Teban54
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Checked the new inbound Kendall/MIT headhouse/entrance today--underground is clean but spartan, all the extravagance is aboveground.
Not sure why two elevators are necessary.
Awesome shots, thanks!
1) Because when one inevitably goes down now and again, accessibility is maintained without a hitch
2) Because the other station exit at the far other end of the platform does not have, and ostensibly can never have, an elevator
3) Because the cost of building two next to each other at the same time is far less than the separate cost of two full elevator builds
Separate note:
It looks spartan and empty (though classy) perhaps in part because they haven't moved the fare vending/charlie card machines yet. Those are presumably still in the temporary head house and will be moved over imminently against that blank wall.
More or less. There's an entire group of projects that are supposed to add redundant elevators to already accessible stations so that a single elevator going out of service won't make the station completely inaccessible. IE, Davis only has a single elevator from 1 of 2 head houses to the mezzanine, and only one from the mezzanine to the platform. If either one of those fails, the station is now functionally inaccessible, so they're now planning for N+1. GLX stations exhibit that - every GLX station has either multiple elevators or a fully accessible passive entry - ramps and "at grade". Same applies to anything recently designed, even the newer CR stations like Worcester Union, or SCR. It's why the proposed Newton CR stations currently look incredibly overbuilt.Thanks for context--is elevator redundancy standard across the MBTA system now?
And they did have the fare machines right by the faregates--I just didn't get a picture of those. (They are around the corner where the map is.)
More or less. There's an entire group of projects that are supposed to add redundant elevators to already accessible stations so that a single elevator going out of service won't make the station completely inaccessible. IE, Davis only has a single elevator from 1 of 2 head houses to the mezzanine, and only one from the mezzanine to the platform. If either one of those fails, the station is now functionally inaccessible, so they're now planning for N+1. GLX stations exhibit that - every GLX station has either multiple elevators or a fully accessible passive entry - ramps and "at grade". Same applies to anything recently designed, even the newer CR stations like Worcester Union, or SCR. It's why the proposed Newton CR stations currently look incredibly overbuilt.
Redundant elevators are required for new construction on the MBTA because of an accessibility lawsuit settlement 17 years ago and subsequent tightening of Mass. Architectural Board accessibility regs. Massachusetts has the toughest above-and-beyond-ADA regs in the country, so this is not typical elsewhere (and not typical internationally, since the U.S. has stiffer accessibility regs than most countries).Seems like a ton of money to have redundant elevators instead of just being better at maintaining them so they don't break down. Is this common in international contexts?
Seems like a ton of money to have redundant elevators instead of just being better at maintaining them so they don't break down. Is this common in international contexts?
Machines will inevitably break down or have a fault and become inoperable. If the access to a station for able bodied people were similarly capricious, people would quit transit.
And it's becoming much more common in new builds to have multiple - maybe not right next to each other like this.
I'd believe it and say how sad it is as well.A more-common-than-you-think reason for why subway elevators are frequently out of order is folks peeing in them. It can compromise the machinery beneath, which is why the T is following a few other agencies to detect urine in their elevators.
Redundant elevators are required for new construction on the MBTA because of an accessibility lawsuit settlement 17 years ago and subsequent tightening of Mass. Architectural Board accessibility regs. Massachusetts has the toughest above-and-beyond-ADA regs in the country, so this is not typical elsewhere (and not typical internationally, since the U.S. has stiffer accessibility regs than most countries).
A more-common-than-you-think reason for why subway elevators are frequently out of order is folks peeing in them. It can compromise the machinery beneath, which is why the T is following a few other agencies to detect urine in their elevators.
While I'm quite supportive of the idea for general cleanliness reasons, if the interior floor of elevators is not designed so that liquids drain out in a guided fashion and away from sensitive/structural bits of the car rather than randomly seeping into elevator car machinery, that seems like an absurd oversight?
How do you design a sewer drain into a device that moves vertically up and down?
You could have some sort of gutter attached to the elevator carriage that opens to let *liquids* drain out at each levelHow do you design a sewer drain into a device that moves vertically up and down?
Routine maintenance can also require temporary closure of equipment. Ideally, such maintenance occurs over night, but there are certainly scenarios when it would be during operating hours. Without redundancy, there is quite a bit less maintenance flexibility.Machines will inevitably break down or have a fault and become inoperable. If the access to a station for able bodied people were similarly capricious, people would quit transit.
And it's becoming much more common in new builds to have multiple - maybe not right next to each other like this.