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What? Commuter-rail brakes can't handle the cold?
By adamg on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 8:37am
Michael's train into Boston on the Worcester line was more than two hours late yesterday - which includes 90 minutes just sitting on the tracks in Newton:
We're told the train's breaks can't handle the cold, cold temperatures of a Massachusetts Winter. Eventually, a later train has to push us into South Station. ...
Dan Miller also spreads the hate for the Misguided Bureau of Transit Anarchy (and let's not forget the Make Believe Commuter Rail):
... If I ran my business this way, I'd be out of business. ...
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Comments
Utterly ridiculous!!
Maybe, just maybe if these trains were maintained better, this stuff wouldn't happen. What do the transit workers do with their time, anyway??!?
Commuter Rail Continues to Inconvenience
The 7:44 from Mansfield is a very popular train and usually has seven double-decker cars. This morning it had five SINGLE level cars. When it got to Mansfield it was so crowded the conductors didn't even open the doors. We had to wait for the 8:07 train, which was about 10 minutes late. I didn't get to Boston until 9:15. Of course this trip probably doesn't qualify for the trip refund because the 7:44 was on time--I just couldn't get on it! I just can't depend on the Commuter Rail anymore. Last night I missed the first part of my 6th grade daughter's holiday concert because the train was late (the 5:40 from South Station). It seems like most of the trains that I take now are late or delayed. The system has really fallen apart this fall! Maybe if they collected the fares regularly they would have some money for improvements. Until then, I'm switching to 12-Ride tickets. At least then about half my trips will be free!
Transit workers do nothing
Remember... the commuter rail employees are still on their 'working strike'. They aren't doing anything other than cashing the checks and complaining.
Free Coupon for another Think!
1) The conductors are "working to rule". That doesn't mean they are doing nothing - that means they are following all the rules and not working for free or doing anything EXTRA like they used to do and got screwed for.
2) When was the last time you saw a conductor changing the hydraulic oil? Maintenance is a different group of people.
Yes... think!
SwirlyGrrl, the reason for all the delays is both maintenence issues and conductors slowing the trains down. If a train breaks down and is delayed and the conductors purposely slow the trains down on other lines, you get delays throughout the system since conductors and trains are not necessarily assigned to the same line. The T system is set up with choke points throughout the system.
Commuters aren't dumb. We can see what's going on. Everyone is responsible for what's going on (MBTA, MBCR, Government, and transit workers).
Stop Killing The Messenger
There is a difference between refusing to cover MCBR management ass (what the conductors have stopped doing) and messing things up by not doing their jobs(which conductors are NOT doing).
By "working to rule" the conductors are NOT "intentionally slowing the line down". They are simply refusing to bust their tails to cover the MCBR's ass by ignoring minor safety violations like non-closing doors, running from train to train, and doing extra work like they used to.
The conductors are still doing their jobs as they are supposed to be doing them - in fact, they are doing them EXACTLY as they are supposed to be doing them. They simply refuse to go out of their way to make the line run well because they are getting screwed.
Now people like you are buying the company line to "blame the conductors" when it is the sloppy management and profiteering that is causing the real problems. Conductors can't pick and choose the equipment for a run, can't do maintenance, can't keep signals working, don't control staffing levels, etc. Put the blame where it belongs, please!
Critical Thinking
SwirlyGrrl, so you're either a conductor yourself or a close relative of one, correct?
You can heap blame on whomever you want, but I notice the delaying tactics everyday on my train ride in. The conductors only open one or two doors forcing the entire train to enter and exit at those doors. I've made note that this keeps us at every station a couple of minutes longer each time. Again, when the system is at capacity as it is now, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the consequences. I'm sure the conductors are well are of the consequences as well.
I've never said the conductors are the only ones to blame for the current issues, but they certainly aren't innocent. Seems to me that if you have problems with your management you should deal with them in an appropriate way through your union. Instead you make a bad situation worse and we commuters pay the price.
I don't get the difference
I don't get it, if the conductor's aren't doing all the things necessary to make the line run smoothly then how are they doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing? I understand that they don't maintain the cars or configure the trains, but what is "working to rule"?
Work to Rule
On the one hand you have the job description, job requirements, safety rules, etc.
On the other you have all those extra things, which may not be part of the job description, but which certainly help.
In some jobs, especially highly defined union jobs, there's a precise list of what a person is required to do. However, on any given day most people will do more than that.
For example, if your job description doesn't include taking out the trash or answering the phones... you don't.
So the conductors are still being conductors. They're just not going above and beyond. The system functions even worse if they don't pick up the slack, but it's hard for the Make-Believe Commuter Rail to fire them if they're actually doing their jobs.
But what is their gripe?
