why can`t i flush rail toilet at a station?

Answer 1

You can in Manchester. It makes the city smell better.

Answer 2

You can't flush any of the older trains in the station as the waste is emptied straight onto the track, and as such would soil the station and eventually the smell would be rancid, as it would mix with the diesel usually emptied on the track as well.

New trains like Virgin Voyagers and Pendolinos, Desiros etc. have what are called 'Controlled Emission Tanks'. These tanks are filled when the toilet is flushed, no matter where the train is.

As the name implies, the tanks are vented and they release the potentially dangerous build-up of methane that would occur in such a tank with such contents.

These tanks are emptied at depots that have CET pumping facilities. The trains are usually emptied at least once or twice a day, as when the tanks are full the toilets will usually take themselves out of service or will simply overflow and will be manually taken out of service by the train conductor/guard.

There was an uproar up north somewhere about 6 months back when some track workers were splattered by an emptying toilet of a GNER train whilst it went round a bend at about 125 mph.
Needless to say that started calls to remove all the old style toilets on trains but as there is no space to fit CET tanks on all stock, operators are stuck with them until they are eventually replaced with more modern rolling stock.

Answer 3

Flushing the bathroom used to propose duming the contents of the bathroom directly to the song, it is why lower back in numerous the quicker diesel locomotives, the place the bathroom became lower back interior the engine compartment, you never flushed whilst the unit became in Notch 8 throtting, because of the fact whilst the engine is in notch 8, that is attempting to suck in combustion air from any commencing it had to the exterior, actual becoming a vaccum, so in case you flushed, the contents of the bathroom might the two finally end up sticking to the ceiling or your @$$. anyhow lower back to passenger trains nowdays, because of the fact that then, EPA has made some regulations that say the lavatories can't flush onto the song. however the clarification I thik that they don't need you to flush mutually as in station is they might have the outlet from the sewage tank open to empty it, & now purely think of of what's going to happer in the event that they're carried out emptying it, yet have not positioned the cap lower back on yet & you compromise directly to flush... do not think of that the people status by technique of the prepare may be too pleased with it.

Answer 4

It used to be due to the fact that the toilets flushed on to the track and a nice little turd staring at some old lady waiting for her train wasn't thought to be nice. However, it doesn't matter these days for in our sanitised society all train loos flush into retention tanks whixh are pumped out into proper sewage disposal points in the depot.

Answer 5

Because on the old trains the toilets used to flush direct onto the tracks. These days the newer trains have storage tanks on them for the toilet waist to be stored, this is because Health & Safety + EU law deam it dangerous of trackside workers, to be dealing with the waist!

Answer 6

They used to say the *waste* goes on the track. I don't really think it does though... does it? I used the toilet on a coach on my way back from Poland (got deli belly) when suddenly the coach stopped and the engine went off. I tried to flush the loo and it would not work because the power had been shut off. I could hear voices and I peeped out of the tiny window to see soldiers... we were at the Polish Border and the wanted to check the passports and passengers. I had to leave the loo without flushing it... most humiliating!

Answer 7

You cant flush when you are stopped at a train station because it can spray out and it can come into contact with other people

Answer 8

Actually in reply to the answerer above - not all toilets empty in to a tank. Quite a few do still empty on to the track - hence the notice you will still come across.

Answer 9

C'mmon right?
Most grey water on trains pumps out onto the track.
Want that at the station for passengers to smell/look at while they wait?

Answer 10

the waste probaly goes on the tracks while the train is moving nobody wants to smell of human waste in the train station

Answer 11

You can unless it is on a Heritage or steam railway.
All modern trains have catch tanks on the bog outlets.

Heritage coaches just dump it on the track.