Open Thread

[Commuting Boston Student]

About how much would it cost to have Platform Edge Doors installed in all subway/rail stations, anyway? Or just per station?

Is this generally something that wouldn't be worth doing?

[Ron Newman]

There aren't enough falling-off-the-platform accidents to justify this. Also, some Red Line cars have 3 doors and others have 4, making this infeasible with the current set of equipment.

[statler]

I understand that Boston.com is free and there are other local news outlets available but I swear to God if they run that fucking "You know you're from Boston if" filler piece one more time, heads will roll.

[czsz]

I once applied for a job at Boston.com that would have involved walking around the city and asking people questions for slideshows. At the interview, I proposed to ask questions about issues like gay marriage (not yet legal in MA at the time). They told me they were looking for something more like "Do you prefer sneakers or sandals?"

To be fair, I should have known the organization I was applying for. Also to be fair, Boston.com is idiotic.

[BostonUrbEx]

This makes no sense to me. What is this?

Omaha > Springfield > Boston > Chicago ??????

[tobyjug]

Originally Posted by czsz

At the interview, I proposed to ask questions about issues like gay marriage (not yet legal in MA at the time). They told me they were looking for something more like "Do you prefer sneakers or sandals?"

I suspect you haven't seen the Lawrence Olivier/Tony Curtis bodyservant scene in "Spartacus".

http://youtu.be/jc3b7MP4pyw

[Lrfox]

Originally Posted by Beton Brut

I was living in Rhode Island when I saw Next Stop Wonderland. The entire film is a carnival of continuity errors.

My uncle is a local comedian who had a small role in that movie. He was embarrassed to have us watch it.

[czsz]

A tribute to Boston, in Bulgaria:

[Commuting Boston Student]

Originally Posted by Ron Newman

There aren't enough falling-off-the-platform accidents to justify this. Also, some Red Line cars have 3 doors and others have 4, making this infeasible with the current set of equipment.

I like the aesthetic of them, and if they're cheap enough to install, I'd argue that there's a benefit to being proactive in your preventing such incidents.

Obviously, with the Red Line's mix and match situation, it can't be done, and if it's going to cost us some obscene amount of money to do it shouldn't be done.

[blade_bltz]

^ The door alignment issue is an impediment to widespread implementation in Japan, where they see everything from two to six!-door trainsets on a single line, but they're working on it:

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNAS...00C12A3000000/
http://www.asahi.com/national/update...109280229.html

[KentXie]

Originally Posted by BostonUrbEx

This makes no sense to me. What is this?

Omaha > Springfield > Boston > Chicago ??????

The map make sense because Boston has a smaller ratio of HQ to population or in another word, smaller density of headquarters compare to population (Springfield and Omaha has a smaller population, meaning it requires less hq to increase its ratio). It's similar semantics to how many populated cities has a lower density than less populated cities due lower ratio of people to land size of the city.

However, the map doesn't really tell much of anything.

[Lrfox]

Originally Posted by blade_bltz

^ The door alignment issue is an impediment to widespread implementation in Japan, where they see everything from two to six!-door trainsets on a single line, but they're working on it:

http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNAS...00C12A3000000/
http://www.asahi.com/national/update...109280229.html

The barriers made a huge difference (in my opinion) in Tokyo. At rush hour those platforms got so crowded I was amazed no one got bumped off. If nothing else, they offer peace of mind. The Marunouchi Line line implements them at at least a few of the busier stations (Otemachi for one, and I believe at Shinjuku as well).



It's a shame you couldn't implement them on the Red Line because I think that (and Orange) is the line that could use them the most.

[blade_bltz]

Haha, the real danger, of course, is drunken salarymen stumbling to gruesome death.

Found an article that says between 2002-2009, 1253 incidents (either falling onto the tracks or getting hit/sandwiched by the train) were recorded throughout Japan, with Shinjuku being the biggest offender.

[czsz]

I'm always amazed how many people on here are incredibly knowledgeable about Tokyo/Japan. Is there some (Arch)Boston-Japan connection I'm not aware of?

[BostonUrbEx]

Anyone see that video of the guy that stumbled and got fried by the third rail in NYC? It was pretty recent. Absolutely horrifying way to go....

[kz1000ps]

Originally Posted by czsz

I'm always amazed how many people on here are incredibly knowledgeable about Tokyo/Japan.

I was just thinking the exact same thing! Works for me since I know next to nothing about the culture.

[Beton Brut]

Originally Posted by czsz

Is there some (Arch)Boston-Japan connection I'm not aware of?

I spent a couple of weeks in Japan back in '06 for a friend's wedding. I know quite a few posters travel internationally for business.

In terms of efficiently moving large volumes of people via public transit, they're 20-30 years ahead of us here in Boston.

[Lrfox]

Originally Posted by czsz

I'm always amazed how many people on here are incredibly knowledgeable about Tokyo/Japan. Is there some (Arch)Boston-Japan connection I'm not aware of?

I went to Japan in May out of sheer curiosity (and cheap fares with my AA miles on JAL in/out of BOS). Loved it. Have a few pictures, but still know next to nothing about the country. I'd be lying if I said some of that curiosity wasn't because of how often Japan is referenced in a positive light on this forum.

Originally Posted by BostonUrbEx

Anyone see that video of the guy that stumbled and got fried by the third rail in NYC? It was pretty recent. Absolutely horrifying way to go....

Awful. Like an idiot, I watched the video on Barstool. Pretty horrific. Although I'm fairly certain the guy was dead within a few seconds. After reading up on it, it turns out the guy was wasted and suicidal. People were trying to help him back up. Not that it makes it any less tragic/horrific; but I feel a little better (selfishly) knowing that it wasn't a complete accident.

I can't imagine being there in person. There was a girl screaming "somebody do something!" (umm... maybe you can do something if you're so concerned); but what can anyone do? You can't touch him or else you'll be zapped. And again, selfishly, the smell must have been horrible. I'm not generally the knee-jerk type, but I'm sure I'd be locked away in my apartment for weeks if I witnessed that. I was sick to my stomach just seeing the video.

[Commuting Boston Student]

...you know what?

That catastrophe happening once is one time too many.

Forget the cost, let's be proactive about platform safety re: platform doors.

[Ron Newman]

There are many better (more bang for the buck) things the T can spend that money on -- most notably, better reliability of their rolling stock.