[PRCo] Re: Fw: Baltimore Light Rail Shuts North End

[Schneider Fred]

I don't believe Peter is on this list.   I think Derrick probably  
just cleared one incoming message.

On Nov 20, 2008, at 2:52 PM, Phillip Clark Campbell wrote:

> Mr.Folger;
>
>
>  Another view on this is that everything in life is evolutionary  
> and relative.  Modern tech - All tech - has a starting point and  
> then it 'grows' - 'advances' and is refined thus the evolutionary  
> process.  Those experiencing the early part of this phase have  
> strong doubts about viability don't we.

Not necessarily.
>
>  It is relative as older folks harken back to the good 'ol days  
> while the youngsters, without a reference point, accept 'current  
> tech' as is.

If that were true, I would not be using a cell phone and two  
computers.   Neither would you.
>
>  Your observations below could also be used in the 1950s couldn't  
> they - just substitute different items and companies.  One that  
> comes to mind quickly is that everyone in the 1950s said Autos just  
> weren't built the way they were in the past - this implied  
> inferiority of the then current models.  This applies all the way  
> back in history doesn't it - current technology is wanting compared  
> to previous.  There are always exceptions in an imperfect world but  
> this is the trend isn't it.

He was saying it didn't work.   The GM diesel and Allison  
transmissions did work.
>
>  It also provides 'substance' for endless chatter in person and  
> through email doesn't it!
>
>
>  Phil
>
>
>
>
>
>>> ----- Original Message ----
>>> From: Peter Folger
>>> To: Lybarger Ed ; Ken Spengler ; Murphy
>> Rick ; Bente Bruce ;
>> pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; Phillip Clark Campbell
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 3:46:52 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Baltimore Light Rail Shuts North End
>>>
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> I know we are all "rail" transportation fans, however the general  
>>> theme
>>> would seem to be current outlook and technology.  While I am  
>>> involved in
>>> rail preservation, I drive a bus to make ends meet.
>>>
>>> When all things are going well things are fine, in fact at times  
>>> they
>>> operate and handle quite well.  We own 13 Orion VII - CNG buses  
>>> with John
>>> Deere engines (no longer made as John Deere had too many problems  
>>> with them)
>>> and a Voith transmission.  Two years ago when they were first  
>>> placed in
>>> service they would neither accelerate nor brake smoothly (as part  
>>> of the
>>> braking system they use transmission retarders).  All the  
>>> technical folks
>>> were invited in: John Deere blamed Voith and visa versa.  Well  
>>> there were
>>> some minor problems on both sides that were apparently easily  
>>> corrected yet
>>> it went on.  Turned out the piston rings in the CNG compressor  
>>> station
>>> leaked oil through and it got into the fuel and fouled the plugs  
>>> (gas buses)
>>> due also in part to faulty filters in the buses as well.
>>>
>>> Being CNG we have fire suppression, at times, for no known real  
>>> reason, they
>>> go off and shut the bus down.  Their dash board warnings also  
>>> ring off from
>>> time to time for no real or apparent reason - we've all gotten to  
>>> the point
>>> (management, maintenance and operators that we ignore the more  
>>> insignificant
>>> ones).
>>>
>>> Then there are the engine alarms which occasionally go off on  
>>> various units.
>>> Originally we were told to shut them down and re-boot the bus.   
>>> Seems
>>> management and maintenance are only concerned if we loose power  
>>> (i.e. the
>>> turbine seized up), otherwise document but ignore.  Oh yes all  
>>> have had
>>> their turbines replaced at least twice.
>>>
>>> I could go on but why bother when most of us realize that a good  
>>> deal of
>>> today's stuff is created by those who neither know, understand  
>>> nor truly
>>> care about the product they produce - it's just a business and no  
>>> more!
>>>
>>> Our 18 year old, and almost dead Flexibles generally run better.
>>>
>>> Ah - high tech - its wonderful??
>>>
>>> Peter Folger
>>> P. O. Box 1741
>>> Biddeford, ME 04005-1741
>>> (207) 590-8340
>>> transitman at maine.rr.com
>>> CongressStreet at hotmail.com
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Phillip Clark Campbell"
>>> To: ; "Bente Bruce"
>>> ; "Peter Folger" ; "Murphy
>>> Rick" ; "Ken Spengler" ; "Lybarger
>>> Ed"
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 3:27 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Baltimore Light Rail Shuts North End
>>>
>>>
>>> Mr.Schneider;
>>>
>>>
>>> According to the article it 'isn't' oil in leaves but "gelatinous  
>>> substance"
>>> isn't it.  That is a tongue in cheek comment.
>>>
>>> I guess we can say that we didn't have this problem in the good  
>>> 'ol days of
>>> (fill in the blank) but with the advent of modern tech slip/slide  
>>> features
>>> it just needs to be tweaked to work properly doesn't it.  Do  
>>> these cars have
>>> sanders and do the sanders activate with slip/slide?  (They are  
>>> quite
>>> concerned about wheel damage but not fall on board accidents from  
>>> the bone
>>> chilling stops.)  It would then seem something is lacking in  
>>> wheel design
>>> wouldn't it.  This shouldn't be that much a problem on open T  
>>> rail since it
>>> would be difficult for leaves to accumulate; the problem would be  
>>> most
>>> pronounced on streets or at stations if the track is paved.
>>>
>>> Pittsburgh obviously suffered from this in the good 'ol days but  
>>> I only
