The Metro recommendation recognizes that Muni, using the ATCS equipment
and software and after extensive retraining of the Metro drivers, can now
run trains on close headway, less than two minutes. Of course most of
the trains are now only one or two cars long and the number of trains
running at close headways is ussually three followed by long gaps in
service. (Is this related to the fact that there are three pockets.) The
symptom is repeated crush loaded cars after lonf waits for service.
The problem is now not the previous random loss of cars due to delay in
the subway but the lack of cars due to poor maintenance, time in the
pockets beyod the Embarcadero station, delays in N line construction, N
service to Caltrain and Boeings that were not modified for ATCS.
The Metro system has to be be organized to handle not the reduce
ridership because many riders have switched to the F or Bart, not just
enough service to handle these riders when they come back, but many more
riders who will choose metro rather than driving or taking the bus
because Metro really works. Muni has to plan for success and not be
afraid of having more riders. More importantly Muni will find out that
when the new cars are available that the problem will again became the
long random delays because the continuous headways are too close.
Our recommendation is to use the old non ATCS equipped Boeing as shuttle
cars on the J and M or K lines. Ken suggested the same thing for the
outer part of the L line. Riders would board the shuttles and transfer
to a ATCS Metro car or Bart to the run into the subway. The shuttle
turnbacks have to be located so as not to impact subway service. As new
cars become available the shuttle runs should be decreased, unless
ridership increases more quickly. Since some riders will be
inconvenienced by having to transfer, Muni should compensate all riders
by providing service leaving the Embarcadero with cars in the proper
sequence and proportion.
The Metro committee also suggests that Muni run longer trains to provide
longer headways and flexibility to habdle problems easily. This should
be accomplished by coupling and uncoupling. Muni has to do some value
engineering. If new Bredas cost $2.4 million each how much more will it
cost to have Bredas with nearly perfect coupling devices? If coupling
and uncoupling can save about 10% of average running time and total cars
required (by not running every car to the end of the line and running
some cars as limiteds) how much is good coupling worth?
This is management's job not the job for a riders association.
Howard Strassner
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