CE 355 Transportation Engineering 1

Overview of
High-Speed Rail Transportation:
Technology & Applications
Worldwide
 What Constitutes HSR?
International Union of Railways
(UIC): Operating speeds at or above
250 km/h (155 mph) on new tracks,
or 200 km/h on existing tracks.

US Federal Railroad Admin. (FRA):

Operating speeds exceeding 90mph;
standards allow speeds to 217 mph.
200 kph = 125 mph
250 kph = 155 mph
300 kph = 186 mph
350 kph = 217 mph
 HSR Applications
Best suited for trips of 23 hours (100-600 mi.),
for which HSR can beat both air and auto modes.
Competitive with autos on shorter distances,
given road congestion or expensive parking fees.
Most effective when integrated with conventional
transit; should feed airports to serve long-
distance travelers.
 HSR Capacity
Double track can handle 15 trains per
hour per direction.
Assuming 800 passengers per train,
the capacity is 12,000 passengers per
hour per direction.
Thus, double track HSR has a capacity
about 13% greater than a 6-lane
highway.
HSR line carries 2.83 times more
passengers per hour per foot of width.
 HSR Alignment Geometry
Maximum curvature:
D~1/2 (R~13,000 ft) initial lines
D~1/4 (R~23,000 ft) for 300 kph+ speeds
Maximum gradient: 3.5% to 4.0%
Multiple main tracks (2 min.)
Shallow entry and divergence
angles for turn-outs.
Flyovers or tunnels at junctions
to avoid track crossings.
Can use existing rail lines
(at reduced speeds) in vicinity
of urban stations.
 HSR Access Control
No freight/low speed passenger ops.
No highway grade crossings
No rail grade crossings
Fenced R-O-W
Sensors at bridges
and tunnels to detect
fallen objects
 HSR Propulsion
Existing systems use locomotive
propelled trainsets
Locomotives powered by electricity
distributed via overhead catenary
Future: turbine propelled locomotives;
trains having all powered cars
Turbine

Electric
 HSR vs. Conventional Rail
Technologies, Traditional /
Requirements Regional Passenger Regional High- Express High-
and Performance Rail Speed Rail Speed Rail
Representative 50-79 mph 110-150 mph 200 mph
Train Speeds
Typical Passenger 300 - 1,000 300 - 800 300 - 800
Capacities passengers passengers passengers
Propulsion Diesel-electric Electric Electric
(predominant)
Typical Station 20-30 miles 50-70 miles 100 miles
Spacing
R-O-W usage Shared with freight Shared with Exclusive to
operations, freight freight operations, passenger service
service predominates passenger service
predominates
Typical Trip 20-2,500 Miles 100 Miles 300 500 Miles
Length
Examples Amtrak Intercity rail Amtrak Northeast TGV, Shinkansen
operations Corridor Service (No US examples,
 Asian HSR Systems
Japan
Korea

Taiwan

China
 Japan HSR: Shinkansen System
Opened in 1964 (First in world!)
Network size:
2,452 km in service (1,520 miles)
590 km under construction (370 miles)

Additional 583 km planned (360 miles)

2,250 miles total when completed

Operated by 4 railway companies

Total fleet: approx. 4,000 cars
Max. speed: 300 km/h (185 mph)
Annual ridership: 300 million
Japan HSR Route Map
Japan HSR: New Train: N700 Series
Japans Fastech 360
 Japans Fastech 360
Fastech 360 trains will carry travelers at a top speed of
224 mph and is expected to hit speeds above 250 mph in
test runs (400 kph)

East Japan Railway is testing a prototype with two

uniquely shaped nose cones-at 52 feet, the longest ever-
that reduce drag and noisy micropressure waves in
tunnels.

