Unsuck DC Metro: State of Denial?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

State of Denial?

Via @Nemesisgal: Blue line off-loaded at Arlington Cemetary @unsuckdcmetro http://twitpic.com/9y04xa

This whole thing made me laugh.

From Steven:

I was just starting to like the new WMATA twitter until I saw [their tweet about the crowds at Arlington Cemetery]. I know it's not the end of the world, but really? They can't see? They don't believe there's overcrowding?

I think Metro platform overcrowding is one of the most under reported safety issues there is, and they seem to have their heads in the sand.

Isn't admitting you have a problem the first step in overcoming it?

Step up WMATA. You have a problem that marketing and shuffling a few trains around won't fix.

(Shakes head in disgust.)

Other items:
Silver Line will use old cars initially (Examiner)
McDonnell tries to remove MWAA board member (WaPo)
Navy Yard closing earlier on Saturday (WMATA)

Comments (62)

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+9 Vote up Vote down

Anony · 666 weeks ago

Tip to opponents of Loudoun rail -- send this blog post to members of the Loudoun County Board. The best argument against building rail to Loudoun is that once its built, it will suck because WMATA is in charge.

+30 Vote up Vote down

Stan Dessel · 666 weeks ago

If you want to report a rude Metro employee, we'll need a DNA sample.
You're welcome!

+7 Vote up Vote down

BradK · 666 weeks ago

So this is the real problem here... Now that the number of blue line trains has been essentially cut in half, you have to fit all those people on one train... when that train breaks down, you have a platform of people waiting at a single station while three 'not blue' trains pass by...

Rush+ is a good idea... but it was executed poorly... it shouldn't be every other blue replaced by a rush+, it should go something like 2 yellow (one to MtVernonSq, one to GreenBelt) followed by a blue. Or, run all blue line trains with 8 cars... I think a normal group of people would identify the problem and adapt it so that Rush+ can work for everyone, but unfortunately WMATA is in charge, so there is no problem to fix.

3 replies · active 665 weeks ago

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Kara · 666 weeks ago

So your idea of a 'fix' for less trains in the affected area is 1 car in 3 vs 1 car in 2? Since when is 33% more efficient than 50%?

+1 Vote up Vote down

Will · 666 weeks ago

Doesn't matter really. They could tweak it slightly for this year but once the silver line goes into operation at the end of next year, they'll have to have Rush+ in its current iteration all day.

What is really needed is a blue line split with another river crossing. The other option is to run more express bus with some dedicated lanes downtown. It's a shame that the K Street transit way got killed because it appeared to be giving pork to lobbyists.

Imagine a 38B like bus but for Alexandria and mirrored the service downtown.

0 Vote up Vote down

Dr. Sano · 665 weeks ago

And the execution is simple enough: Take the current 9A and extend it to Archives or something. Call it "The Yellow Line With a View." It makes sense; from what I've heard, the 9A runs quite fast and is almost never crowded.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Ever n Anon · 666 weeks ago

This is so very bad, it's actually funny. Oh dear.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 666 weeks ago

Has anyone else realized that tourist groups will no longer be able to get on at Arlington Cemetery? Both my morning commutes on blue towards largo have been packed without room by Arlington Cemetery. This is going to be a problem...

3 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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Anony · 666 weeks ago

And they have the strollers. And since they'll be the last ones in the car before the exodus (on the right side too), that means Farragut West problems as the tourists don't understand that standing at the doors at Farragut West is a problem during rush hour.

That being said, tourists at Arlington Cemetery are really only a problem for half the year. And given that summer is a vacation time for many DC workers, at least the tourist onslaught comes partially at a time when there are fewer commuters.

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Arl Fan · 666 weeks ago

?? During the morning rush, won't tourist groups be getting off at Arlington Cemetery, not on?

0 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 666 weeks ago

I've seen it both ways - but evening rush hour will also be a problem with fewer blue trains.

+3 Vote up Vote down

OL rider · 666 weeks ago

Unsuck: is there any way to see how many orange line trains actually left Vienna/NC this week? Was it really any different?

