Rapid Transit Rail System: A boon for the harried urban commuter!

Rammurthy dragged himself into the house. Deadbeat and dog tired he flopped into the sofa. He was at his wits end. His office was in Madhapur and his residence at Vanasthalipuram. A distance of mere 28 kilometers. Not much in a major metropolis like Hyderabad.

But the commute was killing him. The travel time was almost 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening. Logistical issues like possessing an own house, children’s education and cost of living meant that he could not move out of Vanasthalipuram.

Apart from the 4 hours wasted travelling, there were multiple other problems. He had developed back pain as he was using a two wheeler and his personal life was hit. He was often irritable and picked up fights with his wife over trivial issues. Rammurthy looked up. “What’s next? Should life be so miserable?”

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Rammurthy and others. Hyderabad Metro, the Sartaj of Hyderabad is all set to roll. It would be welcomed with open arms by Hyderabadis who are tired of the long commutes, traffic jams and pollution. In the two part series we would be discussing the concept of Rapid Transit Rail in the first installment and will wind up with details about Hyderabad (Mana Metro) metro in the second installment.

Rapid transit, also known as metro, subway, underground, is a type of high capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. Rapid Transit is unchallenged in its ability to transport large numbers of people quickly over short distances with minimal use of land. Unlike buses or trams rapid transit systems are electric railways that operate on an exclusive right of way which cannot be accessed by pedestrians or other vehicles of any sort.

Thus there is no competing for road space. There is no chance of any traffic jams and double tracks ensure that the same track can be used for high density traffic. In Rapid transit systems trains arrive at a frequency of 90 seconds. Passengers are assured of getting a train at greater frequencies. Many a times passengers have lost limbs and even lives trying to catch a train or a public transport bus which arrive infrequently and are never in time.

Modern services on rapid transit systems are provided on designated lines between stations typically using electric multiple units on rail tracks, although some systems use guided rubber tyres, magnetic levitation, or monorail. The stations typically have high platforms, without steps inside the trains, requiring custom-made trains in order to avoid gaps. They are typically integrated with other public transport modes.

History: The world's first rapid transit system was the partially underground Metropolitan Railway which opened as a conventional railway in 1863, and now forms part of the London Underground. In 1868, New York opened the elevated West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, initially a cable-hauled line using static steam. The world's largest rapid transit network by number stations and by passengers served in a day is the Greater Tokyo rail system with more than 40 million daily passengers and 882 stations within the metropolis. The world's largest single rapid transit service provider by both length of track 1,355 km including non-revenue track and number of stations, 469 stations in total is the New York City Subway.

By length of passenger route, the world's longest single-operator rapid transit system is the Shanghai Metro. The busiest rapid transit systems in the world by annual ridership are the Tokyo subway system, the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, the Moscow Metro, the Beijing Subway, and the Shanghai Metro.

More about Transit Rail systems: Some systems may extend only to the limits of the inner city, or to its inner ring of suburbs with trains making frequent station stops. Rapid transit systems may be supplemented by other systems such as buses, trams, or commuter rail. This combination of transit modes serves to offset certain limitations of rapid transit such as limited stops and long walking distances between outside Stations. Bus or tram feeder systems transport people to rapid transit stations.

Each rapid transit system consists of one or more lines. Each line is serviced by at least one specific route with trains stopping at all or some of the line's stations. Most systems operate several routes or lines, and distinguish them by colors, names, numbering, or a combination thereof.

Heavy rapid transit trains might have six to twelve compartments, while lighter systems may use four or fewer. Train compartments have a capacity of 100 to 150 passengers, varying with the seated to standing ratio, more standing gives higher capacity. The minimum time interval between trains is shorter for rapid transit than for mainline railways owing to the use of block signaling. The minimum interval can be 90 seconds, but might be limited to 120 seconds to allow for recovery from delays. Typical capacity lines allow 1,200 people per train, giving 36,000 people per hour. The highest attained capacity is 80,000 people per hour by the MTR Corporation in Hong

Safety and security: Compared to other modes of transport, rapid transit has a good safety record, with few accidents. Rail transport is subject to strict safety regulations, with requirements for procedure and maintenance to minimise risk. Head on collisions are rare due to use of double track, and low operating speeds reduce the occurrence and severity of rear-end collisions and derailments. In transit rail systems rear end collisions are almost impossible as automated systems ensure that two trains don’t slam into each other even accidently.

