Editing Light rail (section)

==Comparison to other rail transit modes==
With its mix of right-of-way types and train control technologies, LRT offers the widest range of latitude of any rail system in the design, engineering, and operating practices. The challenge in designing light rail systems is to realize the potential of LRT to provide fast, comfortable service while avoiding the tendency to overdesign that results in excessive capital costs beyond what is necessary to meet the public's needs.<ref>
{{cite web
  |author1=Fazio, A. E. |author2=Hickey, T. R.
  | url = http://pubsindex.trb.org/document/view/default.asp?lbid=700178
  | title = Designing New Light Rail – Taking Engineering Beyond Vanilla
  | version = Circular E-C058: 9th National Light Rail Transit Conference
  | publisher = Transportation Research Board
  | year=2003
  | access-date = 10 November 2006
}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:15%;"|Alternative
! Differences
|-
| [[Rapid transit]]
| Light rail vehicles (LRVs) are distinguished from [[rapid transit|rapid rail transit]] (RRT) vehicles by their capability for operation in mixed traffic, generally resulting in a narrower car body and articulation to operate in a street traffic environment. With their large size, large turning radius, and often an electrified [[third rail]], RRT vehicles cannot operate in the street. Since LRT systems can operate in existing streets, they can often avoid the cost of expensive [[grade-separated]] subway and elevated segments that would be required with RRT.
|-
| [[Tram|Streetcars or trams]]
| Conversely, LRVs generally outperform traditional streetcars in terms of capacity and top-end speed, and almost all modern LRVs are capable of [[multiple-unit operation]]. The latest generation of LRVs is considerably larger and faster, typically {{convert|29|m|ftin|frac=8}} long with a maximum speed of around {{convert|105|km/h|mph|sigfig=3}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Technical Data |url=http://references.transportation.siemens.com/refdb/showReference.do?r=1920&div=3&div=5&div=2&div=8&l=en |work=Light Rail Vehicle System Houston/Texas, USA |publisher=Siemens |year=2008 |access-date=18 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080427042721/http://references.transportation.siemens.com/refdb/showReference.do?r=1920&div=3&div=5&div=2&div=8&l=en |archive-date=27 April 2008 }}
</ref>
|-
|[[Heritage streetcar]]s
|A variation considered by many cities is to use historic or replica cars on their streetcar systems instead of modern LRVs. A heritage streetcar may not have the capacity and speed of an LRV, but it will add to the ambiance and historic character of its location.
|-
|[[Medium capacity system|Light metro]]
|A derivative of LRT is light rail rapid transit (LRRT), also referred to as ''light metro.'' Such railways are characterized by exclusive rights of way, advanced train control systems, short headway capability, and floor-level boarding. These systems approach the passenger capacity of full metro systems but can be cheaper to construct due to LRVs generally being smaller in size, turning tighter curves and climbing steeper grades than standard RRT vehicles, and having a smaller station size.
|-
|[[Interurban]]s
|The term ''interurban'' mainly refers to rail cars that run through streets like ordinary streetcars (trams), but also between cities or towns, often through rural environments. In the period 1900–1930, interurbans were very common in the US, especially in the [[Midwest]]. Some of them, like the [[Red Devil (interurban)|Red Devils]], the J. G. Brill [[Bullet (interurban)|Bullets]], and the [[Electroliner]]s, were the [[high-speed rail]]cars of their time, with an in-service speed of up to about {{convert|145|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}. In Europe, interurbans are making a comeback as "[[tram-train]]s" (locally known under different names) that operate on both the railway and light rail tracks, often with different voltages. The [[Karlsruhe Stadtbahn]] is one well-known example.
|}

===Typical rolling stock===
The [[BART]] railcar in the following chart is ''not'' generally considered to be a "light rail" vehicle (it is a [[heavy rail]] vehicle), and is only included for comparison purposes.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Type
| Rapid transit (heavy rail) || Light rail || Tram, or streetcar || Heritage streetcar
|-
! Manufacturer
| Rohr || Siemens || Skoda || Gomaco Trolley Co.
|-
! Model
| [[Bay Area Rapid Transit rolling stock#A and B series|BART A-Car]] || [[Siemens S70|S70]] || [[Škoda 10 T|10T]] || Replica Birney
|-
! Width
| {{convert|3.2|m|ftin|frac=8}}|| {{convert|2.7|m|ftin|frac=8}}|| {{convert|2.6|m|ftin|2|frac=8}}|| {{convert|2.62|m|ftin|frac=8}}
|-
! Length
| {{convert|22.9|m|ftin|frac=8}}|| {{convert|27.7|m|ftin|frac=8}} [[articulated tram|articulated]] || {{convert|20.13|m|ftin|frac=8}} articulated || {{convert|15.16|m|ftin|frac=8}}
|-
! Weight (empty)
| 63.1{{nbsp}}t
| 48.6{{nbsp}}t<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=Siemens S70 Low-floor Light Rail Vehicle|url=https://w3.usa.siemens.com/mobility/us/en/interurban-mobility/rail-solutions/high-speed-and-intercity-trains/Documents/Houston1_DataSheet_2014_LR.pdf|publisher=Siemens}}</ref>
| 28.8{{nbsp}}t
| 23.5{{nbsp}}t<ref name="Gomaco Trolley Company">{{cite web|title=Gomaco Trolley Company|url=http://www.gomacotrolley.com/Resources/pages/birney_littlerock.html|publisher=Gomaco Trolley Company}}</ref>
|-
! Capacity
| 150 max. || 72 seats, 220 max.<ref name="auto"/> || 30 seats, 157 max. || 40 seats, 50 max.<ref name="Gomaco Trolley Company"/>
|-
! Top speed
| {{convert|125|km/h|mph|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}|| {{convert|106|km/h|mph|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}|| {{convert|70|km/h|mph|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}|| {{convert|48|km/h|mph|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}
|-
! Typical consist
| 4–10 vehicles || 2–5 vehicles || 1 vehicle || 1 vehicle
|}

===Floor height===
{{Main|Low floor}}
Low-floor LRVs have the advantage of a low-floor design, allowing them to load passengers directly from low-rise platforms that can be little more than raised curbs. High-floor light rail systems also exist, featuring larger stations.<ref name=":0" />