Jed Weeks, a frequent poster to this blog, is keeping a close eye on the workings of Baltimore's Metro, which is seldom seen by many of us. Here's his observation:

 I've noticed recently that MTA is running two-car trains on the weekends. This is combined with the increased 20 minute headway due to track work, according to the website. I don't see it as a problem really, because the system is so deserted on the weekends, but operators have yet to choose a method of stopping at stations. Some trains are stopping mid platform, and others are pulling to the end of the platform, causing confusion for riders.
 
On the DC Metro, 4 and 6 car trains pull to the end of the platform, and announce this somewhat frequently (though the announcements are somewhat confusing). Perhaps MTA should do the same here?

I ran this by MTA spokeswoman Jawauna Greene, who responded without delay:

Each station has designated stops depending on the size of the train. The platforms are approximately 450 feet which is the length of a 6 car train. The stop locations, which are marked in the track bed, have been set so that a train berth or stops an equal distance from the front and rear of the platform. The only one that is different is Lexington Market where the two car marker is set between the escalators because this is area where most customers wait for the train.

When operating in Automatic Train Operations, the operator programs the length of his train into the train's system. The train's system reads the information from the track circuits which indicates the stopping location in the station.
In manual mode the operator stops the train at the proper car marker.
Essentially, the stop locations can vary. Operators always try to make sure they don't inconvenience the riders.

The operative word, it seems, is "try."

 

: