The combination Central link tunnel [light rail and bus combined ] has another rail failure today. This has according to some sources become a joke with Seattle residents. There has been on average at least 2 failures a week for several months but I cannot confirm that yet?? wonder what the problem is??
What exactly do you mean by failure? Are both light rail and bus impacted? Do they just turn buses around south of the tunnel to keep service open outside the tunnel? Similarly reverse railcars?
I understood initiallyi a railcar or train would have to wait until the ahead was at the next station before proceeding. Has a signal system or some marker board between stations been installed to correct this inefficiency?
Both light rail and bus are affected. usually trains are turned back at each entrance with passengers taking a bus bridge around the tunnel. Tunnel Buses take same route. Do not know about the marker board but will try to find out.
Thanks. Look forward to the additional information
Although there have been several failures since my last post there is another one today. here is a copy of their e-mail.
Southbound Central Link light rail service has been disrupted in the Downtown Transit Tunnel. Please board southbound bus Rts 41, 101, 106 or 150 and transfer to your train at Stadium Station. Thank you for your patience.
I rode the light rail thru the tunnel in June while I was in the area for the NRHS Convention. Don't recall if the buses used electric or fuel. Could it be that the closures are caused by tunnel ventilation problems ?
Another failure today Friday: Here is Sound transit's e mail
Northbound Central Link light rail service is currently ending all trips at Stadium Station, and is not serving the downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel Northbound until further notice, due to a blockage in the tunnel.
The tunnel is open southbound, and tunnel bus service is operating via normal routes and stops with possible delays southbound only.
To get to into downtown Seattle on surface streets from the Stadium Station, board bus routes 101, 102, 106 or 150, northbound on SODO Busway adjacent to Stadium Station just south of S Royal Brougham Way.
Thank you for your patience.
The failures' descriptions are vague. "Blockages?" Are those derailments or stuff falling from the structure?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Wish I knew
Could the blockages have had something to do with "...a disabled bus at the University Station in the tunnel. " as was reported in the Transit's Thurs. e-mail ?
MidlandMike Could the blockages have had something to do with "...a disabled bus at the University Station in the tunnel. " as was reported in the Transit's Thurs. e-mail ?
You are not too far from the truth. Another bus broke down this afternoon in the tunnel station. Wonder if these breakdowns are electric buses or diesel?. Here is a bulletin from Sound transit.
Central Link light rail service currently starts and ends all trips at Stadium Station, and is not serving the downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel until further notice, due to a disabled bus at the University Station in the tunnel.
The tunnel is open, and tunnel bus service is operating via normal routes and stops with possible delays.
To get to Stadium Station for connections to Link trains, board bus routes 101, 106 or 150 from southbound Bay C in any tunnel station.
To get into downtown Seattle from Stadium Station, board any bus northbound on the SODO Busway, adjacent to the station, just south of S Royal Brougham Way. Routes 101, 106 and 150 serve the Transit Tunnel.
Updates will be provided as they become available
I used to live in Seattle and know the tunnel well.
What you are seeing is a case where a bus breaks down (they run dual power buses and some regular diesel buses in the tunnel).
When a bus breaks down in the tubes between stations, that tube is blocked until the bus can be restarted or pulled out of the tube. If they break down in the station, they are on top of the rails and the light rail train can not go any further. Buses can pass the breakdown vehicle and continue on their route if it is in the station. If it is in the tube there is nothing to do. By holding the trains at the stadium station, the operator can switch cab ends and take the train back south again from the same track which then crosses over to the proper running direction.
Look at these coordinates to see what I mean: 47.591333,-122.327167
The buses are GM-Flyer Hybreds which are supposed to use battery power to accelerated from the stations to avoid air pollution, and diesel power otherwise. They should have kept the old Breda combination trolleybus diesel bus busses that opened the tunnel . The excuse to go the GM Hybreds and abandong trolleybus operation in the tunnel was that the light rail uses 1200volts dc instead of 600 or 750. One of the stupidest transit engineering decisions ever made.
If I were Sound Transit NOW, I would abandon bus operation in the tunnel completely and devote it completely to light rail, supplementing the through service with a downtown only shuttle service to connect with the buses at Stadium Station, thus avoiding blockages and providing better service for everyone. I think they are just too plain dumb to do this.
Buses broken down again this wedensday. Here is their bulletin
Link trains are currently not operating in the downtown Seattle Transit Tunneldue to disabled buses in the tunnel.
From any Tunnel station, ride any southbund Route 101, 106 or 150 to connect with Link service at Stadium Station.
Updates will be provided when the situation changes.
So it is a train today. here is their bulletin
Central Link light rail service currently starts and ends all trips at Stadium Station, and is not serving the downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel until further notice, due to a disabled train in the tunnel.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
Ihave been told the main problem is the bus battery. The diesel engine is turned off at every tunnel station. If the bus is in a station, and cannot start, other buses can move around it. A light rail train cannot, becuase the bus in on the track at the platform. There is a central area between the two tracks that can be used by following buses.
Notice Thur jan 12 , 12;13
Central Link light rail service currently ends all northbound trips at Stadium Station, and is not serving the downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel until further notice, due to a blockage in the tunnel.
To get into downtown Seattle from Stadium Station using surface streets, board any bus northbound on the SODO Busway, adjacent to the station, just south of S Royal Brougham Way.
With all the snow that occurred today in Seattle the light rail tunnel has not had a failure. Give credit where credit is due.
Sounder trains have not been so lucky. The snow has frozen up switches causing delays to BNSF freights, Amtrak and Sounder trains with about 4 Sounders cancelled.
BTW Seattle is not supposed to have a big snowfall like this and then it freezing on top of the snow. Surprized link is running OK but Link late.
Friday 2 separate failures for light rail tunnel but was open for bus
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