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'Beyond Vulgar': Human Hair Buildup in Metro System Poses Fire Threat
WRC ^ | 11/16/17

Posted on 11/16/2017 4:08:41 PM PST by markomalley

Hair and other human fibers are accumulating in Washington D.C. Metro tunnels in such large quantities that the gunk poses a threat of electrical sparks and fire, a transit consultant tells News4.

So much hair and skin cells build up on insulators that support the electrified third rails that the mess looks like a thick layer of felt, said a safety specialist from Amalgamated Transit Union, the largest labor union representing transit employees in North America.

"I was flabbergasted -- flabbergasted -- at the amount of hair that's in the Metro," Brian Sherlock said.

It's not just hair and fibers -- dust and debris also are gathering, according to Sherlock.

He said the issue can become especially dangerous when debris gathers near the high-voltage third rail.

"The amount of debris is just beyond vulgar to think of," Sherlock said.

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld acknowledged the issue.

"Hair literally comes off of people and off of clothing and gets sucked up," he said.

This hair issue is not one that Metro has independently studied, but Metro has made efforts to increase the regularity of trackbed cleaning since 2016," Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said. 


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To: markomalley

Gross. I rode the bus to work in the UK. The smell of people not washing their hair was nauseating. I thought...”Damn! Being poor doesn’t mean you can’t afford sink water and a bar of soap!”


21 posted on 11/16/2017 4:44:26 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear (Screw The NFL!!!!!! My family fought for the flag!)
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To: markomalley

Maybe the reason no one’s found Big Foot yet is because they keep looking in the woods.
They need to look in the Metro tunnels instead.


22 posted on 11/16/2017 4:45:01 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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Hair and other human fibers...

Who says they are human? If the fibers are on the rail insulators between stations, it is from the RATS.

23 posted on 11/16/2017 4:45:03 PM PST by Henchster (Free Republic - the BEST site on the web!)
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To: a little elbow grease
It's not just hair and fibers -- dust and debris also are gathering, according to Sherlock. ____ No sh*t, Sherlock.

No, there's sh*t too... and rat fur...

24 posted on 11/16/2017 4:46:24 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: markomalley

New York’s subway system has a vacuum train that goes along cleaning the gunk on the tracks.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e_t3HwUulMs


25 posted on 11/16/2017 4:47:52 PM PST by SauronOfMordor (Socialists want YOUR wealth redistributed, never THEIRS!)
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To: markomalley

Ban riders.


26 posted on 11/16/2017 4:49:25 PM PST by Southside_Chicago_Republican (If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.)
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To: central_va

NYC has a great subway system that is very clean and virtually crime-free. However, the commuter lines are the very best. Especially Metro North. Spotless cars from Grand Central on up into the backbone of Connecticut that are almost always on time.


27 posted on 11/16/2017 4:52:21 PM PST by SamAdams76
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To: Henchster

This is true. DC has a serious Rat Problem.

(My focus went to ‘vulgar’. I think ‘repulsive’ or ‘disgusting’ is what they were reaching for...)


28 posted on 11/16/2017 5:06:12 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: markomalley

A good part of maintenance is keeping the equipment clean. So, quit yer bitch in an do your job whiner.


29 posted on 11/16/2017 5:06:17 PM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: a little elbow grease

A Yellow Lab Mix who is a 24/7 sheder could easily make a sweater per year.

Aren’t there cold people out there this time of year?


30 posted on 11/16/2017 5:10:07 PM PST by Paladin2 (No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
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To: Slyfox

I dunno.. Why don’t they just do what they have to do to Michelle Obama’s closet every week ?

Same problem, same solution.


31 posted on 11/16/2017 5:13:41 PM PST by Celerity
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To: markomalley

The first thought that struck me with this debris buildup was the Bradford City Stadium Fire of 1985. Everyone knew there was a massive buildup of crap under the seats... and when a cigarette finally lit it up, the speed it went through the stadium was unbelievable. http://bradfordcityfire.co.uk/


32 posted on 11/16/2017 5:14:09 PM PST by hecticskeptic
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To: markomalley
Vulgar?

We shed. Like all animals we shed skin and hair daily. Aside from wrapping all passengers in saran wrap there is no way to prevent it.

And just what is vulgar about it? Nasty? Maybe. But vulgar?

Now since these guys seem to be in a dither over it, Turn off the current. The scuze will peel off the line easily. Now swab the line with rubbing alcohol.

There.

It will say nice and clean for about a week. So plan to swab the line once a week.

You can send the reward for solving your little problem to FR.

33 posted on 11/16/2017 5:16:17 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Not a Romantic, not a hero worshiper and stop trying to tug my heartstrings. It tickles! (pink bow))
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To: markomalley
News Flash: There's Crap on the Subway Tracks.

Slow news day ...

34 posted on 11/16/2017 5:17:47 PM PST by IronJack
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To: Jamestown1630

The rat hair would be found mostly at the Federal Center and Capitol South stops.


35 posted on 11/16/2017 5:19:59 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: central_va

:-)


36 posted on 11/16/2017 5:23:43 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: markomalley

The Metro is nothing but a jobs program for government union employees in the MD - DC - VA area. The fact that transportation is provided is incidental. And apparently they never accounted for maintenance costs.


37 posted on 11/16/2017 5:39:59 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: a little elbow grease
Yoi, Double Yoi! This is Myron Cope on your nerves.

I miss Myron Cope.

38 posted on 11/16/2017 5:41:33 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: Rummyfan
And apparently they never accounted for maintenance costs.

No. Metro's management has been warning about deferred maintenance for decades. The problem is, the first priorities every budget cycle are higher pay and fringe benefits for unionized employees. This produces a happy union that kicks back money and manpower to elect Democrats. Running a safe, efficient transportation system is incidental. A similar problem exists in the public schools.

39 posted on 11/16/2017 6:35:40 PM PST by sphinx
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To: markomalley

Send out a bunch of environuts to harvest the hair for their weaving projects.


40 posted on 11/16/2017 7:49:32 PM PST by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
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