A Comprehensive Framework for Assessing Passenger Rail Services: A Case Study of the Hoosier State Line

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Dimitra Pyrialakou ◽  
Konstantina (Nadia) Gkritza
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Rail Services

The development of a nationwide commuter and high-speed rail (HSR) network has been suggested as a promising and “greener” passenger transport solution with the potential to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, given efficient planning that will ensure sufficient ridership and sustainable investment. It is anticipated that passenger rail growth will bring regional economic benefits as well as promote energy independence, transportation safety, and livable communities with improved accessibility and inter-connectivity. Much research has been conducted to identify the benefits and costs associated with the operation, maintenance, and improvement of passenger rail services. However, previous studies supporting investment in passenger rail have generally considered one evaluation factor at a time. Additionally, studies suggesting that investment in passenger rail is not cost-effective give more weight to quantifiable benefits and current conditions, and rarely consider changes in public preferences influenced by policies and fostered conditions to encourage mode shifts. Thus, the literature lacks a comprehensive approach that would evaluate investments in passenger rail, accounting for quantifiable and other benefits, in light of environmental, resilience and sustainability, economic, demand, and feasibility factors. Using a case study of the Hoosier State line, this study illustrates a systems approach for comprehensively assessing passenger rail services in the United States in terms of the system’s existing opportunities and future directions. The Hoosier State line operates four days per week between Indianapolis, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois with four intermediate stops. As of October 1, 2013, the State of Indiana, local communities, and Amtrak reached an agreement to support the Hoosier State line for the next fiscal year (2013–2014).

When is High-Speed Rail Fast Enough?

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth G. Sislak
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Hampton Roads ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Rail Service

The vision for high-speed rail in America includes corridors that are “emerging” as candidates for investment in passenger rail service improvements including increasing maximum authorized speeds to 90 and 110 mph. Will increasing speeds up to 110 mph be cost effective in terms of attracting new riders? This paper will explore the results of studies examining incremental capital costs and the marginal ridership and revenue increases in the Richmond – Hampton Roads passenger rail project and other current emerging high-speed rail corridors throughout the United States.

The Altamont Corridor Rail Project Joint Use Corridor

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent D. Ogden
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Northern California ◽  
San Jose ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Union Pacific ◽  
Separated Operation

The Altamont Rail Corridor Project will develop a new dedicated regional passenger rail link within Northern California for joint use by regional intercity and commuter trains connecting between the northern San Joaquin Valley and the Bay Area as well as statewide intercity trains fully compatible with the 200+ mph system being developed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority (the Authority). The corridor, which follows portions of the transcontinental railway, is presently served by the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) operated by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (the Commission) and is eligible to receive California High-Speed Rail bond funds. The Authority and Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop the project which will greatly improve the existing service by providing a new dedicated passenger line separate from the Union Pacific Railroad over which the current ACE service operates. The strategic geographic location of the corridor within the Northern California network allows operation of a wide variety of services through Altamont Pass including commuter trains to the Bay Area, intercity corridor trains and regional intercity trains between Sacramento and San Jose` with the possibility that high-speed “bullet” trains from the statewide network could ultimately operate along the route. Although the shared-use potential broadens interest in the project, concomitant planning challenges include identifying workable, cost-effective solutions to incrementally develop the 80+ mile corridor over time while migrating the service presently provided by standard heavyweight diesel locomotive-drawn consists to a fully electrified, grade separated operation capable of supporting operation of 220+ mph lightweight trainsets.

Who Rides the High Speed Rail in the United States: The Acela Express Case Study

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenhua Chen
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
The United States ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Least Square ◽  
High Speed Train ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Rail Network ◽  
Policy Suggestions ◽  
Internal And External Factors

In this study, we focus on the Acela Express, and try to find out how selected internal and external factors affect the Acela Express’s ridership. A two-stage least square regression model is introduced in order to eliminate the endogeneity problem caused by price and ridership. Also the Cochrane-Orcutt Procedure is adopted to solve autocorrelation. The result shows that ticket price and train on-time performances, which are used to being thought as important factors affect ridership become insignificant, while other factors like employment of business and professional in the Northeast Corridor areas have higher influence on high speed train ridership. The broader objective of this research is to provide policy suggestions for building of an efficient high-speed rail network that can both be profitable and solve practical problems that the contemporary transportation system faces.

