US Access Board

– Rail Vehicle Accessibility Advisory Committee Subcommittee for Interior Circulation and Seating Matrix 9/3/2014

**#** 

# Vehicle

**T ype**  

# Features

**Doorw ay**  **width ,**  **exterio r**  **Doorway width, between** 

**cars Route** 

**to Mobilit**  **y Aid Seating**  **Locatio n** **, clear width**  **Vestibule**

**w idth**  **Clear**

**Mobility Aid**  **Seating Location**  **(minimu m in**  **inches) Overlap of** 

**clear s pace**  **Number**

**of Mobility**  **Aid Seating**  **Location s**  **paces Handrails,** 

**stanchions diameter** * **(inches) Knuckle** 

**clearan ce**  **(inches) Fair** 

**box guar**  **d Maneuverabil**  **ity near doors Maneuverabilit** 

**y at seating**  **space (minimum in**  **inches) Service animal** 

**s pace**  **Service**

**animal q**  **uanti ty**  **Accessibl e**  **seating details** 
**1 Rapid Rail (Subways)**  32” min 30” min

(if 30” aisles) 32” min N/A 30 x 48 2 1.25

- 1.5 1.5" min N/A Attention to

ensure maximum None None

**2 RVAAC**  32” min Note 1 32” except at cab ends of

transit cars; 30” Note 2 Note 7 32” 44” Clear across width of car Note 5 32 x 54 /

32 x 59 Note 3 6” at 12”

high 2

Note 4 1.25
– 1.5” 1.5” N/A Note 5 b,c 60” diameter circle Note 6 14Wx38Lx16H 2 Notes 17,18

**3 Light Rail**  **( includes New Streetcars) note** **s: 8** **,9,10,11,13,14** 32” min 30” min

(if 30” aisles) 32” min N/A 30 x 48 6” at 12” high 2 1.25

- 1.5 1.5" min Yes Attention to

ensure maximum None None

**4 RVAAC**  32” min 32” min, Note 7 32” min N/A 32 x 54 / 32 x 59 Note 3 6” at 12”

high 2

Note 4 1.25
– 1.5” 1.5” Yes Note 5 b,c 60” diameter circle Note 6 14Wx38Lx16H 2 Notes 17,18

**5 Commuter Rail**  32” min 30” min

(if 30” aisles) 32” min 42" 30 x 48 6" at 9"H 1.25

- 1.5 1.5" min N/A None None
**6 RVAAC**  32” min 32” min, Note 7 32” min 44” Note 5 32 x 54 /

32 x 59 Note 3 6” at 12”

high 2

Note 1.25
– 1.5” 1.5” N/A Note 5 60” diameter circle Note 6 14Wx38Lx16H 2 Notes 17,18

**7 Intercity Rail Cars** 

**High Speed Train Sets Notes: 14,16**  32” min 32” min 32” min 42" min 30 x 48 6" at 9"H 1 , no more than 2 1.25

- 1.5 1.5" min N/A S ufficient

turning and maneuvering space None None

**8 RVAAC**  32” min 32” min, Note 7 44” Note 5 32 x 54 /

32 x 59 Note 3 6” at 12”

high 2

Note 1.25
– 1.5” 1.5” N/A Note 5 60” diameter circle Note 6 14Wx38Lx16H 2 Notes 17,18,19
**9 PRIAA Single Level** 

**(intercity)** 32 ” min 32 ” min 32 ” min 44 ” min 32 x 59 6" at 9"H 2 1.25

- 1.5 1.5" min N/A 32 x 59 14Wx38Lx16H 2 **1 0**  **PRIAA Bi** **- Level** 

**(intercity)** 32 ” min 32 ” min 32 ” min 44 ” min 32 x 59 6" at 9"H 2 1.25

- 1.5 1.5" min N/A 32 x 59 14Wx38Lx16H **1 1**  **RVAAC** 32” min 32” min, Note 7 44” Note 5 32 x 54 /

32 x 59 Note 3 6” at 12”

high 2

Note 1.25
– 1.5” 1.5” N/A Note 5 60” diameter circle Note 6 14Wx38Lx16H 2 Notes 17,18,19 

## *Current building guidelines require 11⁄4

- 2 inches outside diameter for handrails.US Access Board

– Rail Vehicle Accessibility Advisory Committee Subcommittee for Interior Circulation and Seating Matrix 9/3/2014 

## Notes: 1. Discussion of how to achieve clear openings with two

- leaf doors Possible recommendations:

a. Bi

- parting doors should have at least one leaf that opens to a clear width of 32” b. Door leaves interlocked so that a functioning door always opens both leaves c. Both leaves must have an emergency release feature in case one leaf is obstructed or damaged so that it cannot open d. Communication method / device provided at the door area to alert the driver/operator to e nsure passengers do not get stuck on the car becau se of inoperative doors. (Device location must comply with requirements for reachability of controls from a wheelchair.) The key issue of this issue is that passengers can get stuck on trains and carried to distant stations and returning to the i ntended station can be difficult and/or dangerous. Regulating the size of door components may not solve the problem since any door opening system can and will fail in time. The key to avoiding the problem of getting trapped is to have immediate communication availa ble between the passenger and operator so that the passenger can be let out of the car and the door locked out until it can b e serviced. The Subcommittee would like to solicit comment from industry representatives in order to make final recommendations.

