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DCAreaTransitFan

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Rob S

Rob S

Posted
Posted

I’m surprised they didn’t keep the 29C too.  It’s connected with the 29W route.   Once the 29C gets to NOVA in the am, it switches to the 29W to the Pentagon.   The afternoon drivers do the 29W and then switch to the 29C.  Also, DASH has been running the King Street Trolley buses on the beltway and 395 express lanes lately because they have been parked for months.   

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Chris.A

Chris.A

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11 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

The approved FY2021 budget. Looks like the 3T, 15K, 21A, 29W, P19, and V7 are returning to service alongside additional service on some routes like the always crowded F4 and C2

https://www.wmata.com/about/board/meetings/board-pdfs/upload/3A-FY2021-Budget-Revision-signed-memo.pdf

What's the point of keeping the 29W? Is it going to be Bi-directional? I'd keep the 29C, but then again, who knows when the colleges will open back up. Probably why the 26A will also get axed...

8 hours ago, Rob S said:

I’m surprised they didn’t keep the 29C too.  It’s connected with the 29W route.   Once the 29C gets to NOVA in the am, it switches to the 29W to the Pentagon.   The afternoon drivers do the 29W and then switch to the 29C.  Also, DASH has been running the King Street Trolley buses on the beltway and 395 express lanes lately because they have been parked for months.   

So.. #400-405 has been working the AT3 and AT4?

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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14 minutes ago, Chris.A said:

What's the point of keeping the 29W? Is it going to be Bi-directional? I'd keep the 29C, but then again, who knows when the colleges will open back up. Probably why the 26A will also get axed...

A lot of people are mad over the cuts especially the D2, 11Y, 8 lines, E6, 30N/30S, and 29W in the public feedback. Theres like 8 pages for the 11Y and another 11 pages for the 8 lines, 2 pages for the 30N/30S and E6, 5.5 pages for the D2, and 1 full page for the N2/N4/N6. You know theres a problem when one bus routes gets more than 6 pages worth of backlash for it to not be eliminated

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Rob S

Rob S

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I was surprised about the 11Y cut too.  Hopefully it will come back one day.  The only other option is the Fairfax Connector routes to Huntington.  The 11Y was an express route that had high ridership, would have brought in a lot of money!

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Chris.A

Chris.A

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7 minutes ago, DCTransitFilms said:

A lot of people are mad over the cuts especially the D2, 11Y, 8 lines, E6, 30N/30S, and 29W in the public feedback. Theres like 8 pages for the 11Y and another 11 pages for the 8 lines, 2 pages for the 30N/30S and E6, 5.5 pages for the D2, and 1 full page for the N2/N4/N6. You know theres a problem when one bus routes gets more than 6 pages worth of backlash for it to not be eliminated

I thought the 30N and 30S was being replaced by other 30s lines? Tbh, the fact that the 8 lines are being killed off entirely is a total shocker. I think that the should at the very least keep the 8W. 8S can go since no one uses that bus and I guess the 8Z can go too like the 8X did back in 2014-2015 IIRC. Metro will probably tell people to use the 7 lines and transfer to DASH buses.

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Rob S

Rob S

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24 minutes ago, Chris.A said:

What's the point of keeping the 29W? Is it going to be Bi-directional? I'd keep the 29C, but then again, who knows when the colleges will open back up. Probably why the 26A will also get axed...

So.. #400-405 has been working the AT3 and AT4?

A lot of protest with the 29W.   400-405 have been driving around not in service.   Probably to get the buses out and moving.

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Chris.A

Chris.A

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6 minutes ago, Rob S said:

I was surprised about the 11Y cut too.  Hopefully it will come back one day.  The only other option is the Fairfax Connector routes to Huntington.  The 11Y was an express route that had high ridership, would have brought in a lot of money!

Yeah, pre-covid. Don't think that will be the case now. Besides, Metro will just have people use the Yellow line train.

