Railroad Forums 

  • Tunnel Turned Into Safety Training Facility

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1194070  by wicked
 
There is non-revenue track that can be used for training scenarios.

You can't close off a station for a training exercise during business hours (or even non-business hours).
 #1194078  by jr145
 
joshg1 wrote:What happens if a train isn't in a station? Or a flood? It seems they won't be training for any accident (as opposed to deliberate) beyond a fire.

It's also a police and EMS training facility.
 #1194081  by TrainManTy
 
jr145 wrote:Found this video, it's a TV

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/0 ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That's closer, but it's actually a fire extinguisher training module.
http://bullex.com/product/bullseye-publiceducation/

Here's another photo showing the station with only the "emergency lighting" lit up.
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog ... -facility/

If the scenario doesn't take place in a station, the platform lights can be shut off. Deliberate incidents (terror, active shooter situations) are a major theme especially considering the events at the Marathon (and the bombings in London and Madrid), but so is evacuation. There's a Stryker evacuation chair and stairs and the Light Rail Training area uses a Type 8 shell specifically because that's where a wheelchair user would ride.

The facility will also used by the T's accessibility department to teach riders with physical disabilities how to ride the system.
 #1194098  by djimpact1
 
F-line to Dudley via Park wrote: That's dry ice on the tracks simulating the smoke. And I'm going to guess some sort of propane fireplace contraption on the stairs.
F-Line, I believe they're actually using simple fog machines (which any nightclub/DJ uses). Static fog machines are pretty self-maintaining. The liquid needed to fill them is cheap and typically available at many party/DJ stores.

I very highly doubt they'd use dry ice as 1) the T would have to constantly replenish it from a delivery source every time dry ice was needed for training use (as it dissipates over a few hours when left at ambient temperature) & 2) a mass of dry ice vapors can displace oxygen when breathed in...though it needs to be heavy & constant, I don't think it would be looked highly upon having these vapors always surrounding those breathing it in.

(from someone who works with dry ice & liquid nitrogen on a daily basis)
 #1194101  by djimpact1
 
TrainManTy wrote:...the Light Rail Training area uses a Type 8 shell specifically because that's where a wheelchair user would ride.
That's one part of it...another reason is that this car (3879) was already out-of-service due to heavy derailment/fire damaged sustained at Comm Ave. in May '08. The T did enough repairs on it to make it usable for the training facility.
 #1194104  by 3rdrail
 
joshg1 wrote:What happens if a train isn't in a station? Or a flood? It seems they won't be training for any accident (as opposed to deliberate) beyond a fire.
The bus, streetcar, and r/t car are permanently installed at their location. they don't move nor is this section of the Broadway Tunnel equipped to interface with anything else in the system.
 #1198355  by Charliemta
 
It would be pretty easy to run track from the Cabot Yard into the test tunnel. They could easily temporarily block off the street when cars were using such a connector track.
 #1198396  by TrainManTy
 
Charliemta wrote:It would be pretty easy to run track from the Cabot Yard into the test tunnel. They could easily temporarily block off the street when cars were using such a connector track.
The tunnel isn't tall enough for almost any piece of rail equipment on the MBTA system. Both the Blue Line 0600s and the Green Line Type 8 in the tunnel had their underframes and trucks removed to fit in the tunnel, and had to be dragged in on special small-diameter (road) wheels. The Blue Line car at its new height almost looks like London tube stock. Nothing on the Red Line - save for MOW flatcars and maybe the diesel switcher - would fit in the tunnel without being lifted off its trucks, of course negating the idea of running track into the tunnel.