Types Of Transit Systems

In preparing my list of transit systems I've been on for tomorrow, I realized that some definitions were in order.

Heavy Rail
Traditional, elongated train cars that are significantly larger and heavier than highway vehicles.

Subway
Traditional transit system designed for moving passengers around an urban core. Often, but not necessarily, composed of significant underground portions, particularly in the most-densely developed areas of the city.

Light Rail
Smaller train cars, often articulated, with dimensions and mass comparable to a bus, capable of running on street trackage without overwhelming automobile traffic. Operates along a dedicated right of way, generally to transport commuters from outlying areas or park-and-ride facilities to the urban core. May include an underground subway-like portion or surface-level streetcar-like portion in the urban core.

Streetcar
Light rail that runs either along tracks that are shared with automobiles or in dedicated reservations parallel to roads with frequent crossings at grade. May include an underground subway-like portion in the urban core.

Intermediate Rail
A heavy rail service that transports commuters into the urban core but also moves people around the urban core. It is often (but not always) a fare controlled system and is intimately tied into the subway network.

Commuter Rail
A heavy rail service designed to move people into and out from the urban core, rather than within the urban core. It is designed for commuters (or, in certain instances, passengers headed to the airport) and may make heavy use of park-and-ride lots at stations.

Specialty
A type of service that is either separate from or merely adjunct to the municipal transit system. It is often designed not to take commuters into the urban core but to move tourists to and between various attractions. Does not include services that are limited to transporting passengers within airports, but may include similar services that have off-airport stops.

Note: Please excuse the lengthy delays in between my last few posts. While I do my best to keep my head above water, occasionally law school does take over my life, and unfortunately, the creative outlet is the first thing to go.