To stop quickly in an emergency, the Fastech 360 uses

cat-ear-like spoiler brakes that pop out of the roof to
increase air resistance. The trains will go into service
around 2011.
 Korea HSR

Seoul-Daegu route: 330 km (205 mi.)in service

Daegu-Pusan route: 82 km (50 mi.) under
construction
Rolling stock: 46 TGV trains (initially)
Max speed: 300 km/hr (185 mph)
 Korea HSR: New KTX-350 Trains

Manufactured by Hyundai-Rotem
350 km/hr (220 mph) max. speed
 Taiwan HSR
Opened 2007: 345 km. (215 mi.)
Max speed: 300 km/hr (185 mph)
Rolling stock: 30 12-car train sets

HSR 700T Trainset

 China HSR
Long-range HSR Plan:
832 km in service (515 mi.)
3,404 km under construction (2,110 mi.)
4,075 km planned (2,525 mi.)
5,150 miles total when complete
Dual pass./freight lines: 250kph (155 mph)
Dedicated pass. lines: 350 kph (220 mph)
China HSR
China Pass. Rail Network
 China HSR Equipment

CRH-1 by Bombardier CRH-2 by Kawasaki

CRH-3 by Siemens CRH-5 by Alstom

 European HSR
Major players:
France
Germany

Italy

Spain

Other countries
with HSR:
- Holland
- Belgium
- England
Frances Bullet Train
 France HSR
Goal: <3 hrs. travel time to Paris

LGV opened in 1981; 100 mil. annual riders

Speeds: 270-320 kph (170 - 200 mph)
Network size:
1,872 km in operation (1,160 mi.)
299 km under construction (185 mi.)
2,616 km in planning (1,620 mi.)
HSR Lines separate from existing tracks
(but compatible with existing tracks)
Travel times to Paris
on French HSR
 France HSR - LGV
Rail gauge: 1,435 mm (56 inches)
Initial LGV fleet: 400 duplex cars
Capacity: 595-passengers per car
Evolution of HSP in France:
LGV TGV AVG
 France HSR - TGV
500 TGV trainsets
in service

TGV - PSE

TGV- Atlantique/Rseau

Thalys first generation

= TGV Rseau
Designed for international
service to Belgium and the
Netherlands (Brussels
Amsterdam)
 France HSR -TGV
TGV-2N

TGV EST
Designed to travel also in
Germany and Switzerland on
regular tracks
France HSR Next Generation: AGV
AGV Features:
Distributed power (Jacobs bogies)
Synchronous magnet motors
Reduced axle loads & improved
aerodynamics
Speeds to 350 mph
 Germany HSR:
DB
1st Service in 1991
Network size:
1,285 km in operation (800 mi.)
378 km under construction (230 mi.)
670 km in planning (420 mi.)
Speeds: 250 kph (155 mph)
67 million annual riders
 Germany HSR: Rolling Stock
Type Design Vmax Trains In Service
ICE-1 Siemens 280 kph (175 mph) 60 1982
ICE-2 Siemens 280 kph (175 mph) 44 1989
ICE-3 Siemens 330 kph (205 mph) 72 2000

ICE-2

ICE-3
 Germany HSR
Dedicated HSR track
Grades up to 4%
Follows the natural
topography (unique)
Slab track
Speed: 300 kph
(185 mph)
 Italy HSR: FS

Opened in 1992
Network size :
562 km in service (350 mi.)
314 km under construction (195 mi.)
395 km in planning (250 mi.)
Speeds: 200-250 kph
(125 155 mph)
 Italy HSR: Rolling Stock
Type Design Vmax Trains In Service
ETR 500 (P) Ansaldo/ 300 kph (185mph) 60 1982
Bombardier
 Spain HSR: RENFE
Opened in 1992
Network size:
In service: 1,594 km (990 mi.)
Under constr.: 2,219 km (1,375 mi.)
Planned: 1,702 km (1,055 mi.)
Separated tracks
with different gauge
90 trainsets
Max. speed: 300 kph
(185 mph)
Spain HSR:
Rolling Stock
AVE S 100 (Alstom)

AVE S 102
Talgo /
Bombardier

AVE S 103
(Siemens
ICE-3)
Western Europe
Passenger
Rail Network
 Future HSR Systems
Argentina: Buenos Aires-Rosario (195 mi.)
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo (310 mi.)
Morocco: Marrakech-Tanger (420 mi.)
Turkey: Ankarra-Istanbul-Konya (460 mi.);
other Turkish lines (1,040 mi.)
Saudi Arabia: Medina-Mecca (340 mi.)
Portugal: various lines (625 mi.)
Poland: various lines (440 mi.)
USA!
 USA HSR (The Present)
AMTRAK Northeast Corridor Line
Acela (tilt trains) in operation since
2000; Boston to Washington, D.C.
Speed:150 mph max; 125 mph typ.
Acela Facts:
3.2 million riders/yr.
8,820 riders/day

