Passenger Trains > SoCal Metrolink Changes?

Interesting.


http://www.voiceofoc.org/county/article_1176a902-530c-11e4-afb1-8b3c02b746fb.html

Ok so they are upset with whom exactly. The Metrolink board or the current operator?

J.

Orange County Transportation Authority has already been selected as the managing agency
to oversee intercity passenger rail service on the LOSSAN rail corridor...that is, OCTA
will manage the Surfliners.

And now, the Orange County Transportation Authority is being vociferous about Metrolink
mismanagement, with "Orange County Transportation Authority Chairman Shawn Nelson
(suggesting) the possibility of a different agency being contracted to manage rail
service."

I wonder what the "different agency" will be, and who will control it?

Nelson is also up for re-election to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2015 but
he won last election with 63% of the vote, so he is probably not in danger there.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/14 16:55 by GenePoon.

Well, they are being very coy about exactly what the problem is; but, I will agree about the ticket machines. They can be frustrating at times; but no more than most ticket machines everywhere.

Sad to hear Metrolink is having trouble. I've always enjoyed them when I go to L.A. (4 times a year).

It seems like everybody is having trouble running a railroad nowadays---Amtrak; NS; CSX; BNSF; even All-Aboard-Florida is fighting with the NIMBY's.

Joe

The Metrolink board is arrogant and clueless. Safety is absolutely second to schedule and customer whining. Yeah, I'm talking out of my behind. But I tell you the feeling in the air is tense out there. For awhile it was better when Amtrak came back. Amtrak stood up to the brain dead board. But they gave up. What do you do during a fatality and a board member wants to discipline a conductor for not making anouncements every 5 minutes? But now it feels pre-Chatsworth again. Rush rush and nobody cares. Changing operators won't fix anything. Connex management was a bunch of yes men to an incompetent board. As will be a different operator.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/14 18:24 by Bractor.

Metrolink sucks.
The only thing good about it is that Amtrak operates it.
TAH

I have to agree, when I went home to celebrate my grandmother's 80TH, I knew I had like a few minutes to catch the Metrolink, well, no thanks to whoever decided to take the vending machines out of where the entrance to Track 15 and 16 used to be at, you have to go all the way to the lobby to get one, got it and missed the one for VIA Princessa (With a bus to Palmdale) by only a couple of minutes! I'd like to know who the hell thought moving the machines just to the lobby of Union Station instead of where they were at on the platforms and at the entrances of where track 15 and 16 were at was more "convenient!"

It's almost 2015. Make a smart phone app that shows your ticket for that train you paid for before you get on. No machines.

Posted from iPhone

Yes I used to use the ticket machine at the end of the platforms after getting off the Amtrak trains. Now into the station and back out just to get a ticket when you use to get one on the platforms. Not a short walk.

Which way do credit cards go in?

Dennis

The ticketing machine was used by me as well. It was in a perfect location and needs to be put back in so Pacific Surfliner passengers don't have to waste their time going all the way to the machines off the platform.



Chris

The Metrolink ticket vending machines referred to above have been moved further inside the Patsaouras Transit Plaza, about 50 yards from where they were formerly located . Just stay on the same level and head east toward the outside walkways and you while find at least 2 of them, maybe 3. (Near where the news stand is located during business hours). Amtrak train and LAX Fly-Away bus tickets are available in these machines as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/14 20:11 by Mystic79.

I used to get off of Surfliner 567 go to the end of the platform buy my ticket and be able to catch me train to Palmdale. Now good luck luck!


Chris

Chris, why not purchase a through ticket?

At One time, all machines could issue a ticket on any line. Go to a Orange County line, and purchase
one on the San Bernardino line. Or has this featured been turned off?

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Chris, why not purchase a through ticket?
>
> At One time, all machines could issue a ticket on
> any line. Go to a Orange County line, and
> purchase
> one on the San Bernardino line. Or has this
> featured been turned off?


I don't think too many people know about this feature Ed.
If they did I think they would use it more often.

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

Try this one Metrolink 660 has come into Oceansisde every time since it started running on Track 2 to to become Metrolink 663. All signs say this in Oceanside. Today with a train load of passengers on Track 2 like we were supposed to be it comes in a Track 1. Talk about a problem as everyone had to walk back down that platform, go under the tracks and walk back to board the train.


No anouncements were ever made in Oceanside? Why was not that train spotted nearer the tunnel for us walking to it? I called Metrolink once I was on the train and the customer service person called the DS who said he put that train on track 2 today which was a lie. Also the ticket machine on the station side of Santa Ana were out of service as was the one by the tunnel in Oceanside.


This is just typical how Metrolink works or doesn't in this case.


Chris

Mudrock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Try this one Metrolink 660 has come into
> Oceansisde every time since it started running on
> Track 2 to to become Metrolink 663. All signs say
> this in Oceanside. Today with a train load of
> passengers on Track 2 like we were supposed to be
> it comes in a Track 1. Talk about a problem as
> everyone had to walk back down that platform, go
> under the tracks and walk back to board the train.
>
>
>
> No anouncements were ever made in Oceanside? Why
> was not that train spotted nearer the tunnel for
> us walking to it? I called Metrolink once I was on
> the train and the customer service person called
> the DS who said he put that train on track 2
> today which was a lie. Also the ticket machine on
> the station side of Santa Ana were out of service
> as was the one by the tunnel in Oceanside.
>
>
> This is just typical how Metrolink works or
> doesn't in this case.
>
>
> Chris

I think Metrolink is starting to crumble. If it hasn't already

Jerry Martin
Los Angeles, CA
Central Coast Railroad Festival

It be great if they still had that CEO who actually got Metrolink back on track a few years ago, I know a lot of good people who work at Metrolink miss this guy!

Mudrock Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Try this one Metrolink 660 has come into
> Oceansisde every time since it started running on
> Track 2 to to become Metrolink 663. All signs say
> this in Oceanside. Today with a train load of
> passengers on Track 2 like we were supposed to be
> it comes in a Track 1. Talk about a problem as
> everyone had to walk back down that platform, go
> under the tracks and walk back to board the train.
>
>
>
> No anouncements were ever made in Oceanside? Why
> was not that train spotted nearer the tunnel for
> us walking to it? I called Metrolink once I was on
> the train and the customer service person called
> the DS who said he put that train on track 2
> today which was a lie. Also the ticket machine on
> the station side of Santa Ana were out of service
> as was the one by the tunnel in Oceanside.
>
>
> This is just typical how Metrolink works or
> doesn't in this case.
>
>
> Chris

I have always wondered why the Metrolink Trains in Oceanside stop at the North End of Track Two rather than closer to the tunnel. Coaster trains are almost always on Track 1. Coaster and Metrolink would only need to be on the same track when there is a Surfliner in the area at the same time. That would be a rare case, probably due to a late train.

Mystic79 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Metrolink ticket vending machines referred to
> above have been moved further inside the
> Patsaouras Transit Plaza, about 50 yards from
> where they were formerly located . Just stay on
> the same level and head east toward the outside
> walkways and you while find at least 2 of them,
> maybe 3. (Near where the news stand is located
> during business hours). Amtrak train and LAX
> Fly-Away bus tickets are available in these
> machines as well.

Oh, the mystery is now solved as to why they were relocated. Now that they've been moved, everyone has to get "up close and personal" with the newsstand. I guess not enough people were patronizing the newsstand before the machines were moved.