More maintenance problems. This time lack of spare parts for 1000 cars and 7000 cars improper bolts. Certainly seems like a slow house cleaning of personell due when competent replacements can be found.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/design-flaws-slow-production-of-metros-high-tech-rail-cars-impacting-service/2015/11/09/a14e3b0c-8660-11e5-9a07-453018f9a0ec_story.html
One of the most direct letters ever published sent to Metro. " It is not business as usual " among other statements.
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/WMATA_letter_re_FTA_Oversight_10-26-2015.pdf
Took just 2 weeks for Foxx to asign WMATA to the FTA after NTSB recommendation for WMATA to FRA. Would sure like to have been a fly on wall for the back room maneuvering to keep it from the FRA. Certainly the board did not protest anything. Might have scared them for FRA to enter the game. But FTA might borrow some FRA inspectors ?
http://www.rtands.com/index.php/safety-training/fta-to-take-over-wmata-rail-safety-oversight.html?channel=
Believe it or not Washington Metro riders say bring on the FRA.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/angry-metro-riders-overjoyed-at-more-oversight-hell-yeah-bring-in-the-feds/2015/10/01/c434c6a6-6822-11e5-9223-70cb36460919_story.html
I tend to doubt it at this point. The first FRA proposal may have been made in order to force the issue. Since the FTA appears to be stepping up with a similar proposal, the FRA may choose not to add to its jurisdiction.
Now the FTA is proposing rail systems will have to meet "state of good repair" standards. Wonder if this is a quick reply to NTSB's call to put rail under FRA standards ? Turf war coming up between FRA and FTA ?
When Boston's system was knocked out by the snow, New York's system loaned them two (?) portably substations.
Although it wil probably not happen NTSB is recommending Metro rail be transferred to FRA jurisdiction and oversight. Will this be a wake up call for METRO ? Only time will tell. Now if congress gets involved ?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/2015/09/30/269fd2f6-6781-11e5-8325-a42b5a459b1e_story.html
If it happens all other syems would not be far behind.
CSS your are making a problem that is minor. Place transformer(s) on low boy, drive to available site parking, and have local utility hook up high voltage connections while transit hooks up connection to its grid. Might not be necessay at failed station but another sub. Certainly done in a week ? better than 6 months.
Believe that our local utility has one or more transformers available for their operations.
The real question IMHO is why is METRO so screwed up ? Makes NJT look good.
A portable sub sounds like a good idea but you would still have to find a place to put it and the utility would have to have a location where it could be plugged in.
The saga never seems to end. Now delays and by passing certain stations. The question has to be why wasn't the system designed so the failure of a major substation could be taken over by adjaecent substations ? Another question could be why hasn't Metro bought a portable substation that could be transported to a failed station ?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2015/09/28/metro-orange-silver-line-trains-will-bypass-stadium-armory-during-rush-hour-starting-tuesday/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/six-months-of-rush-hour-slowdowns-coming-for-three-metro-subway-lines/2015/09/25/aa0a681c-63b3-11e5-8e9e-dce8a2a2a679_story.html
Now of course what have the other rail systems around the country done to avoid metro's problem ? Maybe a fed loan to build a portable substation that could be used by any of several systems ? Unit could be either 600V or 750V DC output.
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