Is there a platform design that can accommodate a light rail, and a passenger train?

Question

Handicap accessible

Answer 1

Yes. On the Newcastle metro, north-east England there are tracks and stations served both by 'heavy' rail (what you call a 'passenger train') and 'light rail', the Metro

Answer 2

As Rango says, it CAN be done...

I'll note that in MY area: San Francisco / San Jose Bay Area we have SEVERAL rail systems: BART, CALTRAIN, VTS, MUNI, etc...

CALTRAIN is the only standard train, the others are light rail, and BART is on a wider (5' 6" gauge) rail than standard (4' 8.5") gauge.

The LIGHT rail cars of VTS and MUNI can just be stepped into... but the Caltrain cars ride HIGHER and would require a fair step UP.

So the different trains have different platform configurations, even if in the same "station"

Answer 3

It's a REAL problem.

By "passenger train" I assume you mean like Amtrak, Metra, CalTrain, NJTransit, GO, etc.

Handicap accessible is the trick.  Obviously wheelchair lifts can be made to work on anything, but that kind of "separate, unequal and inconvenient" access isn't legal anymore for new construction or capital rebuilds.

So what's required in new rail projects (where practicable) is platforms that meet and match the car floor, so wheelchairs can just roll on/off.  Like in subways.  This becomes a nightmare in station design, because for instance you cannot have a station on a curve.

Even worse, where passenger trains roll, usually, so do freight.  It's virtually impossible to come up with a platform that can match passenger floor height, that won't also interfere with the passage of freight cars.  Essentially, it can't be done.  

And usually, passenger cars are wider than light rail cars, though you could special-order cars of the correct width.  But, doing so could have serious compatibility problems with existing stations, equipment or (yikes!) subway tunnels.

So, you can see this is a nightmare.

Answer 4

Well, light rail IS a passenger train, just not connected to a major rail system.

I honestly dont see any reason not, I have not seen one but as long as there are wheelchair ramps at each location where passengers embark/disembark, this is an area where there is room for improvement to be sure.