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  • WMATA Single-tracking

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

Moderators: mtuandrew, therock, Robert Paniagua

 #1376606  by farecard
 
We are obviously facing a future of more single-tracking. My question is:
Is WMATA doing it the best possible way?

Deep in the ethos of WMATA is transfers are evil, and should be avoided. I seem to recall a selling point was passengers would have 0 or 1 transfers between any two stations, but never 2. That may be laudable 9-5, but while single-tracking?

I'm pondering the concept of a short "single track shuttle train" that runs only along that segment. It would share platforms with the bifurcated regular trains; i.e. be nose-to-nose with them. This would require manual authority in the form of a rail supervisor on the 2 joint platforms with visual contact with the shuttle.

It would also need 2 operators on the shuttle; one on each end.

The goal is to get the shuttle to Station X, disembark its passengers and load the ones headed to Y & beyond, and get the flock out of there ASAP. They could even reduce that time by designating the center doors as IN-ONLY, and the end ones as EXIT-ONLY. They would require retraining passengers, but with platform minders in place.....

My thinking is this could reduce the ride length considerably, albeit with added transfers. And the perception of wait time would go down; i.e. instead of one 20 minute wait, passengers have two, say 7 & 9 minutes.

Does any other transit agency do this? Are there any studies?
 #1376635  by leviramsey
 
farecard wrote:We are obviously facing a future of more single-tracking. My question is:
Is WMATA doing it the best possible way?

Deep in the ethos of WMATA is transfers are evil, and should be avoided. I seem to recall a selling point was passengers would have 0 or 1 transfers between any two stations, but never 2. That may be laudable 9-5, but while single-tracking?

I'm pondering the concept of a short "single track shuttle train" that runs only along that segment. It would share platforms with the bifurcated regular trains; i.e. be nose-to-nose with them. This would require manual authority in the form of a rail supervisor on the 2 joint platforms with visual contact with the shuttle.

It would also need 2 operators on the shuttle; one on each end.

The goal is to get the shuttle to Station X, disembark its passengers and load the ones headed to Y & beyond, and get the flock out of there ASAP. They could even reduce that time by designating the center doors as IN-ONLY, and the end ones as EXIT-ONLY. They would require retraining passengers, but with platform minders in place.....

My thinking is this could reduce the ride length considerably, albeit with added transfers. And the perception of wait time would go down; i.e. instead of one 20 minute wait, passengers have two, say 7 & 9 minutes.

Does any other transit agency do this? Are there any studies?
The MBTA Blue Line has done something similar recently
Blue Line service disruptions continue on weekends with that line running in 2 segments.
A shuttle runs back and fourth between State Street and Maverick on the outbound side and Maverick to Wonderland on the inbound side.
It's not two trains platforming on the same tracks at the same time (is that physically even possible at Maverick?), but it is a pair of single-track shuttles.
 #1376777  by MCL1981
 
This is way to complex for WMATA to pull off safely. The end result will be no trains moving anywhere, or both trains crashing into each other.

The bottom line is there is more work to be done than there is time to do it in. Only a few hours a night is one step forward and 4 steps back, as stuff falls apart faster than it's repaired. Weekend single tracking on small sections clearly isn't adding enough time to get anything meaningful done. IMO, the only effective strategy is one that will be the most disruptive. Wholesale closure of an entire chunk of the system for multiple days at a time, say Saturday through Monday or Tuesday. Then throw an enormous amount of overtime and equipment at that section and get everything done. Crews working non-stop 24/7 to inspect and replace anything that needs it. Track, fasteners, cables, signalling equipment, etc. Test all the signal equipment. Ensure everything is clean, working, and robust. Be done with it. Then next weekend, do the same thing on another large section of the system. And so on. All of this with the oversight and spot checking of the FTA and NTSB to make sure the work is actually being done, not just pencil whipped as usual.

The shutdown last week was well received. People were pissed the system was allowed to get to this point, but not pissed it was shutdown to fix it. They'd rather see it get fixed and not die.
 #1376790  by MACTRAXX
 
LR:

Maverick on MBTA's Blue Line is a perfect place to have passengers change between shuttle trains because it is
an island platform and once was the switch point of power sources from third rail to overhead wire which is now
one stop further at the Airport (serving Logan International) Station where this source change is now made.
Scheduling shuttle trains during single tracking to transfer at island platform stations is a good move for
convenience...A large percentage of Metrorail stations have "island" platforms.

Everyone:

Implementing a maintenance program similar to NYC Transit's FASTRACK program would be a good way for
the WMATA to schedule maintenance on a line segment or entire route with a designated closure time period.

In that way WMATA can dedicate resources to perform needed work to improve all aspects of Metrorail operation.
Other routes - especially those in proximity - could have added service to offer riders added options when a route
is shut down for necessary maintenance work. There will be inconvenience to some - but we have seen what the
alternative can be - a one day system shutdown was a tough but at the time necessary decision.

MACTRAXX
 #1376971  by Chris Brown
 
MCL1981 wrote:This is way to complex for WMATA to pull off safely. The end result will be no trains moving anywhere, or both trains crashing into each other.

The bottom line is there is more work to be done than there is time to do it in. Only a few hours a night is one step forward and 4 steps back, as stuff falls apart faster than it's repaired. Weekend single tracking on small sections clearly isn't adding enough time to get anything meaningful done. IMO, the only effective strategy is one that will be the most disruptive. Wholesale closure of an entire chunk of the system for multiple days at a time, say Saturday through Monday or Tuesday. Then throw an enormous amount of overtime and equipment at that section and get everything done. Crews working non-stop 24/7 to inspect and replace anything that needs it. Track, fasteners, cables, signalling equipment, etc. Test all the signal equipment. Ensure everything is clean, working, and robust. Be done with it. Then next weekend, do the same thing on another large section of the system. And so on. All of this with the oversight and spot checking of the FTA and NTSB to make sure the work is actually being done, not just pencil whipped as usual.

