Emergency Exit

[MrEd]

Passengers on Amtrak and U.S. commuter railroads would be able to escape trains more easily after accidents under a rule proposed by U.S. regulators 14 years after a transportation safety board recommended it.

Passenger trains, like airplanes, would be required to have doors that can be opened in emergencies and lighting to guide riders to exits if it’s dark or the rail car fills with smoke, the Federal Railroad Administration said in the proposed rule posted today in the Federal Register

...

Acela Exits

Requiring emergency-exit doors might lead to deaths or serious injuries from passengers attempting to exit moving trains, Allan Rutter, then the railroad agency’s administrator, said in an April 17, 2002, letter to the safety board.

...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-30/rail-riders-would-get-safer-exits-after-crashes-under-u-s-rule.html

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Passenger trains, like airplanes, would be required to have doors that can be opened in emergencies and lighting to guide riders to exits if it’s dark or the rail car fills with smoke, the Federal Railroad Administration said in the proposed rule posted today in the Federal Register

Possibly, I have spent too much time in sleepers, but I never felt that I could not open one of the vestibule doors if I needed to.

Plus, unlike on airplanes, there are windows that could be removed and used as additional exits in an emergency.

Acela Exits

Requiring emergency-exit doors might lead to deaths or serious injuries from passengers attempting to exit moving trains, Allan Rutter, then the railroad agency’s administrator, said in an April 17, 2002, letter to the safety board.

Could not the same be said of airplanes? If an air passenger opened a door while in flight (ie, moving), it might lead to deaths or serious injuries?

 

[guest]

"Modern" trains in the US already have more than sufficient exit doors and windows. If there were a real or perceived problem, sure, address it. But no such issue exists. In major railroad accidents, such as Metrolink's Chatsworth collision, lack of escape routes was NOT a problem.

 

[afigg]

Could not the same be said of airplanes? If an air passenger opened a door while in flight (ie, moving), it might lead to deaths or serious injuries?

Opening an exit door in a pressurized commercial airplane cabin while in flight (airborne)? That can't be done. The pressure differential pushes the door against the seals and frame. Have to descend to a lower altitude and depressurize the cabin before the doors could be open in flight.

 

[Ryan]

"Modern" trains in the US already have more than sufficient exit doors and windows. If there were a real or perceived problem, sure, address it. But no such issue exists. In major railroad accidents, such as Metrolink's Chatsworth collision, lack of escape routes was NOT a problem.

Pretty much this. Sounds like a solution in search of a problem to me.

 

[zepherdude]

Passenger trains, like airplanes, would be required to have doors that can be opened in emergencies and lighting to guide riders to exits if it's dark or the rail car fills with smoke, the Federal Railroad Administration said in the proposed rule posted today in the Federal Register

Possibly, I have spent too much time in sleepers, but I never felt that I could not open one of the vestibule doors if I needed to.

Plus, unlike on airplanes, there are windows that could be removed and used as additional exits in an emergency.

Acela Exits

Requiring emergency-exit doors might lead to deaths or serious injuries from passengers attempting to exit moving trains, Allan Rutter, then the railroad agency's administrator, said in an April 17, 2002, letter to the safety board. n

Could not the same be said of airplanes? If an air passenger opened a door while in flight (ie, moving), it might lead to deaths or serious injuries?

It is not possible to open aircraft doors inflight due to cabin pressure in place. Emergency windows, doors and entry doors are sealed shut when the cabin is pressurized. Sometime ago, a women tried to open a door inflight, she would not have been successful. Once taxi and take off starts, the cabin begins to pressurize, thus forcing the pressure against the doors/windows. The woman was handcuffed and taken away when the doors could and did open.

I, on the other hand, have checked out the train passenger windows and feel I could and would open the windows if needed. I often think about, especially when crossing low level bridges, the Sunset Limited crash in the river and swamp, not a pleasant thought. Survival has to be the driving force around any emergency.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Once taxi and take off starts, the cabin begins to pressurize, thus forcing the pressure against the doors/windows.

Aircraft cabins are pressurized to a value greater than the normal ground/take off pressure?

I mean, greater than sea level air pressure?

 

[me_little_me]

I, on the other hand, have checked out the train passenger windows and feel I could and would open the windows if needed. I often think about, especially when crossing low level bridges, the Sunset Limited crash in the river and swamp, not a pleasant thought. Survival has to be the driving force around any emergency.

I have never had a problem opening the windows on the plane either. It is the screen that always scrapes my arm when trying to reach out while flying. The screen door on planes re a lot easier to manipulate.

Love that fresh air while flying. So clean at 37,000 feet!

 

[Blackwolf]

Once taxi and take off starts, the cabin begins to pressurize, thus forcing the pressure against the doors/windows.

Aircraft cabins are pressurized to a value greater than the normal ground/take off pressure?

I mean, greater than sea level air pressure?

My understanding is that most large aircraft (say 737 and larger) are usually set to mimic about 8,000 feet. One of the reasons people get drowsy on the plane; altitude effects. I think the smaller planes are set for even higher, due to limited capacity to pressurize. Don't know this for sure, though!

 

[oldtimer]

Once taxi and take off starts, the cabin begins to pressurize, thus forcing the pressure against the doors/windows.

Aircraft cabins are pressurized to a value greater than the normal ground/take off pressure?

I mean, greater than sea level air pressure?

My understanding is that most large aircraft (say 737 and larger) are usually set to mimic about 8,000 feet. One of the reasons people get drowsy on the plane; altitude effects. I think the smaller planes are set for even higher, due to limited capacity to pressurize. Don't know this for sure, though!

As a former FAA licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanic it is true that cabin altitude is set at 8,000 feet and some times even higher on longer duration flights. I can also telll you that the cabin doors can possibly be opened at altitudes below 10,000 feet. An airliner door is a plug type and the pressure differential between the cabin air altitude and outside air pressure will keep the door closed. This 10,000 feet is the altitude that all seatbelts must be fastened, seats upright, window shades open, and tray tables up. You can usually tell that 10,000 feet has been reached as you will hear a bong sound over the PA system.