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MBCR: For the safety and convenience of our employees
By roadman on Wed, 01/06/2010 - 11:54am
Got this e-mail from MBCR regarding a change in policy about exiting trains.
Customer Service Notice
Control Coach Changes
Monday, January 11, 2010!
Effective January 11, 2010, except in the case of emergency, customers will no longer be allowed to enter or exit from the “operating end” of the control coach. The engineer operates the train from this location on inbound trips. Upon arrival into Boston, there are mandatory safety duties for engineers to perform which do not allow for foot traffic through the operating end of these coaches.
Signs will be placed on the coach door on that end of all control cars to remind customers of this rule.
Please enter and exit only through a door that is attended by a crewmember.
We appreciate that there will be some inconvenience to our passengers that are accustomed to using the control car exit door, but for safety reasons we must enforce this new policy.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Given this has NEVER been an issue in the past, it sounds like the lawyers are dictating operating policy again. I've noted this week that they've already started placing "Authorized Personnel Only" decals on the internal cab car doors.
As I recall, MBCR tried enforcing a similar rule about eight or nine months ago - that lasted all of a week.
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Comments
What annoys me far more is
What annoys me far more is that a lot of non-peak trains try to blow by the handicap ramp. You know, the handicap ramp where there are signs all over the place stating that you should board there and only there during non-peak times? How goddamn hard is it to stop at the ramp every time for every train?
My husband used to bike to work from North Station on weekends, and his inbound train would fly past the handicap ramp so he'd have to get on his bike, ride down the ramp, and carry it up the steps of the car with the crewmember. The crewmember would tell him he wasn't handicapped so they didn't stop for him. These were on Newburyport inbound trains at N. Beverly.
I've had two seperate issues where I could not get on or off a train with my baby stroller without another rider's help because they either missed the ramp altogether (Swampscott station, 9:30PM outbound) and I had to take the stairs, or they realized at the last minute there were multiple people on the ramp and the first door of the first car barely touched the edge of the ramp so I pretty much had to jump the gap to get into the train (Gloucester station inbound, can't remember specific train). No crewmember around, they were at the other end of the train.
I know I'm ranting and this isn't exactly topical but I do not understand why it's not procedure to stop at the handicap ramp for every non peak train WHEN THERE'S SIGNAGE ALL OVER THE STATIONS SAYING THAT'S WHERE YOU BOARD. I make myself very visible and they still can't stop. I shouldn't be praying that I can get on the train safely every time I see it pull in.
I agree. My first time at
I agree. My first time at Yawkey, I waited at the high platform, but they only opened one low floor door near the middle. I learned quickly that they always open the same door in the middle, never in the high floor area.
they really need to take down
they really need to take down the signs if they have no plans on enforcing the high platform boarding. even if no one's missed a train because of it, it's still massively inconvenient and wastes time. and come on, if people are at the handicapped ramp, they might actually need it, mbta. don't make them rush down several carlengths and then up stairs.
On every other commuter rail
On every other commuter rail system I've ever been on in the US (LA's Metrolink, SF's CalTrain, Philly's SEPTA, NJ Transit, NYC-Metro North and NYC-LIRR), this is normal procedure--only Boston seems to be so loose with the rules. Heck, the first time I rode the T commuter rail I was surprised that they didn't even bother to close the doors while traveling (only Philly does this as well, but on many lines they only run two-car trains with only the doors at the center open, so its easier for the conductor to monitor).
OK, but since exiting via the control car has been SOP in
Boston since push-pull consists were first introduced in 1979 (that's thirty-one years ago folks), with no apparent detriment to the safe operation of trains in all that time, the least MBCR owes the riding public is a better explanation of this new policy than just stating "for safety reasons, we MUST enfore this rule".
Things change
I would think that having unauthorized people in the control cab while in travel would be equivalent to having an unauthorized people in a cockpit while in travel (the only difference that you can go in two directions on a train). I think that's a potential safety issue and just because nothing has happend in 31 years doesn't mean that it wasn't a safety issue then or a potential one in the future.
I don't know what the big deal is. If you are seated in the front car then exit out the back door. It will probably add 20 seconds to your train trip that was 10 minutes late in the first place.
At least on the inbound
At least on the inbound Providence train I usually ride, people are usually only allowed through the control cab at South Station, after the train has stopped and the operator has stowed whatever he or she needed to, which takes 10-20 seconds. With nearly an entire full car of passengers exiting the front car on this train, only having one exit will add considerably to the time it takes for everyone to get out. Yes, things change; I wonder what has changed in this case? A more complete explanation would be nice.
Having unauthorized people in the control car cab
while the train is in motion was NEVER an issue. This new rule prevents people from exiting the train via the control cab AFTER the train has come to a stop at the final terminal (North Station or South Station).
As a daily commuter rail rider, I can assure you it will take people longer than an additional 20 seconds to exit the train when all people in the front car have to exit via the rear doors of the front car. And this observation is based on the single level cars on the North Side trains I ride, I can only imagine how much worse it will be on the South Side bi-level cars.
I also find it curious that this rule goes into effect the same day the schedule changes do.
Y'know, I have seen the
Y'know, I have seen the operator step out of the cab before people are let through to exit. I wonder if someone tried to steal a train?
It's probably more homeland
It's probably more homeland security bullshit.
yeah, they tried to hijack it
"Take me to Bolivia, or the engineer gets it!"
They got stuck in New Rochelle, and the hijacker gave up.
Update: Posters announcing the new restrictions
wer in place at North Station as of this morning. They provide no additional information from that contained in the e-mail MBCR issued Wednesday.