MARC mechanical problems again
The comments posted on my post yesterday, along with emails I received from others, indicate to me that I was pretty much on the mark about problems with MARC service.
As they make sure they aren’t just kowtowing to artificial deadlines put out 10 months ago, they continue to have service problems. The following email alerts are problems that occurred during the evening commute last night. The time in front of the message is when it was received via email. Grammatical errors or typos are MTA’s not mine.
4:41 PM EDT
MTA: Marc 848 (439p WAS Dp) to be delayed an undetermined amout of time leaving WASH due to equip problem5:04 PM EDT
MTA: Camden: Marc 848 departed WASH approx 15 mins late now approaching Riverdale.6:52 PM EDT
MTA: Bruns: Marc 895 (630p WAS Dp) will be operating approx 15 mins late due to adding locomotive in WASH7:31 PM EDT
MTA: Marc 895 is operating approx 20 mins late in the Metropolitan Grove area enroute to Frederick.7:49 PM EDT
MTA: Marc 443 stopped S of Penn Stn due mechanical problem with locomotive. Delay unknown at this time.8:17 PM EDT
MTA: Marc 443 remains stopped S of Penn Stn. approx 50″ late at this time. Technicians trying to restart.8:35 PM EDT
MTA: Penn: Marc 443 on the move to WASH, approaching West Baltimore operating approx 65 mins late.8:39 PM EDT
MTA: Marc 544 (900p WAS Dp) expected to leave WAS 50-60 mins late due equipment problems with Marc 443.8:58 PM EDT
MTA: Penn: Marc 443 operating approx 65 mins late in the Bowie Stn area.10:17 PM EDT
MTA: Penn: Marc 544 (900p WAS Dp) has left WASH and is operating approx 65 mins late near New Carrollton11:38 PM EDT
MTA: Penn: Marc 544 operating approx 80 mins late approaching Edgewood.
As you can see, mechanical and locomotive problems continue to plague MARC. The train that left 65 mins late at 9 p.m. is one I’ve had to take before and it’s the last one that goes north of Penn Station at night. There is a normally 7:30 headway between the previous northbound Penn Line train and that one when it leaves on time at 9 p.m. If someone was travelling to Perryville and missed the 6:05 tonight, they had to wait until after 10 for the delayed train to leave.
I have yet to look at the new MARC schedule that takes effect soon to see how they’ve screwed things up even more, but I will.
1
Delayed by one hour this morning!
Comment by David — July 20, 2009 @ 9:59 am
2
[...] this week. Other delays took place Monday morning. There was also a situation with major problems one day last week. I think my friend was a passenger affected by all 3 of these situation as well as the one a few [...]
Pingback by Major ‘Minor’ Disruptions for MARC tonight | Inside Charm City: Baltimore, Maryland blog — July 22, 2009 @ 8:34 pm