Measuring Concrete Crosstie Rail Seat Pressure Distribution With Matrix Based Tactile Surface Sensors

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher T. Rapp ◽  
J. Riley Edwards ◽  
Marcus S. Dersch ◽  
Christopher P. L. Barkan ◽  
Jose Mediavilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
System Component ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
Increased Strength

A sustained increase in gross rail loads and cumulative freight tonnages, as well as increased interest in high and higher-speed passenger rail development in the United States, is placing an increasing demand on railway infrastructure. According to a railway industry survey conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), rail seat deterioration (RSD) was identified as one of the primary factors limiting concrete crosstie service life. Therefore, it can be seen that there is a need for infrastructure components with increased strength, durability, and ability to maintain the tighter geometric track tolerances under demanding loading conditions. Researchers have hypothesized that localized crushing of the concrete rail seat is one of five potential mechanisms that contribute to RSD. Therefore, to better understand this mechanism, UIUC is utilizing a matrix based tactile surface sensor (MBTSS) to quantify the forces acting at the interface between the bottom of the rail pad and the concrete tie rail seat. The MBTSS measures the forces and distribution of pressure as a load is applied to the rail seat. Preliminary laboratory testing has shown that higher modulus rail pads distribute forces poorer than lower modulus rail pads, leading to localized areas with high contact pressure and a higher probability of crushing. Testing has also shown that as the lateral/vertical (L/V) force ratio increases, the pressure on the field side of the rail seat also increases, possibly accelerating RSD. The objective of future field testing is to be able to validate the assumptions made from this preliminary laboratory data. Data collected and analyzed throughout this research project will provide valuable insight into developing future concrete crosstie and fastening system component designs that meet the operational and loading demands of high speed rail and joint passenger/freight corridors.

Technology Transfer of Tools for Passenger Rail Environmental Analysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 1713 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
Marilyn Duffey ◽  
David Freytag
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Analysis ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Transportation Industry ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Transfer Of Information

It is time to transfer the advanced technology and processes specifically developed for conducting the environmental analysis of high-speed rail (HSR) corridors to other large-scale infrastructure projects. Because HSR projects cover thousands of miles and traverse multiple geographic and land use conditions, the most advanced electronic tools available have conveyed vast amounts of information into quantitative, tabular, and graphic format for analysis. A geographic information system allows comprehensive analysis of multiple layers of information in formats compatible with the electronic files used to engineer the alignment. A global positioning system can verify previously recorded data and locate and record new data, transferring information to a comprehensive database readily accessible to technical analysts and agency staff. Digital photographs and digital files of geographic contours, combined with engineering plans and profiles, provide the information needed to create a video simulation of HSR for public presentations. These tools have been used effectively in information exchange and decision making during environmental reviews for HSR projects, and they are compatible with personal computers and the Internet for transfer of information to potential users. The Florida HSR project and the ongoing California HSR project have used these tools effectively to streamline environmental review and to produce information in electronic formats for other projects in the same area. These advanced technological tools for HSR projects should be shared with the rest of the transportation industry, specifically for the environmental analysis of other planned passenger rail projects in the United States.

High Speed Rail for America’s Regional Transportation: A Study of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Wang ◽  
P. Bortner ◽  
W. Peterson ◽  
D. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
The United States ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Rail Network ◽  
Passenger Rail ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Benefits And Costs

After 60 years and more than $1.9 trillion of investments, the United States has developed one of the world’s most advanced highway and aviation systems. However, these transportation systems are now at a gridlock. To reduce the congestion and increase efficiency of America’s regional transportation, rail transit should be considered as a promising, long-term solution. The recent stimulus package provides planners an opportunity to reconsider the potentials of regional passenger rail network, especially the high speed rail system. After examining the development history and current condition of America’s passenger rail network, the paper focuses on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) and proposes three different improvement plans that can increase travel speeds and attract more ridership: (1) return the corridor to a state of good repair; (2) construct a new dedicated High-Speed Rail track; and (3) develop a multimodal-shared and connected corridor. Each plan has its advantages and drawbacks, and measuring the extent of each plan’s benefits and costs is known to be challenging. To evaluate these plans, the paper utilizes a non-traditional cost-benefit analysis method which considers changes in ridership, life-cycle costs as well as each plan’s economic and environmental impacts (negative or positive). It is found that returning the existing corridor to a state of good repair is the most efficient improvement plan in near term.

scholarly journals Benchmark of the Trends of Spatial Inequality in World Megaregions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6456
Author(s):  
Ziqi Liu ◽  
Ming Zhang ◽  
Liwen Liu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Investment Strategy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spatial Inequality ◽  
Theil Index ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
International Learning ◽  
Regional Product ◽  
Index Measure