+16 Vote up Vote down

fixwmata 105p · 666 weeks ago

I'll cross-post what I tweeted earlier: What you're seeing now, today, with Rush+ is the BEST WMATA service you're going to have for a LONG time. It's only going down-hill from here.

Once the Silver Line opens the Orange Line riders West of WFC will start complaining (worse service for them).

Once the Silver Line opens and they don't have new trains the cars will be spread thin - more 6-car trains, less 8-car trains. Also, less "gap" trains/cars to go around. Extra service for a baseball game? Forget about it.

Old rail cars are going to start breaking down more - causing more delays. This is only going to get worse.

Weekend/overnight/mid-day track work isn't going anywhere anytime soon - this is the new norm.

Enjoy your commute home tonight - it'll probably be the best it'll be for the next several years.

+3 Vote up Vote down

MLD · 666 weeks ago

"Rush+ is a good idea... but it was executed poorly... it shouldn't be every other blue replaced by a rush+, it should go something like 2 yellow (one to MtVernonSq, one to GreenBelt) followed by a blue."

Actually it's about 1/3 of blue line trains that were changed. Previously there were 32 Blue Line trains between 6:00AM and 9:30AM. 10 of those were changed to Rush+ yellow. So the pattern along the shared portion used to be (BYBYBY... one train every 3 min) and now it is (BYBYYYBYBYYY... one train every 3 min). So there used to be 3 blue line trains every 18 minutes and now there are 2 but they are unevenly spaced. Unfortunately it is not possible to evenly space the blue trains unless you switched one of them so it started at Huntington.

I do agree that the Blue Line trains should be 8 cars and I think WMATA will make more of them 8 cars if they see overcrowding. But I think people need to be a little more proactive and move down to the front of the train/platform - Dr Gridlock was reporting yesterday that some trains were packed to the gills in the middle but had tons of standing room in the first two cars.

6 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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fixwmata 105p · 666 weeks ago

You basically said everything I wanted to say in reply to that post. Thanks.

RE: 8-car trains, see my comment above, when the Silver Line opens without new rail cars I'd expect FAR fewer 8-car trains system-wide - that reality is close.

RE: Middle cars, I wonder how much of this goes back to the Fort Totten crash. Are people still afraid of first/last WMATA rail cars?

+4 Vote up Vote down

MLD · 666 weeks ago

I just think it's the station design combined with people's apathy. Most of the stations spit you out in the middle of the platform and people might move down some, but few want to walk 250 feet all the way down the platform to get on the first or second car. Also take into account that the first people to arrive at the station will stay in the middle (since there are not many people, why would I spread out?), then as more people enter the station their ability to spread out is hindered because the middle is crowded (hey I got here first so why should I move down?!)

+6 Vote up Vote down

fixwmata 105p · 666 weeks ago

Ah - "me me me me me me me". When will everyone else learn it's all about ME!?

+5 Vote up Vote down

Anony · 666 weeks ago

One of the problems is that the 6-car trains now pull to the very front. Therefore, the back car is loaded with people who don't otherwise know that they pull to the front or are just barely getting on as it's the closest car to the escalator.

This comes back to the lack of automatic train control combined with the fact that WMATA doesn't (can't) trust its employees to remember if they're driving a 6-car train or an 8-car train.

+6 Vote up Vote down

guest · 666 weeks ago

--or PIDs that claim it's an 8 car train when it's really a 6. or better yet, a 2. :-)

+5 Vote up Vote down

anonamouse · 666 weeks ago

This is the problem at soooooo many stations. Trains pull up all the way, and 50-100 people watch it roll by as they scramble to catch up to the last remaining car. Meanwhile, the first two cars are empty except for expert commuters who planend in advance.

+4 Vote up Vote down

beema · 666 weeks ago

New wmata logo: 8====D
I really can't believe what an insanely stupid plan Rush+ is. Yes, lets alleviate crowding on one line, only to massively increase it on another one? How does that help anything? It just screws over one portion of the ridership instead of another. Thank god I stopped riding metro. I'd want to kill myself these days (I'm on the blue line). I feel sorry for anyone who relies on it for work. This situation is inexcusable.

