Metro Sharing On Turn-Arounds Could Be Better

Metro Sharing On Turn-Arounds Could Be Better
By: Dr. Gridlock, Washington Post

Many Metrorail riders heading for the ends of the Red Line, the system's busiest, are annoyed when they have to get off trains at Silver Spring and Grosvenor so the train can head back downtown. This letter looks at the situation on the eastern side of the line.

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Turning back trains at Silver Spring causes operational problems. The system does not appear to have been designed for dual terminals for the line.

The result is that trains to Glenmont almost always experience delays between Takoma Park and Silver Spring. This problem has been steadily getting worse. I can never predict how long the delay will be as the train comes close to Silver Spring, but I can be pretty certain there will be a delay.

One more note. Metro maps note that some trains turn back at Grosvenor during some periods. However, they do not indicate that half the trains on the other end turn back at Silver Spring.

Infrequent riders often examine the maps on the rail cars to try to understand their trip. Because the maps have no indication of the Silver Spring turnarounds, such riders are very confused when on a train where everyone is told to get off at Silver Spring.

Metro provides absolutely no information to those in the system about this. Except during special events, Metro seems to assume everyone riding the system is a veteran Metro rider and knows all sorts of things about the system that are not disclosed in announcements, the maps or otherwise to riders in the system.

-- William (Bill) Samuel Silver Spring

For newcomers, it can be a surprise. For veteran commuters, the repetition doesn't make it any easier. The operators do make announcements and the destination is noted on the electronic signs outside the cars, but not everyone tunes in to those messages. (Notice how many riders at Silver Spring miss the loud announcements and flashing lights indicating that passengers must exit?)

During peak periods in the afternoon, trains are close together, and a following train may pause just south of Silver Spring Station while the leading train unloads all its passengers and slips onto the siding to reverse direction.

Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel notes the steps involved: Before the train leaves the station to enter the pocket track north of the platform, the operator must get permission from the Operations Control Center to move onto the siding. For that to happen, the center must align the tracks correctly and adjust the signals at Silver Spring. (It's the same process over at Grosvenor Station.)

All the waiting riders know is that dinner is getting cold.

But sending every train up to Glenmont -- or up to Shady Grove on the other side of the line -- would cut into rush hour performance on the part of the line used by most riders. During peak periods, the Red Line trains are scheduled to run every two and a half minutes between Grosvenor on the west and Silver Spring on the east, thanks to the turnarounds.

Three of four riders are going to get off by the time the train reaches Silver Spring, with only one in four continuing on to Forest Glen, Wheaton or Glenmont.

I wouldn't change that -- not until we can afford to maintain the frequency of service and still send all trains to the ends of the line. But I would fix those map markers, since Metro is so into customer communication these days.