An examination of three approaches to metro rolling stock design to ameliorate extended dwell times due to passenger growth and associated crowding

Increased patronage of suburban rail in many cities of the world has effected network performance. Crowding, especially during peak travel times detrimentally effects dwell times thus reducing network capacity. This paper examines three approaches undertaken by three rail operators to the design of rolling stock in order to ameliorate this problem. Each of the network operations examined in this paper were selected due to their different approaches to the problem but reflecting their own set of circumstances. Stockholm Lokaltrafik AB ran experimental carriages amongst its regular system to determine a new interior carriage design. The Melbourne suburban rail system explored expanding the door vestibule area. The third example, Rio de Janeiro's Metro, considered both the train interior and platform geometry to reduce dwell times. The research reveals that in each case there is a great deal of pressure to remove seating from the carriage, a policy that often contradicts passenger perceptions of comfort. The purpose of this examination is to inform the design of new rolling stock interiors for future research.