Light rail

:This article talks about urban rail systems with certain characteristics, usually running at least partially on the surface but with relatively high capacity. For a treatment of transit in cities in general, see urban rail transit. For terminology, see passenger rail terminology. For higher-order systems with fuller grade separation and higher capacity, see rapid transit (despite some of these having "light rail" or "light railway" in their name). For lower-order systems similar to light rail, see tram.

Related Topics:
Urban rail transit - Passenger rail terminology - Rapid transit - Tram

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:For specific light rail systems, many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name, see list of light rail transit systems.

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Light rail or light rail transit (LRT) is a particular class of urban and suburban passenger railway that utilizes equipment and infrastructure that is typically less massive than that used for rapid transit systems, with modern light rail vehicles usually running along the system.

Related Topics:
Urban - Suburban - Railway - Rapid transit

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Light rail is the successor term to streetcar, trolley and tram in many locales, although the term is most consistently applied to modern or modernised tram or trolley operations employing features more usually associated with metro or subway operations, including exclusive rights-of-way, multiple unit train configuration and signal control of operations.

Related Topics:
Streetcar - Trolley - Tram - Subway - Multiple unit

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The term light rail is derived from the British English term light railway long used to distinguish tram operations from steam railway lines, as well as from its usually lighter infrastructure. The term was adopted in the 1970s, particularly in the United States, as a conscious break from the obsolescent image of streetcars. It is sometimes used largely for political reasons; in Toronto, the city Transit Commission had to rename a recent project to build a dedicated right of way for one of its streetcar lines as a 'new, modern LRT' in order to obtain the support of politicians, and then change it back to a 'normal, familiar streetcar' to be accepted by the area's residents (the actual project was the same the entire time).

Related Topics:
British English - 1970s - United States - Toronto - Transit Commission - Streetcar

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Light rail traces its pedigree to street railways, whereas rapid transit (metro) technology evolved from steam commuter operations, such as were seen in London, New York City, and Chicago.

Related Topics:
Rapid transit - London - New York City - Chicago

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Light rail systems are almost universally operated by electricity delivered through overhead lines, although several systems are powered through different means, such as the JFK Airtrain, which uses a standard third rail for its electrical power, and trams in Bordeaux which use a special third-rail configuration in which the rail is only powered while a tram is on top of it (making it safe to install third rails even on city streets). A few unusual systems such as the River Line in New Jersey and the O-Train in Ottawa use diesel-powered trains, though this is sometimes intended as an interim measure until the funds to install electric power become available.

Related Topics:
Electricity - Overhead lines - JFK Airtrain - Third rail - Bordeaux - River Line - New Jersey - O-Train - Ottawa - Diesel

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