RAIL TRANSIT: Addressing Wheel/Rail Noise at the Source

摘要

Noise is a persistent issue on urban rail transit systems. Vehicle and track design, wheel and rail conditions, the age and design of the infrastructure may all play a role in how noise and vibration radiate and how they are perceived by the public. When it comes to dealing with train-generated noise (and vibration), rail transit systems differ significantly from freight railroads. Rail transit systems carry thousands-in some cities, tens of thousands-of passengers on the system per day. Every one of these riders gets a daily dose of exposure to the noise generated on the system. Add to that the residents, often in densely populated urban areas in proximity to the line, who bear the auditory brunt of every train that passes during every waking (and non-waking) hour of every day. For them, transit noise becomes a "quality of life" issue.