DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF ADVANCED TRANSIT SYSTEMS USING INTERACTIVE COMPUTER ANIMATION

The Princeton Intelligent Transit Visualization System (PITVS) is described. The PITVS is software designed to provide transit planners, engineers, and the general public with an interactive three-dimensional transportation system design and analysis tool. The software provides the functionality to (a) build transit networks, positioning guideway, intersections, and stations while specifying guideway cross-section characteristics and station demand characteristics using a graphical user interface; (b) view these networks in a three-dimensional representation of the planning area with fully interactive user control over viewing positions; and (c) view randomly generated simulated operations on a transit network design based on demand characteristics and a system operations strategy. Both the methods of and the motivations behind the PITVS are explained, and the positive enhancement that interactive three-dimensional graphics will give to the transit systems design process is affirmed.