All service stopped

I am talking about systemic issues and incidents going back to May of 2013, not something that happened 'cause it's cold out.
Software being run out of servers in midtown manhattan (sorry, actually I don't know where they are, but they're not on a siding in Wassaic, this I do know) isn't affected by cold. And there should be backups to backups for such mission-critical functions like the signaling system of MNRR.

Dutch, re catenary: point well taken, you are right.

first your rant was about earlier incidents, all related to maintenance and funding and Metro North, now your back tracking.
as for Computer failure once in 25 years since towers closed, and you make issue out of it ?? get real, the world is full of failures.

News flash MN critics: Computer system do fail every so often!! The more complex the system, the more likely it will become disabled. I find it just sickening that some people want to blame the unions and even the train crews for this evening's mess. Of all the problems that have plagued MN for the last year, this is one that cannot be blamed on any particular person or policy.

DutchRailnut wrote: actually yes, from state line (Port Chester) to New Haven is funded by CDOT, and since you taxpayers bet on wrong horses ass (Rowland) the maintenance for New Haven line is at least 8 years behind.
If it were not for Jodi Rell you would still ride in 45 year old cattle cars with no heat and holes in floor.
MN is operator of service in Connecticut but funding is Connecticut taxpayer via CDOT.

Hahahaha can you please have that printed up on cards and hand them out to complainers?

Clean Cab wrote:News flash MN critics: Computer system do fail every so often!! The more complex the system, the more likely it will become disabled. I find it just sickening that some people want to blame the unions and even the train crews for this evening's mess. Of all the problems that have plagued MN for the last year, this is one that cannot be blamed on any particular person or policy.

Oh, I don't know about that, I'm sure someone can find a way to blame us. BSD is truly evil though.

Tonight, I was on a combined Harlem Line 7:30 p.m. train to North White Plains. I got home a little while ago. We got stopped in north end of Mott Haven yard, next to the football field with AstroTurf. Yes, heat and light stayed on no one was either panicky nor bitching. Everyone onboard took that in stride as another point of living in and near New York. The crew did as well as they were able; it seemed to me the crew was as much in the dark as we passengers were. They handed out water and made continual announcements about what they knew (very little).

I find it a bit much that blame is being placed on a single computer glitch. It's more likely 'Billy' Vanderbilt's fault....after all, you do remember what he had to say about the riding public, right?

It's too bad that this happened.


Just shows, sometimes centralizing things is a burden. Sure, most of the time it is great, but when there is NO WAY to move trains at all, that is pretty embarrassing. I'm sure it happens more often to other railroads, but it still makes you think.

SwingMan wrote:It's too bad that this happened.


Just shows, sometimes centralizing things is a burden. Sure, most of the time it is great, but when there is NO WAY to move trains at all, that is pretty embarrassing. I'm sure it happens more often to other railroads, but it still makes you think.

There is a way to move trains, and MNR has plans to move them in such instances, extensive plans that have been used in recent years with smaller outages, so it works. It's just that when it's a software issue it's easier to fix than if someone cut C&S wires somewhere, so the outage is shorter and MNR doesn't have to enact those backup plans which could take hours to even out in place. But if it was a physical outage not a software problem, MNR does have plans which could be in place within several hours in case of system wide signal outage.

Clean Cab wrote:News flash MN critics: Computer system do fail every so often!! The more complex the system, the more likely it will become disabled.

I'm sure that since the politicians and media keep referring to the "safety culture" or lack thereof at Metro North, they will be quick to praise the railroad for having a system that stops the trains in their tracks, rather than having them continue on blindly to their destinations in a situation such as this.

Bill

I'm waiting to see what pearl of wisdom comes out of Chuckie Schumer's mouth on this topic.... "We need a person on the board of the signal companies"

We need Conductors in Dispatcher center to oversee the RTC's;-)

Saugatuck is not alone in his views. see comments below this update on Westportnow.com

http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v ... /#comments" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As I noted about the stuck train at Greens Farms, MNR is -- and continues -- to play defense and dismissing the mounting problems as random or isolated is not helping MNR's standing with the paying passengers.

http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc ... 0434.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And there is everybody's favorite troll, Jim Cameron, piling on. I find it amusing that the Courant ID's him as "former chairman" of the Council as if anyone should care what a "former" anything has to say in an official capacity. And yet they still give him the same unfettered open forum as before. Journalism circa 2014, folks!

The offensive quote:
"""Jim Cameron, former chairman of the Connecticut Metro-North Commuter Council, said that the railroad "dropped the ball in communicating the crisis, short as it was." Cameron said that he saw some "really ugly comments from those stranded" posted to Twitter."""

This is "piling on?"

MNR's communications efforts are unfortunately getting worse not better. Platform announcements are rare and usually off the mark. Those "Good Service" signs are useless, unless you've forgotten what day it is. There are conductors who try to make helpful announcements but there are a lot who don't bother to make any. The PR department is usually a day late and a dollar short on information, and always on the defensive.

Yet ostriches on this board bemoan the passengers, politicians and Jim Cameron.