Home · Maps · About

Home > SubChat

[ Post a New Response | Return to the Index ]

(1162239)

view threaded

WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
The first inbound Yellow Line train of the day (shortly after 7 AM) crossed over to the outbound track upon departing Braddock Road and wrong railed because of track work. It entered Ronald Reagan Airport station on the outbound track instead of using the center track between platforms. About fifty passengers were standing on the inbound platform. They made a mad dash to reach the outbound platform. The train waited long enough for several of the fastest runners to board. Metro runs twenty-minute headways on Saturday morning.
About fifteen passengers were waiting on the inbound platform at Pentagon City station. A few of them made it to the outbound platform and boarded.
The train operator must have called the dispatcher, because at Pentagon station all the passengers were on the outbound platform.

Post a New Response

(1162256)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Wayne-MrSlantR40 on Sun Jun 17 11:51:34 2012, in response to WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
I don't think there is access to the centre track from the south end of the station any more; that would explain that.

wayne


Post a New Response

(1162259)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Sun Jun 17 11:56:02 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Wayne-MrSlantR40 on Sun Jun 17 11:51:34 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
IIRC, the train would be able to enter the center track if it was wrong railing from Braddock Road going inbound, but wouldn't be able to return to the outbound track.

There isn't any trackwork scheduled for that part of the Blue/Yellow line this weekend, so the fact the train was wrong railing was likely unplanned. Doesn't make things better for the customers left behind, but something unusual was up.

Post a New Response

(Sponsored)

iPhone 6 (4.7 Inch) Premium PU Leather Wallet Case - Red w/ Floral Interior - by Notch-It

(1162260)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Sun Jun 17 11:56:33 2012, in response to WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Where did this train stop wrong-railing? That is a pretty significant distance to go against traffic...

Post a New Response

(1162264)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Sand Box John on Sun Jun 17 12:22:47 2012, in response to WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
The first inbound Yellow Line train of the day (shortly after 7 AM) crossed over to the outbound track upon departing Braddock Road and wrong railed because of track work. It entered Ronald Reagan Airport station on the outbound track instead of using the center track between platforms. About fifty passengers were standing on the inbound platform. They made a mad dash to reach the outbound platform. The train waited long enough for several of the fastest runners to board. Metro runs twenty-minute headways on Saturday morning.

About fifteen passengers were waiting on the inbound platform at Pentagon City station. A few of them made it to the outbound platform and boarded.
The train operator must have called the dispatcher, because at Pentagon station all the passengers were on the outbound platform.


What date did this happen? If it was 06 16 2012 it was a bigger fail than what you describe. WMATA did not advertize track work for the weekend 06 15-17 2012 between Braddock Road and Pentagon City.

Metro weekend track work June 15-17, 2012

And for the record, a train wrong railing on outbound track C1 can not return to outbound track C1 after serving National Airport from the center track.

WMATA removed turnouts 5A, 5B, 11A and 11B at National Airport converting the pocket track at National Airport into a trailing point crossover in an overreaction to the derailment on 01 03 2003.



John in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.

Post a New Response

(1162269)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Jackson Park B Train on Sun Jun 17 13:06:45 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Sand Box John on Sun Jun 17 12:22:47 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Sad all around. With all the fancy electronic annunciators no one took the trouble to warn customers. Second fail, the first person to have made it over to the correct platform should have as a courtesy stood blocking a door so the T/O who obviously was not making the effort couldn't shut the doors until everyone got over and aboard.
Agree w/you that eliminating the crossovers was dumb.
The answer to insufficiently robust maintenance is NOT eliminating operational flexibility.

Post a New Response

(1162298)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Sand Box John on Sun Jun 17 15:28:45 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Jackson Park B Train on Sun Jun 17 13:06:45 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
With all the fancy electronic annunciators no one took the trouble to warn customers.

The $64.00 questions is, why was this train wrong railing in the first place?

The answer to insufficiently robust maintenance is NOT eliminating operational flexibility.

As I recall WMATA upgraded all of the turnouts at National Airport to "guarded turnouts" prior to the elimination of the previously mentioned 4.

John in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.

Post a New Response

(1162299)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by RailBus63 on Sun Jun 17 15:31:35 2012, in response to WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Sounds like a dispatcher made a decision to wrong-rail the train and never alerted the personnel at the affected stations.

The T/O may have been told to keep going so to not screw up the outbound trains.

Post a New Response

(1162301)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 15:35:55 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Sun Jun 17 11:56:33 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
I didn't notice when it crossed back. It was on the inbound track crossing over the Potomac.

Post a New Response

(1162302)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 15:39:06 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 15:35:55 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
After seeing Sand Box John's track diagram, I would say it crossed back between Pentagon City and Pentagon.

