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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:33 pm Post subject: Germ-killing lights (subways/buses)....... |
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All:
Any knowledgeable subway historian recalls that the R-11's were equipped with "germ killing" lights when new, when delivered from BUDD in the late 1940's.
I am curious as to such "germ killing" lighting was ever considered for use on city buses?
Recall, back in those days, polio was still a much-dreaded disease.
Given the current health emergency, one cannot help but wonder if some "hi tech" germ-killing lighting could be at all effective today in public transit vehicles, or, would this still be pretty much science fiction?
Appreciate any input......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:06 am Post subject: |
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Regarding the aforementioned lights on the R-11's (later rebuilt into R-34's), I have seen them referred to as "germicidal lamps".........
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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In years past, during the days of SARS and Swine Flue worries, every once in awhile (when I'd either be commuting on the subway or the "tubes") I would remember reading about the R-11's "germicidal" lights; when one thinks about it, that, indeed, must have truly seemed like something out of "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers", to the New Yorkers of the late 1940's.
Personally, I never read of any other type of "germicidal" lighting installed on ANY other transit vehicles, either on rails or on rubber......
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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While on this subject, it would have been interesting to see if "germicidal lights" would have also installed in the entire R-11 fleet, that is, the additional cars that were to be ordered (for the then-proposed SAS, which today, alas, is only a "stubway")
It also would have been interesting to learn at just what prompted the BoT to have these lights installed in only the R-11's, and not at least experimented with on other new car types of that era, such as the R-10's/12/14's.
Too, as I had mentioned earlier, it would be interesting to see if these lamps were at least even contemplated for any of the new postwar buses........
"NYO" |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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On a somewhat related subject, ventilation of stations was of great importance on the H&M (PATH), during planning and construction
On the uptown line (today's 33rd St. line) the two tubes were completely separated from each other; engineers pointed out that this would provide much ventilation of the tubes, since the approaching trains would "act like a piston" in circulating fresh air through both the tunnels and the stations.
Recall, this was one year before the downtown tubes to Hudson Terminal opened (1909)
At the turn of the 20th century, the proper ventilation of rail tunnels (subways/rapid transit) was quite problematic; this concern was quite understandable, for, in those days, pulmonary disease was man's most feared and deadly killer.*
"NYO"
*(info from "RAILS UNDER THE MIGHTY HUDSON" (Brian J. Cudahy) |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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From Wikipedia's page on the R-11:
".....'Preciptron' lamps were included, designed to combat airborne bacteria......."
During the current ongoing health emergency, it is a pretty sure bet that (with the exception of those subway historians who ride the trains each day) today's straphangers would be quite shocked to learn that "germ-killing lamps" once existed on at least a few of the city's subway cars, over 70 years ago.....
"NYO" |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2458 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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I've seen those UV lamps in some commercial restaurant food prep area's...have to be careful, as those UV rays are harmful to eyes and skin, too.... |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 22547 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver wrote: | I've seen those UV lamps in some commercial restaurant food prep area's...have to be careful, as those UV rays are harmful to eyes and skin, too.... |
traildriver:
I had heard about the effects of UV lamps on the eyes, but not to the skin.
Perhaps this is at least one of the reasons why such lighting is not conducive to widespread use in transit vehicles.....
"NYO" |
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