Category Archives: WMATA

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Labor Day Weekend, Metro will close five Red Line stations

redline.jpg

Metro announced yesterday that over the Labor Day weekend, they will be closing five stations at the Glenmont end of the Red Line in order to do significant track work in order to comply with NTSB recommendations. Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring and Takoma will be closed from 10pm on Friday, September 3rd, through 5am on Tuesday, September 7th. During that closure, Metro will be replacing 2 track switches at Silver Spring, 525 feet of track, and 500 rail insulators. In addition, they’ll be swapping out 750 rail fasteners and 1,720 cross ties. It will be Metro’s single biggest replacement in the history of the system.

It’s going to suck for those who use the system in that branch for a few days, but it’s a helluva lot better than 150 days of single-tracking trains through that area, I think.

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Rain, Rain, Go The Heck Away and Stop Causing Trouble


Flooding at Foggy Bottom Metro / Photo by Tiffany Bridge

It’s as if Snopocalypse Now Parts I and II weren’t enough for the crazy weather the District’s seen in 2010. Storms galore are appearing at a more consistent rate than a Nats win streak.

Is it god crying because baseball Jesus was put on the disabled list? Who knows. Either way, WLDC Author Tiffany is reporting that gallons of water and debris are currently flooding Foggy Bottom platform from the ceiling.

Also — the power’s out at the Friendship Heights metro station. Update, 4:01 p.m.: Friendship Heights metro station is open again.

Know of any more problems? Help your neighbors by leaving ’em in the comments. It’s good karma.

More photos of Foggy Bottom flooding after the page break. Continue reading →

All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, Essential DC, History, Life in the Capital, News, Special Events, The District, WMATA
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NTSB Finds Systemic WMATA Safety Issues From Red Line Crash Investigations

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Today in a five hour long hearing, (not including a one hour long lunch break) the NTSB released their findings on the 2009 Red Line crash. Chairwoman Hersman kick off the hearing with opening remarks that highlighted the thoroughness of the report, the importance of its findings and immediate need for WMATA to take action to rectify what Hersman called “WMATA’s anemic safety culture.”

As Tom pointed out earlier today, many of the findings had already been unearthed. NTSB Engineer Payan spent a good length of time both describing and fielding questions about the failures of the Automated Train Operation (ATO) system and the WEE-Z bond sensors that caused the first train to essentially disappear from the track circuitry sensors and made the second train speed up and, tragically, slam into the first train. Prior to the crash, circuit failures like this were happening so often that WMATA employees became desensitized to the alerts and would ignore them. More shocking is that since the crash, WMATA has identified about 290 track circuits capable of this same failure and has not replaced them. No word on if WMATA is currently paying more attention to the alerts. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA
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NTSB to release findings today in 2009 Metro crash

Photo courtesy of
‘metro’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Today’s the big day for WMATA and the NTSB. This morning at 9:30am, NTSB will release their initial findings in the 2009 crash that claimed 9 lives as two trains collided outside the Fort Totten metro station. The preliminary documents will be released at the conclusion of the hearing, which will be livecast on the NTSB website.

If I had to make some predictions, I would imagine that fault will be placed on the system’s Automated Train Operation (ATO) system and the WEE-Z bond sensors (which Don explained last year) as well as on the not-at-all crashworthy 1000-series cars. I would also expect to see serious complaints about the leadership under John Catoe, as well as difficulties in the mid-level ranks at Metro to be blamed for the crash. Metro has said that they are working on an improvement to the ATO system, which has been disabled since the crash, but refused to answer any questions. In addition, Metro’s board has started the process for replacing the 1000-series cars, which will take several years to complete.

WMATA has been hiding behind this investigation, and its findings, since shortly after the crash, and has used the lack of a final report to mask their actions in the field from the press and the public. We can finally start to expect answers to questions like “What are you doing to fix the ATO system?” and “How is that real-time backup going?” Metro has had over a year to defer answers for most of their safety-related concerns until such time as the NTSB findings were released. Today will be some rough knocks for WMATA and their leadership, but it’s also the start of the real fix to the system. Today is when WMATA gets their final marching orders to fix ATO and return the system to scheduled operation, and that’s something I think we can all get behind.

We’ll have details as soon as they’re available.

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Would You Climb Up A Metro Escalator?

