The consistent naming also extents to regional rail. With RE (Regional Express) being well express services and RB (Regional Bahn) being stopping services. Also I think an interesting project to look at is the RRX. It takes the concepts that a lot of S-Bahn Networks use to direct multiple REs through a core segment to get 15 min frequency between the biggest Cities in NRW.
I think there are a number of reasons why there are no platform screen doors in Germany.
(1) The number of accidents that actually happen that would have been prevented by platform screen doors is miniscule. I can't remember hearing of any in recent years. So they are practically useless. They may seem a good idea in theory but are of little to no actual use in practice. People just don't seem to fall onto the tracks.
(2) Retrofitting them costs a lot of money. Money that could be spent on other, more useful improvements.
(3) Once you have them, you are limited in what kind of rolling stock can be used. Many German systems have a history, and that includes using different types of rolling stock with different door patterns, so that massively increases the cost of installing platform screen doors on existing systems, because you have to get rid of or at least re-allocate a lot of old rolling stock that may have decades of life left in it.
If you build an entirely new line with new rolling stock, new signalling, new stations, new everything, hopefully with fully automatic operation, then yes, by all means build it with platform screen doors. But retrofit it to existing systems with a history? I don't think so. I think you should spend the money elsewhere.
I'm not denying that it does happen -- occasionally. But it's not a common occurrence. You can legitimately make the argument that the money it would cost to retrofit PSD to an existing transit system could be spent elsewhere where it would prevent more casualties than the PSDs would. By removing grade crossings for example. Or by improving service levels so fewer people drive. Especially while under the influence. Better night transit can save many lives!
Maybe PSDs are more attractive to North American operators because they could be sued for big bucks if someone stumbled onto the tracks and got killed while in Europe, such a lawsuit would (hopefully) be laughed at and thrown out.
As I said, if you start fresh, do include them; the incremental cost for PSDs if included from the start isn't that daunting.
I don't know, the benefits as I said really do go beyond just safety - and the retrofits can be done cheaply as seen in Japan.
While this issue of litigiousness might be an issue in the US (though I have not heard of this being an issue, it certainly is not in Canada) - I don't think they should do it because they might be sued though, just because having safety doors is better.
I wouldn't call Hannover's system a U-Bahn, IIRC it's a Stadtbahn? (Checked here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover_Stadtbahn) - while it does have an u/g city centre that isn't unique to Hannover
Another thing Germany does well is the Deutschland-Ticket. 49 Euro a month for travel on almost all regional and local services. I have been traveling around Germany for the past couple weeks and it have been quite convenient to show up in a city and already have a public transport pass.
The consistent naming also extents to regional rail. With RE (Regional Express) being well express services and RB (Regional Bahn) being stopping services. Also I think an interesting project to look at is the RRX. It takes the concepts that a lot of S-Bahn Networks use to direct multiple REs through a core segment to get 15 min frequency between the biggest Cities in NRW.
The RRX is absolutely very interesting, I shall think about how to best cover it!
I'd be interested in one of these on Italy; Naples has got to have one of the wackier mixed of urban mass transit modes out there...
Thats a great idea!
I think there are a number of reasons why there are no platform screen doors in Germany.
(1) The number of accidents that actually happen that would have been prevented by platform screen doors is miniscule. I can't remember hearing of any in recent years. So they are practically useless. They may seem a good idea in theory but are of little to no actual use in practice. People just don't seem to fall onto the tracks.
(2) Retrofitting them costs a lot of money. Money that could be spent on other, more useful improvements.
(3) Once you have them, you are limited in what kind of rolling stock can be used. Many German systems have a history, and that includes using different types of rolling stock with different door patterns, so that massively increases the cost of installing platform screen doors on existing systems, because you have to get rid of or at least re-allocate a lot of old rolling stock that may have decades of life left in it.
If you build an entirely new line with new rolling stock, new signalling, new stations, new everything, hopefully with fully automatic operation, then yes, by all means build it with platform screen doors. But retrofit it to existing systems with a history? I don't think so. I think you should spend the money elsewhere.
I mostly agree with you, however, it is just not true that people never fall onto the tracks. I hear about this happening quite frequently (a couple of times per year) here on the Hamburg S-Bahn. This is one recent case: https://www.t-online.de/region/hamburg/id_100230590/hamburg-nettelnburg-toedlicher-unfall-mit-s-bahn-mann-stolpert-ins-gleis.html
I'm not denying that it does happen -- occasionally. But it's not a common occurrence. You can legitimately make the argument that the money it would cost to retrofit PSD to an existing transit system could be spent elsewhere where it would prevent more casualties than the PSDs would. By removing grade crossings for example. Or by improving service levels so fewer people drive. Especially while under the influence. Better night transit can save many lives!
Maybe PSDs are more attractive to North American operators because they could be sued for big bucks if someone stumbled onto the tracks and got killed while in Europe, such a lawsuit would (hopefully) be laughed at and thrown out.
As I said, if you start fresh, do include them; the incremental cost for PSDs if included from the start isn't that daunting.
I don't know, the benefits as I said really do go beyond just safety - and the retrofits can be done cheaply as seen in Japan.
While this issue of litigiousness might be an issue in the US (though I have not heard of this being an issue, it certainly is not in Canada) - I don't think they should do it because they might be sued though, just because having safety doors is better.
I wouldn't call Hannover's system a U-Bahn, IIRC it's a Stadtbahn? (Checked here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover_Stadtbahn) - while it does have an u/g city centre that isn't unique to Hannover
Another thing Germany does well is the Deutschland-Ticket. 49 Euro a month for travel on almost all regional and local services. I have been traveling around Germany for the past couple weeks and it have been quite convenient to show up in a city and already have a public transport pass.
Fares are something I want to talk much more about, proof of payment is a system with much to like!
It would also be interesting to see The Good and Bad of German Railways, what with trains being delayed due to freight trains and congested corridors.
Yeah, that should be in the eventual follow up
This PE post has some other thoughts on this
https://pedestrianobservations.com/2020/11/21/the-german-way-of-building-rapid-transit/
I loved that series Alon did
You know it would be nice if you talked about the cologne area rapid transit.