In the past several decades, many developments have taken place that directly affect North American rail transit performance, vehicles, operations, and system technologies. Such developments include the extension and modernization of rail rapid transit and commuter rail systems; the introduction of proof-of-payment fare systems; the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and the construction of new light rail transit, automated guideway transit, heavy rail transit, and commuter rail systems. Consequently, data and procedures related to estimating rail transit capacity need updating to take into account these recent developments. Rail-transit capacity information available in TRB Special Report 209,`Highway Capacity Manual', is based on operating experiences from the 1970s and the early 1980s. While providing broad guidelines and general approaches to determining rail transit capacity, it does not fully reflect current experience. There has been a need to identify and document the factors affecting rail transit capacity and collect data on current values of the factors in order to update and expand the range of applications for this information taking into account vehicles, station designs, fare policies, train control technologies, and operating practices that better reflect actual North American rail transit experience. There also has been a need for information and procedures for estimating rail transit capacity, which includes both the number of people and the number of vehicles past a point per unit of time, and relates to stations, routes, junctions, and other controlling transit system features. Under TCRP Project A-8, research was undertaken by Transport Consulting Limited to (1) obtain current information on rail transit capacity, including a) factors affecting capacity; b) current values for parameters affecting capacity under a range of operating conditions; and c) current values for maximum passenger and vehicle capacities achieved under various operating practices and loading standards and (2) provide appropriate methodologies for estimating the capacity of future rail transit systems and modifications to existing systems. The scope included investigation, evaluation, and documentation of current North American experience in rail transit capacity for light rail transit, rapid rail transit, commuter rail, and automated guideway transit. To accomplish this effort, the researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of existing literature on rail transit capacity experience and capacity analysis methodologies. In addition, a survey of 63 rail transit operators in the United States, Canada, and Mexico was performed to determine actual line-by-line capacity and capacity constraints of each system. Extensive field surveys were also conducted to determine passenger boarding rates and dwell times for different rail transit modes, platform heights, and fare collection methods. Quantitative analyses then produced easy-to-use procedures for estimating achievable rail transit capacity. Thus, the report is a valuable resource for transportation and rail transit planners, designers, and operators.
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