Everything is falling apart at the same time. The cost of maintance alone is more then some cities entire budgets
While mass transit in Washington DC is in desperate need of improvement for riders, leaders in the transit authority are focused instead on further service cuts and fare hikes. Better mass transit is only possible if we, the riders, fight for it. It’s up to us - if we come together, we can win the regional DC Metro that we deserve.
USDOT Secretary Foxx unveils a long-term transportation bill that provides funding growth and certainty so that state and local governments can get back in the business of building things again. The GROW AMERICA Act is a six-year, $478 billion transportation reauthorization bill that would increase our investment in transportation by 45%. The details of this bill will:
The Administration also released state-by-state fact sheets on how the Grow America Act will benefit local highway and transit systems. Click here for details.
Everyone knows that transit construction provides a tremendous boost in jobs and economic activity. Every $1 billion we invest not only improves connectivity between communities and opportunity; it also creates 13,000 jobs. And when those jobs are local, the community benefit of that public investment multiplies. To get the biggest bang for the buck, local residents get a shot at building the projects that impact their communities.
This is called "local hiring," and today, DOT is finally embracing it.
http://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/local-hiring-just-makes-sense
Over the years, the Heritage Foundation has tried, and consistently failed to offer their warped logic why we should all abandon transit and crawl back in our cars -- powered, not so coincidentally, by the very same oil industry that funds their "research". The Center for American Progress just released a point-by-point expose on their faulty logic and their extremist ideas for dismantling all support for public transportation. Read the entire summary here.
Montgomery County Commissioner Dan Harris said he would focus on community development, adding that if elected, he would assess what different communities in the city are going through and work to improve many community services, such as the Montgomery Area Transit System.
"Mass transit in a city of more than 200,000 people is a necessity and should be treated as such, not a nuisance," he said.
Is your transit system heading for an epic, MBTA-style collapse? Governor Charlie Baker seem to want it both ways, blaming the T's chief executive for poor system performance while slashing financial support. As bridges, subways and bus systems age and deteriorate, the public seems to struggle with the concept that there is no free lunch.
Read the full story here:
CandOforprogress2Everything is falling apart at the same time. The cost of maintance alone is more then some cities entire budgets DC Riders Union Forming Now! POSTED BY FABRICIO RODRIGUEZ · SEPTEMBER 21, 2016 1:49 PM While mass transit in Washington DC is in desperate need of improvement for riders, leaders in the transit authority are focused instead on further service cuts and fare hikes. Better mass transit is only possible if we, the riders, fight for it. It’s up to us - if we come together, we can win the regional DC Metro that we deserve. Read more Add your reaction Share USDOT Secretary Foxx Sends 6-Year Transportation Bill to Congress POSTED BY GREG LEROY · APRIL 16, 2015 10:01 AM USDOT Secretary Foxx unveils a long-term transportation bill that provides funding growth and certainty so that state and local governments can get back in the business of building things again. The GROW AMERICA Act is a six-year, $478 billion transportation reauthorization bill that would increase our investment in transportation by 45%. The details of this bill will: Support millions of American jobs repairing and modernizing our roads, bridges, railways and transit systems. Ensure American business can compete effectively in the global economy and grow. Increase connections so that more Americans have access to jobs and education. Benefit urban, suburban and rural communities alike. The Administration also released state-by-state fact sheets on how the Grow America Act will benefit local highway and transit systems. Click here for details. Add your reaction Share USDOT Finally Allows Local Hiring! POSTED BY GREG LEROY · MARCH 06, 2015 11:16 AM Everyone knows that transit construction provides a tremendous boost in jobs and economic activity. Every $1 billion we invest not only improves connectivity between communities and opportunity; it also creates 13,000 jobs. And when those jobs are local, the community benefit of that public investment multiplies. To get the biggest bang for the buck, local residents get a shot at building the projects that impact their communities. This is called "local hiring," and today, DOT is finally embracing it. http://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/local-hiring-just-makes-sense Add your reaction Share The Tortured Logic of the Heritage Foundation on Public Transportation POSTED BY GREG LEROY · FEBRUARY 24, 2015 2:20 PM Over the years, the Heritage Foundation has tried, and consistently failed to offer their warped logic why we should all abandon transit and crawl back in our cars -- powered, not so coincidentally, by the very same oil industry that funds their "research". The Center for American Progress just released a point-by-point expose on their faulty logic and their extremist ideas for dismantling all support for public transportation. Read the entire summary here. Read more Add your reaction Share Montgomery Commissioner runs for Mayor on Pro-transit Platform POSTED BY GREG LEROY · FEBRUARY 17, 2015 3:12 PM Montgomery County Commissioner Dan Harris said he would focus on community development, adding that if elected, he would assess what different communities in the city are going through and work to improve many community services, such as the Montgomery Area Transit System. "Mass transit in a city of more than 200,000 people is a necessity and should be treated as such, not a nuisance," he said. Read more Add your reaction Share Massachusetts Governor Baker Plays Blame Game POSTED BY GREG LEROY · FEBRUARY 15, 2015 1:49 PM Is your transit system heading for an epic, MBTA-style collapse? Governor Charlie Baker seem to want it both ways, blaming the T's chief executive for poor system performance while slashing financial support. As bridges, subways and bus systems age and deteriorate, the public seems to struggle with the concept that there is no free lunch. Read the full story here: Add your reaction Share
Maintence is not a 'sexy' sell to politicians that control the purse strings. New lines and/or equipment are sexy. Keeping what already exists operating never gets the money needed from the politicians that fund transit agencies.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BOB WITHORNThe bigger problem is the Gov't appointed board that can't or won't try to get along
The DC Subway system was designed in the 1960s built in the 1970s in a huge spurt of construction some of it done in haste to beat the upcoming Reagan transit cuts. What took NYC,Boston and Chicago to build there systems took a span of 30 years so maintance was more spread out. The only other systems that was built in one huge swoop was the Montreal Metro and BART. Having been on that system it also is begining to show its age as well.