Photo courtesy of
‘La luz al final’
courtesy of ‘ndutzan’

Here’s an interesting find I read from my co-worker Meggiepoo: a man climbing up the escalator partitions at the Bethesda Metro Station after a Caps game back in May 2009. The video was found and posted over at Unsuck DC Metro and makes me wonder if he was over-served at the game, couldn’t take people standing on the left, or unwilling to walk up a broken escalator.

As a relatively new daily Metro commuter I can understand the rage we all get from overflowing rail cars and broken down elevators and escalators. I do have to give this crazy Marylander some credit, I’ve always wanted to slide down the partition but Metro smartly put metal bumps on them to prevent that kind of crazy behavior. Of course they now make good climbing grips for those willing to scale an escalator.

Of course we here at We Love DC are not endorsing this sort of behavior but I hope it gives you a smile during your lunch.

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The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Metro releases not-terribly-useful online SmarTrip management

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Today, at long last, you can view your SmarTrip usage history online at wmata.com.

That is, assuming your card is recent enough to have a 9-digit serial number. (Pad the beginning of the number with zeros if not.)

And assuming you remember both the zip code and phone number you used when you ordered it 8 years ago.  If you didn’t buy it from a machine. (How old IS that SmarTrip card, anyway?)

But if you can manage all those things… my friend, you are now able to view, online, all the places you’ve taken Metro to! In case you weren’t paying attention when you took Metro there!

So of course now that you see your card balance, you’ll want to add value. Except that you can’t, because that feature, the extremely advanced and complicated one one where you give them a credit card number to make a purchase, hasn’t been added yet. Let’s try that again:

So, now that you see how low your balance is, you can leave the office a little bit early to accommodate the amount of time you will STILL be spending in line at the one functioning SmarTrip machine at your Metro station of choice, because one isn’t working and the other is occupied by some tourist ignoring all the farecard machines and using the SmarTrip machine to buy precise-value paper farecards for the whole family using the bag of change he was keeping in the minivan. A nickel, a quarter, another nickel, wait, he dropped a dime… Aren’t you glad you left early?

Thanks for the useful information, Metro!

Edited to add: For maximum hilarity, watch your neighbors try and fail to use the new SmarTrip registration via the magic of Twitter Search.

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Heat Kinks on Metro to Slow Evening Commute

Photo courtesy of
‘yup, it’s hot out’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

It sucks out there. It’s fit for neither man nor beast, and your evening commute is going to suck. Now, Metro has come out and said that it’s going to suck a bit more. There are some heat kinks in the rails, which Metro explains as: “Heat kinks form when overheated tracks expand and cannot be constrained by the cross ties and ballast support the track.”

The heat kink that we know about so far is on the Red Line between the New York Avenue & Rhode Island Avenue stations and is slowing trains between the two stations in an attempt to avoid calamity. Please expect the Red Line to suck more than usual, and I wouldn’t bet on any comfort on those trains at all. If you can, folks, a little extra deodorant wouldn’t kill you under these conditions.

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Citing Safety Concerns, Metro Pulls All 4000-Series Cars

Photo courtesy of
‘Metro couple’
courtesy of ‘logan.brown’
At just four minutes to midnight on July 4th, WMATA announced that all of the 4000-series cars on Metrorail were being removed for safety concerns related to their door motors. The timing, while awkward, may prove advantageous given the lower than average ridership week and the federal holiday. The 4000-series cars apparently have an issue with their door motors that can occasionally cause a door to open while the train is moving. Each of the 100 cars will need to have all of its door motors removed, inspected, cleaned, and replaced before the cars can come back into service. It’s expected to be a process that will take 2-3 weeks. Early next week is expected to be the worst of the situation, as cars will be coming back online in pairs as the work is completed.

Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Metro To Raise Fares Again Sunday

Photo courtesy of
‘2010:39’
courtesy of ‘::FiZ::’

Metro’s fare prices are movin’ on up yet again. The WMATA board of directors approved a package of fare increases Thursday as they aim to close the $189 million gap in its 2011 budget, according to this morning’s Express.

Fare increases begin Sunday on all rail and bus lines, including the MetroAccess service for disabled riders.

Sunday isn’t the only change looming for DMV residents who rely on Metro. The fare increase is scheduled to go into effect over the course of two phases – the first one Sunday and the second on August 1.

Among the annoyance of a continuing hike of daily ride fare prices, there is some shining bit of glory for some; the cost of SmarTrip cards dropped by 50 percent and are now available for the low-low price of $2.50. But for those of us who already have the cards who is that really helping?

