How come the MARC train stations don't even have basic systems to alert riders and others to the status of trains? People are siting at the stations waiting for riders to arrive and have NO status of the trains? There are audio systems in the stations that used to be used to give status and are no longer used? A simple suggestion: put monitors in each station, hooked to Internet and have the control center update the status as each train proceeds through the system....how difficult can this be?
The answer is that MARC is in the process of solving this problem to a degree. With the help of stimulus funds, MARC plans to replace public address systems with LED sings at all of their stations save the ones run by Amtrak (Washington, New Carrollton, BWI, Baltimore, Aberdeen). The existing system is in need of replacement as it's 20 years old. As replacement parts are hard to come by keeping the old PA system operational is a struggle. The replacements will hit Brunswick first and then Camden and finally Penn, as the Penn line system is in the best shape of the three.
The new system will be linked to the MARC Tracker that alerts riders via text or email about delays. It will provide real time status updates, i.e. "Train 419 to Washington arriving in 3 minutes" much like the current system used by DC Metro subway stations. MARC staff will continue to update passengers about delays, so the system will not rely entirely on automation.
That's right, my fiance and I are dressing up as Baltimore's most controversial public art for Halloween this year: Penn Station's Male/Female.
I've already purchased little LED lights to stick to our chests and purply-blue foil to wrap around them. Searching for silver spandex and possible silver paint/hairspray to complete the costume. Supply source suggestions are welcome.
This will be the second year in a row that we've dressed up as iconic images from nearby Penn Station. Last year we were a hit as the Natty Boh guy proposing to the Utz girl from the Smyth jewelers billboard.
The chatter on two blogs, Inside Charm City and Getting There, is that morning delays on Amtrak and MARC between DC and Baltimore were due to signal problems and - dun dun dun - possible sabotage.
Russian spies strike again?
Amtrak won't confirm sabotage, but also won't rule it out according to Dresser at Getting There. After some sleuthing Quinton at Charm City got a reply via Twitter from MTA saying that "malicious destruction" had affected the signals.
Then again Dresser's reporting found that the delays could be the fault of copper wires, which are the cause of some of the summer time delays.
Anyone else out there see signs of sabotage or have theories about the delay? Drop me a line.
A MARC official has released the 2010 holiday schedule to Stuck on MARC. A few details are still being worked out so check back for future updates. For now, here are the dates that you'll need to find alternate transportation if you have to work on the holidays:
Monday, October 11: Columbus Day--No service
Thursday, November 11: Veterans Day--S (snow) schedule.
Thursday and Friday, November 25-26: Thanksgiving and the day after--no service
Friday, December 24 and Friday, December 31 (Christmas and New Years observed, they fall on a Saturday this year)--no service
***During the week between Christmas and New Year, in response to commuter requests and improving state budget situation, MARC plans to operate full service.
This last schedule adjustment is great news for anyone who works past 7:30pm as the 7:40pm Penn Line was the last to leave Union Station during that week.
Visit MTA's Web site for more special schedule information.
The 'police activity' referenced in the below email notice from MARC was in response to an attempted suicide off the top of the Amtrak parking lot and onto the rails. The jumper was talked down with the promise of a smoothie, a MARC official tells me. Despite the incident- and resulting closure of tracks- the system only suffered delays stretching into the 25-minute range.
"BRNSWK: MARC 891 is canceled following a police activity in Washington/Union station. Passengers should transfer to MARC 875. Washington Metro will honor all MARC tickets."
I was just reading a speech given by the Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. He was talking about the need for the US to invest in high speed rail.
Noting that there are 6 Es of Japanese high speed rail service, "the second E, E for exactness. Average delay time per year is less than one minute."
Average delay per year is less than one minute! Can you imagine?
He then goes on to say that this Amtrak train from New York was recently canceled and jokes that he hopes his friends at Amtrak aren't listening to C-SPAN.
The Washington Post has a good article and video detailing former MD Gov (and current gubernatorial candidate) Robert Ehrlich's efforts to court disgruntled MARC riders following last month's train from hell.
I'd have to dispute one point made by the head of the new group Commuters for Ehrlich, who in the video says that there's no griping forum for MARC passengers. There's a regular, maybe monthly or bimonthly "Meet the MARC Managers" event where riders can approach MTA officials and complain or ask questions. They do a good job of rotating the managers to different stations so all riders get a fair shake.
My question for Ehrlich is whether or not he will pledge to do something politically unpalatable if he's elected governor, that is raise train ticket prices.
