MARTA Improvements in May 2014 (Atlanta, Decatur: house, gated, tax)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by CCATL

I'm not sure what they can do, but they should do something. For your commute to the perimeter, it may have been better than sitting in traffic. But for my commute to midtown, sitting in traffic would have been faster. A couple of people around me actually considered getting on a southbound train to go back and get their cars, and to drive back into the city.

All I am saying is that, even if another train wouldn't have been possible, they need some kind of contingency in the event that a delay of that magnitude happens. Some ideas that would have improved the experience:

- Shuttle buses to make up for the lack of trains (they do this in NYC when a train breaks down) that run
between the mechanical difficulty to other stations not being served
- Announcing an estimated wait time, so that people can decide what they should do to get to work on time
- STOP announcing the current time, which just made people more angry
- Using connector tracks (if there are any) to turn a southbound train around after the problem station
- MARTA police to organize the chaos that ensues when 800 people late for work are trying to get onto a
single train, almost causing fights

Just some ideas, and I'm sure the brains at MARTA who know the system better can come up with more. A plan is needed when a delay is going to exceed 20 minutes during a rush hour commute.

To commute to midtown there is always the 110 'Peach' buss. I thought about putting my wife on there too.
I was frustatrated when I did not see any MARTA PS, but they showed up an the northbound platform as that thought came out my mouth. I heard announcements about 'the next norhtbound train was at West End.'
Have you voiced these concerns and complaints to MARTA?

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

Perhaps MARTA should do something about the hundreds of millions of dollars in deferred maintenance.

If this is true, then I hope that some who show up to the meetings will inquire about working on that deferred maintenance.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by CCATL

I'm not sure what they can do, but they should do something. For your commute to the perimeter, it may have been better than sitting in traffic. But for my commute to midtown, sitting in traffic would have been faster. A couple of people around me actually considered getting on a southbound train to go back and get their cars, and to drive back into the city.

All I am saying is that, even if another train wouldn't have been possible, they need some kind of contingency in the event that a delay of that magnitude happens. Some ideas that would have improved the experience:

- Shuttle buses to make up for the lack of trains (they do this in NYC when a train breaks down) that run
between the mechanical difficulty to other stations not being served
- Announcing an estimated wait time, so that people can decide what they should do to get to work on time
- STOP announcing the current time, which just made people more angry
- Using connector tracks (if there are any) to turn a southbound train around after the problem station
- MARTA police to organize the chaos that ensues when 800 people late for work are trying to get onto a
single train, almost causing fights

Just some ideas, and I'm sure the brains at MARTA who know the system better can come up with more. A plan is needed when a delay is going to exceed 20 minutes during a rush hour commute.

I probably just would have given up and hopped in an UberX. Five Points to Midtown wouldn't have set you back more than $10.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by bfarley30

MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

This is great news for MARTA! And most of the improvements are frequencies being lowered on trains AND BUSES!! Maybe reinstated bus routes or even new routes? Maybe even later service or even 24 hour service? Dare I say it, RAIL EXTENSIONS in the near future?

I'd love to see the introduction of rush hour service. Hell, I wouldn't mind trading that for maintaining 15-minute headways late at night, when the trains are almost never crowded.

[CCATL]

Originally Posted by cqholt

To commute to midtown there is always the 110 'Peach' buss. I thought about putting my wife on there too.
I was frustatrated when I did not see any MARTA PS, but they showed up an the northbound platform as that thought came out my mouth. I heard announcements about 'the next norhtbound train was at West End.'
Have you voiced these concerns and complaints to MARTA?

I haven't, but I plan to. I thought about the Peach bus, but when I looked at the schedule, it doesn't come all the way downtown very often. I don't remember exactly, but the quick headways end at Civic Center station for it.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by cqholt

MARTA does not express tracks or extra side tracks, until Lindbergh, to place that train. All they can do is fix the issue on the malfunctioning train or single track. Where would they have turned a southbound train around?
It was very annoying, but still better than driving in traffic.

There's a pocket track just south of Five Points they could use to turn the trains.

Originally Posted by CCATL

Just some ideas, and I'm sure the brains at MARTA who know the system better can come up with more. A plan is needed when a delay is going to exceed 20 minutes during a rush hour commute.

The brains at MARTA have been keeping the single-tracking garbage going for 13 years and aren't planning on ending it any time soon. Don't expect too much.

[cqholt]

There's a pocket track just south of Five Points they could use to turn the trains.

That pocket track could not be used to turn around southbound trains. The trains would have to continue to Garnett, then the operator walk to the other end, then drive northbound(on the southbound track to enter the pocket track). walk back to the other end, drive southbound on the northbound tracks, and finally walk back to the other end and drive northbound(on the northbound tracks. The way the switch is arranged its only accessible from northbound to pocket track or pocket track to souhtbound.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by CCATL

I haven't, but I plan to. I thought about the Peach bus, but when I looked at the schedule, it doesn't come all the way downtown very often. I don't remember exactly, but the quick headways end at Civic Center station for it.

MARTA just posted an explanation of the issues this week on their Facebook page. This type of transparency is great to see.

[MattCW]

Are you sure the pocket track isn't accessible SB from the SB tracks? According to this track map it is, I'll try to make it down there to see for myself someday soon though.
world.nycsubway.org: MARTA Track Map

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by MattCW

I'll try to make it down there to see for myself someday soon though.

Hey, let me how that goes. I've always wanted to do something like that.