>>> remember a couple incidents - all wheels spinning when leaving a  
>>> stop and
>>> sanding did little or nothing.  The problem lies with using the  
>>> sanders
>>> effectively - for sanding to be effective on starting the sand  
>>> must be under
>>> all wheels.  Thus the problem needs to be anticipated and sanding  
>>> done when
>>> braking for at least one car length.  Don't remember any sliding  
>>> when
>>> stopping but that is also possible even probable isn't it.
>>>
>>> The so-called 'sweating' rails is also a problem isn't it -  
>>> infamous pat
>>> 1726 incident.  Was on a Charleroi car inbound that had alot of  
>>> trouble one
>>> winter - good amount of snow on the ground almost up to rail  
>>> height.  We
>>> were near Latimer leaving the stop which produced endless  
>>> spinning of the
>>> wheels on very many separate applications of power.  Operator  
>>> finally used a
>>> little sand to get going.
>>>
>>>
>>> Phil
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----
>>>> From: Schneider Fred
>>>> To: Bente Bruce ; Peter Folger
>>>> ; pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org; Murphy Rick
>>>> ; Ken Spengler ; Lybarger Ed
>>>>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 11:32:11 AM
>>>> Subject: [PRCo] Baltimore Light Rail Shuts North End
>>>>
>>>> You guys will love this one ... modern technology forced the  
>>>> closure
>>>> of the north end of the Baltimore Light Rail line indefinitely on
>>>> Monday because of falling leaves.   I guess we never had sap on the
>>>> rails before.  Something new and different like my cynical sarcasm.
>>>> Today's news is that they are also running short of buses.    
>>>> (Some of
>>>> you -- Jack, Phil, Dave H. are getting blind carbons to not  
>>>> disclose
>>>> addresses.)   Comments back to me will be appreciated.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal- 
>>>> te.md.rail18nov18,0,3518289.story
>>>>
>>>> baltimoresun.com
>>>>
>>>> Half of light rail halted indefinitely
>>>>
>>>> Leaves trigger braking glitch, causing trains to slide, wheels  
>>>> to bend
>>>>
>>>> By Michael Dresser and Brent Jones
>>>>
>>>> November 18, 2008
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thousands of Baltimore-area commuters were forced to abandon trains
>>>> and board buses yesterday, the first workday disrupted by a light
>>>> rail shutdown that closed the northern half of the system. State
>>>> officials were unable to say how long service would be curtailed  
>>>> by a
>>>> problem caused in part by the fall of autumn leaves.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Commuters attempting to take light rail between North Avenue and  
>>>> Hunt
>>>> Valley were diverted to shuttle buses, which passengers said  
>>>> added as
>>>> much as 90 minutes to the trip.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Light rail typically serves 30,000 riders a day - about half of  
>>>> whom
>>>> use the northern stations.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> MTA officials were scrambling to find a way to fix a computerized
>>>> safety system that regularly over-reacts to slippery conditions and
>>>> brings trains to a hard stop, frequently damaging their wheels and
>>>> making them vulnerable to catastrophic cracking.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "I understand there has to be train maintenance, but there seems to
>>>> be lots of train maintenance recently," said Lori Biddle, 30,  
>>>> who was
>>>> among several dozen commuters waiting for a shuttle to arrive at  
>>>> the
>>>> North Avenue station about 4:45 p.m. yesterday.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Biddle said it took her an extra half-hour yesterday morning to go
>>>> from Lutherville to Camden Yards, where she works: "It is a bit
>>>> frustrating."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari defended the  
>>>> MTA's
>>>> decision over the weekend to suspend service on the northern  
>>>> section.
>>>> "They take customer service interruptions very, very personally, as
>>>> do I," Porcari said. But, he said, "if we ignored it, it could be a
>>>> safety issue, and safety trumps everything."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Problems with light rail go back to the original design and  
>>>> route of
>>>> the system, which opened in 1992 under pressure from then-Gov.
>>>> William Donald Schaefer to get it running in time for the debut of
>>>> Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The northern section of the line  
>>>> follows
>>>> a narrow, old railroad right of way along the Jones Falls  
>>>> Expressway
>>>> through forested parkland before emerging from the woods north of
>>>> Ruxton.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The problem, Porcari said yesterday, is that trains run over fallen
>>>> leaves and can grind the wet plant matter into what he described  
>>>> as a
>>>> "gelatinous substance."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> When another train comes along, the wheels of its cars can slip and
>>>> slide on that substance, triggering an emergency response from a
>>>> computerized "train protection" system installed after two light  
>>>> rail
>>>> crashes at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall
>>>> Airport, in which 35 people were injured.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The computerized system, in use since 2004, has succeeded in
>>>> preventing trains from crashing into each other or into barriers at
>>>> the end of the line. But according to MTA administrator Paul J.
>>>> Wiedefeld, its hair-trigger response to slippage on the tracks has
