Commuter Rail Boarding Platform

The Federal Transit Administration recently suspended funding for the development of the commuter rail project in Nashville, TN due to their plan to utilize mini high-level (MHL) boarding blocks to facilitate the boarding of persons with disabilities. The position of the FTA is that the MHL plan fails to address access to all rail cars since they can only be used one car at a time. The use of such a system is inheritly discriminatory because it segregates the persons with disabilities and forces them to rely on the performance of train crew members to place a bridge plate from the train to the platform. If several cars are occupied by persons requiring the MHL boarding blocks, then the train may experience an excessive dwell time in the station. Being the immediate cause of such a delay, makes a person with a disability uncomfortable, and possibly not willing to use that rail service on a regular basis.

The main reason that is given for wanting to implement a MHL boarding block scheme is that the railroads balk at the idea of constraining their operations with passenger boarding platforms that are closer than 24" to the rails. They want to be able to pass wide dimension loads without having to consider routing the trains along tracks that do not have passenger platforms.

From the perspective of rail passengers, the lack of Full HL platforms limit their ability to quickly and efficiently board and alight. Many people have difficulty with the bottom step, particularly when descending to the ground. Many more people have this form of difficulty than there are persons who use wheelchairs and want to use the trains. People with baby strollers, luggage, wheeled carts that they use to transport work from home to office and back far out number people with disabilities. They, too, require accomodations that make their trip more convenient and comfortable. Although other people abound, it is through the auspicious of the ADA that something must be dome.

Robert Carlson Consulting has worked with Amtrak and other rail operations to inventory their Key Stations. Through these efforts the firm has determined the many types of boarding facilities and is in the process of developing technical solutions to this boarding dilemma. In February, 2004, the Small Business Innovative Research published its topics for 2004 year funding that included topic 04-FT1, which relates to Commuter Rail Accessibility. RCC has replied to that RFP with an innovative solution to the setback issue. For more information on this topic email: CRBP@ModalChoice.Com