From: ahk@chinet.com   
      
   Stephen Sprunk  wrote:   
   >On 13-Apr-15 10:07, Adam H. Kerman wrote:   
   >>Stephen Sprunk  wrote:   
      
   >>>BBD bilevel cars (i.e. nearly all commuter trains outside the Rust   
   >>>Belt) have a built-in, full-width step below the door at half the   
   >>>height difference; no step boxes are required.  Why Amtrak LD   
   >>>trains don't have such (which would remove the need for those step   
   >>>boxes--and a dozen or so crew members per train) is mystifying.   
      
   >>This was an innovation from streetcars. The reason folding stepwells   
   >>are impractical is what you just wrote: Rust. You could have them in   
   >>California.   
      
   >The steps are fixed, and none of the ones I've seen exhibit any signs of   
   >rust; the coloring makes them look anodized (virtually rust-proof), and   
   >there are plenty of alloys that don't rust anyway--such the the one used   
   >for the _bodies_ of those same cars.   
      
   I don't know what the dimensions are for how for something can hang   
   down from below the car above the platform. There's a big step up onto   
   Metra diesel-electric-hauled trailers. That's not to say that the   
   first step couldn't be a lot lower.   
      
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