Special Report: MBTA: Get Out Alive

If you do ever have to get off the train there are ways. Some of the windows pop open but MBTA police say you should really stay away from them, it is dangerous and there's not enough room outside.

The best way is in an orderly fashion go to the front of the train or the back of the train and right out the door. The doors can also open without electricity.

From the train to the tunnel MBTA Police Chief Tom O'Loughlin shows us how passengers can make it to safety with or without train crews.

You want to stay away from the third rail if you're riding on the orange line, the blue line, or the red line.

The tunnel we were in is part of the green line where there is no danger of the third rail.

But in most tunnels, passengers should avoid the tracks in case the electricity couldn't be turned off.

Once you get off the train MBTA police say walkways have more than sufficient room to get by the train.

Passengers should walk in a single file line down the path. The distance to an exit varies with each tunnel. At most a passenger would walk is one-third of a mile.

Pay attention to the surroundings and move slowly but deliberately in a consistent direction to evacuate the tunnel.

Also, throughout an active tunnel there would be emergency lighting as well as fluorescent lights to mark the exits.

There are 50 escape hatches located throughout all the tunnels.

For safety reasons, MBTA police asked us not to show the street locations of these hatches.

But if they were to be blocked or stuck there is an alternative plan.

You have grating here so the fire department would have the ability to either remove the pieces or cut them.

So you're never going to get people stuck in here.

MBTA officials said if there was ever a terrorist attack, the main goal is to get the trains and the people out of here as quickly as possible.

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