20 trains/day

456 mile route

ACELA Facts:
ACELA accounts for 37%
of NY to Boston non-car
business travel
ACELA earns $4.4 billion

per year in revenues

ACELA is 1 of only 2 profitable

Amtrak routes.
 USA HSR
The Future
In 1991 and again in 1998,Congress
authorized 11 regional HSR
corridors. (Planning began!)
In 2009, Congress (via the ARRA)
authorized $8 billion for HSR
planning/construction.
Also in 2009, FRA issued 1st National
HSR Strategic Plan.
11 Federally Designated Corridors
Tennessee is a
member state!
USA HSR Vision
USA HSR Vision

HSR in Tennessee
Nashville (2020)
Chattanooga (2025)

Memphis (2030)
 Obama to call for $53B for
high-speed rail
WASHINGTON President Barack Obama is calling for a
six-year, $53 billion spending plan for high-speed
rail, as he seeks to use infrastructure spending to
jump-start job creation.
An initial $8 billion in spending will be part of the budget
plan Obama is set to release Monday. If Congress
approves the plan, the money would go toward
developing or improving trains that travel up to 250
mph, and connecting existing rail lines to new
projects.

By JULIE PACE, Associated Press Julie Pace, Associated Press

Tue Feb 8, 2011 4:39 pm ET
USA HSR Vision
California HSR
Corridor
California HSR Corridor
Total length:
790 miles

Sacramento
To
San Diego
 Cal. HSR vs. Highways/Airports
Measures Highway/Airport California HSR
Of Alternatives: Alternative:
3,000 added lanes-miles of 790 miles of California HSR
Effectiveness freeway and equiv. 2 new
international airports

Cost $100 Billion $40 Billion

Capacity OK to 2050 OK to 2100

Energy 22 million barrels/yr Base

of petroleum (1/5 the energy of a car
compared to HSR & 1/3 the energy of a
plane per seat/mile)
Pollution 18 billion more lbs/yr Base
of CO2 than HSR
Safety 100s killed per yr. on 0 fatalities
comparable highway (45 yrs. of Japan & 25+ yrs.
routes of France HSR systems.)
 California HSR Ridership Sources

Projected annual ridership: 93 million

 California HSR Benefits
Safer, more reliable than highway or air travel.
Quick, predictable travel times that would be
sustainable over time.
Lower passenger costs than air or auto travel.
Additional capacity for future generations.
Decreased energy consumption, reduced air
pollution, and reduced reliance on petroleum.
Would cost 2 to 3 times less and have fewer
environmental impacts than expanding
highways and airports to meet future
demands.
 California HSR Benefits
160,000 construction-related jobs.

450,000 new permanent jobs by

2035.
B/C Ratio > 2
 California HSR Travel Times
220 mph [350 kph] max. speed
Travel Time (Hrs:Min)

Los San San San

Angeles Francisco Jose Diego Sacramento Fresno Bakersfield Riverside Anaheim

N/A 2:38 2:09 1:18 2:11 1:24 0:54 0:33 0:20

Los Angeles
2:38 N/A 0:30 3:56 1:06 1:20 1:51 3:10 2:57
San Francisco
2:09 0:30 N/A 3:27 0:52 0:51 1:21 2:41 2:28
San Jose
1:18 3:56 3:27 N/A 3:29 2:42 2:12 0:48 N/A
San Diego
2:11 1:06 0:52 3:29 N/A 0:53 1:23 2:43 2:37
Sacramento
1:24 1:20 0:51 2:42 0:53 N/A 0:37 1:56 1:43
Fresno
0:54 1:51 1:21 2:12 1:23 0:37 N/A 1:26 1:13
Bakersfield
0:33 3:10 2:41 0:48 2:43 1:56 1:26 N/A N/A
Riverside
0:20 2:57 2:28 N/A 2:37 1:43 1:13 N/A N/A
Anaheim
 California HSR Project
Authorized by state legislation in 1996.
California HSR Authority created.
Nine-member board - 5 appointed by
Governor, 2 by State Senate, 2 by State
Assembly.
Budget expended in state/federal
funds: $70Million to date.
Projected completion date: 2020-2030
 California HSR Project
Progress to Date
Operations and Business Plans
developed & approved.
Program Level Environmental
Clearance certified on July 9,
2008.
Detailed Route Planning &
Design underway.
Right-of-way being purchased.
California HSR Fiscal Summary
Projected cost for design, construction
and rolling stock $ 40 Billion
Federal - $12 - $16 Billion
State - $9 Billion
Public/private partnership - $6.5 - $7.5 Billion
Local cost sharing - $2 - $3 Billion
Private & Other - $4.5 $11.5 Billion
Expected performance of 790-mile
California HSR system:
Ridership 93 Million annually
Gross annual revenue - $3.6 Billion
Annual Net after O&M - $2.0 Billion
Civil Engineers
will design
High Speed Rail
Infrastructure
Civil Engineers
will build
High Speed Rail
Infrastructure
CE Dream Project
CE Dream Project
 90 Consultant Groups on CAHSR Project

