Metro Rail News April 2017

| Metro Rail News | April 2017 | www.metrorailnews.in
History of Rapid Transit in the World
Rapid Transit is a type of a passenger system that is used in urban areas, providing
the fast and frequent travel for high capacity of passengers. Because of the need to
be grade separated from the other type of traffics, rapid transit systems are usually
located in underground tunnels, elevated viaducts, or separated ground level tracks
that cannot interact with the rest of the street traffic.
H
istory of such rapid transit systems began
in late 19th century when numerous
technological advances enabled engineers
to efficiently dig underground tunnels,
transport materials on predetermined
railway tracks and manufacture
equipment in industrialized high volume
environment.
The most important factor in the development of
rapid transit systems was the introduction of
steam locomotive in early 1800s. However, those
first examples of surface trains were not best
suited for urban environment, and especially not
30
for underground operation.
First tunnels that were dug in first few
decades if 19th century were most often used
for transport of industrial goods (coal, iron
and other materials), and first tunnel
intended for passenger use came online in
1863. This Metropolitan Railway’s set of
shallow tunnels become first part of famous
“London Underground” transit system, soon
followed with Metropolitan District Railway,
and other branches that soon extended from
them. The most obvious disadvantage of
these early underground systems was lack of
ventilation.