At this point I’m ready to bang my head against the farecard kiosk. Who’s with me?

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Region remembers last year’s deadly Metro crash

Photo courtesy of
‘metro’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

One year ago, two Red Line trains collided near the Fort Totten station, killing nine and injuring dozens. In the months that followed, serious questions were raised about safety within Metro. While the National Transportation Safety Board has yet to issue a final report on the crash, the safety agency has indicated there are significant deficiencies with Metro’s culture of safety. Presently there are four open NTSB investigations regarding Metro. In today’s Washington Post, Ann Scott Tyson gives a review of the fallout from the accident.

In the year since the crash, Metro has been plagued with further safety lapses. A spat of track worker deaths and collisions in rail yards further tarnished Metro’s reputation. In January, John Catoe announced his resignation from the transit agency, noting the public’s loss in faith in Metro’s management was becoming too much of a distraction. In April, former NJ PATH manager Richard Sarles took over as Metro’s interim General Manager. This spring Metro also announced a leadership change in the safety department. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Bob McDonnell, in Richmond, Wants Control of WMATA

Photo courtesy of
‘A Simple Ass’
courtesy of ‘Orin Zebest’

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, who lives in Richmond, 97.4 miles from the closest Metro station, wants two seats on the WMATA board (one voting, one alternate) or else he’s taking Virginia’s contribution to WMATA and going home. He’s upset that (Democrat) part time local politicians are taking up the seats that he’d like to fill with (Republican) transit “experts” that are based out of Richmond.

Call his bluff.

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Metro to Remember 22 June Accident

Photo courtesy of
‘metro’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Metro announced this afternoon that they will hold a remembrance ceremony at the Fort Totten metro on June 22nd at 10am, to remember the accident that claimed the lives of nine riders last year. The families of the dead will also dedicate a plaque to their memories, and lay a wreath in honor of all victims.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the deadly crash. The system is still operating in crisis mode, with no clear timetable to resume normal operation, and the city’s relationship with WMATA is on the rocks. It’s hopeful that the release of the NTSB findings will begin to put some milestones in place for Metro to work toward, and more importantly, talk about publicly. While they wait for the NTSB to write the final report, their hands are very much tied about what they can say publicly.

The text of the plaque is after the break. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Metro Debuts New Public Scorecard

scorecard.jpg

One of the promises that WMATA’s interim GM Richard Sarles made was with regard to the transparency of the organization, and that good data put into the public’s hands would let them judge the system fairly and honestly. Today, he delivered with the Metro Scorecard, which will be updated monthly, and gives riders access to some data on the service. Topic areas include, Safety, Reliability, Budget Performance, and Security, with sub-areas to tell you about On-Time Performance, Crime Rate, Operating Expenses Budgets, and Capital Investment.

The card lists Metrobus’ on-time performance rating at 74%, Metrorail’s on-time performance rating at 90%, and Metro Access at 91%. The bus rating also allows for a significant variance between schedule, allowing for up to 2 minutes early and up to 7 minutes late, whereas the rail stats only allow for a 2 minute delay.

The card also shows Metro’s customer satisfaction ratings, which were higher than I expected at 73% for rail and 77% for bus.

One bug I hope they fix: the scorecard isn’t readable in Safari or Chrome, only Firefox for the Mac. Performance on Windows is likely the same.

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Jeter Says to Rider: “Apparently You Believe in Slavery”

Photo courtesy of
‘mute’
courtesy of ‘woodleywonderworks’

UnsuckDCMetro posted an alleged email conversation between a concerned Metro rider and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 boss Jackie Jeter that, frankly, makes the union look even more like…well, a-holes. The conversation was in regards to the fact that two union bus drivers got their jobs back – with pay – despite some serious issues.

Take a gander at how this labor organization handles itself when a legitimate complaint is brought forward. Apparently, Ms. Jeter thinks if you believe certain union members are “unfit to perform the basic duties required of a Metrobus driver,” you are, in fact, a proponent of slavery.

Seriously, Ms. Jeter? Do us ALL a favor and STFU. You’re only making your union brethren look even worse than WMATA. And that’s pretty hard to do.

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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And the Wheels of the Bus Go…

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Let’s pretend you’re a bus driver. You get involved in a deadly collision between your bus and a taxi where one of the taxi passengers later dies from injuries. Your bosses believe you ran a red light, causing the accident, and fired you from your job. Sounds reasonable, right?

