Passenger Trains > Amtrak/UP? botch new commuter train - hour late 3 of first 4 days

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Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/18 18:01 by darkcloud.

LA to Moorpark (CP Las Posas) is owned and dispatched by Metrolink. The final 65 miles to Goleta is dispatched by UP.
So in which section are the delays occurring?

For some details on first day go to http://www.railpac.org/2018/04/03/ventura-santa-barbara-commuter-service-off-to-rocky-start-the-punctuality-problem/

definitely a private car problem
Tony

darkcloud Wrote:
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> uncertain on if dispatching played a part, but the
> way the article uses the word 'scheduling' seems
> to imply that.

Dispatching and scheduling are two different things. The best dispatcher can't fix a schedule that cannot be executed (except maybe executed in isolation).

TAW

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/18 18:02 by darkcloud.

tonymarchiando Wrote:
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> definitely a private car problem

Best post I've read all day!

With the relatively little amount of freight traffic over this line, UP is going to have to get creative in coming up with various methods at putting the screws to this service.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/18 22:54 by CA_Sou_MA_Agent.

mundo Wrote:
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> For some details on first day go to
> http://www.railpac.org/2018/04/03/ventura-santa-ba
> rbara-commuter-service-off-to-rocky-start-the-punc
> tuality-problem/

From the link
" UP dispatch put us on the wrong track at Camarillo.
(There’s a long story about why Camarillo station is dysfunctional and usually only one platform is operative)."

Most modern dispatching software has a "restrictive label" feature that is used to remind the DS that
he is potentially using the wrong track.  If a station in a two track stretch is only able to be used from
one track you have shot yourself in the foot.  If it is in a siding you have essentially taken the siding
out of service for passenger train meets.  Supreme foolishness.

"  Looking closely at the timetable, it should work, but requires everything to be on time to make the necessary meets. 
Any snag and the edifice comes tumbling down."

"Train departed Los Angeles about 30 minutes late due to a “mechanical” issue.  Arrived Santa Barbara 55 minutes late. 
Dennis Story tells me of the 35 – 40 the passengers waiting at Ventura  about 10 abandoned ship and went back to their cars."

From the beginning a decision must be made.  Are we going to run trains on time and save money not building
extra sidings or are we going to run willy-nilly and pay out big time for extra capacity.  Amtrak is famous for
not being able to get out of an initial terminal on time.  Even when they control all the factors they come up
lacking.

"There was very little reaction from the Board except from San Diego alternate Ed Gallo, who first didn’t know which trains
I was talking about (such is the level of engagement of some of these people) and then suggested extending the schedules even more."

Typical reaction from the political class.  Running the trains is a secondary or tertiary concern.  Main concerns: stay
in power; be included in photo ops; have decision making in lucrative contracts and hiring.

"With the generous recovery time between Glendale and LAUS 774 arrived at Union Station only 8 minutes late. 
Which under UPS is on time."

The curse of public transit service.  As long as the train can be lied into "Z" on time all the phony figures fall in line.
What about the passengers who have sh**** service "B" through "Y"?  Who cares, lets have a photo op at the cow catcher
of a shiny new choo-choo !  You would think with all the fancy computers and GPS monitoring they could come up with
a total minutes of passenger delay that would factor in the intermediate lateness.  But that would be raining on the parade
and show that all is not sweetness and light.

TAW is in Europe now.  I hope he shows the article to some of the rails over there to get their response.  Probably nothing
but laughs at the incompetence.
 


  

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/18 18:02 by darkcloud.