MARC Riders Advisory Council chair Rafi Guroian told Stuck on MARC in an interview lats year that more revenue is essential for MARC's growth and improvement.
$175 for a monthly unlimited ticket is quite a bargain; I for one would be willing to pay $25 to get to work and home on time.
The Metro section of today's Washington Post has a long article detailing the MARC train that stalled outside Union Station Monday night, leaving 900 passengers stranded and struggling for relief amid sweltering temperatures for two hours.
This isn't the first time MARC commuters have been stuck in a heat box for hours. Below is an email last year, June 9, about a very similar incident, which also forced riders to resort to drastic measures - removing windows using emergency handles - to get relief.
MTA officials have apologized, Amtrak has promised "corrective actions," and an investigation is ongoing, according to the Post.
The Post article quotes Gov. O'Malley calling the incident "utterly unacceptable," we'll be watching to see what follow up action he takes to assure it doesn't happen again, for the third summer in a row.
To Our Penn Line Passengers:
We sincerely apologize for yesterday’s mechanical breakdown on train 530 near the Seabrook station. As those of you on the train know all too well, train 530 became disabled shortly after departing New Carrollton. Not only was the train unable to move, but the train lost all lighting and air conditioning. As soon as the problem with Train 530 was reported, Amtrak sent a mechanical technician out on the next train to attempt to repair the train. The locomotive involved has been removed from service pending a thorough investigation and repairs.
The MTA contracts with Amtrak to operate the Penn Line MARC trains. The MARC operations center was notified of Train 530’s problems by Amtrak just before 5:00pm. We sent a text and email message out to all Penn Line riders at 5:01pm, with updates following.
We understand that the temperature and conditions on board train 530 quickly became unbearable. Many of you expressed frustration that several MARC trains passed train 530 without stopping. The challenge of rush hour operations is that these trains themselves are already filled to capacity themselves and cannot take on additional passengers. While the train stopped agonizingly short of the platform at Seabrook, it is not possible to unload passengers at a location that is not a station stop.
When it became clear that train 530 was not going to be able to move for a significant period of time, trains 439 and 440 were cancelled and its equipment sent non-stop from Baltimore to Seabrook to transfer passengers. While 439 was en route, the technician was able to get 530’s locomotive working, lights and air conditioning restored, and the train departed Seabrook. MARC then “uncancelledd” train 440, the 6:40pm departure from Washington.
Today, MARC management has been reviewing this incident with Amtrak. One of our primary concerns is, based upon on your e-mails to us, that the train crew did not provide updates to passengers. This is unacceptable and we have told Amtrak that we expect their employees to provide regular updates to our passengers, even when there is no new information to report. MARC’s mechanical department will also be meeting with Amtrak mechanical personnel to determine what went wrong with the locomotive.
While yesterday’s incident was, to say the least, frustrating and the temperature uncomfortable, we do need to ask one thing of our passengers. Please do not ever remove windows from a train, unless directed by a member of the train crew. Doing this makes an already difficult situation worse—once windows are removed, a train cannot proceed until the car(s) in which the windows have been removed are unoccupied and even then the train can only proceed at a significantly reduced speed. It is also extremely dangerous to exit a train through the emergency windows. In addition to the potential injury you may incur falling from the train, trains pass on parallel tracks at speeds of up to 135 miles per hour. These trains approach very quickly and quietly. Again, while we understand the conditions on board train 530, removal of windows and exiting the train is extremely dangerous and should never be done unless directed by a uniformed Amtrak/MARC employee.
Until a fellow commuter asked me out on a date while we were walking from the MARC train into Union Station this morning, it never occurred to me that the MARC is the perfect place to scope out single men.
First off the dating pool is selective, these men have jobs ladies, and probably steady ones if they work for the federal government.
Secondly you have a number of things in common such as the fact that you both take public transportation and most likely live close to one another.
Finally, since you probably see this person most weekdays you can scope out their habits- is he an annoyingly loud cell phone talker? does he snore when cat napping- before deciding whether or not you'd want to date him.
So ladies, give that bespectacled gentleman with the nice leather briefcase who always rides in the first row of the third car a second look. With our daily commutes cutting into our social lives, the MARC just might be your ticket to finding a man.
P.S. I had struck up a conversation with the man who asked me out last week before he asked me out this morning. He was friendly, interesting and intelligent, and easy on the eyes. I declined his invitation as I'm madly in love with my wonderful boyfriend, but I thought I'd share this experience for all the single ladies out there.
