Scores are relative 0–100 marks within this atlas. Use them to browse, not as an engineering spec.
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Quick answers
Which local authority or corridor rules matter for this type?
Start with the local lens: type approval, operator licences and the hubs named on this page — not a single global checklist.
Is this a buying guide?
No. Tool-Lifes /vehicles is an educational atlas. It explains history, systems and culture without affiliate rankings.
Are the scores official?
No. The six scores are relative editorial 0–100 marks across the 40 types on this site.
Where do the photos come from?
Lead images resolve from Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia titles on the English masters, with licences recorded on the credits page.
Why metric units?
Metric is the default. Regional notes (US customary, local brand culture) appear in culture and market chapters.
How is this different from a wiki article?
Each type gets seven fixed-depth chapters, comparable scores and cross-type labs — structured for browsing, not a single freeform page.
Every Light rail is a negotiated stack of structure, energy conversion, control and human interfaces under weather and regulation.
The systems, meters and hotspots below are type-level engineering — manufacturers vary; load paths and failure modes do not.
Systems
Articulated LRV
Multi-section cars with low floors serve suburban corridors with mixed street and private right-of-way.
Overhead 750 V DC
Pantographs feed inverters driving bogie-mounted motors; substations spaced for peak demand.
Priority signaling
Transponders request green extension at intersections; ABS-style block protection on ROW segments.
Platform-level boarding
Raised platforms and ramp-free doors shorten dwell on commuter-style stops.
Crashworthiness modules
Corner posts and energy absorbers meet grade-crossing impact scenarios.
Ticket & proof-of-payment
Validators and inspectors replace turnstiles; AVL supports headway management.
Relative meters
Hotspots
Overhead splice failures
Bad splices arc in rain causing traction loss mid-sprint.
Curve rail lubrication
Dry flange contact squeals and wears gauge face prematurely.
Door obstacle detection
Nipped bags cause reopen cycles that break schedule.
Grade crossing predictors
False occupancy holds green for road traffic, delaying LRV.
Traction motor bearings
Whine precedes seizure on cars with high annual mileage.
Materials
Head-hardened rail
Extends life on mixed street and ballasted track.
Aluminum alloy carbody
Weight savings improve acceleration for suburban stop spacing.
Low-smoke cable compounds
Saloon wiring meets fire performance in enclosed sections.
CuAg contact wire
Conductivity reduces voltage drop on long feeders.
Keep exploring
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Overall 53