Unsuck DC Metro: Rush Hour Reinvented

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Rush Hour Reinvented

Rush-plussing your world!

Other items:
Metro keeps falling apart (WaPo)
Number of hot cars in "low single digit percentage" (WTOP)
Drinking water is OK today and tomorrow (WMATA)
DC streetcars face new hurdle (Examiner)
Dulles rail faces more hurdles (Examiner)

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+8 Vote up Vote down

Anony · 665 weeks ago

One of the problems with Rush Plus is that WMATA talked it up so much -- "Rush Hour Reinvented." They set themselves up for disaster in the eyes of the public because business as usual is going to prevail regardless of what new program they try to implement.

And it's disasters like this that get many people to just say "I've had enough."

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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mary smith · 665 weeks ago

so...here is the blueliners life under rushhour+...700am - wait 15 minutes for a blue line car, as WMTA employees are yelling out which trains are yellow and which are blue, as no signs work...train is so crowded that even Franconia Springfield passengers do not get a seat...615 PM Farragut west...15 minute wait TO GET ONTO THE BLUE LINE PLATFORM - to be clear - not waiting for the train, simply waiting at the top of the escalator to get to the platform...630 pm...finally on platform...630-645...three orange lines go by..645 a blue line comes by...but it is full...7 minutes later another blue line with no seats and no air...approximately 730ish stop at Franconia Springfield, escalator line 2 minutes to get up...seriously, this is not a bad dream, it honestly happened...

+10 Vote up Vote down

TobiasFunke · 665 weeks ago

"Pictures just a snapshot of one space in time" needs to be immortalized in the same way as Kyl's "not intended to be a factual statement."

+22 Vote up Vote down

Mike · 665 weeks ago

That was awesome!

I assume that music gets played over the intercoms at Metro Headquarters all day long.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Anonymous · 665 weeks ago

Thanks for a much needed laugh.

Rush+ is really wearing me down.

+11 Vote up Vote down

Dan Stessel · 665 weeks ago

HAHAHAHAHA!

You're fucking welcome.

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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Matt G · 665 weeks ago

Stop trying to impersonate Stan Dessel.

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Kevin · 665 weeks ago

If Benny Hill were alive today, he would be a shoe-in for Dan Stessel's replacement.

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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Ever and Anon · 665 weeks ago

ole Benny would at least make us laugh while we suffer. Streussel-cake couldn't handle him. That would be hilarious to watch too. :D

Yesterday's Rush+ from Ballston towards New Carrollton at 5pm:
1. People run down the escalators to catch the train currently boarding - it's a blue line to Largo. Wonder how many forgot that could happen now?

2. Just as doors are closing, driver says, "Orange LIne to Rosslyn." (Rosslyn? Really? Is it Rush ++ or did I miss the memo?)

3. RIde expected of 45-50 minutes turns into 70+ as a "yellow train is disabled preventing us from moving forward." (Yellow? I'm on Orange/blue here. Really?)

In other words, nothing has changed - MetroFAIL/SNAFU world continues. ;)

+8 Vote up Vote down

Frequent red liner · 665 weeks ago

Lol good laugh. Rush plus requires the reinvention of my home address to a place where metro isn't necessary. I think the red line is acting out today, feeling neglected by being left out of rush plus.

+23 Vote up Vote down

MadGuest · 665 weeks ago

OT: the red line train operators who told their passengers to get off at ft totten and switch lines IN TIME FOR THEM TO DO SO this morning should get a raise. the operators who sat on the mildly interesting tidbit that the red line had essentially stopped so their passengers could sit on the tracks outside brookland for FORTY MINUTES should be bitch slapped. >:(

now back to your regularly scheduled music videos.

-5 Vote up Vote down

Sarles · 665 weeks ago

This is a phenomenan and clearly only happens at one station. So bugger off Unsuck.

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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Matt G · 665 weeks ago

phenomenan?

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Dan Stessel's Mom · 665 weeks ago

Any bets on hyperthermia on the commute home today.

3 replies · active 665 weeks ago

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MadGuest · 665 weeks ago

i won't take that bet... and you can't even tank up on water b4 you go, because you don't know how long you'll be sitting on a train. >:(

+3 Vote up Vote down

MadGuest · 665 weeks ago

water ok today and tomorrow:
http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/18835669/metro-lifts...

+1 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 665 weeks ago

I remember they did this last year as well. I wonder how much time and trouble it would take for Metro to rewrite the law--yes, as I understand it, that's a law--prohibiting food and drink to allow bottled water during heat waves. Say, if the temperature gets above 90 degrees, you may drink bottled water on the Metro. And yes, it must be bottled, but I brought water in one of those Kleen Kanteen things and was okay.

