BART testing rubber floors in cars
BART directors have approved a plan to replace the old carpet in rail cars with rubber floors. Though the rubber floors are more expensive initially, they would hopefully be cheaper in the long run. Originally there were concerns about slippery rubber floors, but the floors supposedly have more traction when wet.
The rubber floors will still be in a limited number of cars as BART gauges reaction to the floors and tries to determine whether they are in fact cheaper to maintain.
Here in Washington, all rail cars are carpeted. It is nice for ambiance--when the carpets are new. The carpet can get really disgusting when it is filthy and the weather is rainy and miserable. But rubber floors might make the cars feel more like cattle cars.
Post Author:
massysett | 11:18 AM |
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Get rid of it - fight the "sticky dive bar carpet" syndrome at source. Mind you, my commute on South West Trains's London Waterloo-Richmond-Reading route has carpets - which is nice when I'm sitting on the floor due to overcrowding..
It's about time BART tried out e-z-clean flooring. And how about those cushiony seats? I try not to wonder how BART cleans them when I sit down.
Well, considering how much money is spent on cleaning and replacing carpet on the BART cars, this rubber floor option is the best thing.
It will last longer and cost less to maintain. It also will not retain that "bum smell" that lingers when bums camp out in the BART cars.
The next thing is to rip out the cushy seats that have the same maintenance issues as the carpet does.
It seems to work with other train systems that are far more used (Hong Kong's MTR and Singapore's MRT come to mind).
This is something that BART can do to reduce its operating costs. Naturally, this means a reduction of union jobs. And, naturally, being in the Bay Area, ppl will complain about this while complaining about how much BART costs and how motorists should be taxed more to support it.
Crackheads!
