What happens when you flush the toilet at a station while you are on the train ? does it go on the tracks ?

Question

What happens when you flush the toilet at a station while you are on the train ? does it go on the tracks ?

Answer 1

I think that's actually illegal, I think it's an offence for which you could be prosecuted, as it leaves a big stinky lurker between the platforms. The trains used to have a notice to say don't flush the toilet whilst train is standing in station, but don't know if they still do. Not very nice for the other passengers, not to mention the station staff who have to clean it up.

Answer 2

I Used to on some of the very old trains but modern ones have a tank for the discharge and this is emptied at the depot periodically.I tremember on prewar trains there used to be notices about not using the toilet while stationary in a station.

Answer 3

yes it does

Answer 4

It used goes into a tank now.

Answer 5

I work on the railways, and i assure you that i have stepped on the stuff several times.  It's revolting.  I think some of the newer trains have compartments for it, but definitely not all.

Answer 6

It always used to hence the sign dont flush in stations, but modern trains have tanks underneath

Answer 7

Modern trains have a tank to store the waste. But older trains discharge on the track.

Something for all those people who buy old railway sleepers for their gardens to think about!!!

Answer 8

Flushing the toilet used to mean duming the contents of the toilet on to the track, that's why back in some of the earlier diesel locomotives, where the toilet was back in the engine compartment, you NEVER flushed when the unit was in Notch 8 throtting, because when the engine is in notch 8, it's trying to suck in combustion air from any opening it had to the outside, basically creating a vaccum, so if you flushed, the contents of the toilet would either end up sticking to the ceiling or your @$$.

Anyways back to passenger trains nowdays, since then, EPA has made some rules that say the toilets can't flush onto the track. But the reason I thik that they don't want you to flush while in station is that they could have the outlet from the sewage tank open to empty it, & now just think of what will happer if they're done emptying it, but haven't put the cap back on yet & you decide to flush... Don't think that the people standing by the train would be too happy with it.

Answer 9

gad no! gross! hahahaha! that is so primitive, doncha think?

well they have these storage thingies.

they empty it once in a while...

haha. i cant imagine a crappy railroad...!

Answer 10

No it doesn't go on the tracks otherwise it could be dangerous for other trains. A bit of you know what could land on the track and make the train skid. No it goes into a sceptic tank that gets emptied every week or whatever. Answered your question?

Answer 11

No. the tank is called a micrphore.

It has chemical solvents to treat the waste.

It is chemically disolved.

When the train returns to the depot or the yard there is a machine called a honey dipper.

It takes the discharge from the train.

It is removed environmentally to the standards of the jurisdiction.

The a new set of chemicals are added to the train with the lavatory to accommodate the people on the next trip

Old days 1950s. It did drop from the car to  the  train tracks.

Answer 12

I think it does! Gross!

Answer 13

i very much doubt it, probably the same as a plain, goes to a storage tank.

Answer 14

The problem arises when caught flushing in the station.

The culprit, if identified, is exiled to the US and forced to hire out with the Union Pacific Railroad.

Amnesty International is pushing hard to eliminate these actions, arguing that they are "cruel and unusual punishment".

Answer 15

No Way! It would be so illegal for many people.

   They have a tank to put it in, just like a air plane, and theymust empty it every so often.

Answer 16

Yes unless the toilet has a retention tank.

Answer 17

In the UK since the phase out of the old MK1 rolling stock, it does not.

Most Automatic door trains and all IC units have an under coach storeage facility that collects the waste until it can be pumped out at a central depot. Hence why sometimes you will find all the toilets locked in the evenings on some trains, or by Sunday, where the train has not been able to go in for its normal clean and spruce up due to the Engineers being on a weekend off.

Answer 18

My guess is it goes in a holding tank and gets emptied later.

Answer 19

On the older trains, it did just that and the freight RR's said "tough".   However, in the very early days of Amtrak there were some high profile incidents with fishermen fishing under bridges being sprayed by effluent.  

So retention tanks became the gold standard for new cars and rebuilds.  

Still even into the 1990s there was equipment that didn't have retention tanks, and part of the crew's job was to evict people out of the bathrooms and lock their doors if the train was coming into a station.

Answer 20

lol.maybe storage tanks that hold alll that stuff, and they empty it later. good question. i always thot when u flush it on an airplane, it flys out into the air. lol.

Answer 21

Years ago it did, dont know about other countries but in Canada and US it goes into a chemical holding tank, that is emptied into the proper facilities when the cars are serviced. A lot like a motorhome but on a bigger scale.

Answer 22

If you are in India, yes.

Answer 23

Have a look on the tracks.  It's plain to see.

Answer 24

Ummm no, thats illegal.  It is sent to the exact same unit which collects the waste while the train is in motion, the unit isn't removed, only drained, you see the exact same type of unit in RV with toilets.

Answer 25

Apparently it goes into a tank with special chemicals to dissolve the solids and is emptied as required. I doubt it could be dumped on the tracks for Health and Safety reasons?