Or, let’s say you’re still a bus driver, but you decide to take offense at someone dressed as McGruff the Crime Dog and slug him; the costumed canine turns out to be a cop. You’re fired from your job, arrested and found guilty of simple assault.

Think you deserve to get your job back in either case?

Apparently Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 thinks so. Both men won their jobs back after an arbitration hearing between the union and WMATA sided in favor of the union. The McGruff hater is due back behind the wheel of a bus after some “retraining.” The driver involved in the fatal accident is currently sitting at home, awaiting a decision by WMATA on where to place him. Both drivers were awarded their jobs plus full back pay, something the union considers a victory.

The reinstatement of a bus driver who caused a fatal accident (and I’ll note that he had not been cited or charged with anything; Metro determined from their own investigation that the driver ran a red light) is most disturbing. “We’re very concerned,” said Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein to the Examiner‘s Kytja Weir. “We feel strongly that termination was the right decision.” WMATA settled out of court with the widow of the victim, after she sued the agency for $100 million.

Union president Jackie Jeter said of the hearings that “[t]he authority does not have authority to do whatever they want to do.”

Words? Fail.

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Red Line Pre-dawn Derailment Snarls Metro

Photo courtesy of
‘Metro Spirits’
courtesy of ‘pnzr242’

The pre-dawn derailment of a WMATA construction unit, called a Petibone, has snarled the Red Line for the moment. The unit, which derailed in the direction of Glenmont, near Union Station, necessitated the single-tracking of Red Line trains between Judiciary Square and New York Avenue. Delays are currently reported at approximately one hour on the Red Line. While the unit was re-railed by 6am, the damage to the track near Union Station has just been repaired, and dual-tracking has just recommenced.

Metro says that service has “returned to normal,” but that seems like an odd farce in the recognition that nothing about Metro has been remotely normal since last June’s crash. Trains remain at slower speeds with no return to ATO in sight, minor derailments continue on a semi-regular basis, and Metro’s not talking about the improvements they’re trying to make. Some of that, sure, is their desire to keep quiet until NTSB completes their review, but the silence isn’t reassuring. Hope your commute wasn’t awful.

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Find Your New Fare

Photo courtesy of
‘Arithmetic machine’
courtesy of ‘marc kjerland’

If the proposed changes to the WMATA fare structure take effect as planned, how much more are you looking at in daily fees to ride the rails on our aging transport system? The Post’s Kat Downs and Jacqueline Kazil have built a calculator to help you figure it out.  I ran a few of my favorite routes through the calculator, and here’s what I found:

Van Dorn Street to Farragut West (my first commute)
Options: Peak of the Peak, Parking, 10 trips/wk
Per Week Increase: $12.50
Per Year Increase: $650.00
Per Week Parking Increase: $2.50
Per Year Parking Increase: $130.00

Total Yearly Increase: $780.00

Continue reading →

Talkin' Transit, The Features, WMATA
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Talkin’ Transit: Back to Basics with Richard Sarles

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

Last night’s blogger roundtable with interim WMATA General Manager Richard Sarles was instructive for where the organization’s focus is right now: it’s all about “back to basics” for the interim GM, who is intent upon shoring up his priorities of Safety, Reliability and Fiscal Stability.  The system has, in his view, suffered massively in the last few years, and as long as it took to get there, it will take that long to get it back.  That starts, according to Sarles, with a return to the basics.

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Metro Reports Incident Involving Emergency Brake

Photo courtesy of
‘8099 mushroom’
courtesy of ‘crabchick’

Last summer’s horrific crash near Fort Totten revealed a colloquial term for the emergency brake aboard all trains: the Mushroom. Named for its shape, the Mushroom engages the emergency brakes and brings the train to an immediate halt. Yesterday, Metro reported an incident involving the emergency brakes being engaged on a Red Line train at Forest Glen as it approached the Station. No one was injured, but it’s concerning to hear that so long after last summer’s crash, that perhaps the system’s train indication still isn’t working.

This was one of our questions for interim GM Sarles at the blogger roundtable that was supposed to happen late yesterday. We were told that GM Sarles had a meeting late in the day with Congress and that was why our meeting was delayed, but the timing here could be considered suspect. The questions remain: What state are the train detection circuits in on the Red Line? It certainly is not promising to hear that the emergency brake was deployed here in light of what we’ve been promised.

We’re hoping that the roundtable will be rescheduled for early next week, and we can find out ourselves.