Detrainment device

A Detrainment device is equipment on a rail vehicle that provides an evacuation route for the passengers. It usually consists of a set of steps or a ramp, located at a doorway, allowing passengers to leave the vehicle in an emergency, vehicle breakdown or accident.

A detrainment device is moved from a stored location into an operational position, usually above the coupler at the end of a passenger car. A detrainment device may consist of a manually placed, hinged, foldable or telescopic ladder or ramp. A detrainment device may allow evacuation to track level, or to a coupled railcar. A detrainment device may be fitted with handrails.

In other cases, evacuation may be via the vehicle passenger side doors to a trackside walkway in a tunnel, without the use of a detrainment device.

Main Types

Examples of the main types of detrainment device currently in service include:

a) Steps, stored loose inside the driver’s cab or the passenger saloon

• Historically the most common arrangement

b) Hinged steps, stored inside the driver’s cab or the passenger saloon

• London Underground S-Stock^[1][2]

c) Steps, folding, hinging or sliding out from the doorway

• London Underground refurbished 1973 Tube Stock^[3][4][5]
• London Underground 1996 Tube Stock^[6]
• Bombardier Class 378 Capitalstar^[7]

d) Ramp, sliding out from below the doorway

• London Underground Central Line 1992 stock

e) Ramp, folding out from the doorway

• Metro Cammell - MTR Corporation M-Train EMU
• MTR Corporation Disneyland Resort Line stock
• Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151 – Singapore MRT
• Delhi Metro RS2 and RS3
• Alstom Metropolis C751A – Singapore MRT
• Hyundai-Rotem MTR K-Stock EMU^[8]
• Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit^[9]

f) Tensioned Fabric ramp, deploying from the doorway

• MTR Corporation Airport Express A-Stock EMU
• Siemens Modular Metro – Bangkok BTS Skytrain
• Bombardier MOVIA C951 - Singapore LTA Downtown Line* Alstom Metropolis C830 – Singapore MRT
• Alstom Metropolis Barcelona Metro line 9^[10]

Performance

User trials on prototype equipment in controlled conditions have indicated that a wide detrainment ramp will allow the evacuation of 2500 passengers in 28 minutes^[11], if the ramp, its handrails and the cab and saloon throughways are correctly specified. Modern detrainment step systems can detrain one person every 2 seconds.

See also

• Evacuation slide

References

1. ^ http://lurs.org.uk/articles10_htm_files/sstock.pdf
2. ^ http://www.dca-design.com/new-detrainment-system-for-underground-metro-vehicles.html
3. ^ http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/rly/stock/1973tubeStock/#detrain
4. ^ http://www.percylane.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=98
5. ^ http://www.trainweb.org/tubeprune/73%20tube%20stock.htm
6. ^ http://www.squarewheels.org.uk/rly/stock/1996tubeStock/
7. ^ http://www.londonhealthandsafetygroup.org/downloads/091019-Safety-onELL-byAndrew-Petrie.pdf
8. ^ http://www.rotem.co.kr/Eng/Common/data/cy_pro_rilmtor03.pdf
9. ^ http://www.marshall-slingsby.com/portfolio.html
10. ^ http://www.barat.com/en/ind_detrainment_door.html
11. ^ http://www.rotem.co.kr/Eng/Common/data/cy_pro_rilmtor03.pdf

External links

• YouTube video: How to deploy the emergency detrainment door on the North East Line (Alstom Metropolis C751A)
• Toronto Rocket detrainment device