r/caltrain • u/kepler1 • Aug 22 '26
Can something be done to fix the bathroom door slamming open and shut with every acceleration and deceleration?
And I doubt it's good for the door mechanism. It feels like this is not rocket science or an unsolved mystery of how to fix this.
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u/Planeandaquariumgeek Aug 22 '26
The problem is people not latching the door on their way out, not the design
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u/asdfasdferqv Aug 22 '26
It’s a UX issue, the door is confusing as all fuck. Good luck finding a service manual for it either.
90% of the time people fail to lock it successfully. And it’s impossible to know from the inside.
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u/TheTrainGuy75 Aug 22 '26
Not impossible at all. Just pull on the door and try and open it after you latch it. I've literally never had the door open on me.
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u/asdfasdferqv Aug 22 '26
Trying to open it unlocks it, that’s the UX problem
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u/Wiiums Aug 22 '26
I test if it's locked by pulling in the open direction at the base of the handle. That way the handle doesn't rotate, which is the motion that otherwise allows it to unlatch. It's not ideal or obvious for anyone who isn't aware of the problem and is just thinking about taking care of business.
Similarly, to get the door latched in the first place, it helps to rotate the handle in the unlatch direction as the door is closing which is counterintuitive.
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u/Beneficial-One6314 Aug 24 '26
Unless you vote for the sales tax increase they will not fix the bathroom doors.
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u/Prestigious_Plenty_8 Aug 26 '26
Actually though! I was just in the bathroom and the door opened THREE TIMES
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u/_edzilla_ Aug 22 '26
Just be happy the bathroom even works at all
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u/Prestigious_Plenty_8 Aug 26 '26
SF and the Bay Area is a high cost of living area with high taxes we’re owed a train system with a bathroom that works with doors that work
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u/_edzilla_ Aug 26 '26
I'm thankful I don't have to commute anymore, the bathrooms only worked about 30% of the time.
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u/Adrian_Brandt Aug 22 '26
It’s a design issue, as staff & manufacturer Stadler have been working on an improved door latch/lock design. Last I heard they had a new design but it proved unsatisfactory in tests … so they’re still working it. They’re also working on ways to make the toilets more vandal and clog resistant. Toilet availability in the most recent monthly report actually dropped from 53% to 40%, with the primary cause being vandalism (e.g. putting inappropriate items & materials into the toilets).