>>>> resulted in hard, sudden stops that can flatten the metal  
>>>> surface of
>>>> the wheels - putting them in added danger of cracking.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Wiedefeld said the MTA has paid more attention to the issue of  
>>>> wheel
>>>> damage since the discovery last spring of a crack in one of the
>>>> wheels of a car in a rail yard.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> That discovery prompted the agency to inspect wheels much more
>>>> frequently than the 45-day schedule recommended by the  
>>>> manufacturer.
>>>> That led to service disruptions, including severe crowding and long
>>>> waits at platforms.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Last week, as train slippage caused by leaves sent a growing number
>>>> of cars to the shop, the MTA announced that it would terminate its
>>>> northern service at Timonium, using buses to serve stations between
>>>> there and Hunt Valley. But by the weekend, the MTA had so many cars
>>>> out of service that it decided to call an emergency halt to service
>>>> north of North Avenue - the most leafy section.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Wiedefeld said the agency is attempting to find an interim solution
>>>> to the problems by recalibrating the train protection system so  
>>>> that
>>>> it acts more like the anti-lock brake systems found on cars. The
>>>> "ultimate fix," he said, will not come until the MTA completes its
>>>> planned midlife overhaul of its train cars - a project expected  
>>>> to be
>>>> finished about 2011-2012.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Until then, Wiedefeld said, the MTA has its maintenance shop  
>>>> working
>>>> around the clock to repair or replace wheels. He said the flattened
>>>> wheels can be fixed three times before they require replacement - a
>>>> procedure that can put an entire car out of commission for 15 days.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Wiedefeld said he does not have an estimate now of how long it will
>>>> take to fix the computer problem. He said any proposed solution  
>>>> would
>>>> have to be tested on the main line and then verified by an
>>>> independent contractor before it can be implemented. He added,
>>>> however, that he doesn't think the disruptions will persist for  
>>>> months.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Porcari echoed Wiedefeld's reluctance to be pinned down to a target
>>>> date for the return of full service, noting that the weather  
>>>> could be
>>>> a factor in how long the disruptions continue.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "The natural tendency is to be conservative in your estimates and
>>>> then over-deliver if at all possible," he said. He noted that when
>>>> transportation officials discovered weaknesses in the Bay Bridge's
>>>> side barriers after a fatal tractor-trailer crash last summer, they
>>>> originally estimated 10 weeks of severe lane closings but ended up
>>>> wrapping up the work in about two.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> For riders of light rail, relief can't come soon enough.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Lee Russell, 60, said it took him an extra 90 minutes yesterday
>>>> morning to get from Timonium to his job at the state Department of
>>>> Health and Mental Hygiene near the Cultural Center stop. Russell  
>>>> said
>>>> he learned about the shuttle buses when he arrived at the Timonium
>>>> station, and traffic and the frequent stops stretched out his trip.
>>>>
>>>> Russell, a longtime rider, will continue to use the transit system
>>>> because he doesn't have a downtown parking pass, but he added  
>>>> that he
>>>> expects delays to be reduced substantially.
>>>>
>>>> "I've put up with a lot over the years, including when they were
>>>> laying double tracks," he said.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Jim Dutt, 65, who commutes from Mount Washington to the Mount Royal
>>>> Station, said he learned only yesterday morning that he would  
>>>> have to
>>>> board a shuttle bus. He said he was 30 minutes late to his job  
>>>> at the
>>>> University of Baltimore.
>>>>
>>>> "I think [MTA] needs to explain a little bit more as to why this is
>>>> taking place at this point and why it's taking so long," Dutt said.
>>>> "Last week, they were running single cars. And now it's gotten  
>>>> worse."
>>>>
>>>> Dutt said he will continue to ride the train but will adjust his
>>>> start time.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "It's one of the hazards, I suppose, of using the light rail," he
>>>> said. "But I'm not going to switch. I enjoy coming to work by rail
>>>> and not having to worry about a place to park."
>>>>
>>>> Autumn leaves are not a problem unique to Maryland's light rail
>>>> system, said Martin Schroeder, program manager for rail at the
>>>> American Public Transit Association. He noted that when the trade
>>>> group held its 2006 rail conference, it put together a panel of
>>>> experts to deal with that issue alone.
>>>>
>>>> "It's a problem of physics," Schroeder said, adding that leaves can
>>>> reduce friction on the rails to about one-sixth of normal: "It's  
>>>> like
>>>> your car on ice."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Porcari said the problems with leaves reach their peak in late
>>>> October and November but subside soon after that.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "The leaves will all be done very soon," he said. "A couple of good
>>>> winds, and we'll be off to the races."
>>>>
>>>> Copyright © 2008, The Baltimore Sun
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