'Transfer Accelerator' In Utrecht Helps Dutch Passengers Slide To Their Train

From Inhabitat:

We all know that taking the train is one of the greenest ways to get around, but we wouldn't exactly call being jam-packed into a metal compartment with a bunch of strangers "fun." Well one station in Utrecht is trying to change all of that with their new 'Transfer Accelerator' - a slide that lets commuters skip the stairs and experience a thrill we all loved as kids. Designed by HIK Ontwerpers, the slide and the rest of the station revamp are already making taking the train a more pleasurable experience. All photos and captions courtesy of Inhabitat.

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One of the best ways to encourage good behavior is to make it fun, and this newly revamped train station in Utrecht complete with a slide is a great example of that philosophy in action. The slide, which has been named the 'Transfer Accelerator', gives travelers a new way to get down the stairs at the entrance to the Overvecht station. Not only is it way more appealing, but it's also a bit quicker. Designed by HIK Ontwerpers as part of the station's redevelopment project, the slide is just one of the many additions to improve the usability, sustainability and safety of the new station.

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Earth Day 2012: Events Around The World

One of the best ways to encourage good behavior is to make it fun, and this newly revamped train station in Utrecht complete with a slide is a great example of that philosophy in action. The slide, which has been named the 'Transfer Accelerator', gives travelers a new way to get down the stairs at the entrance to the Overvecht station. Not only is it way more appealing, but it's also a bit quicker. Designed by HIK Ontwerpers as part of the station's redevelopment project, the slide is just one of the many additions to improve the usability, sustainability and safety of the new station.

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Transfer Accelerator

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Transfer Accelerator

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Editor's Note: The translation of this video may not be exact.
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Comments

[camanokat]

11:52 PM on 09/28/2011

I'd LOVE one of those anywhere there are stairs. I can go up stairs easily, but I have arthritis in my ankles that makes it hard to go DOWN the stairs.

[jf12]

10:17 AM on 10/03/2011

Down is hard. I've got a bum leg, and a frozen dropped foot. If I get some forward momentum going up, I can climb up as well as anyone. But going down, momentum is dangerous, so it's one step at a time: bad leg down, then good leg same step. Then bad leg down, etc.

[StrawHat]

04:42 AM on 09/27/2011

Whomever designed this slide has never seen one in person.

At the bottom, the end of the slide should be OFF THE GROUND to prevent getting your legs filthy and wet, and to make it easier to get up again.

Can you imagine this thing on a rainy/slushy day?

[camanokat]

11:40 PM on 09/28/2011

I also noticed that.

[lovelybunchofcoconuts]

01:53 AM on 09/27/2011

Somebody totally made up that translation, if you ask me. Doesn't anybody who posts on here speak Nederlandisch and can do a proper translation?

[behavingbadly]

02:12 PM on 09/26/2011

For maximum transfer efficiency, it needs an upturn at the bottom to launch the slider right through the open doors of the train.

[propackage]

08:58 PM on 09/25/2011

are we truly the only fat and lazy people on this earth? How did we get as properous as we are by being fat and lazy? Are we not descendents from europeans? Do we nap in the middle of the day like the Spainards and the Italians? When are americans going to curb their desire to go to visit people that despise us and spend our money over here.

[Asmodean1]

12:51 PM on 09/26/2011

I was annoyed with the story as well - But for a different reason. I was offended because it is an accurate portrait, of the American people today. Most here are really this naive? Arrogant? Self-centered and unaware? Thin skinned? Uninformed? - ( I think I covered the bases. ) We as a *people* work very hard at what we do to make money to buy "things". But the problem is we - many - work in such a comfortable environment with a sad lack of exercise that we have indeed - grown fat. So have our children, unfortunately, even more so then we have. Our eating habits boarder on the despicable - compared with the rest of the world and its conditions. The people here that do work hard and strenuous and do get the daily exercise are short circuited with the high sugar drinks, high sugar foods and high fat meals - coupled with snacks and beer/wine/liquor - later in the evening. My own mother(72) prides herself in eating well all day(while smoking cigs) - Then tosses herself under the bus at 9pm when the wine and cheese platter rolls out on the snack cart filled with crackers, chips and cookies - and just can't understand why she is not so thin, considering she only eats plain unseasoned healthy foods for lunch and dinner.

[Just My Thoughts 2011]

04:48 PM on 08/16/2011

Lazy Americans? What??

Funny how the rest of the world views us. Or maybe it's not so funny....

[Helanren]

07:09 AM on 08/16/2011

"Editor's Note: The translation of this video may not be exact."

You can change that last part to: "has nothing to do with what's being said in the video" :-)

[netzwerg]

06:42 AM on 08/16/2011

You are just mad that the US does not have such nice infrastructure as the Netherlands.

[HappyBrit]

07:24 AM on 08/20/2011

You sound like a killjoy. Europeans have a keener sense of fun than the Americans. Remember fun? Besides, it wouldn't work in the US because the hole is too small, and someone would just end up getting sued ;-)

[wesdfs]

04:45 PM on 08/15/2011

I think I need to move there, sounds like agreat place to live and if Im late for work i could say there was line for the slide

[deborahjoybrat]

03:41 PM on 08/15/2011

I wish I could slide to work! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

[Sabrina Horn]

08:02 AM on 08/15/2011

wow...ppl get too butt hurt over silly things.karen your a noob period.thats all im gonna say about that.

[sunsetangel87]

03:01 AM on 08/15/2011

I think it's a great idea--people take life too seriously, and sometimes things get dreary and boring. A slide is a quick way to get down hill, isn't it? I think they should put them in airports to get people through the terminals faster. Imagine how much more fun the airport would be!

Seriously though, the reporter in that video needs to remove the stick from his backend. It'd tear his suit when he got on the slide. =3

[kimlp333]

09:25 PM on 08/14/2011

Legalized pot. Slides for grown-ups. Those Dutch are having way too much fun if you ask me.

[netzwerg]

08:02 AM on 08/15/2011

And bicycle rush hours: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_o3chL8phA

[Griffinick]

08:07 PM on 08/14/2011

I want video! Looks like fun to me!

[Bfry420]

07:18 PM on 08/14/2011

If I was late I would so use that. I don't like being late.