Passenger Platforms and Freight Railroads: A Summary of Research and Analysis of Station Design and Code Requirements for Life Safety in the Railroad Operating Environment

摘要

Safety is paramount to all railroad operations, both passenger and freight alike. The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter railroad serving Northern Virginia and Washington, DC on three host railroads including CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Amtrak. VRE has recently undertaken planning, design, and construction of major infrastructure projects to improve capacity through operational flexibility. Such improvements call for major modifications to existing passenger facilities including new center platforms and lengthening existing side platforms. As design of multiple stations was initiated, it was quickly apparent that customary building codes, regulations, and industry standards for such work are complicated, and sometimes contradictory when applied to a railroad environment. Our team evaluated elements of the International Building Code (IBC), Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 and 130 as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). We found that the constraints of the collective body of regulations and standards may not have been developed considering the realities of a railroad operating environment. We have developed a design approach that satisfies the expectations of both. This paper will provide a summary of our findings, design approach, and analysis as it applies to VRE operations and planned construction which might be applied to other commuter rail operations. The goal is to better inform the industry of standard practice, potential requirements and available resources that may lead to the successful completion of other similar projects.