The Baltimore Sun's transportation reporter, Michael Dresser, has a feature in today's newspaper [presumably since it was published online last night] about what MARC riders can expect from the beleaguered commuter rail this summer.
High temps during the summer months usually mean delays due to speed restrictions on the rail and Dresser quotes on commuter predicting the worst: "It's going to be a long, hot summer."
But Dresser also quotes a MARC official predicting that new diesel engines and repaired AEM-7 engines should alleviate some of the past problems that MARC riders had to contend with during the summer.
Dresser also dips into what could become a political battle in the race for governor, noting that former MD Gov. Ehrlich Jr. has criticized current Gov. O'Malley for scrimping on funds to the MARC system, even though a closer look at spending proves otherwise.
Transit advocate Rafi Guroian settles the dispute, "Neither is a hero to MARC," Dresser quotes him as saying.
A friend emailed me a link to this really cool feature that The New York Times is running this week.
NYT readers are invited to post their questions about New York City's transit system to Dennis H. Boyd, a train operator aboard the No. 4 Lexington Ave. subway line. The Times will publish the first set of Boyd's responses this Wednesday.
Any interest out there among MARC commuters for a similar feature at Stuck on MARC? My first inclination would be to get one of the more friendly and knowledgeable MARC conductors, such as Mike of the Penn Line's #415, to field questions.
It would be a chance for riders to learn more about the conductors they see on a regular basis and for the conductors, in turn, to impart some of their wisdom to us.
Last week I received an email from a MARC commuter concerned about how the system handles school groups aboard the trains. Specifically she was pleased to received advance notice on May 13 that a group would be aboard train #513 the next morning.
She was not pleased that the students were given the first two cars for the following reasons:
- When the group disembarks the students clog the platform awaiting instructions from teachers - Daily commuters should get priority boarding for the first two cars since they're the closest to the station upon arrival. Why are consistent commuters being penalized for their loyalty over occasional riders? - If students need to be close to the bathroom (reason given by conductor to commuter for why students had to ride at the front of the train) why not add another bathroom car?
I brought the commuter's above concerns to Rafi Guroian, chair of MRAC (MARC Riders' Advisory Council). Rafi had received similar complaints from other riders and had already brought the issue up with the MTA.
Rafi providing the following explanation for the May 14 incident with the school group (I've edited his full response for brevity).
1. The group boarded at Perryville, whose switch track only allows boarding at the southern end of the train. 2. MTA had attempted to get the train crew to instruct the school supervisors to keep their charges on the train until everyone else disembarked. Alas the ball was dropped somewhere along the way on that one. (I'm sure any teachers/parents in audience are sympathetic here). 3. MTA conceded that they'd overbooked school groups, promising to split groups over multiple trains in the future.
Also, Rafi noted his genuine concerns about reports that both teachers and students were yelled at and cursed at by commuters. "We take trains instead of driving to relax, presumably, and there's no call for vulgarity amongst each other-- adults, most of us-- God forbid children," Rafi wrote.
In closing Rafi noted that the school group incident is emblematic of a larger problem MARC is facing: adequately handling increased ridership. "I believe what happened Friday is a small preview of things to come," Rafi warned.
Rafi detailed the severe capacity constraints that the MARC system and Union Station in particular are facing: no hard, funded plans for new equipment in the near future, no space to put new cars even if we procured them, no money to alleviate space issues at Union Station.
Compared to similar metro areas around the U.S., DC-Baltimore "looks like a skeleton with no meat," says Rafi. He continues that the State of Maryland, specifically the lawmakers that hold the purse and policy strings in Annapolis, need to wake up and "Do something to really plan for the future of our transit systems in MD."
Rafi concluded by conceding that MTA/MARC folks probably could have handled Friday's school group more smoothly, but he argued that the system is operating with very limited equipment, stations and funding. "They're stretching a rubber band just about as far as it'll go," he wrote.
Help Rafi bring more attention to transit needs by contacting your state elected officials. Look them up and find their contact info here.
I will be suspending my boycott of Java Moon Cafe. (See yesterday's post.)
I wrote to the Java Moon parent company after I was refused coffee in my travel mug at the cafe in Penn Station yesterday. The refusal upset me because many companies like The Daily Grind in Baltimore and Caribou Coffee in D.C. encourage customers to use their travel mugs and cut down on waste by offering discounts.
