Railroad Forums 

  • Subway Delay Reports and Discussion (2011-2017)

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1434762  by StefanW
 
T Alerts wrote:Red Line experiencing moderate delays due to a Verizon communications issue at JFK/UMass.

Last updated: Jun 14 2017 02:27 PM
I swear I didn't do it!!! (I just boarded at JFK/UMass within the past hour, for the first time in more than a year.) :-)

Seriously though... isn't is unusual for the MBTA to be throwing somebody under the bus... I mean train... so specifically?

It reminds me of the T Alerts for Amtrak signal issues on the NEC. In a way the T is saying "Hey it's not our fault! Blame that other guy!!"
Is that actually helpful? I'm not sure. Would it be any less useful of an alert if "Verizon" was left out of the message? I like transparency but this is almost finger-pointing.

Also - what part of Red Line operations depends on Verizon????? Unless Verizon was doing work on something else and accidentally severed an MBTA cable (or similar issue)...?? I'd be surprised that any train operations' signals would go over non-MBTA-owned lines.
 #1434816  by leviramsey
 
StefanW wrote: Also - what part of Red Line operations depends on Verizon????? Unless Verizon was doing work on something else and accidentally severed an MBTA cable (or similar issue)...?? I'd be surprised that any train operations' signals would go over non-MBTA-owned lines.
The Red Line's signaling (at least on the Braintree branch) is dependent on Verizon cabling, as was disclosed in the aftermath of the runaway train incident.

See, for example, UniversalHub

Fair use quotes (much of which is from MBTA statements & reports, so may even be public domain, not fair use):
The Signals & Communications Department has appropriated funds to extend a signal trough from North Quincy to Braintree Station. This would replace the existing, aging data cables and provide a more robust signal without reliance on Verizon services.
Prior to the incident, from December 8 through December 10, 2015, both the Normal and Standby MBTA equipment logged communication and signal failures. The failures were intermittent, lasting from 20 seconds to a couple minutes at a time.

On December 8, in response to the failures, maintainers tested and rebooted the MBTA Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to troubleshoot the faults. After testing, MBTA equipment was found to be functional and the failures were attributed to a poor connection on the leased Verizon signal network.
It may well be the case that the MBTA gives Verizon access to the subway tunnels to run cables downtown and in return Verizon gives them leases on lines for the signalling system.
 #1435016  by BandA
 
I can't imagine Verizon technicians working in the ROW! The Quincy/Braintree extension was in the mid-late 70s, right? So it's about time that the copper plant and amplifiers might be failing, and with so many people disconnecting landlines Verizon may not be maintaining their infrastructure.
 #1435156  by CRail
 
BandA wrote:I can't imagine Verizon technicians working in the ROW!
Why? Who do you think installed the cell phone transmitters in the subway tunnels? It's no different than when you see Verizon or National Grid working in the street with municipal or state (owner of the road) protection.
 #1437615  by Rbts Stn
 
Rode in from Brookline/Beacon Street on the C train this AM to Government Center, was trying to head back there around 1PM. 6 westbound trains that were not C trains went by so I jumped on a D, thinking maybe they were turning C's at Park. Got off at Park and saw that a C train was one stop away and got on it. Halfway to Boylston we stopped short and all power except Emergency lighting was gone. Operator (car 3882) had the radio on loud so I could hear most of the dispatch, seems we were the third train to lose power in that stretch. At the time it sounded like it was us and one before who had dropped his pantograph. Dispatch kept asking if any lines were down but all reports were "no".

After about 20-25 minutes (with decent updates from the operator) he announced we'd be leaving by the front door and walk along the outer (wall) track to Boylston. No T personnel led us, there were some very dark areas (folks used their phones for lighting). We stayed on that track until the end of Boylston station and there was an opening in the fencing on the wrong side of the faregates. I went thru the gates and asked if they knew about shuttles or anything but there was no info yet (now about 35 minutes from the breakdown). There was one train that had gone beyond Boylston that was stuck, and the two just east of the station (that I knew about -- there could have been more behind us). I went to the surface and caught a cab as I had to be in Brookline by 2PM and it was now 1:30.

I wonder if the T will at least refund my $2.25?

Edited to add a paragraph break
Last edited by Rbts Stn on Wed Jul 12, 2017 3:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1437617  by RenegadeMonster
 
Wow, crazy.

Here is the current alert:
Green Line service suspended between Goverment Center and Arlington Stations due to a power problem at Boylston Station.
As an alternative, please utilize Orange Line service between Back Bay (near Copley Station) and Haymarket/North Station for service in the downtown area.

Affected stops:
Government Center
Park Street
Boylston
Arlington

Last Updated: 7/12/2017 1:15:47 PM
 #1437623  by StefanW
 
WBZ radio 1030 AM reported "a train hit a power line". (I'm paraphrasing - not an exact quote.) That makes me think a panto shoe failed and it dragged down the wire.

Also I think it's interesting that the real-time data is showing a gap in predictions for stops between Copley and Haymarket. That's partly correct because the stations in-between are closed, but it's still saying that trains will go to Haymarket, North Station, etc. after Copley. Oops.
Screen Shot 2017-07-12 at 4.30.06 PM.png
Also westbound trains have a correct headsign of "Haymarket" but all the eastbound trains are signed for normal destinations. Is Copley not an available destination on the current equipment?
 #1437625  by StefanW
 
Service is now moving again, Gov't Center through to Arlington both ways... according to the real-time data.
 #1437626  by StefanW
 
T-alerts wrote:Green Line experiencing moderate residual delays due to an earlier power problem
Yipes - the prediction is Kenmore to Park Street will take 25 minutes. Ouch.
 #1437631  by DaWolf85
 
StefanW wrote:Also westbound trains have a correct headsign of "Haymarket" but all the eastbound trains are signed for normal destinations. Is Copley not an available destination on the current equipment?
As far as I can tell, even if the equipment can show destinations other than the usual (I've seen Red Line #3 stock showing Harvard as a destination, for example), the real-time data is not capable of showing that, and instead will display either no destination, or the usual destination a train in that direction would be heading towards. Frankly, I'm not even sure if it's defined behavior. And even if the real-time data could show that, I suspect - from investigating them fairly closely - that many MBTA apps are poorly coded and would either crash, fail to display the information, or exhibit surprising bugs like not showing the predictions at all.
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