+13 Vote up Vote down

OL Rider · 665 weeks ago

Last night, I entered McPherson Square en route to Dunn Loring. The PID shows three trains: 4 min Franconia, 6 min Vienna, 6 min Vienna. As I walk to the other end, the platform is crowded with blue line riders.

I go to the front of the train and blue line train pulls up with nobody in the front car. I'm thinking to myself this car is out of service. Still some riders wait for the doors to open which they never do. I tell them you're going to have to go into the other car. They look befuddled at first, and then there is this mad scramble of people running to get into the already jammed second car. The blue line operator never says anything about that first car over intercom, but he does allow some time for others to move down towards 2nd car. Doing this at every stop is likely the source of the backup of orange line trains as they are less than a minute apart. The operator tells complaining riders that the car was hot and had to be isolated. I asked him if they could turn the lights off in the car and he said "no sir."

So then I am in the OL car lurching all the way to Rosslyn behind the blue line train. Farragut West and Rosslyn are crowded with blue liners who didn't get on the crowded train ahead of me. At Clarendon, with just about 10 seconds before the train doors close, the operator says this train will not be servicing Virginia Square. Unfortunately the speaker system was not working properly so people could only hear every other word. Some thought they heard the train would be out of service. Then at East Falls Church, we get another announcement that the train will not be servicing Dunn Loring.

One passenger mocks "Rush Hour reinvented." Another is telling people that skipping stations is part of the new Rush Plus. A guy on the phone at WFC tells his wife that he is at WFC and that skipping stations is now the norm.

Hot isolated cars and Rush Plus causing backups, station skipping, and crowded conditions along with failing intercoms and rider confusion about changes to service -- just another day on WMATA.

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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Frequent red liner · 665 weeks ago

I get on at Twinbrook in the afternoon, most of the time on the first car. At an outdoor station, it is more difficult to tell if a car is out of service, and the lights weren't off. A train pulled in, and since we are near the end of the line, the first car usually has 0-5 people max. We couldn't hear the chime of the doors opened and looked over to see the 2nd car's doors were open. The train operator just stared at us as we ran to the 2nd car. Thanks for telling is, you idiot. Fortunately we made it on time, but at the next station, white flint, one person got stuck in the door and ultimately left behind with 2 others as they tried to run to the second car. Would it have been so hard for the operator to say that the train's doors wouldn't open, especially after he has watched you stand there after he opens all the other doors.

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unsuckdcmetro 92p · 665 weeks ago

Via Jessica: Here's a good pic of this morning's red line misery. Apparently there was a fire somewhere on the red line. This was taken at 8:40AM at Friendship Heights. People were not even going down to the platform because it was so crowded.

2 replies · active 663 weeks ago

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Arnaud · 665 weeks ago

Same shit 20 minutes earlier in Cleveland Park, due to track malfunction in Woodley park, the trains were single tracking between Van ness and Dupont...

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abc · 663 weeks ago

Glad I decided to walk from Farraguat West to Dupont this morning!

+6 Vote up Vote down

Pat · 665 weeks ago

Wow just got off at brookland after getting on at forest glen

This was basically an hour delay

1 hour 10 minutes to go 4 stops

Wmata website still only saying 15-20 minute delay for DuPont van mess single tracking

What a joke

+4 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 665 weeks ago

Welcome to rush- !!!

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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Ever n Anon · 665 weeks ago

Now that's a good one!

+3 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 665 weeks ago

Via Suzanne: This morning at 9AM

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jenster8dc · 665 weeks ago

This is precisely why I'm not allowing my visiting family to take Metro. Shining example.

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Radner · 665 weeks ago

"Rush Hour Reinvented" or "Metro finding new and creative ways to screw their customers"? Perhaps they were bored with the old ways and wants a renewed since of rage from the paying masses. And if someone gets hurt in the mix -well that's just bonus.

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Ever n Anon · 665 weeks ago

oh TOO funny, Unsuck! WTOP has an article entitled, "Metro: Don't expect A/C 'perfection' on scorcher days"

Metro... "Perfection?"..... hahahahaha! What a funny thought!

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Rose Moore · 665 weeks ago

I assume the management team at Metro did not think about the impact on the number of riders on the Blue line with the new delays. I have been on several trains this week which experienced problems with the doors due to overcrowding. So we get to wait additonal time for a blue line and then will be off loaded to wait for another train when the door will not closed. I really love paying the same fare as everyone else and can not wait for the July increase
!!!!!!!!!

