Passenger Trains > Are they STILL outa whack???????

I traveled to Denver for medical appointments this last week.  One of my side objectives was to take a spin on Denver's new light rail RTD  "A" line trains since my hotel was in proximity to the line.  My first mistake?  I called the customer service # to get directions on driving to the Central Park light rail station on the "A" line.  The online map shows the station but nothing else on the map as to a more exacting location.  The customer service rep did not have a clue as to station location.  The rep had no clue as to whether the station was located on the north or south side of I-70.  One policeman...it's on the north side.  Another policeman....it's on the south side. I lost track of the "I don't know" responses.

So.......2nd mistake. I got in my car to go explore the general area of where the Central Park station was located. Never mind that it was the 5pm rush hour and that I managed to get stuck in the wrong lane and funneled onto I-270 and traffic moving about 2 mph.  No sweat, I'll get off at the Vasquez/Colorado BLVD exit. After 45 minutes, I got off 270 and chose Vasquez which went into Steele St and a grade crossing on the A line.

Just as I pulled up to the A line, the crossing gates came down and a crossing guard came out to make sure unruly drivers stopped for the oncoming train. What oncoming train one would ask? After 10 minutes, with crossing arms still down and blinking, drivers were getting out of their cars to speak to the crossing guard.  Motorcycles were pulling up, looking both ways, and then squeezing under the crossing arms and continuing on. After 20 minutes of blinking cross arms and no trains, other motorists were squeezing outa line anyway they could, turning around and heading for other routes into the city. Finally and about 25 minutes into the wait, an east bound A line train passed through.  But the cross arms still did not go up nor did the guard step aside.  Another 5 minutes passed and the Union Station bound train zipped through but still no raising of the crossing arms and the guard did not budge.

Then........another sign started blinking "Approaching Train."  The whole event was quickly becoming a joke!  After another 5 minute wait another Union Station bound train passed.  At that point, the flashing sign went dark, the arms went up, and the crossing guard finally stepped aside.  And Me? I headed back to the hotel. Enough was enough!

Post script; The next day I finally found the station. Registering to park the car was another fiasco with malfunctioning card readers and some more "I don't knows" from the other end of the line at customer service.  The second call to customer service yielded a better result when I was told that having an out of state license on the car would get me a "courtesy ticket" at the most for parking in the station lot. I did finally make it downtown. 

While fluid mass transit is an absolute must in the bigger cities, Denver better get ahold of these issues or something is going to be destined for failure. Over and out.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/16 18:35 by MM171.

What a depressing report!

I agree, how depressing.  I rode the A line in July and it worked out ok, but you are right there are some lengthy crossing delays.  I stayed near Quebec Street and the traffic lights were interconnected with the crossing signals, and getting across the rail crossing was an exercise in endurance. 

Weren't they about to be shut down by FRA, only to get an extended waiver period due to their dysfunctional grade-crossings ?

I was there in July for the NRHS convention and again in September. In July, we had a tour of the A-line that ended at Central Park station and many walked from there to the convention hotel (Holiday Inn) on Quebec Street. I didn't know they charge for parking at the station; I thought the Park and Ride lots were free.

I stayed at the Comfort Inn on the north side of I-70. There is an underpass for Quebec Street so you don't have to wait at the crossing. And A-line trains are supposed to run on 15 minute intervals, both ways, during weekday and daylight hours. If you had to wait an exceptionally long time at a crossing, there was no doubt a problem with the trains. In any event, the fact that the gates did not operate properly indicates they haven't yet solved the software/communication problems with their wireless PTC.

This problem is also delaying opening of their commuter line to Wheat Ridge  http://www.rtd-denver.com/g-line.shtml

Some Park n Ride lots are free. Others have fees. There is a detailed list on a wevsite that can found with a web search routine.

Posted from iPhone

central park station streets are just getting done, why people and apps have a hard time with it.

crossings are getting better, in terms of length the gates are down.

winter will be here tonight, will be another test