BOOK: Published by German operators' association VDV with support from the federal ministry of transport, this bi-lingual handbook is almost twice the size of the previous edition that appeared in 2000, with almost 1000 pages.
Prepared by former CEO Prof-Dr Adolf Müller-Hellmann and representatives of VDV member companies as well as tunnelling institute Stuva, the comprehensive tome covers practically all aspects of design and operation of light rail, be it high or low-floor.
The book is largely based on German practice, including a 90-page section on standards and legal requirements. The vehicle section covers all the technologies that have appeared in the pages of Metro Report since 1991, including truck and bogie types from many parts of the world. The articulations of multi-articulated cars are described, but not the different types of resilient wheel. Tram-train vehicles are also covered.
Power supply and distribution are dealt with extensively, but this is limited to 750 V DC, and does not cover the 1·5 kV DC systems used by metros as well as light rail operators in Bursa, Monterrey, Ottawa or Seattle, for example. A 20-page section is dedicated to the important topic of renovating light rail vehicles.
Each chapter is backed up by an extensive bibliography.
ISBN 978-3-87154-500-9
€145 from DVV Media Group, Eurailpress, Postfach 101609, D-20010 Hamburg, Germany