+9 Vote up Vote down

knows metro · 666 weeks ago

the people at metro aren't paid to think. thinking is beaten out of them.

+6 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 666 weeks ago

Every survey they did about this idea when I was living in Crystal City was shot down in flames immediately. A competent transit authority may have noticed a pattern.

Even if there are less blue line people than yellow line people that is variable. There is construction going on in different places so a line that has the most one year will have less than another one the next year. Since there is a huge new development just south of Crystal City now (with non-rail transit shuttling to CC) and more things being built in CC and north a reasonable person would deduce there will be a greater transit need there in the near future.

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Steve · 666 weeks ago

Orange line this morning into downtown was just as "crushed" as it usually is. People crowd on despite trains coming 1 and 3 minutes behind. Rush+ is useless.

2 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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Kara · 666 weeks ago

The phenomenon is back?

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Glenn · 666 weeks ago

When I crushed on around 7:45 the next train was 7 minutes away at Ballston. And you know that when they are that far apart that the next one will be full too. What sucks is that they have eliminated the WFC-Stadium trains that helped alleviate the crowds through the Arlinton stations.

+12 Vote up Vote down

guest · 666 weeks ago

i watched dan stessel stand in front of a station and just plain lie to the camera this morning about the success of rush+ and how the majority of the feedback he's been getting has been positive.

and we are surprised when wmata says arlington cemetery's not crowded?? ;-)

5 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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fixwmata 105p · 666 weeks ago

The dude's *JOB* is to make WMATA look good - even when they're not. He's basically WMATA's hired politician. Remember that the words that come out of his mouth are not as important as the words that come out of the Board or Sarles' mouths (or their actions).

+11 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 666 weeks ago

He reminds me of "Baghdad Bob".

+10 Vote up Vote down

Glenn · 666 weeks ago

It's too bad the news media just swallows it all with no reporting or questioning. Instead of just having Metro's PR hack on they should go out into the system and report.

+6 Vote up Vote down

fixwmata 105p · 666 weeks ago

Now THAT is something I agree with! Just because he says something does NOT make it fact and it's a reporter's responsibility to question it and report. Not much of that happens around here (with a couple of exceptions).

+6 Vote up Vote down

Jason · 666 weeks ago

I wrote a paper that covered heavily on this problem in college. Essentially, "objective journalism" makes reporters overly-reliant on "official" sources. This problem manifests itself in all sorts of ways--it's part of the problem third parties have in America, amongst other things--but in particular what you have here is that to them what comes out of that guy's mouth IS the most valuable information on the matter, because he's "official".

+7 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 666 weeks ago

Has anyone been saying "rushplusungood" yet?

0 Vote up Vote down

Anony · 666 weeks ago

People who live in Washington should understand what a spinster's job is. The town is full of them.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

+13 Vote up Vote down

Arl Fan · 666 weeks ago

"spinmeister" not spinster. Think Ari Fleischer vs. your sixty year old unmarried aunt ;)

+21 Vote up Vote down

Kevin · 666 weeks ago

#rushplus tip: Try walking between stations. Unlike our metro choo-choo train system, you will be moving and sidewalks are less crowded than our choo choos.

1 reply · active 665 weeks ago

-4 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 665 weeks ago

What a great idea. I live in Pentagon City and it's 4 miles to Rosslyn, if I walk alongside a highway that winds through the Pentagon and a cemetery. Moron.

0 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 666 weeks ago

Some of the people in that picture look like they could really use some exercise! Maybe they should consider biking to work as an alternative to Metro.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

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Kara · 666 weeks ago

What a great idea! I suppose all the people who can not ride a bike due to disabilities/medical conditions/etc are SOL according to you then? People PAY for a metro so they can use it.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Mike · 666 weeks ago

Why didn't last night's fiasco make it into the news - the Post in particular? It was a comedy of errors on the blue line and surely unloading a pack train is worth mention by Dr. Gridlock between his pleas for patience with the new system. And why does Metro always seem to dump us at Arlington - where there's no signal, at least for Verizon customers.