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

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jkuchen · 665 weeks ago

They thought about it--and probably came to the conclusion that after a week of this, people will be resigned to the fate of taking a yellow/orange combination instead.

+3 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 665 weeks ago

I see an emerging market for Rush+ condoms.

2 replies · active 665 weeks ago

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Phan · 665 weeks ago

Because we're all screwed?

+1 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 665 weeks ago

Or because there's only one thing to do while waiting and waiting for a train?

+13 Vote up Vote down

Matt · 665 weeks ago

I sat on a Red Line train from Grosvenor to Metro Center for TWO HOURS this morning. In those two hours, I got numerous emails from WMATA saying to expect 15-20 minute delays.

MORONS.

3 replies · active 665 weeks ago

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@Hell_on_wheelz · 665 weeks ago

That's 15-20 minutes per stop :-)

+4 Vote up Vote down

Ever n Anon · 665 weeks ago

Is that what they call Metro Math?

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Anon · 665 weeks ago

Or 15-20 minutes per email.

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Jin · 665 weeks ago

Did anyone else see Dr. Gridlock's tips on staying cool on the Metro?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/p...

Someone left a comment saying if Metro can't get its act together and get some functioning AC, more people will start driving. His response? "I think anyone who is dissatisfied with Metro service and considers the driving option better should drive."

So, even Metro's Post rep tells us we should just drive. And his idea to have people just change cars, if they are in a Hot Car? Um, won't that that make the cool cars crushed? Metro already have a problem of over-crowding, and this will just make things worse.

But, I know I'm preaching to the choir here at Unsuck DC Metro.

2 replies · active 665 weeks ago

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Joolz · 665 weeks ago

I'm among those dissatisfied with Metro, but my solution would be to improve Metro, not to shrug and simply drive everywhere. Dr. Gridlock's attitude is fundamentally wrong. How about aiming a little higher? I'd love to have a world-class subway system that I can rely on for my commute as well as show off to visitors. But Gridlock says quit yer bitching and drive if you don't like it. Wow.

+6 Vote up Vote down

@Hell_on_wheelz · 665 weeks ago

My problem with the "quit your bitching and just drive" folks is this: whether you ride Metro or drive you are STILL paying the taxes that support Metro.

As a taxpayer, I want my money to be used wisely - not pounded down some rat hole by idjits who do not understand that their mission is to transport people NOT a mission to just put trains on the tracks.

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Matt G · 665 weeks ago

The Yakety Sax was a nice touch.

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MadGuest · 665 weeks ago

-headdesk-

RED LINE
Red Line: Expect delays in both directions due to a signal problem at Grosvenor.
06/20/2012 04:52 PM

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Chris · 665 weeks ago

Reminder! This took FOUR YEARS to develop! You're welcome!

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Sam · 665 weeks ago

I'll do something against the norm here and admit that Rush+ has improved my commute. I was on leave Monday when it launched but I decided to drive on Tuesday and try Rush+ today to compare. From Springfield to DC, it took me 55 minutes by car yesterday. My normal Metro commute is approximately 50 minutes (including one transfer at Pentagon to get on yellow). I was lucky enough to get to the Springfield platform with a yellow line train waiting (I realize that this isn't always the case) and my commute today took 35 minutes.

I don't think this change justifies the fare increase that they are kicking in in 2 weeks. But I do think that the current fare is on par with the change in my commute.

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bullsumner · 665 weeks ago

Dear Mr. Sarles, thank you for this "improvement" to my commute. Thank you for adding 30 minutes to my travel time. Thank you for adding hundreds more people to each train. Thank you taking away so many Blue Line trains, it feels like hitting a bingo whenever one actually shows up. Thank you for implementing this "improvement" on the same week as our first real blast of summer heat. I realize you probably didn't consult God or Mother Nature, or whichever Flying Spaghetti Monster you pray to regarding that last point, but thanks all the same; nice touch; well played. I invite you to come take a ride with me sometime so you can personally experience the quality of service your "well-thought" plan has brought into being. As the saying goes, "with friends like you, who needs enemies."

Insincerely, a Blue Line rider.

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Kathryn · 665 weeks ago

It truly outrageous me that Metro thinks it can deny a human need like water on a regular basis. They are dealing with every kind of person, including the elderly, people on medications, and they think that everyone can just go for hours without fluids in every kind of weather -- except one or two really hot days that they deem it necessary. That shouldn't be up to them.