Update: Refurbished MARC cars

Fourteen cars have new seats spread among train sets on the Penn Line, I learned at tonight's Meet the MARC Managers tonight at Union Station. (Through the winter these meetings will move inside at Union Station due to mostly outdoor conditions at in between MARC stations).

The refurbishment means 12 to 16 more seats per car. The trade off is 2 inches less leg room per seat, which caused many taller commuters to complain about the update to MARC managers tonight.
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-----Original Message-----
From: stuckonmarc@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:53:55
To: Stuckonmarc<stuckonmarc.10minslate@blogger.com>
Subject: Refurbished MARC cars

Sitting in a refurbished MARC car on the 6:40pm Penn Line back to Baltimore.

It's not Amtrak but at least the seats and floor are clean. There's less legroom in the updated version but the seats themselves
are more comfortable. Something about the shape of the paired seats remind be of an airplane and there are no armrests dividing adjoing seats, which I find annoying.

I'll try to get some more information on the refurbishments at the Meet the MARC Managers event at Union Station tomorrow night.

I'll send a photo of the new seats from my Blackberry in a follow-up post.
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IMG00066.jpg

New seats in refurbished MARC cars.
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Refurbished MARC cars

Sitting in a refurbished MARC car on the 6:40pm Penn Line back to Baltimore.

It's not Amtrak but at least the seats and floor are clean. There's less legroom in the updated version but the seats themselves
are more comfortable. Something about the shape of the paired seats remind be of an airplane and there are no armrests dividing adjoing seats, which I find annoying.

I'll try to get some more information on the refurbishments at the Meet the MARC Managers event at Union Station tomorrow night.

I'll send a photo of the new seats from my Blackberry in a follow-up post.
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The Commuter vs. The Dairy Farmer

After being evacuated from Union Station last Thursday (see below posts) I was talking to a fellow disgruntled MARC commuter as we waited on the paltform for the delayed 6:40p.m. Penn Line toward Baltimore.

Exasperated by the system's frequent delays he said "Maybe I'll just become a dairy farmer" to escape the trials of commuting on the MARC.

I have to admit that at the time I agreed with the appeal of a career change, which would entail riding around on a pickup or tractor in the country versus a delay-ridden train through suburbs into the city.
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Comments

I've been informed that this blog isn't allowing comments. Commenting was initially unrestricted (no registration or moderating required) when I first started the blog. After a spammer put up vulgar comments I wasn't able to delete them so I thought I had simply 'hidden' all previous comments and set up the back end so that comments would be allowed but monitored going forward.

I'll try to fix the problem today as I'd love to get more feedback from readers in the comments section.
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Update: Union Station evacuation due to exhaust fumes

Last Thursday night (Nov. 12) all travelers were evacuated from Union Station at the height of the evening commute for at least 25 minutes because of a fire alarm. At the time an official said there had been a fire though there was no evidence or smell of smoke.

Stuck on MARC has learned that the evacuation was related to a misshap with one of Amtrak's diesel engines. The engine- which may have been parked in a forbidden part of the station- expelled exhaust fumes into the ventallation system, which in turn flooded the baggage claim area inside the station, sending two Amtrak employees to the hospital.

It's unclear how the fumes got into the general boarding area but I've been told that the engine in question was awaiting attachment to a southbound train (i.e. Virginia, Carolinas, Florida) and was parked in a restricted area.

If you know more about this incident or if you smelled the exhaust fumes email us details at stuckonmarc@gmail.com.
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-----Original Message-----
From: stuckonmarc@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:35:36
To: Stuckonmarc<stuckonmarc.10minslate@blogger.com>
Subject: Union Station being evacuated

The entire Union Station is being evacuated and trains are being held because of a fire alarm. A uniformed official said there was an actual fire, but he wouldn't give me more details. Peopele are calm if confcused. There's no smell or other evidence of smoke.
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All clear at Union Station

After some mixed signals on the fire alarm that evacuated all travelers from Union Station a police officer allowed the crowd back into the station. Only MARC Brunswick line is boarding on time the rest of the trains were held outside the station and are delayed for an undetermined period of time.
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Union Station being evacuated

The entire Union Station is being evacuated and trains are being held because of a fire alarm. A uniformed official said there was an actual fire, but he wouldn't give me more details. Peopele are calm if confcused. There's no smell or other evidence of smoke.
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Dr. Gridlock entertains questions about Biden security delays

On Monday, The Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock, aka Robert Thomson, entertained questions from readers of his blog about Joe Biden's continued preference of riding the rails as Vice President, which consequently causes security delays at Union Station.

Many of the readers expressed frustration that the Vice President would dare inconvenience their commutes.

