Russian Train Toilets

Russian Train Toilets.
Now I don't really have a toilet fetish, but I do observe things. All that coffee and tea has to eventually be dispelled. The washroom is fairly clean and fresh smelling.. One at either end of the car. What is different on this train though, is that moulded into the top of the bowl are two treads. It has the normal two part lid that most toilets do. But when the lids are in the up position, it exposes the two foot treads. Instead of the top of the front of the bowl being a continuation of the sides of the bowl, it widens out on both sides and there is a diamond non skid on the surface. The only thing I have ever seen a surface like that on, is for non skid of the feet. Hmmm I wonder... I look up, thinking that there may be an access in the ceiling that can only be reached by standing on the bowl.. Nada.. As far as I can see, there is no maintenance reason to have to stand on the bowl. That leaves only two options.. If one is not comfortable with the sanitation, I guess one could get up on the bowl and squat to do one's business. There may be some validity to that, but the room is quite clean. Secondly, maybe there are some hard core squatters out there, that cannot do their business unless they squat. Ok, that is a long shot... The only other reason I can think of is that the window in the washroom is fairly high. If one was being chased down the car by the KGB or some other unsavoury characters with guns, it might make it easier to climb up on the bowl and crawl out the window. The diamond non skid treading would make sure your foot did not slip. Without the non skid, your foot could slip, and down into the bowl it would go. Considering the bottom of the bowl is essentially just a trap door, your foot would get stuck and you could not retrieve it. Wouldn't that be a sight when the angry KGB types found you? The non skid would defintitely help you make your escape. Although hanging off the side of a Russian train hurtling through time and space at 100 km, in the middle of a blinding snowtorm is more like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.....I think I would take my chances with the bad guys...To jump or not to jump? Have I seen too many movies? Is this the Orient Express or the Petersburg Express? Is Agatha Christie on board? I know there is a good reason for the stair treads on the toilet bowl, I just do not know what it is..