Very weird MARTA single-tracking Sept 13-14 (Atlanta: 2013, hotel, transfer)

[MattCW]

Most single-tracking, while irritating, is at least logical, they single-track a segment of track, and it's easy to see where the trains will cross over if you know where the crossovers and pocket tracks are. But for the weekend of September 13-14, MARTA is doing something...which can only be described as WEIRD with the single tracking: MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

In short, The Blue line will terminate to/from Five Points, so anyone traveling through, must transfer at Five Points. The Green Line, goes as far as the Dome Station, and the single tracking runs all the way from Dome to Edgewood-Candler Park. Normally, single tracking over this section would be done from Dome to King Memorial inclusive, and Inman Park to Edgewood-Candler park inclusive. Does anyone know what they could possibly doing to take such a huge section of track out of service all at once? I have to admit, the single-tracking has seemed somewhat more aggressive lately, which if it's building toward an actual end, I'm very glad for, but I still can't fathom a reason for this one.

[ElleKaye]

I could barely be further from the most knowledgeable MARTA user, but from the link you posted, it appears there will be a piece of track missing: MARTA started work in 2003 to rebuild and upgrade all 48 miles of track. It sounds like there will not be a track for the train to be on while they are rebuilding the track in that particular section during those dates.

[lem1985]

this happened back in 2005 and 2006 also its not weird

[alco89]

At least they had sense enough to not do this on Labor Day weekend or a weekend when there's a Falcons game. That's all we can ask for while they make these necessary improvements.

[bryantm3]

does anyone have an estimate on when all the major and backlogged maintenance will be completed? it's very important to get that out of the way, but maybe afterwards some of the new profits can start going towards expansion and maybe even 24 hour service, which i wish they would consider.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

does anyone have an estimate on when all the major and backlogged maintenance will be completed? it's very important to get that out of the way, but maybe afterwards some of the new profits can start going towards expansion and maybe even 24 hour service, which i wish they would consider.

Not even Bart or wmata has 24 hour service.

[ajjam]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not even Bart or wmata has 24 hour service.

So what does that have to do with Atlanta..... And us having the biggest/busiest airport in the world

[alco89]

Originally Posted by ajjam

So what does that have to do with Atlanta..... And us having the biggest/busiest airport in the world

Well, if larger cities don't do it with their higher ridership/demand, then why should we? But you do bring up an interesting point....I wonder how many flights arrive during the 5 hours that the trains are shut down and of those, how many would use MARTA?

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by alco89

Well, if larger cities don't do it with their higher ridership/demand, then why should we? But you do bring up an interesting point....I wonder how many flights arrive during the 5 hours that the trains are shut down and of those, how many would use MARTA?

Not many at all. When I last worked at the airport in 2013, the last flights for the evening would be the 2 American Airlines flight from Chicago/Miami that land near midnight. No passenger flights arrive at KATL until one of the red eyes from the West Coast around 5 /6 am unless things have changed in the past year and change. Just cargo flights in the overnight hours.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by alco89

Well, if larger cities don't do it with their higher ridership/demand, then why should we? But you do bring up an interesting point....I wonder how many flights arrive during the 5 hours that the trains are shut down and of those, how many would use MARTA?

i think asking whether or not someone else does it is the wrong question to ask. the question we need to ask would be "Do the benefits of 24-hour transit service outweigh the costs?"

i think when you put it that way, it gets straight to the subject matter, and focuses on the needs of this metro area, and not those of others.

the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of people in this city who commute at night; heck, just look at the people doing construction on the tracks and roads at 2 AM!

another fact is that across the city, bars close between 2-4 AM, releasing thousands of drunk people onto the streets with no way to get home, except by car. doesn't anyone else see that time as one where transit is possibly more important than at any other?

there are hundreds of other reasons a 24 hour transit service would be advantageous. what if you need to go to the hospital; there are only so many ambulances, and they don't send them out for just anything. what if your car breaks down? what if you just flew in at the airport and don't have any way to get to your hotel?

right now we have, at maximum, a 5 hour gap that is letting a huge part of our city down, and possibly endangering lives. would it be so astronomically expensive to close that small gap and have a transit service that is there whenever you need it?