Gilligan's train? MARC commute is '3 hour tour'
Penn Line commuters are reporting Train 509 is running hours late. We're checking on what's happening and why the MTA web site is calling it a "minor" problem.
10:55: Still haven't heard back from the MTA, but a reader sends the following account of this morning's Penn Line commute:
This was no "minor" disruption. Train 407 (Penn Station 6:17am departure) lost power to the motor between Halethorpe and BWI. Train 509 behind it (Penn Station 6:25am departure) came behind and linked up with train 407.
The trains sat there on the tracks for 2 hours. A few passengers were able to transfer to another passing train before it had to clear the tracks.
The remaining passengers sat on the tracks until about 8:45am, when the two attached trains reached BWI. The 407/509 combined train then proceeded forward slowly and made all local stops, before arriving at Union Station at 9:59am, almost 3 hours behind schedule.
More from another MARC rider:
This is getting ridiculous. I've now been on three broken down trains and had at least a 30-40 minute delay every other day for the past month.
Yesterday the air compressor broke down at Union Station, halting all trains for the commute home.
Yet another voice from the train:
An earlier MARC train was disabled north of BWI (I was on the following train which was packed to the gills picking up passengers stranded by this disabled train). I don't know if this had anything to do with the 509 or not.
WHERE ARE THE NEW ENGINES O'Malley made a big to-do about and played engineer on awhile back? Now its summer, when engines tend to fail (and have been failing recently), and there seems to be no relief in sight.
My other question (for which I have never received a straight anwswer from the MTA): When do trains cross the line from 'serious overcrowding' to 'dangerous overcrowding'? This morning we clearly couldn't hold anymore passengers, yet continued to be further delayed making stops where passengers attempted to board. Standees in the vestibule is a regular occurrence and supposed to be prohibited. It's only a matter of time before this kind of overcrowding becomes dangerous or even deadly.
Comments
An earlier MARC train was disabled north of BWI (I was on the following train which was packed to the gills picking up passengers stranded by this disabled train). I don't know if this had anything to do with the 509 or not.
WHERE ARE THE NEW ENGINES O'Malley made a big to-do about and played engineer on awhile back? Now its summer, when engines tend to fail (and have been failing recently), and there seems to be no relief in sight.
My other question (for which I have never received a straight anwswer from the MTA): When do trains cross the line from 'serious overcrowding' to 'dangerous overcrowding'? This morning we clearly couldn't hold anymore passengers, yet continued to be further delayed making stops where passengers attempted to board. Standees in the vestibule is a regular occurrence and supposed to be prohibited. It's only a matter of time before this kind of overcrowding becomes dangerous or even deadly.
Posted by: Bill | July 8, 2009 10:53 AM
This is getting ridiculous. I've now been on three broken down trains and had at least a 30-40 minute delay every other day for the past month.
Yesterday the air compressor broke down at Union Station, halting all trains for the commute home.
Posted by: blarg | July 8, 2009 10:59 AM
MARC's constant malfunctions should serve as an embarrassment to the state transportation department. The malfunctions certainly serve as a source of frustration for riders.
The system is unreliable because it is so poorly maintained. This is a long-standing problem yet no one has the guts to do what needs to be done: Reinvest in the rail system. Move resources from road paving projects to fund part of it, and charge riders higher fares to help make up the gap.
I am a monthly pass holder for the Penn Line and I would be willing to pay higher fares if I could rely on using the train. This morning I already paid more out of my pocket when I had to buy an Amtrak train ticket just so that I could arrive to work a mere hour later than scheduled. I would have arrived later than that had I used my monthly MARC rail pass to board a Penn Line train at BWI.
If MARC considers this morning's problems "minor," I don't want to be around when MARC has "major" problems.
Posted by: Debbie | July 8, 2009 4:02 PM
I'm a monthly pass holder and it seems there was a string of problems with the Camden line last summer as well. Not sure if it's the heat but one thing is for sure, if I want to be absolutely sure I'm getting to work on time, I take the METRO.
Posted by: Marty | July 8, 2009 4:41 PM