were made by phone or
e-mail with operating agency LRT personnel.
The primary focus of the first phase of work was to identify opportunities to improve on
the first edition of the Handbook (published in 2000 as TCRP Report 57), collect and analyze
information addressing those opportunities, and identify an action plan for the revised
Handbook. The second phase was concerned with the production of the revised Handbook,
incorporating the findings of the first phase and including such additional investigations as
might be required, plus the production of a final report documenting all efforts.
This Handbook and a PowerPoint presentation describing the entire project are available
on the TRB website at http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/166970.aspx.

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research for and development of the Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition,
was performed under TCRP Project D-14 by a team including PB Americas, Inc. (also known as Parsons
Brinckerhoff or PB), Wilson, Ihrig & Associates, Inc. (WIA), Metro Tech Consulting Services, Engineer-
ing & Architecture, P.C. (MT), and Track Guy Consultants (TGC). Parsons Brinckerhoff was the prime
contractor and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E., was the principal investigator. Subcontractor responsibilities
included the following:

• Vehicle issues were addressed by Metro Tech.

• Noise and vibration investigations were done by Wilson, Ihrig & Associates.
• LRT track construction and maintenance topics were addressed by Track Guy Consultants.

While all members of the team contributed to virtually all of the individual chapters, the principal and
secondary authors of each of the Handbook chapters (and their affiliations) were as follows:

Chapter 1 General Introduction: Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E. (PB)

Chapter 2 Light Rail Transit Vehicles: Stelian Canjea (MT) and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 3 Light Rail Transit Track Geometry: Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E., and Gordon W. Martyn (PB)
Chapter 4 Track Structure Design: Gordon W. Martyn, Thomas R. Carroll, P.E., and Lawrence G.
Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 5 Track Components and Materials: Gordon W. Martyn and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 6 Special Trackwork: Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E., and Gordon W. Martyn
Chapter 7 Structures and Bridges: David A. Charters, P.E. (PB) and Jason Doughty, P.E. (PB)
Chapter 8 Corrosion Control: Geradino A. Pete, P.E. (PB), Herbert S. Zwilling, P.E. (PB),
and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 9 Noise and Vibration Control: James T. Nelson, P.E. (WIA)
Chapter 10 Transit Signal Work: Harvey Glickenstein, P.E. (PB), Gary E. Milanowski, P.E. (PB),
Thomas R. Carroll, P.E., and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 11 Transit Traction Power: Herbert S. Zwilling, P.E., and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 12 LRT Track in Mixed Traffic: Jack W. Boorse, P.E., P.L.S. (PB), and Lawrence G. Lovejoy,
P.E
Chapter 13 LRT Track Construction: John Zuspan (TGC) and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.
Chapter 14 LRT Track and Trackway Maintenance: John Zuspan and Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.

Technical editing of all chapters was performed by Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.

The authors of this second edition would be remiss if we did not recognize the extensive work per-
formed by the team that wrote TCRP Report 57, the first edition of the Track Design Handbook for Light
Rail Transit, which was also prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff under TCRP Project D-6 and published
in 2000. Those persons included, in addition to many of the gentlemen named above, Eugene G. Allen,
Harold B. Henderson, Theodore C. Blaschke, Lee Roy Padgett, Kenneth J. Moody, Kenneth Addison,
Laurence E. Daniels, Alan C. Boone, and Charles G. Mendell.

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Track Design Handbook for Light Rail Transit, Second Edition

CONTENTS

  1-1 Chapter 1  General Introduction

  2-1 Chapter 2  Light Rail Transit Vehicles
  3-1 Chapter 3  Light Rail Transit Track Geometry
  4-1 Chapter 4  Track Structure Design
  5-1 Chapter 5  Track Components and Materials
  6-1 Chapter 6  Special Trackwork
  7-1 Chapter 7  Structures and Bridges
  8-1 Chapter 8  Corrosion Control
  9-1 Chapter 9  Noise and Vibration Control
10-1 Chapter 10  Transit Signal Work
11-1 Chapter 11  Transit Traction Power
12-1 Chapter 12  LRT Track in Mixed Traffic
13-1 Chapter 13  LRT Track Construction
14-1 Chapter 14  LRT Track and Trackway Maintenance

Copyright National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.