Rail Station Capacity Calculator

Calculate rail station platform capacity, hourly throughput, and peak load based on train frequency and consist size.

Inputs

Trains Per Hour

Cars Per Train

Capacity Per Car

Dwell Time (seconds)

Tab to move between fields

Results

Hourly Capacity

10,800

Peak Load Estimate

8,640

Min Platform Length (ft)450

How to Use This Calculator

Enter Trains Per Hour, Cars Per Train, and Capacity Per Car.
Set Dwell Time (seconds).
Review Hourly Capacity and Peak Load Estimate.
Use Min Platform Length (ft) to inform your decision.
Use the chart to visualize the results and explore different scenarios by adjusting inputs.

How the result changes with Cars Per Train

Cars Per Train	Hourly Capacity	Peak Load Estimate
2.9	5,400	4,320
7.65	14,400	11,520
13	23,400	18,720
18	32,400	25,920

What each input means

Trains Per Hour: Number of trains per hour in one direction
Cars Per Train: Number of cars in each train consist
Capacity Per Car: Total capacity (seated + standee) per car
Dwell Time (seconds): Average station dwell time for loading/unloading

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Trains Per Hour = 12, Cars Per Train = 6, Capacity Per Car = 150, Dwell Time (seconds) = 30 = 4 input(s) provided
Calculate Hourly Capacity
Hourly Capacity
10800 = 10800
Calculate Peak Load Estimate
Peak Load Estimate
8640 = 8640
Calculate Min Platform Length
Min Platform Length
450 = 450

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