In response to my complaints, I received an emailed apology from a company BP, promising a closer review of the policy, which does not allow customers to use travel mugs for fear that they might be sued if dirty mugs are filled with their coffee. I was pleasantly surprised by the speedy reply, less than 24 hours after I filed my complaint.
The VP graciously offered five days of free coffee in my travel mug and a discount on pastries, for taking time to tell her about my experience. I will decline the offer so as to remain somewhat neutral, but I appreciate the spirit.
I look forward to hearing the outcome of the company's review to see whether it results in a change in policy, posting of a sign explaining the policy or other consideration.
I stood in line for over five minutes at the new Java Moon Cafe in Penn Station, Baltimore this morning to get a cup of coffee.
When I handed over my plastic travel mug, the cashier shot me a look and said, 'We won't use your cup. We will only give you coffee in our own cups.'
After asking why not the cashier refused to give me an explanation.
"That seems like a waste," I said.
Then I left and went to get coffee at Dunkin Donuts instead. As I waited in line the manager from Java Moon walked by. I told her that if they were going to enforce such a ridiculous, regressive policy they should at least post a sign informing customers.
The manager just kept repeating "It's a company rule," when I asked her why the rule existed. Finally she motioned for me to step out of the line and she would whisper the reason for the rule.
I told her in front of the crowd that if the company was going to enforce such a rule it shouldn't be a secret and the public had a right to know the reasons behind the rule.
Finally she told me the rule was to prevent customers from using dirty travel mugs and then suing the company for putting their coffee in the dirty mugs. She was not amused when I asked her to smell my mug and tell me if it was dirty or not.
At first she countered that the company, Java Moon Cafe, is a franchise. I told her that I would write to the company to complain because a) the lawsuit excuse is ridiculous b) the policy is regressive when many other companies promote good environmental practices by giving customers who use their own cups a discount c) not using their cups saves the company money d) for MARC commuters who travel with coffee there's no place to put a cup, so you have to wedge it between the seats which only works with a hard travel mug and not a flimsy paper cup.
I will be writing to Java Moon to complain - you can do the same, click here. Let their Facebook friends know about the nonsensical policy by posting on their wall.
In the meantime I'm boycotting Java Moon. I'd also like to find out of the public has any input into who gets concessions at Penn Stations. If you have any information about this please let me know.
Two police officers stood guard on the platform outside Union Station during tonight's rush hour, presumably to prevent crowding on the platform. I wonder if a specific incident caused their presence or if it's a more general effort to prevent the choas that occassionally occurs at this hour. It could also be because the 6:40pm Penn Line is delayed.
I think it would be helpful if MARC could post the length of the delay so that those of us who have the option to do so can choose to take the Camden Line instead, which departs three minutes after the closest Penn Line departure at 6:43pm. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
"At least your commute isn't as bad as this," wrote a friend in an email with this link from CNN's Mumbai editor, Sita Wadhwani.
The video shows a crush of female commuters, talking loudly, hanging on to metal handles in what looks more like a cage than a train. Ms. Wadhwani translated some of the shouting as "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"
She quipped that the government's official term for rush hour commutes is "superdense crush load."
A global perspective helps when we're complaining about the new MARC seats and the violators of the quiet car rules...
Though some sympathetic commuters might expect that Dave Johnson, who supervises the Penn and Camden Lines on MARC, frequently has what Alexander of the famous children's book calls a 'Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,' that's not the case.
"There really is no one typical day," Johnson told Stuck on MARC, on the Union Station platform last week.
He usually tries to be in D.C. during the afternoon rush hours when Penn Line trains average 900 to 1,500 passengers per trip. Other times Johnson's driving a state vehicle around Maryland meeting local officials, refilling ticket machines, checking station cleanliness, riding trains himself, or covering the operations center where service announcements originate. He's on call until Penn Line's #446, which leaves D.C. at 10:30pm arrives safely at its destination at Baltimore's Penn Station at 11:27pm, give or take a few.
I usually go home at the end of the day exhausted, Johnson said.
Previous to joining MARC about a year ago, Johnson haunted the halls of Congress as a self-described "Hill policy nerd," advocating for improved public transportation. You could also call Johnson a train nerd: he was a charter representative to the Amtrak Customer Advisory Committee in college and he spent a recent weekend giving a presentation to the National Association of Railroad passengers.
Without a passion for public transport, Johnson said the frustrations of his job would outweigh the benefits.
Recent crowd control problems at Union Station have sparked outcries on local blogs.
