Which term measures the duration a train stays at a station for passenger boarding and alighting?

Which term measures the duration a train stays at a station for passenger boarding and alighting?

• A. Headway
• B. The time interval between successive trains
• C. Non-revenue movement
• D. Dwell time

Answer: (D)

The time a train spends stopped at a station for passengers to board and alight is dwell time. It starts when the doors open and ends when the doors close, capturing how long the train occupies the platform to allow passenger flow. This is different from headway, which is the time gap between consecutive trains, and from non-revenue movement, which involves moving trains without passengers aboard. Dwell time is a key metric for timetable reliability and station efficiency because longer dwell times can delay following trains and reduce service capacity. For example, if a train arrives at 10:05, doors open, passengers board for 30 seconds, and it departs at 10:05:30, the dwell time is 30 seconds.

The time a train spends stopped at a station for passengers to board and alight is dwell time. It starts when the doors open and ends when the doors close, capturing how long the train occupies the platform to allow passenger flow. This is different from headway, which is the time gap between consecutive trains, and from non-revenue movement, which involves moving trains without passengers aboard. Dwell time is a key metric for timetable reliability and station efficiency because longer dwell times can delay following trains and reduce service capacity. For example, if a train arrives at 10:05, doors open, passengers board for 30 seconds, and it departs at 10:05:30, the dwell time is 30 seconds.