2. Cab ends of transit cars such as subways may have 30” clear openings if there is a legitimate issue for the operator having ap propriate space and creating a wider path adversely impacts the operator’s safe field of vision. Subway and some other transit vehi cles have vehicle width limitations that a ffect the available space for operator’s and end

- of

- car structure. Suggested change to add Cab Cars and MU cars 3. 32” x 59” is requ ired when the space is confined on 3 sides to insure adequate maneuvering space

. Suggested change from 8/14 meeting was to 34 x 62”. Also suggested was that we should re

- visit the study

-based dimension of 33 x 56” which accommodates 95% of mobility devices including scooters. 4. Some quantity of seats should be easily removable or convertible to temporarily accommodate groups of individuals using wheelchairs. 5. Vehicles with vestibules and those without have different entrance path needs due to the physical arrangement of the entrance area. a. Vehicles that have defined walls that establ ish a “vestibule” separate from passenger occupied space should be 44” wide over the most restrictive protrusion where 90 de gree or similar turns are required immediately upon entering the vehicle. If the vestibule is arranged to allow a free

-flowing pa th into the passenger area or aisle leading to that area, then the most restrictive width of the vestibule near the door may be less than 44” but in no case can the unobstructed path be le ss than 32” . b. Vehicles that do not have vestibules or otherwise ph ysically defined separation between entrance areas and passenger occupied areas and require 90 degree or similar turn to reach the accessible seating space, must have a clear space across the vehicle free from panels or stanchions equal or greater than the open width of the side doors. Suggested change of to set the stanchion minimum at 44” to provide safe refuge for ambulatory passengers who are less stable or of short stature who find themselves in this space with no choice to move further into the vehicle. This was suggested to avoid a vast “no

-man’s land” when cars have large side door openings

. c. Stanchions provided adjacent to doors to aid boarding and alighting passengers whether in wheelchairs or ambulatory may be at the 32” minimum or the door width whichever is greater. Stanchions located elsewhere across the width of the car between the side doors must be at least the width of the do or apart or 44” whichever is greater. Suggested change of this to “The distance between stanchions adjacent to doors may be no less than 32” or 6” less than the clear door opening apart, whichever is greater”US Access Board

– Rail Vehicle Accessibility Advisory Committee Subcommittee for Interior Circulation and Seating Matrix 9/3/2014



## 6. A 60” maneuvering circle must be provide at each Mobility Aid Seating Location t o insure that the passenger can maneuver the wheelchair into the seating location. T he circle may overlap the aisle, Mobility Aid Seating Location and other maneuvering locations. The purpose of the maneuvering circle is to ensure that a passenger can turn to face their desired direction of travel and exit the Mobility Aid Seating Locatio n toward the door in which they entered the vehicle. 7. Overlap of clear path between cars. Safety devices for use by railroad crews are often located at the ends of cars and in som e cases such as lever type hand brakes, have geometric dimensions and locatio ns that are critical to safe operation particularly during emergencies. Once such device is the lever type hand

- brake that has a maximum pivot height determined by other governing bodies. As a result: Proposed a. Protrusions into the clear aisle /doorway between cars must be at least 34” above the floor of the vehicle and may protrude no more than 4” See 36CFR1191, appendix A, 404.2.3 b. Protrusions into the may not continue for more than 12” longitudinally and may not occur simultaneously on the opposite side of the path. c. Protrusions must be separated longitudinally by a minimum of 20”. This assumes two coupled cars with the same end configuration 8. Streetcars are included in light rail. Replica and rehabilitated cars under 30 feet are the same as light rail except for seating locations. Cars over 30feet are the same as light rail 9. Monorails in transit service are subject to the same requirements as light rail systems. Some exception may be needed for wheel intrusion on straddle beam vehicles. 10. Automated Light Ra il Transit (ALRT), Automated Guideway Transit, (AGT), Skytrains, etc are subject to the same requirements as light rail syste ms. 11. Cable Tramways service are subject to the same requirements as light rail systems. 12. Cog Railways are subject to the same mini mum requirements as light rail systems 13. Incline planes / funiculars with 16 or fewer passenger must have one accessible seating location; vehicles with more than 16 passengers are subject to the same minimum requirements as light rail systems 14. Maglev (Magnetic levitation and propulsion) with capacity of more than 16 passengers and operation exceeding 60 MPH will comply with the requirements of intercity rail. Vehicles on systems with vehicle capacity of 16 passenger or less and /or operating less than 60MP H must comply with the requirements for Automated Guideway Trainsit (AGT). 15. Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) . Each car must be accessible with 32” entry doors and one accessible seating location. Otherwis e PRT’s will comply with Light Rail requirements. 16. Current regulations require the number of coach seats to equal the number coaches in the train with no more than two seats pe r car. Suggested that if the requirement for accessible seating spaces is increased per car that the required quantity be associated with th e number of coaches as now. 17. Seats considered transfer seats must have a seating surface that is at least 17” above the floor. 18. Seats considered transfers seats with armrests must include armrest that rotate out of the way so as not to inhibit t ransfer. When rotated out of the way, the armrest must be at least 1⁄2 inch behind the surface of the seat back. Armrests must be designed to remain in the upright or down position during normal train motion. 19. Sleeping car seats , food service seats, dining c ar seats or other seats intended for occupancy by persons who wish to transfer from a wheelchair must be at least 17” from th e finished floor. No portion of the seat frame or shrouds may extend beyond the passenger surfaces of the seat bottom or back.