3 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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n2deep · 666 weeks ago

when the train loses all doors closed it isn't an option to continue down the line so you can have cell service.

MEMEMEME

+3 Vote up Vote down

former employee · 666 weeks ago

it is not about mememe... it is about safe and reliable ride to taxpayer... your pay check. Metro should pay wireless carriers to help them out in their shitty communication system. hell the metros damn communication system is the worst than any 3rd world country. verizon pays damn good bucks to metro to have their system but metro cant pay money for state of art system for their communication.. verizon updates their system... to keep customers and to keep them coming back not that safety is thier top priority just customer service.. unlike metro responsiblility should be. are you an union steward? or jackie jetter

+5 Vote up Vote down

Anonerly Ever · 666 weeks ago

For Verizon customers? Verizon customers have the best of it all with signal access throughout the entire system. It's the rest of us who cannot afford Verizon who are so very screwed should we need our cells to work. (Why can we not afford Verizon? We're spending it on our Metro fees. ;)

+3 Vote up Vote down

· 666 weeks ago

Rush+: Conceived by idiots to be run by idiots.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 666 weeks ago

Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

+5 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 666 weeks ago

Don't they have safety cameras on the platform? Wouldn't this be a good way to also keep an eye on the platforms to prevent overcrowding? Oh wait.... I'm sure there aren't safety cameras and if there are, I'm sure they're not working. Oh wait.... that also means no overcrowding because they can't see it.

3 replies · active 665 weeks ago

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Jason · 666 weeks ago

It would be someone's job to watch the cameras. You're not suggesting that a Metro employee would do his or her job, would you?

+13 Vote up Vote down

Neenya · 666 weeks ago

Asking a metro employee to do their job? You are aware that's slavery, right?

0 Vote up Vote down

GlenmontGirl · 665 weeks ago

Sadly, I would say your second point is correct - there probably are cameras, but they aren't working. Case in point:

Escalators - Break all the time
Elevators- Break a little less often than the escalators, but still frequently out of service
Employee radios - Don't work underground. You know, where much of the Metro system is.
Defibrillators - Dead battery in one may have killed a man. Whether they're working now is anyone's guess.
Emergency phones in stations and tunnels - Many aren't working.
Fare gates - Break frequently, leaving only one or two lanes during rush hour.

And that's not even getting into the problems with the trains, tracks, platforms and other station infrastructure...

0 Vote up Vote down

Question · 666 weeks ago

I gave up on the trains a while ago and switched to the bus, so while I have my own problems, at least I am only observing Rush Plus from the sidelines.

The missing piece for me in these discussions is - are the Yellow Line trains coming up from the south also jammed full? Or is it possible for Blue Line riders to take a Yellow train and then transfer at L'Enfant? Are the Blue & Orange trains full leaving L'Enfant? Or is the thought of a transfer where one was not previously necessary just too unpalatable? (I am well aware of L'Enfant's short comings.)
Or am I missing someting else?

4 replies · active 666 weeks ago

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Guest · 666 weeks ago

I can answer the first part of that. I have taken the Yellow from Franconia the past two mornings into L'Enfant (at 6:35) and it hasn't been nearly as crowded as the Blue line train usually was.

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Kara · 666 weeks ago

It is a much longer trip that way around to get to Rosslyn even if it were not for the transfer. Add the transfer and it is a guaranteed loser.

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Kara · 666 weeks ago

Oh, and that is not just theory. I have timed it on several occasions. Plus that was to get to Faragut so the yellow line route is even shorter while the blue (13 mins from CC) is longer than to the Rosslyn example.

