air out

ＪＲ信越線のトンネル内で新潟発金沢行きの特急列車内に煙が入り込み、特急が一時停止するトラブルがありました。原因はトンネル内ですれ違ったイベントSLの煙だったのですが、特急の乗客がパニックになり、特急列車の非常停止スイッチを押したためでした。

air outは文字通り、「空気を入れ替える」です。SLを知らない世代が増えています。（UG）

Smoke from steam locomotive in tunnel causes panic on passing train

NIIGATA -- Smoke from a steam locomotive seeped into a passing train in a tunnel in Niigata Prefecture on Oct. 6, causing a panicked passenger on the train to push the emergency stop button, railway officials said.

Officials at East Japan Railway Co.'s Niigata branch said Hokuetsu No. 6 limited express train, which was carrying around 210 passengers and four crew members, passed the "SL Naoetsu Railway Festival" steam train in the Tsukayama Tunnel in Niigata Prefecture about an hour after setting out from Niigata Station.

When passengers on the Hokuetsu No. 6 noticed smoke inside the train, one of them pushed the emergency stop button, bringing the train to a halt outside the tunnel, where it remained for about 20 minutes.

A woman from Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, said the smoke remained inside the train for some time, and crew members did not immediately respond when she asked them to open windows or doors to air out the train.

The Niigata branch explained that the windows on the train could not be opened, and for safety reasons train doors could not be opened while the train was stopped on the tracks. After crew members made sure there were no problems with the train, they resumed operations. They cleared the smoke through vents and opened the window in the conductor's cabin to air out the train.

Steam locomotives continue to operate around Japan in conjunction with festivals and other events such as tourism promotion campaigns. The Niigata branch said it would consider changing train schedules to avoid a recurrence.

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131019p2a00m0na006000c.html