Off the MARC

Headed out this morning to get the 5:10 MARC train at Martin State Airport and when I got there the platform was looking pretty empty. Got out and found out that train had been “cancelled” according to the people still there trying to scramble for a ride. Got back into the car to come back home and got an email informing me that the train was cancelled north of Penn Station and would originate there at 5:32. The time on my blackberry when that came across was 5:03 - it was timestamped as being sent at 5:00. No reason was given.

I’m thinking they probably knew it was cancelled before 5:00 a.m. since they had already announced it on the P.A. at the station apparently yet people who rely on their email system for delays are given 30 minutes to figure out it was cancelled, figure out their best route to Penn Station, find parking at Penn Station and then get inside and make the train.

On the ride home I tried to access the MARC website via Blackberry (which sucks since they don’t have a mobile site) and found there were no delays (it has since been changed to minor disruptions and the reason now given for the cancellation was signal and catenary problems.) I can see signal problems as a reason, but unless they were changing things up to put an electric engine on that train this morning, I’m not sure how the catenary problems are germane to the issue.

Since I get dropped off, the situation to make it to BWI or Penn Station or even trying to change lines to the Camden line and leave from Dorsey are not going to get me to work on time so it will just be off to Greenbelt and the DC Metro for me.

This is a good a time as any to point out a blog chronicling how inefficient and poorly run the MARC system is. That blog can be found here.

Related:
MTA Incompetence or Apathy?