Safety Around the LRT

TraXSafe

ETS’s TraXSafe program is designed to help transit customers, pedestrians, and motorists stay safe around LRT tracks and stations.

Stair Safety - LRT Entrances

Please watch your step when using the outside entrances to the LRT stations. When our temperatures hover around 0 degrees, the sidewalks melt and the brown salt filled sludge is tracked down the stairs.

ETS does not wash the exposed entrance stairs if the temperature is below +5'C because the stairs can freeze causing a major safety hazard. We do sweep as much of the sludge off the stairs as possible.

We apologize for the inconvenience, and request your patience until we're able to return the stairs to their regular standard for safe travel.

Escalator Safety

Customer safety and security is an important aspect of our service, not only on our vehicles but in our facilities as well.

Escalators are common throughout our LRT system and using them appropriately is a safety issue most of us take for granted. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

  • Untied shoe laces, loose clothing or bags can get caught in the moving parts. Think it can't happen – think again.
  • Watch how you step on and off the escalator too. We've all seen small children slip or trip as they board or leave. It's important to keep a firm grip on them so they don't fall and hurt themselves. And adults can misjudge as well, so stay aware of your location and be ready to step off at the top.
  • If you're not in a rush, please keep to the right so those who are can get to the top and be on their way with as little fuss as possible.
  • When you do leave the escalator, please move out of the way so the rest of the folks behind you can get off quickly and easily.

Rail Crossing Safety

Did you know that approximately 50 per cent of vehicle/train collisions occur at crossings with active warning devices like gates, lights and bells?

Why is this of interest to ETS? Well, we have 7 vehicle at-grade crossings on our LRT line in Edmonton. And we have had vehicle/train collisions at some of these crossings.

So, we'd like to start off with some rail safety tips that could save your life, or that of a friend.

  • Look for the cross-buck symbol of a railway crossing.
  • Our LRT crossings have lights, bells and gates.
  • Listen for warning bells and whistles.
  • Obey all signals.
  • Never attempt to drive under a gate as it is closing or around a closed gate. If the gate begins to lower while you're underneath, keep moving ahead until you clear the crossing.
  • If a police officer or member of the train crew is directing traffic at the crossing, obey their directions.
  • If one train passes, make sure that a second one isn't approaching on another track.
  • If your vehicle stalls on the tracks and there's no train coming, try to restart. If a train is approaching, get out quickly and away from the vehicle and tracks.
  • If your view is obstructed for 300 metres in either direction, don't attempt to cross until you're certain no train is approaching.
  • Be prepared to STOP at all rail crossings. Any time can be train time.

LRT Door Safety

With more and more people taking the LRT these days, we thought it would be useful to bring forward some reminders about entering and leaving the trains in a safe manner.

Doors are not unlocked until the train has come to a complete stop, and the train cannot move again until all doors are closed and locked.

Although the doors are locked and unlocked by the operator, it is the passengers who control when the doors are opened by pushing the door buttons inside or outside the vehicle.

Door opening and closing times are on a pre-set cycle of 8 seconds. However, doors will remain open if the air bladder on the door edge detects an obstruction when closing, or an object breaks the beam of the electric eyes on the lower part of the door.

Doors open to the inside. Stand back so you don't get caught between the open door and the panel at the back of the adjacent seat.

A chime sounds when the doors are locked by the operator. This is also a warning that the train is about to move. If a door is still open when the chime sounds, that door cannot be reopened by pressing the door button. There's always a bit of a rush when we're boarding or leaving the train, so take a minute to make sure you have all your belongings (including children) on the same side of the door as you.

Boarding the LRT at Health Sciences/Jubilee Station

Please note, once the pedestrian gates have been activated and start their descent, LRT Operators will not reopen train doors for patrons to board. The reopening of the train doors encourages patrons to go around or under the gates placing themselves in danger of falling or even coming in contact with a train. Until the signal system is upgraded for the South LRT extension, for the safety of our customers, train doors will not be reopened after the crossing gates start their descent.

For more information:

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