MARTA reliability is job #1 (Atlanta, Lenox: buy, living, price)

[Fubarbundy]

At least drivers don't have to force open their doors (just kidding)!!!

Hopefully, all riders understand there will be problems at some point.

[whodean]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Yeah, it's definitely easy to have control while in this:

You think all of those cars are trapped without power, AC and cell signal like the MARTA captives were?

[Atlanta Scientist]

I will still continue to use MARTA. Crap happens just like when 85 collapsed. Much can be learned from this experience so that the situations like this can be handled better. Communication is key and I appreciate MARTA reaching out for the experiences of its passengers. Atlanta needs a better MARTA.

[ATLTJL]

Communication is key and I appreciate MARTA reaching out for the experiences of its passengers.

That's a funny point, because I was going to argue that the total lack of communication is the most inexcusable part of all of this. Yes, stuff does happen, but you don't just leave people in a train with no lights or heat for over an hour without explaining what is going on.

No wonder they forced the doors open. I would have done the same thing. Next time, I bet they lock the doors only to learn that people will smash windows. I wouldn't stay in that sweltering sweatbox hoping that someone somewhere figures out the problem and fixes it. Screw that.

[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.

[Just Blaze]

I was stuck at Peachtree Center Station last night from this. It was annoying as hell. Plus, why is it so damn hot in that station?! It's been like this since I started school in August.

[toll_booth]

Man, this doesn't look good for MARTA. The occasional 5-minute delay is a hassle, but this? Especially on a night when it was packed with United fans? Not good. Hope that they can step up their maintenance efforts.

[ATLTJL]

It was annoying as hell. Plus, why is it so damn hot in that station?! It's been like this since I started school in August.

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.

[magnetar]

It is so, so fundamentally messed up that MARTA's response to this complete failure is to blame the riders who made use of the emergency exit after being stuck on a train for an hour and a half, after the air conditioning and lights had failed. Who in the world wouldn't evacuate at that point? But for some reason, our transit agency thinks it's appropriate to highlight that those who evacuated made the situation last longer than it should have.

Is that true? Probably so. Could any reasonable person blame someone for evacuating a train that's completely shut down and gone dark in the middle of a tunnel under the city? I don't think so.

[SEAandATL]

That kind of incident makes Georgia look more like Italy than like Japan. I got stuck once on NYE (2015-16) on the North Line between Lindbergh and Buckhead. I don't remember how long it was, but maybe less than 30 min. It's things like that that make me not blame Cobb and Gwinett for not wanting MARTA. That is why I would prefer having privatized rail companies running the commuter lines to the suburbs. I hate seeing tax dollars going to waste.