High platforms, usually over 1 meter (3 feet) are a safety risk, as people falling onto the tracks have trouble climbing back. Platform screen doors are used on some systems to eliminate this danger. Rapid transit facilities are public spaces and may suffer from security problems: petty crimes, such as pick pocketing and baggage theft, and more serious violent crimes. Security measures include video surveillance, security guards, and conductors.

Elevated Metros: Are cheaper and easier ways to build as they have an exclusive right-of-way without digging expensive tunnels or creating barriers. Other types of rapid transit systems.

People mover systems: Are self-contained rapid transit systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, busy commercial centres or theme parks, either as independent systems or as shuttle services feeding other transport systems. They are usually driverless and are elevated.

Monorails: Have been built as both conventional rapid transits and as people movers, either elevated or underground. They are in commercial use in several places, including Germany, Japan and international airports and recently in Mumbai.

Light metro: is used when the speed of rapid transit is desired, but for smaller passenger numbers. It often has smaller trains, of typically two to four compartments, lower frequency and longer distances between stations. Light metros are sometimes used as shuttles feeding into the main rapid transit system.

Rapid Transit Stations: Stations function as hubs to allow passengers to board and disembark from trains. They are also payment checkpoints and allow passengers to transfer between modes of transport, for instance to buses or other trains. Access is provided by a platform. To allow easy access to the trains, the platform height allows step free access between platform and train. Most stations allow easy access to both disabled travellers and those with wheeled baggage.

In many transit systems like the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) system used in the Bay area of California allow bicycles to be carried into the train. Some stations use platform screen doors to increase safety by preventing people falling onto the tracks, as well as reducing ventilation costs.

Station interiors: In the former Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries and increasing extent elsewhere else the stations are being built with splendid decorations such as marble walls, polished granite floors and mosaics exposing the public to art in their everyday life. The system in Moscow, St.Petersberg, Tashkent and Kiev are widely regarded as some of the most beautiful stations in the world.

Several other cities such as Stockholm, Montreal, Lisbon, Naples and Los Angeles have also focused on art, which may range from decorative wall claddings, to large, flamboyant artistic schemes integrated with station architecture, to displays of ancient artifacts recovered during station construction. It may be possible to profit by attracting more passengers by spending relatively small amounts on grand architecture, art, cleanliness, accessibility, lighting and a feeling of safety.

Costs and benefits: As of May 2012, 184 cities have built rapid transit systems. The capital cost is high, as there is the risk of cost overrun and benefit shortfall. Public financing is normally required. Rapid transit is sometimes seen as an alternative to an extensive road transport system.

Rapid transit system allows higher capacity with less land use, less environmental impact, and a lower cost.

Elevated or underground systems in cities allow the transport of people without occupying expensive land, and permit the city to develop compactly without physical barriers. Roads often depress nearby residential land values, but proximity to a rapid transit station often triggers commercial and residential growth, with large transit oriented development offices and housing being promoted and sold. Also, an efficient transit system can decrease the economic welfare loss caused by extensive travel and wasted time.

Rapid transit systems have high fixed costs. Most systems are publicly owned, by either state governments, transit authorities or central governments. Capital investments are often partially or completely financed by taxation, rather than by passenger fares. The transit systems may be operated by the owner or by a private company. Almost all transit systems operate at a deficit (loss), requiring fare revisions, advertising and subsidies to cover costs.

The farebox recovery ratio: is a ratio of ticket income to operating costs and is often used to assess operational profitability, with some systems including Hong Kong's MTR Corporation, and Taipei achieving recovery ratios of well over 100%. Farebox recovery ratio ignores both heavy capital costs incurred in building the system, which are often subsidized with soft loans and whose servicing is excluded from calculations of profitability, as well as ancillary revenue such as income from real estate portfolios.

Whatever it is Mass transit systems should not be weighed by numbers and by profitability. Rather they should be judged by the convenience, the number of people served, the environment that they help keep clean and the time that they save for the commuters. A healthy mind is an active mind and a commuter who happily reaches his work place is 100 times more productive than a dead beat grouchy commuter who is half dead on his arrival!

By:Dr M Anil Ramesh

The author is a Professor -Marketing, Chairman, Training and Consultancy, and Chief Controller of Examinations at Siva Sivani Institute of Management, a premier B-school in Secunderabad. Send your queries to manil [email protected] and [email protected].