Evacuation Safety

If a problem arises while a train is en route, our crews have been instructed to respond appropriately and to keep customers informed of the situation as it unfolds. The men and women who operate our trains routinely practice for uncommon scenarios, such as fires or evacuations, in case such an emergency were to occur. Although train fires are rare, each passenger coach is equipped with a fire extinguisher. Most emergencies can be managed without taking passengers off the train. In some cases, passengers might be asked to move to an unaffected car. If a full train evacuation were to become necessary, your crew member would provide you with specific instructions to follow. The simplest way to evacuate a railroad coach is to have a rescue train pull alongside the disabled train. An evacuation board would be placed at the exit doors to serve as a walkway between the two trains. On very rare occasions, passengers could be evacuated to track level by means of evacuation ladders, which are stored on every car. For their safety, wheelchair-bound customers might be evacuated by stretcher, with their wheelchairs removed separately and returned as soon as possible.

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