Some Light Rail Questions for a fantasy scenario

[60163]

A friend has been set an academic task: to design a light rail system between Horsforth station and the Leeds/Bradford airport.

He's not into all this, hence turning to me for help and hence me turning to the esteemed Forum.

His choice of train is currently either the Alstom Regio Citidas or the Dualis Citidas. He's wondering how to make the tram-train join the main line, and whether the light rail system should be double-track. Apparently each tram-train can carry approx. 140 people inc. standing.

Any suggestions? I believe the line that Horsforth is on isn't electrified...

 

[telstarbox]

I'm sure forum members can help but as an 'academic' is your friend aware of his institution's plagiarism policy?

 

[bluenoxid]

Tell him to use a tram (as bad as it sounds). As long as he has its states and it can climb the steep incline that it will need to tackle to get to the airport, it will be OK. Remember that it needs enhanced luggage space.

It depends what the brief says but he may want to check whether they want Horsforth to Leeds Bradford or Leeds to Leeds Bradford.

Double track depends on the frequency of the service? He will need to work out how long the tram takes. My advice would be to offer double track at least before the connection to Network Rail. That will allow a train heading towards Horsforth to stop and a train towards Leeds Bradford to proceed past without causing delays to other trains.

Currently Leeds to Harrogate is not electrified apart from at each end (Leeds and York).

 

[tbtc]

The line through Horsforth is only half hourly at the moment (with a handful of extra trains at peak times), so there'd be little point in running a *frequent* tram to connect with trains (if that makes any difference in terms of whether a double track line would be required, if you are talking a stand alone operation).

Personally I can't see much need for this - there's a regular bus from both Leeds and Bradford to the Airport - and since trains on the Harrogate Line generally go no further than York or Leeds it'd mean anyone from Bradford/ Wakefield/ Huddersfield/ Sheffield (etc) had to change in Leeds and then change again in Horsforth to get to the Airport, which would put people off (esp if they had luggage).

But then a through service from Leeds City Station to Leeds Bradford Airport would require extra platform space at Leeds, which there isn't.

 

[bluenoxid]

It's an academic exercise tbtc. I got asked to design a tram network from St James to Regent Centre via Fenham, Kenton and Gosforth as part of an academic exercise. Would I agree to it, would I heck, but it got me a 2:1