MARTA reliability is job #1 (Atlanta: apartments, car registration, rail)

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Long-time posters on this board will know that for several years I have said that MARTA should figure out how to have climate controlled platforms. Seems like it would be especially easy at Peachtree Center with all that natural insulation. As to why it isn't just naturally cool all the way down there....I have no idea. Seems like natural geothermal cooling should keep it mild at all times.

The underground stations have A/C, but I'm guess it's used sporadically due to cost.

[cqholt]

The lack of communication to passengers is the #1 issue here and inexcusable. As for passengers exiting the train, that's just dumb. They don't know if the 3rd rail is live or not. The doors on either end of the railcars can be opened to relieve the stuffiness. Was the rail operator not walking the train, being visible to passengers, and monitoring the situation?

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The lack of communication to passengers is the #1 issue here and inexcusable. As for passengers exiting the train, that's just dumb. They don't know if the 3rd rail is live or not. The doors on either end of the railcars can be opened to relieve the stuffiness. Was the rail operator not walking the train, being visible to passengers, and monitoring the situation?

I heard, though I don't have a source for this so you can take it with a grain of salt, that the people in the tunnel meant that they had to shut down power to additional sections of the network, while also needing to sweep the tunnels for stragglers before operations could resume.

[architect77]

After no response to my emails on MARTA website for 2 years, I spent $20 printing out color photos of the faded MARTA placard signs over I-85 and Piedmont Rd. at Miami Circle.


I went to their headquarters at Lindbergh to hand deliver my suggestions. The stairwells of their parking deck were full of trash and obviously never even checked.


I also printed photos of the grime on the interior surfaces at Lenox Station that hasn't been cleaned in decades.

The windows and window frames in the stairwell on the Resurgens side have remained spattered with apparently some dirty liquid for YEARS! This is at eye level and right in your face every time you use the stairs.

I suggested that power washing the inside of stations at least yearly.

And Five Points station's lack of clearly visible EXIT SIGNAGE to the street is a huge public safety threat. From the lower platform I challenge anyone to identify any EXIT signs since they are all the same size as you'd see in s regular hallway.

They are backlit but 1970's dim and they are extremely inadequate for a huge open atrium space with so many similar dull-colored surfaces.

You need large signs on lower level instructing passengers on how to get to upper platform and then exit.


I had two people from MARTA call me, and got the "we're about to ramp up this, that, etc.". Same ol', ol'.


But unfortunately the price we pay for living the big city under the beautiful green trees, is an accompanying infrastructure
and city government run by the most indifferent and half-ass employees you' can imagine.

Atlanta loathes cleaning and maintenance of any kind.

I remember a poster saying that an official from BREDA said that the rail cars weren't receiving regular maintenance by MARTA. He said they just let them fall apart and then buy new ones.

[DreamerD]

Marta is sh**. The other day I somehow made the mistake of buying paper breeze cards and do you know for those low quality cards that they charge a dollar per card? I don't even remember being warned about the extra charge. I and other people as I've seen it with my own eyes have used breeze cards only to have the gate tell us it's invalid. The times (waiting for a train) have gotten better or maybe it's the times I've leaving I dunno but it seems when I used Marta over 7 years ago that it was always a 10+ minute wait. As for everything else, I wouldn't wish the bus system on anyone. Even the rail system is limited towards where it takes you. Better be able to afford Uber.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Lack of any kind of emergency response plan seems to be par for the course at MARTA. One time with a problem at the airport, I watched a never-ending parade of southbound trains head straight into the mess, just for all of them to get caught up, and no northbound service for something like an hour. Another time, I listened on the radio as it took over 20 minutes to get a disabled southbound train out of the way at Lindbergh while screwing up both northbound and southbound service.

You know...I think I remember that. To be honest though, over 7 years ago there was always some delay in some service. If it wasn't the west-east then it was the south-north.

[primaltech]

Uber isn't perfect either, and it can get pricey, but at least it goes literally everywhere in the metro. That makes all the difference.

[Gulch]

You know what? Let's just shut it all down.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by Gulch

You know what? Let's just shut it all down.

Or let's use our organized knowledge about the issues to confront and change them. Keith Parker leaving is a good first step. Though I personally would have hoped that he would stay in some kind of advisory or planning capacity.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Uber isn't perfect either, and it can get pricey, but at least it goes literally everywhere in the metro. That makes all the difference.

Uber is convenient for people who live near or in Atlanta. I'm neither so when I think of Uber costs, I think of a limosine. And I know I am exaggerating but whn u earn so little, it makes sense.