"Metro relies extensively on passenger fares and appropriated financing from the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC governments, which are represented on Metro's board of directors. The system does not have a dedicated revenue stream as other city's mass transit systems do. Critics allege that this has contributed to Metro's recent history of maintenance and safety problems.[41]"
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) yesterday afternoon began removing all 4000-series rail cars from the lead position of trains following the discovery of a safety issue with the units' automatic train control (ATC) system.The agency determined that the system could experience an "undetectable failure" leading to improper speed commands given to train operators, according to a WMATA press release.The ATC system is designed to keep trains properly spaced by displaying "speed commands" on a control panel in the operator's cab. When operating in manual mode, the operator responds to the speed commands, which indicate the train's maximum authorized speed.The rail cars' manufacturer AnsaldoBreda — which now is owned by Hitachi Rail — recommends annual testing as a way to mitigate the risk of a false indication. But such testing currently isn't done at WMATA, agency officials said.The decision to pull the cars from service was taken "in an abundance of caution," said WMATA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul Wiedefeld."While we believe that the risk is small, it is a risk I am unwilling to take," Wiedefeld said.The agency may consider "bellying" the 4000-series cars in the center of trains since the ATC issue only occurs when the units are in the lead position.There are 41 pairs of 4000-series cars in active service. The units are the "smallest and least reliable" of WMATA's six legacy fleets, agency officials said. WMATA already was considering retiring all of the 4000-series units by the end of 2017; the agency may further accelerate retirement in light of the newly identified issue.
daveklepper WMATA pulls 4000-series rail cars due to safety concerns A 4000-series rail car on WMATA's Blue Line. Photo – Ben Schumin The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) yesterday afternoon began removing all 4000-series rail cars from the lead position of trains following the discovery of a safety issue with the units' automatic train control (ATC) system.The agency determined that the system could experience an "undetectable failure" leading to improper speed commands given to train operators, according to a WMATA press release.The ATC system is designed to keep trains properly spaced by displaying "speed commands" on a control panel in the operator's cab. When operating in manual mode, the operator responds to the speed commands, which indicate the train's maximum authorized speed.The rail cars' manufacturer AnsaldoBreda — which now is owned by Hitachi Rail — recommends annual testing as a way to mitigate the risk of a false indication. But such testing currently isn't done at WMATA, agency officials said.The decision to pull the cars from service was taken "in an abundance of caution," said WMATA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul Wiedefeld."While we believe that the risk is small, it is a risk I am unwilling to take," Wiedefeld said.The agency may consider "bellying" the 4000-series cars in the center of trains since the ATC issue only occurs when the units are in the lead position.There are 41 pairs of 4000-series cars in active service. The units are the "smallest and least reliable" of WMATA's six legacy fleets, agency officials said. WMATA already was considering retiring all of the 4000-series units by the end of 2017; the agency may further accelerate retirement in light of the newly identified issue.
WMATA in the article identifies the problem (which I suspect has been at the center of most of their problems) - not doing manufacturer recommended testing. Nothing lasts forever, despite politicians belief that once something is built it will never need money for maintenance.
Wiedefeld is now bringing a safety culture to WMATA that previously did not exist.
Now we here the WAMATA metro electrical system is out of date and deteoriating. It will not be able to handle the 8 car trains planned once additional equippment is delivered.
http://www.rtands.com/index.php/track-maintenance/on-track-maintenance/fta-issues-wmata-traction-power-electrification-system-report-and-recommendations.html?channel=
Beg to differ C&O, but Ronald Reagan wasn't on anyone's political horizon when the DC subway was built, not as far as national office was concerned. Can't blame this one on the Gipper.
