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Damaged commuter-rail train put back into service without getting fixed first
By adamg on Wed, 11/16/2016 - 12:04am
The Globe reports Keolis has put several workers on leave while it, the T and now federal safety officials figure out how and why they returned a train that had hit a barrier - with no passengers on board - back into service without repairs, which, of course, led to the train dying in the middle of the morning commute on the Worcester Line the next day.
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Comments
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESSURES
Yes, I believe the repair team probably violated rules and policies. Yes. I believe the repair team made bad decisions, took short cuts and put this engine\locomotive back into service improperly. However, I equally believe their decisions were inspired, generated, implied forced, catalyzed by the unreasonable expectations of the Kelios Administration.
I believe the spokes person and administrations are liars when they said the travel public was not in any danger. LIARS. Indirectly any of the traveling that altered their traveling reoute could have or did get injured because they did change their traveling reoute could have or did place themselves in danger. They were supposed to be on a safe train.
So, if anyone would be iussed punishment, fines, penalties, suspensions or terminations; let start from the very top down.
And when or if you do that, then you will gain our\us the traveling public trust and respect.
More to the point
Keolis has a major equipment shortage. If they better managed their equipment and maintenance staff, they would have had a replacement set to swap out. As it is they did not, so tried to use this. I'm sure the commuters on the train appreciated that.
The equipment shortage is the
The equipment shortage is the T's fault, not Keolis's. And they've been trying to manage it better (that was part of the impetus for the massive schedule overhaul), but there's only so many miles you can squeeze out of a single train in a day. People like you will always scream "better management!" as a solution for problems that it can't solve.
Shitty Commuter trains
The equipment shortcomings of the MBTA (both the commuter rail and the T) in terms of general rail/switching maintenance and upgrading, and purchase of new trains are mostly the fault of a Legislature and Governorship (both parties) that refuse to put revenue to those tasks for fear of the state being labeled "Taxachusetts" again. They have been tremendously nutless (or lacking the ovaries) to actually confront the issue and the "can has been kicked down the road" until there's no can left to kick.
The blame we can justly put on the MBTA (and MassDOT) is that they are obviously criminally incompetent when it comes to procurement and contracts. I am totally skeptical when it comes to the canard of private sector being what you want to bring in to govt services because they're soooo good. [They're not good at public services, they're good at making money for themselves which is not the mission of public services. Michael Jordan made a shitty baseball player. There's only so many Jim Thorpe's out there.] When it comes to the business of negotiating the purchase of trains or contracts for construction I think Massachusetts has amply demonstrated that our public servants are third rate rubes that keep getting taken at best (at worst they're IN CAHOOTS with the contractors robbing us blind -- thinking Big Dig).
Keolis put in a bid on a services contract running a system that they HAD TO HAVE known was falling apart. They low-balled the bid assuming they would just be able to squeeze more money out of the State -- especially when they threatened to walk away. And they were entirely correct as Prince Charlie's tough talk apparently only applies to unions and state employees. feh.
Good rant
Correct on all points.
The governor must fix this
Because he was the one to screw up the T's finances when he "saved" the big dig.
The T is spending a whole lot
The T is spending a whole lot of money on new locomotives and coaches.
Unfotunately it's not money well spent, since they aren't reliable.
The T has been mismanaged
The T has been mismanaged from the top down for years. What we're experiencing now is the result of years of mismanagement in all areas of the T, be it procurement, maintenance, scheduling, etc.
The equipment shortage is
The equipment shortage is because Keolis has fallen way behind on mandatory 4-yr heavy inspections of coaches.
The train ran in service with
The train ran in service with damage because the original crew that hit the bumper post at South Station never reported the accident, and thus the coach was never inspected for damage to the plow. The train would never have been made avialable for service the next day if the accident had been reported as it should have been.
How many times has this happened that we dont know about?
My guess is that this is standard operating procedure, and they just got caught this time.
If it is SOP (I'm not saying it is)
then that might be a cause of some of the daily failures.
First hit and run bus!
Now hit and run train! Well at least they didn't use it on the Fairmount line!
Charlie says
it's Beverly Scott's fault.
I hope someone
gets fired for this.