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Friday, March 22, 2013

No explanation yet why Kitchener-Union train moved away from Bramalea platform with doors open

GO is waiting for Bombardier to provide a report about an incident involving the 7:36 am Bramalea train yesterday said a spokesperson to the Toronto Star.

I told transit reporter Teresa Kalinowski about the incident after I got an email from a reader.

According to the email, the train started to move away from the station with the doors open and people began to run with the train and hopping on while it was in motion. I know it sounds comical, and I laughed when I first read the account, but then I sobered up once I realized how dangerous that was.

"A few seconds after it started moving (the CSA) went on the PA in a hurried voice and said, "PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE DOORS. THE DOORS ARE NOW CLOSING!". This was followed by him saying something else I didn't quite catch. I think he was talking to the conductor or something. 

When it finally stopped, the crew got off and did some inspections for a few minutes. Then the train was reversed back to the very spot we started from.

At least it wasn't a repeat of  this.

5 comments:

MATT said...

Unreal. Seriously. I can’t imagine a scenario where safety protocols were overridden to allow the train to move with open doors (I thought that was impossible?), and moreover why anyone would run and jump onto a moving train. I mean, I need my job as much as the next guy, but I’m not risking life and limb for it.

Squiggles said...

That is so odd. Only in the fact that apparently on Monday evening a TTC car opened its doors in the middle of a tunnel.

What are the chances of 2 different door malfunctions in the space of 3 days?

And all those people who were running to get onto the moving train are candidates for the Darwin awards.

Anonymous said...

i was on the train.

the few people i did see hop on were all smiling. but they were all able bodied.

if it were someone not so capable, you'd hope they wouldn't try it but then again sometimes instinct takes over and that could have resulted in a big problem.

i'd say it was going the normal speed it usually does for the first 20 seconds of acceleration.

the train departed a little early and so there were quite a few people still on the platform.

as we continued to roll along it was pretty funny to look outside and see the look of shock on the faces of the people who didn't wanna risk life and limb.

Anonymous said...

also, i remember about 3 years ago that our train (also on the same line as this story) stopped at union. but the last couple of cars, where i sit, were still outside of the station where there is no platform and just gravel/rocks.

well the doors opened and some of the people who line up at the doors early actually got out and started walking on the gravel towards the platforms.

the csa got on the PA and said DO NOT GET OUT OF THE TRAIN!!!

then a minute later they managed to close the doors and park the train properly inside union.

cncndr said...

That's real odd, there is an interlock control that cuts out the locomotive from being put into power when all the doors are open.