21st century BART train car improvement, extra door each side

ABC 7 News/KGO-TV/BART, 10/29/15, "BART to begin testing new cars December 2016." 

Neat, lots of standing
room, and quick exit.

"BART will begin testing its new cars in December. They have a small, but crucial difference -- an extra door.
Agency officials say a third door will reduce crowding near the doors and allow passengers to get on and off the train more quickly. The change should also reduce the time needed for trains to get in and out of stations. BART hopes to begin using the new cars for passenger service in December 2016."

Reference -  Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), "New train car project." "New features. BART’s new train cars will feature a slew of new improvements. The cars will be: Quieter:  micro-plug doors will help seal out noise. Cooler:  cooling systems will distribute air directly to the ceilings, making it more comfortable for standees on hot days. Comfortable:  padded seats will have lumbar support – and will be covered with wipeable fabric for ease of cleaning. Easy to use:  routes will be color coded like the BART system map, and next stop information will be readily available via automated announcements and digital screens. .... Doors. ...  Two of the doors will be located at the ends of the cars—in the same place as today. A third door will be located in the middle of the car. ... They will slide on a track outside the train, similar to a mini-van door."    

Note photograph from the referenced BART article (above).

Posted by Kathy Meeh