Penn Line service restored
Service on the Penn Line was restored about 10:15 a.m. after a crash and derailment this morning at Union Station, according to MTA spokesman David Clark. Delays are expected to continue.
« MARC service coming back after collision | Main | Amtrak says 5 hurt in derailment in D.C. »
November 5, 2010
About Michael Dresser
Michael Dresser has been an editor, reporter and columnist with The Sun longer than Baltimore's had a subway. He's covered retailing, telecommunications, state politics and wine. Since 2004, he's been The Sun's transportation writer. He lives in Ellicott City with his wife and travel companion, Cindy.His Getting There column appears on Mondays. Mike's blog will be a forum for all who are interested in highways, transit and other transportation issues affecting Baltimore, Maryland and the region.
-- ADVERTISEMENT --
Recent posts
- Grand Prix closings to 'intensify' Monday
- Public hearings on proposed toll increases set
- Authority board formally proposes toll increase plan
- Authority board passes toll hike proposal
- Authority board to vote on toll proposal
- MTA bus crash injures as many as 18
- ACLU welcomes MTA's response on photography
- MDOT will emphasize photographers' rights
- MTA chief repudiates photographer curbs
- Lesser fine for driver who hit bicyclist was blunder
Live traffic updates
Most Recent Comments
-
Authority board formally proposes toll increase plan (11)
The Guru wrote: This newspaper is in on it with the... [more]
-
Authority board passes toll hike proposal (12)
Bill wrote: The reduction of the ICC's pay-by-m... [more]
-
MTA chief repudiates photographer curbs (21)
kenny wrote: Let me be clear I'm not saying give... [more]
-
ACLU welcomes MTA's response on photography (3)
Phillip wrote: I've always believed the ACLU was a... [more]
-
MDOT will emphasize photographers' rights (1)
kenny wrote: Its not simple photography its simp... [more]
Baltimore Sun coverage
Traffic and commuting news
Subscribe to this feed
Michael Dresser's Getting There column Subscribe to this feed
Michael Dresser How-Tos
How to avoid Delaware traveling north
Obscure third route between Baltimore, D.C.
Better routes for I-95 north
How to avoid the Bay Bridge
Find cheaper gas
Check prices at area gas stations by ZIP code and find the lowest rates in the region with our new interactive gas map.
> Baltimore-area lowest gas prices
> Historical gas price charts
Subscribe to this feed
Michael Dresser's Getting There column
Subscribe to this feed
Michael Dresser How-Tos
How to avoid Delaware traveling north
Obscure third route between Baltimore, D.C.
Better routes for I-95 north
How to avoid the Bay Bridge
Find cheaper gasCheck prices at area gas stations by ZIP code and find the lowest rates in the region with our new interactive gas map.
> Baltimore-area lowest gas prices
> Historical gas price charts
Sign up for FREE local news alerts
Get free Sun alerts sent to your mobile phone.*
 |
Sign up for local news text alerts
Returning user? Update preferences.
Sign up for more Sun text alerts |
*Standard message and data rates apply. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.
Breaking News newsletter
Charm City Current
Traffic Resources
Baltimore Metropolitan Council (Regional transportation planning)
Maryland Department of Transportation (State transportation policy)
Maryland Transit Administration (Buses, light rail, Metro, Mobility)
State Highway Administration (Maintains numbered routes)
Motor Vehicle Administration (Licenses, permits, rules of the road)
Maryland Transportation Authority (Toll bridges, tunnels and highways)
Maryland Aviation Administration (BWI and Martin Airport)
AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report (Track Maryland average gas prices.)
MarylandGasPrices.com (Find the lowest and highest prices.)
SafeRoadMaps (Find out where the crashes happen.)
Roads to the Future (Scott M. Kozel on Mid-Atlantic infrastructure.)