Program Management: Parsons Brinckerhoff, with SYSTRA, Cordoba,

KDG Group, Cambridge Systematics & 12 specialty groups
Financial Planning: IMG, Barclays, Sperry Capital
Regional Engineering & Environmental Work:
Hatch Mott MacDonald/USR/Arup JV, with Consensus Planning Group & 9
other specialty groups
STV Inc., with UltraSystems Environmental, & 4 specialty groups
HNTB/CH2M HILL, with Arellano Associates, Katz & Associates
URS/HMM/Arup JV, Forhan Co., VRPA Technologies, & 5 other specialty
groups
AECOM/CH2MHILL, with Circle Point, and 2 specialty groups
AECOM, with EarthTech, EDAW, Jones & Stokes, HNTB & 2 other specialty
groups
HNTB, with AECOM, PBS&J, & 5 other specialty groups
Parsons, with Jones & Stokes, HDR Engineering, Circle Point, & 11 other
specialty groups
Visual Simulation: NC3D, and 3 specialty groups
62
 Program Management
Program Director
Tony Daniels,
Parsons Brinkerhoff
Communications Financial
Kris Deutschman, Sasha Page,
KDC Group IMG Group

DISCIPLINE MANAGERS REGIONAL MANAGERS

Altamont
Engineering San Franciso to San Jose
Environmental
Ken Jong, PB Dominic Spaethling, PB
Steven Wolf, PB
Infrastructure SJ to Central Valley
Operations
John Chirco, PE, PB Gary Kennerley, PB
Nick Brand,
Elect / Train Controls SYSTRA Sacramento to Fresno
Eric Scotson, PB Visual Sims Fresno to Palmdale
Donald Newlands, Tom Tracy, PE, PB
Operations / Maint.
Newlands and Co.
Paul Mosier, PB Palmdale to LA
Rolling Stock
Anaheim to LA
Frank Banko, PB Bruce Armistead, PB

Regulatory Approvals
LA to San Diego
Vlad Kanevskiy, PB Jose Martinez, PE,
Cordoba Corp.
 Program Management
Dominic Spaethling
Altamont

Brent Ogden, AECOM

Tom Tracy, PE
SF to San Jose Sac to Fresno
Tim Cobb, PE, HNTB Ken Sislak, AECOM
Fresno to Palmdale
Gary Kennerly
Bob Schaevitz,
SJ to Central Valley
URS/Hatch
Dave Mansen, Parsons Mott/ARUP

Bruce Armistead, PE
Palmdale to LA
Dan Tempelis, Jose Martinez, PE
Hatch Mott/URS.ARUP LA to San Diego
LA to Anaheim Mike Zdon, HNTB
Eugene Kim, STV

64
Contact Information
California High-Speed Rail
Authority
925 L Street, Suite 1425
Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone (916) 324-1541

Fax (916) 322-0827

www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov
Canada HSR - Proposed East:
Quebec-
Montreal-
Ottawa-
Toronto
Windsor

West:
Vancouver-
Calgary-Edmonton-
Regina-Winnipeg
Get Ready.
Its coming!
March 4, 2011 1:19 PM

High speed rail project officially dies in Florida,

sending rail money to other states

Get Ready.
Plans to build a high speed rail line between Tampa and
Orlando died Friday, when the Florida Supreme Court sided
with Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who has argued he has no
obligation to accept federal funding for the project.

Its coming!
The 84-mile rail line was expected to be a highlight of the
Obama administration's infrastructure investments, but the
new Republican governor turned down the $2.4 billion in
federal funds allocated for the project. Department of
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood had tried to convince
Scott to take the money, but in a statement today, LaHood
confirmed the money will now go to other states investing in
high speed rail.