New Page Alert: Info for First-time or New Riders

The past few weeks Gaithersburg got new MARC Riders. It seemed to me that a page with some highlights that a new commmuter would need to know was in order.

Check it out and let me know if there are other points to add.

REMINDER: MARC Town Hall meeting at Brunswick Station Tuesday

MARC is hosting a “Town Hall meeting on the proposed MARC schedule change” Tuesday evening from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm at “the Brunswick Station. There will be a brief presentation by MTA management then an open discussion session.”

Source: MARC Service Alert marc@mtamarylandalerts.com, Mon 01/23/12 10:31 PM.

Update: NO schedule changes on the Brunswick Line on January 30th!

Just in from MARC...
 
Based on customer feedback (over 1,100 comments), MARC will not implement the December 1, 2011 proposed Brunswick Line Schedule.
 
This is great news for Garrett Park and Dickerson, Boyds, and Washington Grove passengers. It also means that passengers living past Brunswick will be able to work late AND have a way home.
 
I want to personally thank all of you who participated in the MTA survey.
 
MARC expects the second draft to be ready for public comment in late March or early April with the implementation date of May 2012. They will again hold additional Town Hall meetings (TBD).
 
I urge you now to keep a sharp eye out for the second draft schedule and to review all changes, not just your normal trips. Commutes can change very quickly in our area and you don’t want to be caught in a no-win travel situation.
 
See full story: http://mta.maryland.gov/advisories/marc-brunswick-line-schedule-change-proposal

REMINDER: MARC Riders Advisory Council meeting

From MTA Alert 1/17/11:

"The next meeting of the MARC Riders Advisory Council will take place on Thursday, January 19, 2012, 4:30pm-6:00pm at the Hall of States, 444 North Capitol Street in Washington, DC (2 blocks from Union Station).  

All MARC Riders Advisory Council meetings, which are regularly attended by MTA, Amtrak, and CSX management, are open to the public and are held on the third Thursday of each month.  Please bring a government-issued photo ID to present to the building's security staff at the entrance. "

Here's Your Chance to Guide Gaithersburg City Officials

Let's get Public Transportation funding on the agenda....

Posted 1/11/2012
"In advance of their annual planning retreat in February, the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council are inviting public input on budget priorities for fiscal year 2013 (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013). Comment will be accepted during the Mayor and City Council Work Session on Monday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 31 South Summit Avenue, or can be provided electronically via email to cityhall@gaithersburgmd.gov."

http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/poi/default.asp?POI_ID=309&TOC=307;309;&id=5405

MARC Riders Are Turning the Tide on the Proposed Brunswick Line Schedule

The Washington Examiner reports that riders are succeeding in getting MARC to halt and revise the Brunswick Line schedule proposed 12/1/11. Rider should continue to provide feedback especially since it shows MARC is starting to listen.

See article: "MARC backing down from proposed schedule change timing" by Kytja Weir,

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/12/marc-backing-down-proposed-schedule-change-timing/2031371

MARC@Gaithersburg – Approaching a Sad One-year Anniversary

Rev. James T. Clemons (source: FindAGrave)

Just before 8:00 AM on January 14, 2011, Reverend James Thomas Clemons was struck and killed by a MARC train as he tried to cross the tracks. Like many other passengers that chilly morning, he waited inside the Java Junction and left as soon as they heard the train’s horn. He was last out of the station, not because of his age, but because he was dragging a suitcase so he could spend the weekend with his daughter. Ironically, Rev. Clemons was taking the train because he felt, at 81, he was too old to drive safely.

The real tragedy besides the obvious loss of life is that this could have been easily prevented. MTA cost-cutting measures eliminated Gaithersburg’s station master who used to alert inside passengers when the train was at Metropolitan Grove. This gave everyone time to get across the tracks. A working PA system might have helped but we’ll never know. Gaithersburg’s was out of order for the past two years! Finally, it was restored October of 2011 but too late for Rev. Clemons.

As one would expect, MARC officials were and are quick to blame the passengers saying we take too long to leave the shelter to catch the train on the other side. If we are inside the station and have no prior notification and can only hear the train when it’s almost on top of us, how is that our fault? If the trains speed into the station like the devil is chasing them, how is that our fault?

MARC claims the trains always approach the station slowly. Baloney. Little more than a week after Rev. Clemons death, trains sped again into the station. A year later, the morning trains are still approaching too quickly. Last week, twelve of us almost got mowed down by the P876. We waited and crossed behind the train so MARC can’t accuse us of trying to “beat the train”!

What does it take to get train engineers to realize being late is better than being dead?

Rest in peace Reverend Clemons. We are still thinking about you.

References:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/man-81-killed-by-arriving-marc-train/2011/01/14/ABwYKkD_story.html

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64523397 

http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/01192011/olnenew231415_32547.php 

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-Struck-Killed-by-MARC-Train-113600159.html 

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2011/01/marc-officials-warn-walk-dont-run 

http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/01142011/montnew103741_32555.php

Speaking out on the 12/1/11 Proposed Schedule

The Gaithersburg City Council invited MARC staff to address riders concerns about the 12/1/11 proposed schedule.

