A First Course in Rail Transport Planning

This book contains a structured 12 week course for rail transport planning. The material is directed at university students, who are familiar with transport planning but have not yet been exposed to rail transport planning. The subject presented is thorough and provides a comprehensive review of many of the issues that arise when performing rail transport planning.

The book includes a review of the different types of rail systems, including metros, commuter rail, light rail and trams. Monorails and tourist railways are also discussed in detail. Also included is a discussion of the different types of rail infrastructure that is commonly used to construct a rail system.

The book contains a chapter on freight. Double stacking, bulk materials, and terminal design as discussed.  Sugarcane railways are also discussed.

Station design is also reviewed. The design of stations is important to the movement of passengers through the station, and the best designs get passengers quickly and efficiently through the station.

Much discussion is made of the economics of rail transport, as rail as a transport mode is very expensive to install and operate. Detailed discussion of demand estimation, and estimating changes to passenger numbers  is included.

Methods to describe a rail system are detailed. Key parameters and ways of describing railways are discussed. Also included are methods to draw a rail system