
Feasibility of a kneeling train to improve platform–train interface for passenger boarding and alighting
Author(s) -
Ambur Ramakrishnan,
Hubbard Peter,
Cooke John,
Barnard Simon
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iet intelligent transport systems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.579
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-9578
pISSN - 1751-956X
DOI - 10.1049/iet-its.2019.0634
Subject(s) - kneeling , suspension (topology) , interface (matter) , transport engineering , engineering , automotive engineering , computer science , simulation , medicine , pulmonary surfactant , gibbs isotherm , alternative medicine , mathematics , pathology , chemical engineering , homotopy , pure mathematics
Railway operators and infrastructure companies strive to optimise the flow of passengers on and off vehicles whilst aiming to minimise accidents at the platform–train interface (PTI). An ideal solution (already available in some situations) would be step‐free access to aid efficient boarding for everyday passengers and those with additional needs or reduced mobility. Out of many solutions existing today, a ‘kneeling vehicle’ seems a possible solution due to the opportunity to minimise the step and gap distances. In this study, the viability of an assumed kneeling mechanism retro‐fitted to a contemporary suspension architecture is assessed by evaluating the possible improvement in the step/gap distances based on a detailed model of suspension movement. It is shown that for many different infrastructure scenarios that significant improvements in the PTI are shown for a modest and achievable kneeling action. This study also addresses fundamental operational concerns of a kneeling vehicle by assessing gauging (with respect to infrastructure and adjacent vehicles) and pantograph interaction.