Regulatory Approaches to Controlling Rail Rapid Transit Noise

America's need for mass transportation systems to meet the challenge of maintaining urban mobility in the 1970's coincides with a growing public awareness and concern for environmental problems including noise pollution. In rail rapid transit, significant technological advances have already been made and used in modern systems on a voluntary basis to alleviate the effects of operational noise and vibration on both passenger and community.

Since quiet costs money, experience has generally proven that enforced legislation is necessary to obtain quieter products from industry. However, the rail rapid transit systems of this country are essential public services which will play an increasingly vital role in urban transportation. Therefore the establishment of practical noise control guidelines for new systems through the cooperative effort of both government and industry and the initiation of a comprehensive early action program of research, demonstration and subsequent improvement of existing systems are put forward as viable alternatives to the establishment of mandatory noise controls for the entire rail rapid transit industry.