[Reader-list] References/literature on metro rail systems

[Saugato Datta]

Incidentally, although trains run underground in the city centre in 
*most* metro
systems, much of the track length is at grade or on elevated tracks. In 
London,
for example, about 55 per cent of the system is above-ground (although you
wouldn't know it if the only parts you used were in Central London, as most
tourists do). In New York, too, about 140 km of track is overground, and 220
underground. In this respect, the Delhi Metro is fairly typical: it's simply
incorrect to say that the definition of a metro system is that trains run
underground. Instead, it is the frequency and carrying capacity, as 
well as the
use of dedicated tracks, that sets a metro system apart from light rail or
suburban commuter networks.


Quoting Kiran Jonnalagadda <jace at pobox.com>:

> Radhika, the New York MRT runs just below ground level, not deep
> underground. I believe the London system is similar. NYC's roads have
> grates covering the tunnels. One can feel a strong gush of air when a
> train runs below -- an occurrence immortalised by Marilyn Monroe's
> skirt in _The Seven Year Itch_ [1].
>
> These metro rail systems predate the technology that allowed deep
> underground systems such as in Delhi, Bangkok and Singapore.
> Incidentally, the Singapore MRT runs above ground everywhere except in
> the central business district, and Bangkok has a parallel Skytrain
> system that covers more territory than the metro.
>
> [1] http://www.marilyncollector.com/legend/syi.html
>
> --
> Kiran Jonnalagadda
> http://jace.seacrow.com/
> http://jace.livejournal.com/
>
> On 15-Feb-08, at 6:41 PM, radhikarajen at vsnl.net wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> metro rail basically is a concept, where the rails in the transport
>> system in metros run below the ground level, like in mega metro
>> cities of London, also known as tube rail, or in Neyyork,
>> inderground rail system.In such a system, the boarding and alighting
>> is done at underground stations,  and the entire work is carried out
>> with huge tunnelling machines below the ground level at around 500
>> feet, but indian metro seems to be on the metro grounds, thus
>> causing great inconvenience to all citizens, be it business,
>> residence or road usage.
>>
>>  Regards.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Zainab Bawa <bawazainab79 at gmail.com>
>> Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 12:26 am
>> Subject: [Reader-list] References/literature on metro rail systems
>> To: urbanstudygroup at sarai.net, sarai list <reader-list at sarai.net>
>>
>>> Dear all,
>>>
>>> I am working on an article/series of articles on the upcoming
>>> metro rail
>>> project in Bangalore. I am looking for literature/references on
>>> metro rail
>>> systems across the world in terms of the how metro rail systems
>>> work/don'twork for certain cities, displacements that have
>>> occurred owing to the
>>> construction of the metro and the various social, economic and
>>> politicalimpacts of metro rail projects.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Zainab
>>>
>>> --
>>> Zainab Bawa
>>> Ph.D. Student and Independent Researcher
>>>
>>> Between Places ...
>>> http://wbfs.wordpress.com
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>>
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