I guess I get the "work to rule" thing now, although I'm not sure I understand what part of their job is not in the "rule" that makes the trains run on time. Wouldn't the rule be "do whatever is required to be a full service courteous conductor and make the trains work on time"? BTW, I like most of the conductors on my line, and think that most of them are full service courteous people, but I don't get what they aren't doing and, more importantly, why. If its actually a union effort to extract some benefit from the MBTA/MBCR maybe they should do it in some way that (1) lets everyone know why they are doing it so riders might be on their side; (2) makes it look like management, rather than employees are the ones causing the problem; and (3) impacts the bottom line as opposed to riders. This reminds me of those rediculous protests in DC where bike riders clog the roads at rush hour to bring attention to some cause in the absurd belief that the people grumbling behind the wheel are going to focus their anger at the cause rather than on the people blocking the road.
Several Issues
First off, I'm not related to anybody who has anything to do with the MBTA. I do ride the busses and think the commuter rail being ONLY 20 minutes late is amusing, having waited 45 minutes in the cold while waiting for three missed busses at Sullivan recently. I wished I could have taken the train that day! It was only 5 minutes late.
The conductors do have a beef: they busted their tails for months and years to cover for operational deficiencies, yet they were expected to give up a number of things in their latest contract, including the ability to swap shifts when they have a sick kid or doctor's appointment or such.
They are only supposed to open a couple of doors because they are supposed to have somebody staff each door. This was pretty standard on the off-peak and off-rush runs since 2002 or so (I used to frequently ride the reverse commute to Lowell). The fact that they used to have more open was a favor to passengers.
Oh, BTW - too many bikes on the road is a protest? So what do you call it when too many cars go out on the road all at once and block traffic? Just curious.
Passengers should learn how to open doors and traps
Passengers can help the train stay on time by opening unstaffed doors and traps themselves. The conductors won't be thrilled by this, but it will help load and unload the train faster.
That's a good idea, Ron.
That's a good idea, Ron. Maybe there should be instructions, though, on how to open unstaffed doors and/or traps on the MTA train cars themselves.
Good idea, except ...
That idea might work, until the first person who's injured when the train starts to move while they're trying to get off or on at an unstaffed door files a multi-million dollar lawsuit naming MBTA, MBCR, and the train crew as defendants.
I don't think...
...anyone in this city needs to be told how to open their traps.
Thank you all for playing
But we have a winner!
Metro Article
The metro article a few weeks ago said that MBCR/MBTA was going to allow the conductors to switch their shifts as long as a manager approved, which sounds pretty reasonable to me..
So if that's been resolved. Why are the conductors still doing this 'silent strike'? Is it just chest-thumping or what?
Bike Protest
I guess if you covered your car in slogans and strapped a giant puppet to the top of it that would qualify as a protest as well. I never quite understood what kind of reaction the bikers thought they were going to get. Energy could have been much better spent picketing or writing Senators.
Part of the problem
Let me preface what I'm about to say by saying that for the most part the conductors I have on a daily basis are generally good people and treat me nicely. On the other hand, I've had several conductors be incredibly rude. Just the other day, I had one conductor tell an entire car of people to "get our asses in our f'n seats".
Doesn't seem like an action of a person that is afraid to loose their job. I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't loose their jobs for anything less than causing some one physical harm.
Commuter Rail Pain
Boy, am I happy that I had to drive into work yesterday and miss the ordeal on the inbound Worcester-Framingham commuter rail line. Today's commute was not any better.
The inbound P512 train on the Worcester-Framingham line was 15-20 minutes behind schedule, there was no heat in two cars, the train chugged at a snail's pace from Framingham through Wellesley. To top it off, there were only two conductors on this train and only one of the conductors was checking passes and collecting fares. And that conductor only checked passes/collected fares through West Natick (so the riders who got on the last 4 stops on this train got yest another free ride into town).
I'm so sick of hearing that the MBTA/MBCR doesn't have the money or resources to fix things. How about collecting fares!!
This has been a bad commuter rail train week. Now that the MBCR got their contract extension, we'll probably have to continue suffering through poor service. And the media just doesn't seem interested enough in covering this issue and keeping the MBTA/MBCR and the state accountable.
If they collect fares, I couldn't get a free ride....
Kidding. Sort of. I don't count on a free ride, but most Saturdays that I take the commuter rail into Boston (instead of the Orange Line, which seems to be permanently on a 'we're working on the tracks, and we're going to shuttle you on buses from Oak Grove to Haymarket' schedule), the conductors never come to collect my fare. I've even made eye contact and waved my money at them, and they just ignore me.
They really, really just don't seem the least bit interested in taking my money about 75% of the time (up from 50% last year)
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Jen Stewart