|
Korea Railroad Research Institute said Thursday it has developed its own unmanned light railway following France, Japan and Canada. The development, which started in 1999, involved 30 different organizations and had a budget of 50.3 billion won (US$ 50.3 million).
Unlike subways, which are heavyweight, a light rail transit system is a subsidiary mode of transport, running short routes of up to 10 km and capable of carrying 5,000 passengers an hour. It is cost-effective since it only costs W30-50 billion to install - about half the price of constructing new subway lines.
Maintenance is also cheaper because automated trains run without drivers. Noise and vibration are reduced since the trains run on rubber wheels, like cars. Carriages can be easily added or taken off according to demand. However, the trains run at a maximum speed of 70 kmph, which is slower than subways.
Light rail transit systems will operate between Minam and Anpyeong in Busan, and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, while lines linking Ui-dong and Suyu-dong in Seoul are under consideration. Uijeongbu and Gwangmyoung are also promoting a project to build a light rail transit system.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
