4.2. SR 01-18-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"A final determination as to the most suitable pr~tuct should await the outcome of a competitive orocurement process. ' "A fundamental char',ge since the time of the 'i:win Ci~s Commuter .~all Feasibility Stu~ has been the ~?nposition of FRA rules and the ~.dootion of the Passenger Rail Equipment Safety Standards '?RESS) by the passenger rail agencies." Several choices of new commuter rail proven motive power are available on the domestic market. A final determination as to the most suitable product should await the outcome of a competitive procurement process. Should the use of remanufactured locomotives become the only reasonable alternative, the extent of rebuilding/upgrade should be clearly specified. Baseline pedormance specifications are available from a variety of industry sources if and when_the need arises. A fundamental change since the time of the Twin Cities Commuter Rail Feasibility Study has been the imposition of FRA rules and the adoption of the Passenger Rail Equipment Safety Standards (PRESS) by the passenger rail agencies. These standards require further strengthening of the carbody to withstand collision impacts. They were adopted as a result of a series of accidents in the early 1990s, and focused on the particular concerns of what happens when two vehicles of dissimilar construction collide. It has been estimated that the adoption of these standards adds about 10% to the price of commuter railcars, compared to those used for the Twin Cities Commuter Rail Feasibility Study. Following are summary recommendations related to commuter rail car types, capacities and train lengths. These recommendations apply specifically to opening day service levels appropriate for the First Tier system recommended in the earlier Twin Cities Commuter Rail Feasibility Study. Consequently, these recommendations should be revisited prior to their application to routes or lines outside the First Tier system. 1. Cars purchased for use on the Twin Cities commuter rail system will conform to all FRA requirements and to the PRESS standards. 2. Adoption of the service or operating plan recommended by the Twin Cities Commuter Rail Feasibility Study. 3. Use of three car trains with additional capacity per line initially being achieved by running extra trains as opposed to lengthening the consists. 4. As ridership increases use longer trains to accommodate peak period loads. Note that this will have an impact on train performance, on station platform lengths and on Commuter Rail System Plan 4-10