I was in the area in the mid-70's when it was in operation, and a friend of mine who worked for the BATF said the real reason it was built was to get all of DC's street crime underground! I'm sure he was joking.
One thing's for certain, if the politicians had to ride it they'd have taken better care of it. You never hear of the congressional subway breaking down.
Just doesn't stop for WAMATA train separates
http://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/2016/12/metro-subway-cars-separate-while-carrying-passengers/
What's scary about the train separation is that the 7000-series are designed to work in four-car sets. This train separated in the middle of a four-car set, which is especially troubling.
The trains are always ABBA, and the B cars are not to be separated.
I don't like riding in them because they have a very loud low-frequency rumble that hurts my ears.
The Metro was beautiful until the very late 2000s. It was wearing out. The "SafeTrack" program being undertaken today is primarily a tie replacement program with other incidentals being done while the track is out of service, such as cleaning, new rails, third-rail cover boards (seriously, they're falling off), conduits, drainage, insulators, traction power, etc.
Screen grab off the video with the blue streak's WTOP article
Something is extending from the coupler housing?????
Are these couplers electrically controlled. If so, could some failure initiate an uncoupling?
I don't see any hand operating lever in the photo but do see what looks like a piece of air hose hanging down from the lower center of the coupler.
Electroliner 1935Are these couplers electrically controlled. If so, could some failure initiate an uncoupling? I don't see any hand operating lever in the photo but do see what looks like a piece of air hose hanging down from the lower center of the coupler.
My understanding it that a desired uncoupling is a two or three step process and can only be performed when the equipment is stationary.
I would have to believe something broke in the coupling system. Similar to a broken knuckle in standard railroad couplings.
Update: It was not a mechanical fault.
It was human error. As usual. We suck.
http://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/2016/12/nearly-half-of-metro-track-department-disciplined-over-falsified-reports/
aegrotatioUpdate: It was not a mechanical fault. It was human error. As usual. We suck. http://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/2016/12/nearly-half-of-metro-track-department-disciplined-over-falsified-reports/
'WE' don't suck. To date WMATA management has sucked. Now that everything is starting to wear out, we are begining to find out how badly they have sucked and for how long.
Falsified reports are the normal result when Supervisors that recieve the reports 'Can't handle the truth'. Suprvisors are also remiss when their views of the property as the travel across their areas of responsibility don't jibe with the inspection reports they are recieving. These kinds of problems start with Management, not rank and file employees.
Well the jurisdictions that metro is going to be learning all over the old saw " Pay now or pay more later " Comments ?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/local-governments-alarmed-as-metro-says-it-needs-an-extra-1-billion-over-3-years/2016/12/17/6ceaa420-c3ce-11e6-9a51-cd56ea1c2bb7_story.html?utm_term=.1c773cb8829f
blue streak 1Well the jurisdictions that metro is going to be learning all over the old saw " Pay now or pay more later " Comments ? https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/local-governments-alarmed-as-metro-says-it-needs-an-extra-1-billion-over-3-years/2016/12/17/6ceaa420-c3ce-11e6-9a51-cd56ea1c2bb7_story.html?utm_term=.1c773cb8829f
A up to date physical plant's journey from deferred maintenance is not cheap.
Sticker Shock!
The chief concern about the costs is that it's been rather apparent over the past 15 years that Metro has had plenty of money allocated to it, even if it's not permanent, and with that money they should have been able to do all the maintenance they required and more.
The accusation is that it's been mismanaged and, stupidly, used to pay salaries of door openers over $100K and others $150K and up because attrition "forces" overtime on existing employees. That's a really serious problem and the union encourages it.
The DC Metro is an automated system. The $100K per year train operators merely open and close the doors and their only other duties are to listen for the passenger emergency intercom and to press the emergency brake button (until about 20 years ago, they couldn't even do that, but a slipperly rail accident changed that policy). Since the 2009 accident they've been controlling the trains' speed, and badly. If you are in the front car you hear the overspeed warning going off almost continuously.
They have only now started re-activating ATC since the accident. There really wasn't anything wrong with it before--the signal crews were being astonishingly stupid and mixing incompatible wayside systems with trackside systems during an upgrade project which is the proven root cause of the 2009 fatal accident.
The DC METRO was supposed to be self driving and was designed to be such WAY before Uber Selfdriving cars used 1970s tech that went the way of the PINTO.
Here's a funny fact. Both the DC Metro and BART were designed to have the doors re-open like elevator doors do. This caused massive delays once riders learned they could get into a train with doors closing.
Metro quickly changed that system to the modern doors that repeatedly slam the arms and bodies of idiots who try to rush the train. It was a good decision.
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