Rail vehicle and method for operating a rail vehicle

A method for operating a rail vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a rail vehicle having at least one front door, and at least one rear door disposed on a same vehicle side as the at least one front door, the at least one front door preceding the at least one rear door when the vehicle is in motion;
• using a front distance sensor associated with the at least one front door to record a front vehicle/platform-related distance and output a measured front distance value indicating the recorded front vehicle/platform-related distance as a sensor signal;
• using a rear distance sensor associated with the at least one rear door to record a rear vehicle/platform-related distance and output a measured rear distance value indicating the recorded rear vehicle/platform-related distance as a sensor signal;
• providing sliding steps each being associated with a respective one of the doors and each being extendable and retractable;
• moving at least one of the sliding steps while the rail vehicle is in motion and the doors are closed, by using at least one of the sensor signals from at least one of the sensors associated with at least one of the sliding steps;
• and
• controlling the sliding step associated with the at least one rear door while the rail vehicle is in motion by also using at least the measured front distance value.

A rail vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of distance sensors outputting sensor signals;
• doors;
• sliding steps being extendable and retractable, said sliding steps each being associated with a respective one of said doors;
• said sliding steps being movable by using the sensor signals from said distance sensors, while the rail vehicle is in motion and said doors are closed;
• a central control device receiving measured distance values from two or more or all of said distance sensors;
• said central control device configured to evaluate the measured distance values and generate sliding-step-specific control signals to control said sliding steps;
• and
• said central control device configured:
• to forecast a sliding-step-specific stopping place for each of said sliding steps while the vehicle is still in motion,
• to evaluate, for each of said sliding steps, one, multiple or all of the measured distance values having actually been measured for a respective sliding-step-specifically forecast stopping place by preceding distance sensors to form a sliding-step-specific target extension length, and
• to generate sliding-step-specific control signals to control said sliding steps and cause said sliding steps to attain said sliding-step-specific target extension lengths.