I generally agree with this last exchange:

Biden: Is this post a joke? You live in D.C.! Get used to it. Plus, Biden is on the record as saying he takes rail whenever he can because he never really got over the fear of car accidents engendered by the one in which his wife died and his sons were severely injured.

Robert Thomson: We want them to be men of the people, until they start getting out with the people.

And to Jeff Quinton over at Inside Charm City, you're most welcome for the reporting work I did to confirm speculation posted on your blog. I enjoy the chance to debate views on this topic, but please, 10 minute delays on MARC are par for the course.

Trainmaster emails Stuck on MARC about likely suicide

Shortly after Camden Line's train #856 arrived in Baltimore about two hours late because of a likely suicide just south of Riverdale, State Trainmaster Dave Johnson sent Stuck on MARC the following email about the incident. I'd like to note that before Mr. Johnson boarded #856 there was at least 10 minutes of silence after passengers heard a "thump" and the train stopped in between stations. Later we received vague information from a conductor. Once Mr. Johnson took control of the situation, he kept the passengers abreast of developments in a calm, efficient and professional manner. I appreciate how he handled the night's events, and our condolences go out to the victim's family and friends as well as the MARC crew that had to witness the event.

Here's Mr. Johnson's email:

Julia--

My name is Dave Johnson and I am the Trainmaster for the State of Maryland on the Camden and Penn Lines. I didn't even realize you were on P856 tonight, but now thinking back remember seeing you--I met you last week at the Meet the Management when you were talking to John Hovatter.

The incident tonight was, by all accounts, a suicide. I would commend to you and your blog readers the following excellent article that appeared last month in the Washington Post. All too often, the engineers and other railroad operating employees are forgotten in the trauma of an incident like this. I'm proud to say that I've known Bruce Evans for many, many years and he is a highly skilled consummate professional, like the engineers in MARC train service:

Thanks again for your patience tonight.

-Dave Johnson

Suicide confirmed

A MARC official confirmed to me that the "incident" that stalled the Camden train #856 was a suicide with a grim nod. We've been told that we'll not be let off the train because we're in between stations, it's dark outside, and the surrounding terrain is steep and. not secure.

Our rescue train is due in about 9:15pm...we probably won't get in to Camden Yards until after 10:00pm.
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Fw: MTA: Marc 856 stopped outside of WASH due striking a trespasser. Marc trainfrom Baltimore to aid.

MTA is calling the obstruction a 'trespasser.' I haven't confirmed this as there are no officials in sight, but a front car passenger told me that someone jumped off a bridge and the train tried to use the emergency brakes to no avail and now the authorities are on the scene "looking for the pieces."
------Original Message------
From: Maryland Transit Administration
To: stuckonmarc@gmail.com
Subject: MTA: Marc 856 stopped outside of WASH due striking a trespasser. Marc trainfrom Baltimore to aid.
Sent: Nov 4, 2009 8:22 PM

Camden: Marc 856 is stopped outside of WASH due to striking a trespasser on the tracks. Marc equipment from Baltimore is being dispatched to conduct a passenger transfer. Expect a delay of approx 2 hours for passengers to their destinations.

November 4, 2009 8:22 PM

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Fw: Camden line fails me

This is unconfirmed, but we're now hearing that the 'obstruction' we hit could have been a suicide. I'll update this when I know mre details. An ambulance is on the scene.
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-----Original Message-----
From: stuckonmarc@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 01:11:21
To: Stuckonmarc<stuckonmarc.10minslate@blogger.com>
Subject: Camden line fails me

I hopped on the 7:35 Camden Line out of Union Station tonight instead of the 7:40 Penn Line deparure thinking I could get home to Baltimore a few minutes early.

Now we're stopped outside of Riverdale for an "indeterminate" amount of time because we hit an obstructon on the tracks. We're waiting for the train to be inspected, currently running about 20 minutes late.

I have a massive MARC headache and I'm cursing myself for choosing the wrong line.
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Real Men Ride MARC

I spotted a Penn Line passenger with a black messenger bag emrodiered in gold with the words "Real Men Ride MARC" early this week. I was too groggy on my morning commute to ask the passenger about his bag, but I'd love to know the backstory. Send me an email if you're clued in; stuckonmarc@gmail.com.
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Camden line fails me

I hopped on the 7:35 Camden Line out of Union Station tonight instead of the 7:40 Penn Line deparure thinking I could get home to Baltimore a few minutes early.

Now we're stopped outside of Riverdale for an "indeterminate" amount of time because we hit an obstructon on the tracks. We're waiting for the train to be inspected, currently running about 20 minutes late.

I have a massive MARC headache and I'm cursing myself for choosing the wrong line.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry