General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Remember the time we hired this guy's predecessor to run the MBTA?

The Remarkable Turnaround of Atlanta Public Transit

Atlanta's transit agency, MARTA, was on the brink of financial disaster when Keith Parker arrived as CEO in December of 2012. Ridership was down roughly 5 percent on the previous year. Annual losses ranged upwards of $33 million. An outside audit found the agency's business model to be "structurally unsustainable" and projected that without major changes it was on a path toward insolvency.
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Some Post-Juno Disruptions

Official: Keolis accountable for commuter rail’s post-storm delays

Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack said today she intends to hold Keolis, the French company put in charge of the state’s commuter rail service, to its “no excuses” contract after its less-than-optimum performance this morning bouncing back from the Blizzard of 2015.

“I think the biggest problems we saw this morning were on the commuter rail system,” Pollack, who officially assumes her post tomorrow, said during a storm update this morning with Gov. Charlie Baker at the state Department of Transportation’s operations center in the Seaport District.

“We understand the challenges that our operator Keolis faces in operating the system. They signed onto a no-excuses contract and we’re going to be looking for a better performance this afternoon and on an ongoing basis over that contract,” said Pollac.

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Personally, I was planning on taking the Fitchburg Line outbound yesterday morning, but they *cancelled* the 8:40 from North Station, so I took a bus instead. I've never seen them cancel a scheduled train before, and surely Keolis will be paying big bucks for that.

Perhaps the issues with Hyndai Rotem's new locomotives have a part to play in the recent Commuter Rail problems.

Taking the MBTA This Morning? Get Ready to Wait

For many, today felt like a Monday morning, the first day back after a relaxing “weekend” shoveling and fighting for parking spots (and food) at the grocery store.

For many commuters, it was the kind of Monday that makes you want to turn around, head home, and crawl back into bed.

First it was a disabled train at Quincy Center caused severe delays this morning on the MBTA’s Red line.

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I was on the Red Line this morning, and there was more than just a disabled train at Quincy. All at around the same time, a train broke down in Quincy, another train broke down between Porter and Harvard, and there were track/signal problems. It got to the point where the inbound train I was on was so full that we left about 50 people on the platforms at Davis! Just the second stop in! We proceeded to pick up about 15% of the people who were waiting at Porter, and left well over 100 people, possible 200 people, waiting on the platforms which were almost full.

The train operator did a good job instructing people as to what to do, as well as keeping people calm:

"We ah gonna be movin' soon. We've got somethin' of a puhfect stawm heah."

"We've got a full train. You might as well wait fo' the next train. Everybody's already late."
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Hyundai Rotem's new locomotives? You mean Motive Power.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Matthew said:
Hyundai Rotem's new locomotives? You mean Motive Power.
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There were two new "big logo" MPI HSP-46s that "froze up" (#2001 and 2008) but the guys who operate them indicate it isn't anything serious--both are said to be back in service.

It wasn't that the water froze and cracked the engine block (the traditional fear that requires old-school engines be kept idling). Froze up, as best we know, just means "wouldn't go in the cold" (which, of course is a bug, but not unexpected in the shakedown first blizzard of custom-built engines).

It may just mean that the computer is being too sensitive to things that the cold pushed out of normal parameters, or it may be peripheral things that aren't kept warm enough when plugged in overnight.

And as for the Rotems, so far I haven't seen (on Railroad.net) any blizzard-specific complaints about the Rotem double-decker cab cars (which have had plenty of software issues they're working through)
 
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Matthew said:
Hyundai Rotem's new locomotives? You mean Motive Power.
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Ya. Whoever built the coaches/locomotives that should be in service, but are not. I mixed them into one bunch. My mistake.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Red line dead
B line dead
Orange and blue, 30 minute delays
Every commuter rail line with multiple cancelled trains and delays


....and the Silver line has no reported delays or service issues.

Where are the BRT haters now?
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

jass said:
Red line dead
B line dead
Orange and blue, 30 minute delays
Every commuter rail line with multiple cancelled trains and delays


....and the Silver line has no reported delays or service issues.

Where are the BRT haters now?
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Still here...
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Yeah and which of those lines aren't running vehicles that are between 30 and 50 years old on very old right of way?

Might it be that the silver line works better because it is newer?
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

citylover94 said:
Yeah and which of those lines aren't running vehicles that are between 30 and 50 years old on very old right of way?

Might it be that the silver line works better because it is newer?
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I also want to know if the SL stats are referring to the whole "Silver Line" [not] system or just the part that loops at SLW. The RT lines are all experiencing infrastructure problems from exposure and weather. Busses system-wide are a mess from the drifting (which is why I imagine the SL-Dudley is not operating without delays).

I just don't see how there's a fair argument to be made in the "rail or tires" debate based on any data from this storm. Get some more information and we'll see, but I'd guess that the SL-1/2 is performing better because hardly operating in the elements at all.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

The 60' buses that the T purchases don't do well in the snow at all. Thankfully the SL doesn't spend much time in the snow.

I don't think any of those buses would make it up the side of Corey Hill any better than the "B" line.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

A couple questions on the disabled trains on the Red Line this winter, these came to me while delayed on various trains and platforms these past few weeks:

* Is there a particular part or system that is breaking, or is it a different problem every time?
* I would guess that the older 1500 and 1600 series cars are the ones failing. Is that right?
* Is there any interim solution that could make existing service more reliable before the new cars are delivered in 2018-2019?
* Would delivery be faster if CNR were to build them in existing factories in China rather than setting up the new plant and training new workers in Springfield?
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Scipio said:
A couple questions on the disabled trains on the Red Line this winter, these came to me while delayed on various trains and platforms these past few weeks:

* Is there a particular part or system that is breaking, or is it a different problem every time?
* I would guess that the older 1500 and 1600 series cars are the ones failing. Is that right?
* Is there any interim solution that could make existing service more reliable before the new cars are delivered in 2018-2019?
* Would delivery be faster if CNR were to build them in existing factories in China rather than setting up the new plant and training new workers in Springfield?
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My understanding is that the Red Line disabled train yesterday afternoon was a unique exposure problem.

That area south of Boston had a flash freeze -- temperature dropped 20 degrees in about 15 minutes, precipitation went from sleet to hard snow and ice almost instantly. Third rail iced over, so no power. Does not really matter what car was there at the time, none run without power.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Status from a friend this morning: "taking the 66 bus to the silver line to get to work this morning. the SILVER LINE, PEOPLE. yes, it's that bad."
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

citylover94 said:
Yeah and which of those lines aren't running vehicles that are between 30 and 50 years old on very old right of way?

Might it be that the silver line works better because it is newer?
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Thats one of the great things about buses. Because they dont cost $5 million a pop, you buy new ones every 12 years, saving bundles on maintenance and customer inconvenience.

"Trains so old they shouldnt be running" isnt a feature guys, its a bug
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Shuttle buses replacing Green Line service between Kenmore and Haymarket stations. Please use alternative service on the Red and Orange Lines where available.

Blue Line experiencing severe delays due to yesterdays weather

Buses replacing Mattapan Trolley service between Ashmont and Mattapan Stations on Monday, February 2 and Tuesday, February 3 from start to end of service due to severe weather.

Orange Line experiencing severe delays due to yesterdays weather

Red Line experiencing severe delays due to yesterdays weather. Braintree customers may utilize the Old Colony Line at Braintree, Quincy Center, and JFK/UMass.

All commuter lines experiencing heavy delays.

Meanwhile...

Silver Line - SL2 Snow Route in Effect: Omitting 88 Black Falcon Pier. Connect at Northern Ave.

*dancing banana*
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I just waited 30 min for a BL train that never came. Called my husband to come back to get me at Beachmont, drove to the airport and caught a SL right away. THE SILVER LINE IS LITERALLY THE ONLY THING WORKING RIGHT NOW.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

jass said:
...and the Silver line has no reported delays or service issues.

Where are the BRT haters now?
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What are you even trying to suggest? That subway trains that can carry 500 passengers would be better served by a fleet of buses that can hold, what, 70 people?

Stop spewing nonsense.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

saulblum said:
What are you even trying to suggest? That subway trains that can carry 500 passengers would be better served by a fleet of buses that can hold, what, 70 people?

Stop spewing nonsense.
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The capacity of the green line right now is actually 0 passengers per hour.

And those customers are actually standing outside waiting for a fleet of buses.
 
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