Impatience and a mob mentality reign among many MARC commuters during rush hour. I've provided a commuter's perspective time and again on this blog, so it's only fair that I allow Johnson to offer his side in this post.
"We don't get any thrill out of this," Johnson said, referring to the attempts by MARC officials to keep riders off the platforms before their train arrives. "It's about avoiding a chaotic situation," he said, noting a recent incident where 2,000 commuters crowded the platform waiting for a Penn Line train causing 60 Camden Line riders to miss their train.
Johnson added that one of the reasons for keeping riders inside the station and off the platform is to keep them more comfortable (air conditioning, no diesel fumes) and well informed (PA system, notification boards).
The commuter rage, not unlike road rage though less lethal as we don't have our own vehicles to leverage, occasionally boils over during rush hour. Johnson recalled a recent incident.
Commuters were awaiting the 6:40pm Penn Line departure from Union Station. A Girl Scout troop had tickets to board the train and Johnson escorted them to the front of the line so they could board as a group.
"Fuck the Girl Scouts," one irritated commuter yelled.
This level of anger clearly upsets Johnson.
Something that angers commuters, myself included, is when MARC won't wait a few minutes to accommodate Metro riders who are running late due to subway delays.
Johnson explained that because MARC doesn't own the rails-- CSX owns the Camden Line tracks and Amtrak owns the Penn tracks-- the state commuter rail has to defer to its overlords.
For example, if Johnson were to hold a Penn train just 5 minutes in some occasions it would conflict with a passing Amtrak Acela express train, forcing an eventual 20 minute delay.
Johnson addressed two more areas of common complaint: the new, less roomy seats on the Penn Line and the cleanliness of MARC trains.
Seats: "We know the seats stink," Johnson admitted, but, he said that the wait for new seats is 2-3 years, versus the 9 months MARC had to wait to acquire these from VRE (Virginia Railway Express, MARC's Virginia cousin). The VRE seats will be swapped out when the cars undergo a midlife overhaul in a few years.
Cleanliness: When I asked Johnson about the difference in cleanliness between Amtrak trains and Penn Line trains after learning that Amtrak overseas cleaning on both trains, he acknowledged the problem. He promised to look into the issue and see how cleanliness on the Penn Line could be improved.
As a daily Penn Line commuter and author of Stuck on MARC, I really appreciated the time that Johnson took to talk to me and answer my questions.
Here are a few more nuggets of interest from our interview:
In 2009 the Penn Line broke the 20,000 daily ridership mark for the first time.
2009 total MARC system daily ridership (Penn, Brunswick, Camden lines) was 32,455. That's a 6,000 person increase from 2004.
A weekend schedule for MARC was on the way to the printer two years ago, but was nixed with the economic collapse.
CSX is getting out of the business of running passenger trains (their primary business is shipping), which means that the state is looking for a new third party contractor to run the Camden Line. The Camden contract will be the biggest contract ever let by the state of Maryland in terms of scope and cost, said Johnson. The contract will be awarded soon (original target was the end of April). Johnson said the change will mean improved service as it will give MARC more oversight, redress and streamline the system.***
***Clarification: The new CSX contract is for both Camden and Brunswick lines (not just Camden as I mentioned above). Johnson tells me that the contract "also includes facilities maintenance (taking care of all the MARC-owned stations), material inventory/control (e.g. train car windows, brake stands, light bulbs, etc, etc, in other words, anything needed to make a train car or locomotive run) and diesel locomotive maintenance."
Feeling like the ugly stepchild as my 7:40am train from Baltimore to DC has been sitting just outside of Odenton station for about 20 minutes as Amtrak trains pass us headed north. The conductor explained that Amtrak has been playing catch up from an earlier incident with a disabled train, of course at MARC's expense.
Commuters rush for a spot on the MARC train #538 (611pm departure from DC), which was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Anxious commuters were held back off the platform by uniformed police (Amtrak I think) and a MARC official tried to keep people orderly with the help of a blow horn.
Needless to say my meeting with the MARC and Amtrak officials about the very subject on display during tonight's rush hour- crowd control- has been postponned so they can focus on their jobs tonight. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
------Original Message------ From: Maryland Transit Administration To: stuckonmarc@gmail.com ReplyTo: mtainfo@alerts.marylandmail.com Subject: MTA: Penn: MARC 440 is operating approx 45 minutes late in the Bowie area. Sent: Mar 31, 2010 7:56 PM
Penn: MARC 440 is operating approx 45 minutes late in the Bowie area.
