"Clive" wrote in message
...
In message
,
Mizter T writes

On Jan 30, 2:53 pm, "Basil Jet"
wrote:

MIG wrote:
This morning I've seen a three-unit train running on the DLR, with the
designation "Special", in between other services.

How many people does a three-car DLR hold, and how does that compare
with a
six-car C stock? How does the speed compare? I'm wondering about whether
the
"light" railway designation still means anything.

Closely spaced stations and lots of rapid acceleration and
deceleration are light rail-esque features in my mind.

Not that I'd want a rail vehicle of any kind, light or heavy, to fall
on my head - it's a rather relative term, me thinks!
I've always assumed the difference to be in the weight of the running
rail.
--
Clive


Nah, many "light rail" systems run on exactly the same track as the railway
line they replaced. Light rail refers to a combination of:

- lighter specification for equipment (end loading, coupling stress, etc);
- lighter systems of control, in the sense of either not a comprehensive
external safeworking system; or a signalling system limited to vehicles of a
common performance and specification standard;
- lighter "greenfields" infrastructure where only the LR equipment is to
operate (T&W might still have freight, they did in the early stages).
- lighter, in the sense of smaller, trains.

Perhaps I've put enough into the thread to keep the wheels turning?

DW downunder