What is "light rail"

n. (context US transport English) A kind of rail passenger transport with a dedicated right of way, but crossing streets at grade, usually for commuters, powered by electricity, and with lower construction costs than traditional railroads.

Light rail or light rail transit (LRT) is urban public transport using rolling stock similar to a tramway, but operating at a higher capacity, and often on an exclusive right-of-way.

There is no standard definition, but in the United States, where the terminology was devised in the 1970s (from the engineering term light railway), light rail operates primarily along exclusive rights-of-way and uses either individual tramcars or multiple units coupled to form a train.

A few light rail networks tend to have characteristics closer to rapid transit or even commuter rail; some of these heavier rapid transit-like systems are referred to as light metros. Other light rail networks are tram-like in nature and partially operate on streets. Light rail systems are found throughout the world, on all inhabited continents. They have been especially popular in recent years due to their lower capital costs and increased reliability compared to heavy rail systems.

The Light Rail, also known as the Light Rail Transit (LRT), is a light rail system in Hong Kong, serving the New Territories West, within Tuen Mun District and Yuen Long District. The system operates over gauge track, using 750 V DC overhead power supply. It was once one of four systems comprising the KCR network in Hong Kong. It has a daily ridership of about 473,000 people.