An actual end to MARTA single-tracking in-sight? (Jackson: airport, train)

[bryantm3]

my point is that if we don't take care of the problem now, it will present itself in the future. you don't think those new lines will ever need maintenance?

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

my point is that if we don't take care of the problem now, it will present itself in the future. you don't think those new lines will ever need maintenance?

A third track, while nice, isn't 100% necessary for conducting single-tracking, which can be done with proper service planning. Bruce Emory (one of MARTA's original planners) wrote about this about 10 years ago on the CPT Yahoo group:

The single-tracking situation seems to be getting worse; first it was
20 minute service, and now 25 minute service. I think MARTA can do
better than this. The system was designed with crossover tracks
spaced about 4 minutes apart; for example, on the central portion of
the North-South Line crossovers are just south of Five Points, North
Ave, Arts Center, and Lindbergh. This theoretically allows maintenance
of service every 10-minutes in both directions (the single-track
segment is used for 4 minutes by the train travelling each way, plus a
minute at each end for switch operation and safety clearance). In
other words, MARTA should be able to at least maintain the normal
15-minute weekend service, and not have to degrade it to 20 or 25 minutes.

MARTA basically got lazy and didn't properly plan out the single-tracking schedule.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

all future MARTA lines should have a third line down the center so a) single tracking will never be necessary, and b) express lines can run on the third track during rush hour.

BART or WMATA do not have express lines and they see a lot higher ridership than MARTA. MARTA does not have the ridership and will not for the foreseeable future to warrant the additional cost of 3 tracks. They could add more pocket tracks or implement skip-stop service, but even CTA ended that.

[cqholt]

Members of Congress grill Metro leaders over management, safety flaws - The Washington Post
WMATA has a horrible safety record, and in January smoke in a tunnel caused the death of 1 person and sent over 80 people to the hospital. WMATA has been busy expanding, but maybe they should have been investing that money in their aging infrastructure. MARTA has not been expanding, but as part of the 50/50 rule they have been using money to upgrade the essential infrastructure.
Now WMATA is looking for a new GM and I am sure Keith Parker is a target. MARTA must do whatever it takes, within reason, to keep him in Atlanta.

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Members of Congress grill Metro leaders over management, safety flaws - The Washington Post
WMATA has a horrible safety record, and in January smoke in a tunnel caused the death of 1 person and sent over 80 people to the hospital. WMATA has been busy expanding, but maybe they should have been investing that money in their aging infrastructure. MARTA has not been expanding, but as part of the 50/50 rule they have been using money to upgrade the essential infrastructure.
Now WMATA is looking for a new GM and I am sure Keith Parker is a target. MARTA must do whatever it takes, within reason, to keep him in Atlanta.

No doubt. Happy to see that contract extension happen for him today. I'd be gutted to hear that Keith Parker is leaving anytime soon.

[MattCW]

I don't know, Keith Parker seems good at getting a system back where it needs to be, but doesn't seem to know how to keep it running. MARTA's reliability is drastically lower than under Beverly Scott and while I wouldn't necessarily prefer her back, we do need someone that can keep a good system afloat. Most people would strongly prefer a system on reliable 15 minute headways than a system that can't meet its scheduled 10 minute headways.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by MattCW

I don't know, Keith Parker seems good at getting a system back where it needs to be, but doesn't seem to know how to keep it running. MARTA's reliability is drastically lower than under Beverly Scott and while I wouldn't necessarily prefer her back, we do need someone that can keep a good system afloat. Most people would strongly prefer a system on reliable 15 minute headways than a system that can't meet its scheduled 10 minute headways.

Source on the reduced on-time reliability?

[skbl17]

Deja vu! Personally, I don't want to hedge my chances on a new GM right as the General Assembly and suburban counties are finally coming around to MARTA and there's expansion talk in the air for the first time in years.

A new GM could be great, but a new GM could also end up spoiling the entire agency and ruining it. Not what MARTA needs right now.

Originally Posted by Gulch

Source on the reduced on-time reliability?

I'd also like to see a source on the reliability claim.

- skbl17

[MattCW]

Riding it for a not-insignificant portion of the past several years. Prior to Mr. Parker, a disabled train or door fault slowing your commute was a case of "if" in any given week, now it's basically a case of "which two days?"

He doesn't need to go completely, maybe even keep the title GM if that makes everyone feel all warm inside, but someone else should be handling day-to-day operations.

[magnetar]

I'm not sure if this actually has to be pointed out, but one person's anecdotal account is not much of a rationale for changing who's CEO of MARTA.