Post a New Response

(1162305)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Sun Jun 17 15:41:01 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by RailBus63 on Sun Jun 17 15:31:35 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d

The T/O may have been told to keep going so to not screw up the outbound trains.


According to the posted timetables at WMATA.com (dated 2006), the first southbound Yellow Line gets to Pentagon at 7:48 AM and the first southbound Blue Line gets to Pentagon at about 7:34 AM. The first two Yellow Line trains could make it to C&L Junction without meeting any oncoming trains, the third train would only slightly delay the first Blue Line of the morning.

Post a New Response

(1162355)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by randyo on Sun Jun 17 20:07:51 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Jackson Park B Train on Sun Jun 17 13:06:45 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
IAWTP, however, certain transit managers and planners who hired on the the MTA/NYCT in recent years have been doing just that to the transit system that had probably the most flexibility built into it of any transit system in the world.

Post a New Response

(1162377)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Jackson Park B Train on Mon Jun 18 01:11:51 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by randyo on Sun Jun 17 20:07:51 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
dumb short term thinking is precisely the wrong strategy for any long life organization.

Post a New Response

(1162381)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Mon Jun 18 02:12:24 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Jackson Park B Train on Sun Jun 17 13:06:45 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
The electronic next train signs don't handle wrong railing/single tracking well. Not sure they would have clearly indicated to anyone on the platform they needed to cross over.

Post a New Response

(1162402)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Jackson Park B Train on Mon Jun 18 13:07:15 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Mon Jun 18 02:12:24 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
and there is no PA from central? Even lame BART can make emergency announcements to stations from central.


Post a New Response

(1162415)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by chuchubob on Mon Jun 18 13:38:39 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Mon Jun 18 02:12:24 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
On Friday the electronic sign on the outbound side at NoMa-Gallaudet U listed two consecutive trains as 2-car trains. I saw the first one; it had 8 cars.

Post a New Response

(1162416)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Mon Jun 18 13:40:02 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Jackson Park B Train on Mon Jun 18 13:07:15 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
I believe there is, but it seems like a question Sand Box John might know for sure.

Chuchubob could write Dr. Gridlock (his weekly online chat is about to end) but the current doctor doesn't seem to be as good at getting answers to this sort of thing as his predecessor.

Post a New Response

(1162455)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Wado MP73 on Mon Jun 18 17:20:01 2012, in response to WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Metro runs twenty-minute headways on Saturday morning.

That's still a progress. In 1989, there were no trains on weekend mornings.

Post a New Response

(1162462)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by ClearAspect on Mon Jun 18 18:06:19 2012, in response to WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Sun Jun 17 08:55:32 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Its WMATA, its a garbage system. Right up there with SEPTA>

Post a New Response

(1162470)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Train2104 on Mon Jun 18 18:49:09 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by ClearAspect on Mon Jun 18 18:06:19 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Took my first SEPTA rides over the weekend:

-The NHSL was much more crowded than I expected for a Saturday afternoon. Ride was very rough. A surprising number of people paid the full $2 cash fare, given that tokens offer a 45 cent discount. (plus $1 transfer fee)

-The MFL was shuddering the whole way, not so crowded, insanely loud in the tunnel, and very rough. Worse than the R32's even though much newer. I can't imagine what rush hour looks like though with the bus-style seating.

-Regional Rail is so old-school. Not a single PA announcement once out of Center City, everything was communicated by shouting conductors.

Post a New Response

(1162479)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Dupont Circle Station on Mon Jun 18 19:42:41 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by chuchubob on Mon Jun 18 13:38:39 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
That happens at Dupont and MC quite often. I suspect it's a line-long defect in the system. I sent feedback a few times but never got more than the autoresponder, even though I asked for an explanation.

Post a New Response

(1162543)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Tue Jun 19 02:18:29 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by ClearAspect on Mon Jun 18 18:06:19 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Have you actually ever been a passenger on either system?

Post a New Response

(1162544)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Tue Jun 19 02:20:25 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by Dupont Circle Station on Mon Jun 18 19:42:41 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
WMATA said yesterday in response to questions about 8 car trains turning up as 6s when they arrived and vice versa that the length of the train on the displays is determined by what the master schedule calls for, not the actual length of the train. Since there are no 2 car trains scheduled, I'm not sure why that is showing up on the display, but there is a partial explanation of sorts.

Post a New Response

(1162563)

view threaded

Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday

Posted by Dupont Circle Station on Tue Jun 19 08:22:01 2012, in response to Re: WMATA Metrorail FAIL Saturday, posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Tue Jun 19 02:20:25 2012.

edf40wrjww2msgDetail:detailStr
fiogf49gjkf0d
Many times I've seen "8" displayed for all train lengths on the Red, when only 6-packs are running.

Post a New Response


[ Return to the Message Index ]