At the 12/19/11 City Council meeting, MARC's John Hovatter and David Johnson assured the Council that the schedule is not "set in concrete" and they are actively seeking passenger feedback on how it affects their commute.

They further explained that the proposed schedule was the result of two months of simulations using CSX scheduling software. Their goals were to move the same "amount" of passengers but improve on time arrival to 90%. They only have nine trains servicing the entire Brunswick Line so there are many challenges in revising the schedule but plan to make revisions based on customer feedback. There is no money now for more trains/crews. The next new car order will be in 2013!

It is essential they hear from you!

I spoke during the Public Appearance portion to note that the CSX scheduling software handles freight, not people. While the new schedule may move more groups of people efficiently, it does not work well for getting some individuals to work and back home. I specifically mentioned the intention to cancel the P881 skipping Gaithersburg at what is a popluar time to return home. Our area needs more public transportation, not less, with the incoming traffic from BRAC, Johns Hopkins, and the Archstone development.

Doreen speaks about the new schedule

http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/poi/default.asp?POI_ID=994&TOC=311;994;
Click on the December 19, 2011 Video Link. The proposed MARC Schedule discussion is about about half way (22 minutes and 40 seconds).

MARC Brunswick Line Schedule Change Highlights

MTA does not provide a total change summary for the proposed schedule. I created a Before versus After schedule comparison chart by hand. For obvious reasons, I did not do a detail examination of the time changes. Instead, I focused on how many stops were added or skipped and the impact of the skipped stops.

These are some highlights:

1. How many stations are on the Brunswick Line now?

There are 19 stations.

2. Which stations have the most stop changes?

The total Brunswick Line station changes are 64* with 14 more stops being skipped than being added.

Garrett Park and Dickerson have the most stop changes. Next are the Boyds and Washington Grove stations.

The bigger issue is some stops (Metropolitan Grove, Garrett Park) will have a later first train (late to work) and/or an earlier last train (Harpers Ferry, Duffields, Martinsburg) either they can’t get home or miss work to leave early.

3. How many stop changes are there at my station?

Some stations have no added or skipped stops. Others range from 1-6. Even the bigger stops are affected. The new P881 schedule will skip Gaithersburg!

See the summary chart below.

    See full schedule comparison at:  

    http://marcriderbl.blogspot.com/p/comparision-chart.html 

4. In the end, do I get to my destination later or earlier?

I consider the time change minor if it is less than 15 minutes and major if it is greater than 30 minutes.

Doing this by hand, I looked at the final arrival time. Seven of the nine morning trains arrive at their final destination later. All evening trains arrive at their final destination later.

5. Where can I express concerns about the changes that affect my commute?

Online survey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8VGDLYL

Meet the Management Events:

January 4 - Barnesville MARC station, 4:30-7:00pm

Town Hall Meetings:

January 5 - Kensington Town Hall Meeting, Kensington Town Hall, 4:00-7:00pm

Saturday, January 7 - West Virginia, 1:00-4:00pm, Old Charles Town Library, 200 East Washington Street, Charles Town.

January 24 - Brunswick Town Hall Meeting, VFW Hall in Brunswick, 5:00-8:00pm

*These numbers do not reflect the individual time changes at each stop.

 

MARC Brunswick Line Schedule Change Proposal

MTA MARC released a proposed schedule change to the Brunswick Line on December 1, 2011 and invited public review and comment.

1. Why is the Brunswick Line schedule being changed?

2. When is the proposed schedule being implemented?

3. Where did the proposed schedule come from?

4. What is the net effect of the schedule changes?

5. Where can you comment on the proposed schedule?

1. Why is the Brunswick Line Schedule being changed?

• Increased ridership in the last ten years, especially at Brunswick, Point of Rocks, Germantown and Gaithersburg, greatly increased the time passengers take to board the trains.
• To reduce between train delays when the preceding train is going slow.
• To allow the operating crew to get its full Federal Railroad Administration-mandated time off between shifts.

2. When is the proposed schedule being implemented?

Original target date: January 30, 2012.

On 12/22/11, based on customer feedback, MTA will not propose a new date until it has evaluated all passenger feedback and re-run the CSX simulations. MTA says it will post a second draft schedule for public comment.

3. Where did the proposed schedule come from?

Since CSX owns and operates the Brunswick Line rails, MTA worked with CSX’s simulation software to draft the proposed schedule. It is not clear what people-related information (vs. freight) was or was not included in the computer models.

4. What is the net effect of the schedule changes?

MTA does not provide a total change summary for the proposed schedule.

To determine the full impact, I created my own Before and After comparison chart by hand. The total station changes are 64* with 14 more stops being skipped than added. Seven of the nine morning trains arrive at their final destination later. All evening trains arrive at their final destination later. The bigger issue is some stops will have a later first train (late to work) and/or an earlier last train (can’t get home).

*These numbers do not reflect the individual time changes at each stop.

5. Where can you comment on the proposed schedule?

MTA MARC staff are listening to rider feedback. Check the new schedule yourself then fill out their short survey to express your concerns or agreement.

Direct links:

View the 12/1/11 Draft Schedule

http://www.mta.maryland.gov/advisories/marc-brunswick-line-schedule-change-proposal

Comment on the 12/1/11 Draft Schedule – MTA Survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8VGDLYL