Napoleon
Active Member
Just be glad they don't use the carpet on the floor and cloth seats BART used to use. That was truly, truly disgusting at times. After traveling on that for a while, I can handle just about any state of vehicle cleanliness.
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AlbertHWagstaff
Senior Member
The TTC did a carpet experiment for BART in the late 1960s on two Gloucester cars and originally planned to put carpet on the floors of the H-5 cars, but saner heads prevailed.
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the lemur
Senior Member
On the other hand, WMATA in Washington DC has carpeting in its some of its Metro cars and it's generally pretty tidy, but then they do have a strict policy against food and drink in the vehicles.
But it's being replaced with regular flooring:
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013...rpet-hello-slip-resistant-resilient-flooring/
Johnny Au
Senior Member
Good thing those from the Bay Area, as well as DCers, don't chew gum too much while riding their respective metros and metro-equivalents.
The reason why Singapore banned chewing gum was because too many commuters were sticking gum on the MRT train doors, preventing them from closing completely.
The reason why Singapore banned chewing gum was because too many commuters were sticking gum on the MRT train doors, preventing them from closing completely.
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Duck
Guest
To each his own; I loved DC's metro when I rode it for the first time for the fact that it's trains were carpeted. They've since pulled it up and replaced it with a boring, hard floor. It was such a warm and inviting interior.
the lemur
Senior Member
I thought it was just because people were spitting it out on the sidewalk?
the lemur
Senior Member
Yeah, it almost makes up for the fact that Metro runs pretty infrequently and the stations are so dimly lit.
I think the real problem with carpet on the TTC would be how soggy it would get in the winter.
AlbertHWagstaff
Senior Member
I haven't seen any specific reports but the TTC had to work hard to keep those carpets clean for the 7 years they were in the subway cars. Interestingly the wool carpet in one car held up better over time than the nylon carpet in the other car.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Carpets on transit is about as great an idea as putting them in a public washroom - and warmth definitely isn't a quality I'd like public transit to convey - cleanliness on the other hand is. Get in, use it, get out. Also, wet carpets gets you mould - which is something to avoid like the plague from an OHS perspective.
As a case in point, just look at those faux velvet seating on the T1s- they are disgusting, with mystery stains all over (if only someone run a UV light by it, culture the sucker and show the results to W5) and shoe dirt from riders putting their legs up. Not stuff I want to get on my pants.
AoD
As a case in point, just look at those faux velvet seating on the T1s- they are disgusting, with mystery stains all over (if only someone run a UV light by it, culture the sucker and show the results to W5) and shoe dirt from riders putting their legs up. Not stuff I want to get on my pants.
AoD
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Napoleon
Active Member
Sure it's nice when it's clean, but it's hard to keep clean. And once it's not clean, it's really not clean.
44 North
Senior Member
I'm hoping we don't see carpets on our RER/SmartTrack trains. I want them to be as much like subways in look and feel as we can get. People see carpet and they'd think a premium intercity commuter service, not a quick urban mass transit system - which seems to be one of the selling points for SmartTrack and its "surface subway" moniker. I guess this also means no padded seats, no bathrooms, and no bilevels either.
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Duck
Guest
LOL, Ok. Aceptic wash-down plastic surgical office it is. Perfect match for the butt-ugly BD line stations.
44 North
Senior Member
haha, no it doesn't have to be like what you describe. I think lighting and colour are very important to the perceived 'warmness' of a train. So warm colours for the floor, seats, walls, etc. And lighting with less blue and more red spectrum. There doesn't need to be carpets and padding to achieve that. Re: B/D line...I actually like those stations and have zero qualms (with the exception of the grey and aqua-green wall tiles, and maybe the white).
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
And just what is wrong with coldness anyways? Stainless steel, concrete and other aseptic materials can provide an extremely sophisticated aesthetic:
(Metro Bilbao, Foster and Partners - Wikipedia)
I can only wish BD stations looked that good (nevermind being that visually legible). Besides one is building transit, not a family room.
AoD
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44 North
Senior Member
Now hold on here, I'm the one that doesn't want shag carpeting and velvet drapes inside our trains. And I'm a big fan of stainless steel, concrete, etc and these features you describe. Not to mention I've really grown to like architectural styles like Brutalism over the years. But I still think some of these things should be balanced with at least some warm colours/materials. Like take a look at the CN Tower. There's one very narrow red horizontal stripe on its main pod, and a couple near the top. Even though these would be considered very minor details to many, I think it adds significantly to its attractiveness and helps balance the sterility of the concrete and metal.