Supposedly there is a new requirement that new construction subway systems are required to have platform doors. I can kind of see it to prevent getting pushed/jumping onto tracks. Wonder when existing systems will have to be upgraded. I also remember most mainline delays being caused by train car doors “failing to close”. Will the delays be increased by platform doors “failing to close”? Job security for the maintenance folks anyway….
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In a show about London’s Tube and other lines that go underground, one of the big reasons is passenger comfort. The doors allow for climate control in the stations, and they channel away the air blast from arriving trains.
How about doors the fail to open?
A single door failing to open, while being an inconvenience to the patron, should not inhibit train movement
I know, I’m going off topic here.
In Italy last year, riding the HSR, I was amazed at the discomfort when the train hit a tunnel portal. Everyone in my car audibly gasped at the sudden change in ear pressure. It happened at several tunnels. Possibly the cars air system wasn’t working correctly?
A lot of variables there. Was it a tunnel carved into a mountain? What was its length? Was there any attempt at speed reduction prior to entering the portal?
Most engineered tunnels have vent or caisson structures to eliminate the “piston” effect of the train trying to displace air in the tunnel. And then, the usual rattle of doors as opposed to splitting the eardrum.
I remember perusing some of the reports made during the early design phase of BART. One had to do with the design of tunnel portals to minimize the piston effect. BART decided not to complicate tunnel construction, and the train speed entering tunnels was kept somewhat low with the train speeding up after it entered the tunnel.
If I’m not mistaken, the early Japanese bullet trains closed the vents on the train when entering a tunnel.
There were so many tunnels we went through I don’t remember the train slowing. Of course, I had 8 grandchildren with me, so I wasn’t paying real close attention to the speed.
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With 8 grandkids to watch, how could you see ANYTHING else. LOL endmrw0326252138
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