WMATA (Washington metropolitan buses and Metro)
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (D.C. regional planning)
U.S. Department of Transportation (federal transportation policy)
Maryland Department of Transportation (State transportation policy)
Maryland Transit Administration (Buses, light rail, Metro, Mobility)
State Highway Administration (Maintains numbered routes)
Motor Vehicle Administration (Licenses, permits, rules of the road)
Maryland Transportation Authority (Toll bridges, tunnels and highways)
Maryland Aviation Administration (BWI and Martin Airport)
AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report (Track Maryland average gas prices.)
MarylandGasPrices.com (Find the lowest and highest prices.)
SafeRoadMaps (Find out where the crashes happen.)
Roads to the Future (Scott M. Kozel on Mid-Atlantic infrastructure.)
WMATA (Washington metropolitan buses and Metro)
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (D.C. regional planning)
U.S. Department of Transportation (federal transportation policy)
Categories
- Afloat
- Air travel
- Amtrak/intercity railroads
- Baltimore Metro
- Bicycles
- City bus service
- For policy wonks only
- Holiday travel
- Light rail
- Local bus lines
- MARC train
- MTA
- MTA bus system
- Maryland toll facilities
- Off the roads
- On the roads
- Politics & transportation
- Red Line
- Road safety
- Streetcars & trolleys
- WMATA/D.C. Metro
Blogroll
- Maryland Political Watch
- Baltimore Brew
- The Sun's Maryland Politics Blog
- The Sun's Bay & Environment Blog
- Shore Update
- Maryland Accident Law Blog
- Reason Foundation
- Transport Gooru
- AAA Cars & Driving blog
- The Infrastructurist
- UMBC Smog Blog
- Inside Charm City
- Ken Orski''s Innovation News Briefs
- Richard Layman's Urban Space
- Project for Public Spaces
- BaltiMorphosis
- The Transport Politic
- GreaterGreaterWashington
- AAA Cars & Driving Blog
- Julia Marsh's stuckonmarc
- Insurance and Finance Talk
Powered by MT Blogroll
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
Stay connected
Powered by Movable Type 3.36
Comments
Not so fast.
"Restored" to and from New Carrollton, perhaps, but not Union Station.
According to e-mails from the MTA, MARC Train # 416 departed from Union Station 18 minutes later than its normal 10:30am departure time.
But Train # 418, which usually departs Union Station at 11:15am, will originate at New Carrollton Station. I am left to assume that its departure time from there will be as scheduled at 11:26am. However, The e-mail announcing this was sent at 10:39am! Good luck getting from Union Station to New Carrollton via Metro in 47 minutes during non-peak hours.
The same thing happened for the next northbound train. MTA announced that MARC # 520 will originate at New Carrollton Station and depart from there at 12:31pm. The e-mail announcing this was sent at 11:45am, so once again the window of time was pretty narrow for this Metro ride.
Ditto for the next northbound train, but only worse. MTA announced that MARC # 422 will originate at New Carrollton Station (its usually scheduled departure time of 1:31pm is not mentioned in the e-mail). This time the e-mail announcing this was sent at 1:21pm, giving passengers a cozy 10 minutes to get from Union Station to New Carrollton!
The MTA then announced that MARC # 424 will originate at Union Station and was expected to depart at its usually scheduled time of 2:15pm. The e-mail announcing this was sent at 1:45pm.
This just in (at 2:21pm): Train 424 will delayed 15-20 minutes from departing Union Station due to train congestion.
Accidents happen and I don't expect perfection, but I think I should be informed about any news ASAP, not when it's too little too late to act on.
I recall that a couple of weeks an evening train I had hoped to take was canceled, with no advanced warning given. No e-mails sent, info on MarcTracker, etc. So I had to wait for nearly an hour to catch the next train home. Supposedly, the van that was supposed to transport the crew from the railyard to Camden Station failed to show up, but MTA couldn't bother to mention this to us passengers ahead of time so that we could adjust our schedules accordingly.
There have been many other recent examples when late announcements or no announcements at all were made to alert passengers of service disruptions.
I'm not asking for anything other than TIMELY announcements.
Posted by: MARC CRAM | November 5, 2010 2:37 PM