Light rail

Light rail transit (LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit using tram rolling stock^[1] while also having some rapid transit features.

The terminology was coined in 1972 in the United States, to create an English term for the German word "Stadtbahn" meaning City railway.^[2][3] Different definitions in some countries exist, but in the United States, light rail operates primarily along exclusive rights-of-way and uses either individual tramcars or multiple units coupled to form a train that has a lower capacity and speed than a long heavy-rail passenger train or rapid transit system.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

Narrowly defined it has rolling stock that is similar to a traditional tram, while it operates at a higher capacity and speed and often on an exclusive right-of-way. In broader use, light rail transit includes tram-like operations mostly on streets.^[9] A few light rail networks tend to have characteristics closer to rapid transit or even commuter rail; yet only when these systems are fully grade-separated, they are referred to as light metros.