The impact of winter precipitation on door closures

What causes door closure problems?

Our train doors comply with railway regulations for passenger railcar safety, but winter can still be tough on them due to gravel, ice and cold temperatures! Learn more about the measures exo takes to avoid delays.

Why do doors stop working?

Door opening or closing obstructions can be caused by:

• Mechanical issues

In winter, de-icing salt, snow and ice can build up in doorways and block their movement.

• Technical issues

The cold weather and precipitation can prevent door mechanisms, control panels and protection devices from operating correctly.

What does exo do when a door is out of order?

For your safety, exo follows a four-step process:

1. Your train is automatically stopped by the safety system.
2. Le chef de train identifie la source du problème.
3. The train conductor identifies the source of the problem.
4. If it is a mechanical problem, the train conductor will remove the debris and the train will proceed.

In this case, passengers must go around the door to enter or leave the train, which increases embarking and disembarking times and results in delays.

Our solutions

• We clear snow and de-ice the doors at all terminal garages and maintenance centres.
• To improve the effectiveness of doors in difficult conditions, we are upgrading the electrical and mechanical components of our MR-90 railcars. To learn more about the other measures we are taking regarding the MR-90 railcars, see this article about exo’s winter train plan.