There have been growing concerns around the world over the rising spatial inequality (SI) amid fast and vast globalization. This paper presents an effort to benchmark the conditions and trends of spatial inequality in 37 megaregions in the United States, Europe, and China. Furthermore, the study selected three megaregion examples and analyzed the effect of developing high-speed rail (HSR) as an infrastructure investment strategy on reshaping the spatial pattern of job accessibility. The study measures spatial inequality with the Theil index of gross regional product and with the rank-size coefficient of polycentricity. Results show that spatial inequality exists and varies in magnitude within and between megaregions. On average, Chinese megaregions exhibited the level of spatial inequality about two times or more of those in the U.S. and European megaregions. The decade between 2006 and 2016 saw a decrease in the Theil index measure of megaregional inequality in China, but a slight increase in the United States and Europe. Fast growing megaregions exhibit high levels and rising trends of spatial inequality regardless of the country or continent setting. HSR helps improve mobility and accessibility; yet the extent to which HSR reduces spatial inequality is context dependent. This study presents a first attempt to assess and compare the spatial inequality conditions and trajectories in world megaregions aiming at promoting international learning.

Narrowing longitudinally coupled prefabricated slab track maintenance duration with field data analysis of slab deformation under high temperature

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440972098626
Author(s):  
Zai-Wei Li ◽  
Xiao-Zhou Liu ◽  
Hong-Yao Lu ◽  
Yue-Lei He
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Ride Comfort ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Periodic Variation ◽  
Longitudinal Force ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Track Maintenance ◽  
Slab Track

The deformation of longitudinally coupled prefabricated slab track (LCPST) due to high temperature may lead to a reduction in ride comfort and safety in high-speed rail (HSR) operation. It is thus critical to understand and track the development of such defects. This study develops an online monitoring system to analyze LCPST deformation at different slab depths under various temperatures. The trackside system, powered by solar energy with STM8L core that is ultra-low in energy consumption, is used to collect data of LCPST deformation and temperature level uninterruptedly. With canonical correlation analysis, it is found that LCPST deformation presents similar periodic variation to yearly temperature fluctuation and large longitudinal force may be generated as heat accumulates in summer, thereby causing track defects. Then the distribution of temperature and deformation data is categorized based on fuzzy c-means clustering. Through the distribution analysis, it is suggested that slab inspection can be shortened to 6 hours, i.e. from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, reducing 14.3% track inspection workload from the current practice. The price of workload reduction is only a 2% chance of missed detection of slab deformation. The finding of this research can be used to enhance LCPST monitoring efficiency and reduce interruption to HSR operation, which is an essential step in promoting reliable and cost-effective track service.

Biomechanical Analysis of a World Record Javelin Throw: A Case Study

1985 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Gregor ◽  
Marilyn Pink
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
The United States ◽  
Track And Field ◽  
Biomechanical Analysis ◽  
World Record ◽  
High Speed Video ◽  
High Speed Video Camera ◽  
Ongoing Project

As part of an ongoing project to evaluate elite track and field throwers in the United States, the javelin competition was filmed during the 1983 Pepsi Invitational Track Meet. A high-speed video camera (Spin Physics SP2000) was positioned orthogonal to the javelin runway to record the release of all throws. During this competition, Tom Petranoff’s world record (99.72 m) was filmed at 200 fields per second. Subsequent frame-by-frame digitization yielded results consistent with reports in the literature. Release velocity was 32.3 m/s and represents one of the highest values ever reported. Angle of release was .57r, javelin attitude at release was .64r» and angle of attack was .07r. While optimum values for these release parameters, in light of published results, remain open to discussion, the results presented here represent unique information on a world record performance and can serve as a basis of comparison for future performances.

Compound Poisson—Gamma Regression Models for Dollar Outcomes That Are Sometimes Zero

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin E. Lauderdale
Keyword(s):  
Regression Models ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Simulated Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Speed Rail ◽  
Compound Poisson ◽  
Compound Distribution ◽  
Tweedie Distribution ◽  
United States Federal Government

Political scientists often study dollar-denominated outcomes that are zero for some observations. These zeros can arise because the data-generating process is granular: The observed outcome results from aggregation of a small number of discrete projects or grants, each of varying dollar size. This article describes the use of a compound distribution in which each observed outcome is the sum of a Poisson—distributed number of gamma distributed quantities, a special case of the Tweedie distribution. Regression models based on this distribution estimate loglinear marginal effects without either the ad hoc treatment of zeros necessary to use a log-dependent variable regression or the change in quantity of interest necessary to use a tobit or selection model. The compound Poisson—gamma regression is compared with commonly applied approaches in an application to data on high-speed rail grants from the United States federal government to the states, and against simulated data from several data-generating processes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document