A track-level platform at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport station near Baltimore enables the use of the middle track, at bottom, for passenger boarding and detraining. Note the yellow step box behind the railing, for use with the lower platforms.
Brian Schmidt
Q I live near Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and see short track-level platform extensions at various stations along the line. For what are they used? – Kyle O’Malley, Glen Burnie, Md.
A The low-level platforms are maintained for use in the event that Amtrak, or one of its commuter agency tenants, needs to make a station stop from the middle track, such as during periods of maintenance on the platform tracks near the station. They also enable Amtrak to use equipment without high-level boarding, such as Superliners, along the route in a pinch.
Use of the track-level platforms is rare. Boarding and detraining times are greatly increased, and often passengers are only able to use two doors, on adjacent vestibules, for the process. – Brian Schmidt
