APTA PR-PS-S-003-98

EEU, egress, emergency exit, emergency window, evacuation

Summary

As a result of derailments, onboard fires and other emergency incidents that require passengers to exit a passenger railcar without the intervention of a member of the train crew, each car must have a sufficient number of exit paths that remain usable after an incident. In the most likely derailment and fire scenarios, one side and one end of a railcar will not be suitable for emergency egress, requiring alternative means to exit the car on the remaining usable paths. Due to the great number of car configurations, the passenger railroad operator and the car designer shall determine the combination of exit doors and emergency exit windows required to establish an emergency egress system, as expressed in emergency evacuation units (EEUs).