A NORTH AMERICAN HISTORIC VIEW OF JOINT USE OF RAILROAD TRACK: SOME EXAMPLES OF JOINT USE OF TRACK BY ELECTRIC RAILWAYS AND RAILROADS

There is an increasing interest by North American transit agencies in operating light rail or commuter railroad service on existing freight railroad tracks. High capital costs to obtain rights of way and to construct new passenger exclusive trackage come at a time when new capital funding is severely restricted. This reality has forced transit agencies to consider, study, plan, and, in some cases, use existing railroad track. This article examines some historic cases to illustrate how joint operation was handled in the past, between 1900 and the 1950s. There are numerous examples of considerable diversity.