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Anon · 666 weeks ago

I definitely see that Yellow & transfer is not the way to get to Roslyn, but to get to the stations on the west side of downtown DC - it seems like it's worth a try.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Skip Moskey · 666 weeks ago

I wrote to the DC Fire Marshall back in the spring, and this is the reply I received on April 23. Note that WMATA stations within the District of Columbia (and thus presumably in VA and MD), are exempt from oversight by the city's Fire Marshall. Essentially, the self-regulate, which as we all know will eventually lead to a tragedy.
------- Here's the text of the email I received:

In response to your question with regards to WMATA having authorization from the DC Fire Marshall to allow overcrowding in stations when trains are running late or delayed, WMATA does not require authorization from DC FEMS Fire Prevention as WMATA is a quasi-government agency with jurisdiction; in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. As such the DC FEMS Fire Prevention Division does not have authority within the WMATA Metro Stations and right-of-ways. WMATA has a Fire Marshal and Life Safety Division to address such issues. If you are concerned about a particular station or stations, please forward this information to me and I will ensure that it goes directly to the appropriate representative at WMATA.

If you have any further questions or inquiries please do not hesitate to contact me.

James M. Bashore CFEI
Battalion Fire Chief
Assistant Fire Marshal
DC FEMS Department

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

Everly Anon · 666 weeks ago

"WMATA is a quasi-government agency" = WMATA is a country all its own with its own rules, regulations and slavery not required to participate as a member of the USA.

+36 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 666 weeks ago

Via Matt:

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

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Nick · 666 weeks ago

+1000

+9 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 666 weeks ago

What's funny, or rather sad, about this is that this weekend Metro will close the Navy Yard station early for a terrorism training exercise. I am sure it will be a big dog (K9) and pony show, complete with Transit Police officers in full gear, agents from across the government in their windbreakers, and probably some great shots for the media, which will eat this up.

Meanwhile, a major safety hazard, overcrowding on train platforms, that would obviously impair any attempted evacuation of a station in an actual emergency goes ignored.

1 reply · active 666 weeks ago

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Guest · 666 weeks ago

Security Theatre 101 - make it look like we're really doing something

+9 Vote up Vote down

Victor Champion · 666 weeks ago

Here's a list of email addresses for Metro directors, executives, attorneys, and members of the Tri-State Oversight Committee. Let's jam their email boxes as full as the trains.

rsarles@wmata.com,
aburnside@wmata.com,
aclemmons@wmata.com,
atroup@wmata.com,
bheppen@wmata.com,
boardofdirectors@wmata.com,
brichardson@wmata.com,
cjohnson@wmata.com,
ckent@wmata.com,
ckissal@wmata.com,
cOKeeffe@wmata.com,
csvc@wmata.com,
dHenderson@wmata.com,
djmccoy@wmata.com,
dJohnson@wmata.com,
dKubicek@wmata.com,
dlaffert@wmata.com,
dmadams@wmata.com,
dShaffer@wmata.com,
dstessel@wmata.com,
gbaldwin@wmata.com,
gStief@wmata.com,
hlew@wmata.com,
icumming@wmata.com,
jcole@wmata.com,
jdougherty@wmata.com,
jhughes@wmata.com,
jrequa@wmata.com,
kborek@wmata.com,
mbarnes@wmata.com,
mbrown@wmata.com,
mChu@wmata.com,
mpohl@wmata.com,
nbottigheimer@wmata.com,
pStaub@wmata.com,
spant@wmata.com,
hntrmill@fairfaxcounty.gov,
Catherine.hudgins@fairfaxcounty.gov,
info@NicholsCreativeDevelopment.com,
alexvamayor@aol.com,
william.euille@alexandriava.gov,
mhynes@arlingtonva.us,
jdyke@mcguirewoods.com,
mbowser@dccouncil.us,
marcel.acosta@ncpc.gov,
mortdowney@verizon.net,
mbarnes@ciponline.org,
ahampshire-cowan@howard.edu,
drgridlock@washpost.com,
matthew.bassett@drpt.virginia.gov,
emile.smith@dc.gov,
david.harlan@drpt.virginia.gov,
john.chism@dc.gov,
jbenton@mdot.maryland.gov,
ggood@mdot.maryland.gov,
Kevin.page@drpt.virginia.gov,
Thomas.freeman@drpt.virginia.gov

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Guest · 666 weeks ago

Yesterday I got to Fort Totten around 3:45 pm. I had to wait 15 minutes for the next Green Line train to arrive. And that one was no passengers! I don't know if this was a result of Rush F'dUP, but I hope this isn't a regular occurence.