The shutdown last week was well received. People were pissed the system was allowed to get to this point, but not pissed it was shutdown to fix it. They'd rather see it get fixed and not die.
Agree.

What metro should seriously consider is closing Metro one weekend a month for the next year. Metro is so bad on weekends that it might as well be closed. Most locals already plan to avoid metro on weekends because they know service will be slow and unpredictable. Why not just close it down completely and get real work done? Metro should also pick at least one week a year to shut down completely for maintenance. Maybe the last week of December, then re-open for NYE?

I think people will be happy to have more reliable service overall if it means a few days a year with no service. Its a good trade-off and it speeds up the process of rebuilding.
 #1377016  by farecard
 
MCL1981 wrote:This is way to complex for WMATA to pull off safely. The end result will be no trains moving anywhere, or both trains crashing into each other.
Perhaps for the existing, at times Keystone-Kop'ish WMATA. But I think this new boss will continue to shake things up & again get us a real organization.

I've not looked at John's track maps of late, but I can no see why, at those stations where there's no crossover on the 2-track side of a work area, a supervisor on the platform can not directly visually observe the situation and control the shuttle's entrance into a platform. Just to be sure, give the supervisor a "mushroom" to trip 3rd rail power, if the operator blows passes a red. Equip said supervisor with a ticket book to then immediately fire that operator...

At other stations, with such a crossover, the platform on the out-of-service track side can be used by the main line consists, while the shuttle scoots back and forth from the in-service side.
 #1377334  by MCL1981
 
That sounds unreasonably complex, asking for problems, and totally unnecessary. The system is barely useable with single tracking on weekends. Doing that cobbled together balancing will not make that better. It will make it slower, worse, and more dangerous.
 #1377466  by MACTRAXX
 
Chris Brown wrote:
MCL1981 wrote:This is way to complex for WMATA to pull off safely. The end result will be no trains moving anywhere, or both trains crashing into each other.

The bottom line is there is more work to be done than there is time to do it in. Only a few hours a night is one step forward and 4 steps back, as stuff falls apart faster than it's repaired. Weekend single tracking on small sections clearly isn't adding enough time to get anything meaningful done. IMO, the only effective strategy is one that will be the most disruptive. Wholesale closure of an entire chunk of the system for multiple days at a time, say Saturday through Monday or Tuesday. Then throw an enormous amount of overtime and equipment at that section and get everything done. Crews working non-stop 24/7 to inspect and replace anything that needs it. Track, fasteners, cables, signalling equipment, etc. Test all the signal equipment. Ensure everything is clean, working, and robust. Be done with it. Then next weekend, do the same thing on another large section of the system. And so on. All of this with the oversight and spot checking of the FTA and NTSB to make sure the work is actually being done, not just pencil whipped as usual.

The shutdown last week was well received. People were pissed the system was allowed to get to this point, but not pissed it was shutdown to fix it. They'd rather see it get fixed and not die.
Agree.

What metro should seriously consider is closing Metro one weekend a month for the next year. Metro is so bad on weekends that it might as well be closed. Most locals already plan to avoid metro on weekends because they know service will be slow and unpredictable. Why not just close it down completely and get real work done? Metro should also pick at least one week a year to shut down completely for maintenance. Maybe the last week of December, then re-open for NYE?

I think people will be happy to have more reliable service overall if it means a few days a year with no service. Its a good trade-off and it speeds up the process of rebuilding.
CB and MCL:

Metro needs to implement a indepth maintenance program in which segments of or entire lines are closed during
a designated time period to be determined by how extensive the necessary work needed to be performed will be.

Closing the entire system for a weekend - or a week - is too drastic a measure to undertake and would cause too
much inconvenience to riders. The ridership numbers alone show how the Washington area depends on Metrorail.

Outdoor work is better performed during warmer weather - but with Washington's busy Summer tourist season a
prolonged shutdown could be a problem. The week between Christmas and New Years Day is not a big work week
but is a time period when many people are traveling in and out of the Washington area including many visitors.

What may happen is that maintenance forces may be spread out far too thin to perform necessary work compared
to concentrating on a line segment or route going "all out" to improve Metrorail infrastructure.

Scheduling closure periods well in advance can lessen problems and inconvenience and by offering more service
on alternate routes to compensate for necessary work this could help Metro and its riders adapt to these changes.

The Metrorail system has aged enough in that a continuing improvement program needs to be implemented.
Everyone involved can eventually benefit in the long run...

MACTRAXX
 #1379927  by octr202
 
There's no way closing the entire system at once makes sense unless there's a critical safety risk. You can really only likely do one or two whole line/branch closures (i.e., close the entire New Carrollton Branch) in a week and have enough crews and equipment to go around. It does sound like there would be less long-term disruption to more 48-72 hour closures than WMATA's current single-tracking practices. It does cost more as you have to run bus shuttles in place of rail services, but perhaps they can talk to their colleagues here in Boston on how to do it. They aren't always pretty or pleasant, but the T's bus replacements usually get the job down for riders while we do weekend closures. For pretty much the entire outdoor construction season (and recently most of the winter, too, due to an all-tunnel project on the Cambridge end of the Red Line), there's a closure somewhere almost every weekend that isn't plugged with a special event. The MBTA's done the math and feels the cost of busing is worth it to create larger work windows and get it done sooner.