HIGH-SPEED RAIL (HSR) - NEW CORRIDOR DESIGN CHALLENGES AND ALTERNATE ANALYSIS (SHARED AND/OR GREENFIELD CORRIDORS)

摘要

This paper presents the various concepts and alternatives considered by Texas Central High-Speed Railway (TCR) and Arup to identify and evaluate potential High-Speed Rail (HSR) alignments between Houston and the Dallas/Fort Worth (D/FW) Metroplex which will accommodate speeds in excess of 200mph. The paper describes the project objectives, the initial planning process, and the identification of preliminary alternative alignments. It discusses the methodology and technology used by Arup in identifying and refining potential alignments within the Houston to D/FW corridor, in responding to the project objectives, and in giving due consideration to the dynamic characteristics of the rolling stock and systems technology. This paper introduces TCR's HSR project, its various technical challenges related to greenfield and shared high-speed passenger and freight rail corridors. The paper defines mitigation methodology for these challenges and describes the steps that could be taken in the planning and design process of the project and its objectives. It also takes into account the rail plan promulgated by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The unique milestones planned for, and challenges addressed, during the course of the project are conversed in this paper and include: minimizing the right of way (ROW) take, lowering environmental impacts, designing a dedicated, grade separated alignment, and avoiding drainage basins. Various matrices were generated to identify grade separations, structural inventory, drainage inventory, ROW purchase/parcel information, and GIS databases that will be discussed in this paper.