Here's what went wrong on light rail
If you were one of the hundreds of light rail riders left waiting at stations this weekend, there's a good chance you still don't know the reasons because the Maryland Transit Administration just doesn't know how to communicate with its customers.
Don't feel too bad. The MTA doesn't even communicate internally. It took MTA spokesman Terry Owens most of the day to ferret out basic information such as where a train broke down. Until the operations people start informing the public affairs people about problems before the media inquiries come in, the MTA is going to continue to be a dysfuctional organization.
Anyway, here's what went down Saturday, according to Owens:
First, MTA police received a report about 2:30 p.m. of a body lying across the tracks near Lutherville. The report ultimately could not be verified, but it prompted a slowdown of the trains to 20 mph, Owens said, as officers walked the track to check out the report. In view of the fatal accident that occurred on the light rail tracks last year, the sensitivity is understandable.
Then, just before 5 p.m., a train hit a branch that was lying across the tracks north of the Falls Road station. The branch became jammed in the train's undercarriage and had to be extracted. Meanwhile another train had to be diverted to pick up the passengers -- a maneuver that took 45 minutes or so. Meanwhile, the system had to go to single-tracking around the stalled train. Then the MTA had to inspect the track and make sure it was safe. That takes time.
When something like that goes wrong, it can have a cascading effect on the entire system. That's understood.
What isn't clear is why it would still be affecting traffic in Linthicum and North Linthicum between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., where rides reported that no northbound trains came by between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. According to Owens, the MTA sent out email alerts, which is a great way to reach its regular commuters but a lousy way to contact the occasional riders who use the system on weekends. At least some of the riders missed a Government Mule concert as a result.
Those are riders who are unlikely to use the light rail system again.
"We certainly wouldn't want anyone to give up on the system based on one bad experience," Owens said.
Hey,dude, get real! They missed Government Mule. Would you go back to a system that made you miss Government Mule?
Owens said the MTA did many things right over Artscape weekend. He said extra people were called in and extra cars added to trains. There was a bus bridge in reserve Sunday, when service apparently went smoothly. But on Saturday, the MTA couldn't do something as basic as spreading the word to its stations that there was a problem on the line.
Apparently the MTA was still undecided today whether its performance Saturday merited an apology to light rail riders. Owens said such a gesture "might be forthcoming."
Poor MTA. So slow in so many ways.
What should have happened is this: The person in charge of light rail should have had a memo on MTA Administrator Ralign Wells' desk Monday morning telling him just how badly the system performed Saturday, with a draft of an apology letter ready for his signature. If that memo wasn't there, it says something about the culture at the MTA that needs changing.
Comments
An apology might be forthcoming? That is pathetic, the MTA should give its spokesman the right to apologize anytime there is any problem and then they can decide if a formal apology from Wells is necessary (which should have been decided before Monday morning.
Wells is making big bucks, he heads a state agency, if a major problems occurs then he needs to be disturbed on his day off and have some heads roll to fix the problem and have an apology ready and sent to the media and emailed to riders before you ever cover it.
Thankfully riders are raising these issues now and MTA's incompetence is coming to light.
Please note that although people are upset about the delays and prlbems, the biggest thing making people upset is the lack of communication.
If trains were running in the opposite direction then the driver of that train can get on the loud speaker when he stops to announce to those on the opposite platform about the problem until the PA system is installed.
And, of course, the real question, why was a PA system not installed to begin with!?!
Posted by: Richard | July 19, 2010 9:31 PM
While the greater travesty with the weekend Light Rail service was the lack of punctual communication DURING the problem period to the affected patrons--the root of the problems themselves stem from the service itself--that is light rail.
The modality of light rail CANNOT handle large crowds and heavy loads. It simply doesn't have the capacity, esp. our system. Overloaded stations and extra long dwell times inevitably cascade into long term delays and lengthened service intervals. The issues which supposedly caused the disruption this weekend are endemic to light rail, such as track disruptions from external phenomenon--but are much less common with a heavy rail Metro.
Timely and useful information to patrons MUST be a priority to reasonably serve the public due to complications and problems. But don't expect a more responsive MTA to make the Light Rail be a better system. It just isn't in the cards. Nothing will stop the same type of issues with the proposed light rail Red Line from occuring. If anything, they'll be worse.
Posted by: Nate Payer | July 20, 2010 12:53 AM
Two words -- dysfunctional organization
Posted by: missnj | July 20, 2010 8:59 AM
I never count on public transportation to get me somewhere on time. If I am going to an event I really care about like a concert or work I drive. If I am going to an Orioles game with free tickets I might use the light rail because I don't care if I am late.
If service is suspended or delayrd I don't understand why an employee is not dispatched to the stations affected to pass the word.
Why doesn't the MTA just post a generic apology on their website and let riders fill in the cause and print it off? Or it could come with a drop down menu listing different events. Just click on one the choices.
a. Sorry your bus didn't show up or was late.
b. Sorry your MARC train broke down.
c. Sorry your Marc train didn't have air conditioning.
d. Sorry the light rail made you miss your (fill in the blank).
e. Sorry for other (fill in the blank).
Of course the MTA could just improve communications and service but that would require hiring competent employees not bureaucrats.
Posted by: Mark | July 20, 2010 12:07 PM
This morning at North Linthicum light rail station at 7:17 am there was an announcement over the PA system to say that trains were on time.
I was shocked for many reasons (1) The MTA communicated, (2) the light rail was on time, (3) they have a PA system, (4) the PAY system works, (5) the train showed up on time!
I guess it tooks this weekends problems and these posts for them to remember they had a PA system (at least at some stations).
Posted by: Richard | July 20, 2010 12:48 PM
I was on the train that hit the tree branch. I was already having a terrible few days with travel (not MTA related) when this happened. Since we were going to the Orioles game and my 15 year old son bought the tickets, we were getting worried about getting there for the giveaway. However, the announcement they made was similar to the language above about another train being diverted. That makes it sound like they took another train from somewhere else, when in fact it was the next scheduled south bound train. I had wisely moved my boys closer to the exit, and they seemed to be putting everyone from our train on to the back car of the other train. The back car had some space (a few seats and some standing), but the rest of the train was pretty full. I doubt that everyone got off the first train. There was no 'diversion' just a wait for the next train by. I wrote to the MTA on Sunday, but have not heard back yet.
Posted by: Mike | July 21, 2010 5:10 PM