Buff load and crashworthiness requirements for the NJ TRANSIT low-floor light rail vehicle

After an extensive car design and passenger loading options evaluation in 1994, NJ TRANSIT selected a 70% low-floor car concept for the light rail transit (LRT) systems planned to be modernized or built in New Jersey. The selection process was followed by the preparation of a Technical Specification. After two internal reviews, the third draft was distributed for industry review to vehicle manufacturers and major equipment suppliers. The authors of this paper evaluated various collision scenarios, selected the requirements, and generated the specific provisions for the vehicle specification included in the bid documents. This paper summarizes the report on buff load for NJ TRANSIT's low-floor light tail vehicles (L-F LRV) and includes the following topics: why is a lower buff load required?; advantages of lower car weight; buff load in the US; buff load in Europe; NJ TRANSIT LRT car design loads; and improved passenger safety.