[Cagdu] FW: USA: Update on LightRail Shock Situation in Portland Area

[tina thomas]

Subject: USA: Update on LightRail Shock Situation in Portland Area



The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon: 

TriMet eases guide dog shock problems
MAX - The agency puts capacitor boxes on the east and
checks the west frequently
Thursday, April 10, 2008
JOHN SNELL
The Oregonian Staff

The problem of guide dogs receiving electric shocks on
light rail tracks has spread to the east side, TriMet
officials say.

Guide dogs for the blind have occasionally been
shocked when stepping on MAX tracks since 2000.

TriMet was never able to determine why but figured the
problem was limited to west-side tracks and only after
it rained.

That belief was abandoned in February, when three dogs
in training received minor shocks at two stations in
Gresham.

Teaching a dog to work as a guide costs about $50,000
per animal, said Patricia Kepler, past president of
Guide Dog Users of Oregon.

Three years ago, TriMet installed capacitors near
three west-side train platforms to absorb errant
electricity that was shocking the dogs.

But on Jan. 29 it discovered that the problem was
back, at least at the Elmonica/Southwest 170th Avenue
MAX station, said Mary Fetsch, spokeswoman for the
transportation agency.

A few days later, TriMet was told by Kepler that her
dog, a 5-year-old German shepherd named Reuben, also
was shocked at the Elmonica MAX Station.

TriMet changed the capacitors and decided to check
them weekly, rather than monthly, to make sure they're
still working.

About the same time, TriMet was told of problems at
the Cleveland Avenue Station in Gresham.

"It's not the kind of shock that would cause physical
damage," said Brad Hibbard , director of training at
the Boring-based Guide Dogs for the Blind. "This
is similar to having a really big shock of static
electricity."

Hibbard said three dogs in training were shocked when
they were taken to Gresham by their trainers to ride
light rail.

Capacitor boxes went in last month at the Gresham
Central Transit Station at Northeast Eighth Street and
Kelly Avenue and the Cleveland Avenue Station at
Northeast Eighth Street and Cleveland Avenue.

TriMet Systems Engineer Kai Looijenga said they were
installed as a precaution.

Hibbard said none of the dogs shocked while training
on the east side have shown lasting effects. No dog
that's being used by a blind person has been shocked
on the east side, he added.

John Snell: 503-294-5949; johnsnell at news.
<mailto:johnsnell%40news.oregonian.com> oregonian.com

Find this story at: 
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<http://www.oregonlive.com/metrowest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_west_ne
ws/1207790719293780.xml&coll=7>
ve.com/metrowest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_west_news/1207790719293780.
xml&coll=7

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