Dave's Ideas

Train Door Safety Handle Design

September 26, 2010

I take the Skytrain in my commute to downtown Vancouver, and everyday without fail, passengers are crammed into these trains like sardines in a can. The end result: people standing against the doors, with nothing to hold onto. And to compound the situation, warnings on the doors ask passengers not to press against glass/doors.

I’m on the taller side, so I will place the palm of my hand against the ceiling in these situations. Most other people of average or short height try to maintain balance, regardless it is not a great spot to be in when the train slams on the brakes (which does happen once in awhile).

If you look at Figure A, the section where it is not friendly to stand is indicated by the red area. You’d think those adjacent poles are within reach, but they are cut off by other passengers. You’re literally wedged in.

What I propose is a handle that is suspended from the ceiling of the train (Figure B). This gives the passengers who are stuck in that unfortunate location something to hold onto, without resorting to leaning against the door.

The reason it is not affixed to the door is to ensure no weight or pressure is being exerted on the door, plus the doors slide open externally of the train (like a minivan sliding door). Clearly there is a reason Translink does not want people pressing against doors, so I tried to ensure that was a design consideration.

The handle is designed to swing out of the way when the door opens (Figure C). This is to maintain accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers, as a fixed pole in this location is somewhat prohibitive (as I learned from the C-Trains in Calgary). I originally thought of having something that extended from the ceiling, but not everyone is tall enough to reach. One of the doors would guide this handle out of the way. The guide is mounted near the top of the door, to ensure no hands get caught.

There might be some issue with having this handle swinging to and fro, however I think passengers would be every bit as mindful about it as the doors themselves - especially when they are forced to stand in that area.

The best thing is, this handle would work with my dummy-proof train doors concept as well!

Entry filed under: Transportation. Tags: Safety, Transportation.