🚀 go-pugleaf

Tim Kynerd wrote:
> 
> In article <g1t%6.45613$Md.14357941@typhoon.southeast.rr.com>, Michael Malak
> wrote:
> 
> > "John R Cambron" <*cambronj@chesapeake.net*> wrote in message
> > news:tjshpfbufkjt63@corp.supernews.com...
> >>
> >> http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/wmata/red-bird.htm
> >
> > New York's lengthwise seating makes so much more sense than
> > WMATA's when it comes to crush capacity.  WMATA aisles are an
> > annoying 1.5 people wide.  New York's aisles are 2.5 people
> > wide -- which allows for people to get on/off quickly, which in
> > turn allows for shorter dwell times.  The lengthwise seating is
> > more flexible, allowing large people to be comfortable while
> > children can take up less width.  And there's space for packages
> > -- the lengthwise seats and the wide ailes provide for this.
> 
> I still maintain that the seating and door configurations are one important
> reason why people cluster near the doors on the Washington Metro.  There are
> too few doors per car (three on each side, 75-foot cars), and as you point
> out, the aisles are narrow, hindering people from getting on and off
> quickly.  I've ridden on many rapid rail systems, and Washington's is the
> only one where I've ever felt that I might not be able to fight my way off
> the train at my station.  And that includes riding the New York subway at
> rush hour.

I don't know if you know this, but when WMATA started up the
procurement process for the CAF cars there was talk of putting 4 
door openings on each side of the cars. This proposal was shot
down by the WMATA board, I don't recall who's recommendation was
used shoot it down or what was in the recommendation, my best
guess is it had something to do with the structure of the car
body. I will also note that the box that the seat pairs that
are back to back rest on contain various components of the on
board train control system, The hinges on these seat pairs are
on the aisle side of the box allowing easy access for surviving.

Frankly I prefer the Rohr seating configuration to the Breda, CAF
configuration. I think the real answer to overcrowding is to
procure an adequate supply of rolling stock and run trains at
shortest headways possable during peek times.

-- 
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NT Geek, MCP
Transit Geek
http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/wmata/	
Model Railroader HO N                                   John R Cambron
http://www.chesapeake.net/~cambronj/sunbelt/        North Beach MD USA
Railroad Geek                                  cambronj@chesapeake.net
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