Noise and vibration are the major sources of environmental impact from urban rail transit operations, and is a concern for both new and existing systems. One of the primary sources of noise on rail transit systems is wheel/rail noise, or, the noise emitted by the wheels and rails as a result of their interaction. The purpose of this report is to carefully review and summarize the available information on each of the known or conceptualized methods for controlling wheel/rail noise and to identify requirements for further research, development, and testing. The report discusses the acoustical performance, costs, potential, or actual problems of these methods and suggestions are made for resolving uncertainties in the available data. This review is also particularly intended to help direct the remaining work to be performed under this project. In addition, a cost-effectiveness analysis is carried out to help in the selection of specific noise control methods for further study. The rationale for selecting each such treatment is presented.
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