4 minutes ago, Rob S said:

A lot of protest with the 29W.   400-405 have been driving around not in service.   Probably to get the buses out and moving.

I hear the 17s and 18s are going too. Seems to imply that in the future, Fairfax Connector is going to takeover even more routes from WMATA than they have previously. 

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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It sucks for any Route to be eliminated without replacement service. I agree cutting service will affect everyone in any way form possible. In my honest opinion, WMATA should bring all suspended routes back in service at reduced frequencies. Like what WMATA did to the C8, F6, Z6, they did those routes at 60 minutes headways at reduced frequencies which is better than not having service at all. They could run less buses on the 11Y or the 8 lines but still have those running INSTEAD of eliminating them. It would be a win win situation since passengers will still get bus service while WMATA can save on operating costs (but would still most likely get backlash for less service). Not sure what will be approved though we’ll just have to wait and see.

the E6 and M4 should just combine at this point since the M4 only ends not too far from the Knolwood retirement home. The M4 could just be extended to Friendship Heights and serve Knolwood as a loop operation instead of having the M4 end in the middle of Pinehurst. But the problem is the bus bay at FH where the E6 goes is pretty small and can only handle the Orion VII BRTs and the M4 has been using standard 40 ft buses the last couple of years (since at least 2017). Friendship heights is already at full capacity which is also why the L2 hasn’t already been extended there. So wonder how that’d work out.

12 hours ago, Chris.A said:

Yeah, pre-covid. Don't think that will be the case now. Besides, Metro will just have people use the Yellow line train.

I hear the 17s and 18s are going too. Seems to imply that in the future, Fairfax Connector is going to takeover even more routes from WMATA than they have previously. 

 

11 hours ago, Rob S said:

I don’t know how most of the 17 and 18 routes are doing.  I know the 17M runs mostly empty in the mornings.  Surprised the 17M is staying.  

There’s a whole essay on the 17K by one person on the backlash comments. They could simplify the 17 lines tbh since on the map it gets me confused a little bit. 18 lines should come back too but maybe just keep the 18G and 18H or combine them into one Route instead and have a loop operation in Orange hunt tbh. 

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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Metro has officially voted on its budget cuts

https://wjla.com/news/local/with-ridership-down-85-here-are-the-money-saving-measures-metro-will-vote-on-this-week

Good news:

-Metro will remain closing at 11:00 pm instead of 9:00 pm

-Turnbacks on the Red and Yellow lines will not happen after all 

-No fare hikes

-20 bus lines will get enhancements as the article is says

Bad news:

-Trains are every 12 mins now on all lines during the weekdays except the red line which will arrive every 6 minutes. During weekends, trains are every 15 mins except red lines which will be 12 mins

-No $2 flat fares during the weekends on Metrorail 

-Metro will continue its already reduced levels. Not 100% sure if this is temporary or permanent (it’s most likely permanent though). Not sure if any lines will resume but we’ll see.

-Bus fares will officially resume in January. People are still gonna hop the fare anyways because they been doing this even before COVID happened

-No further discount for passengers who transfer between bus and rail as the board previously voted to enact

-No price reduction on 7-day regional bus passes as the board previously voted to enact

Can’t wait for more public feedback crying backlash :P

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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All 6000 series rail cars will temporarily be removed from service due to the second car separation on the Red Line today. All cars will be removed by tonight as trains that are still running will run until ending at their respectful rail yards. The suspension will remain until further noticed.

This has been the second incident of train separation for the 6000 series, the first one happened last month also on the Red Line.

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/6000-series-sidelined.cfm

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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1 hour ago, Rob S said:

I see the 2000 series are being put back in service.  Were the 3000 series out of service until now too?   Wondering where all the trains are being stored since no trains have been at Alexandria since summer.  

3000 series been in service since August. The 2000s I heard have been breaking down frequently and were sidelined. Then I heard they were being decommissioned but idk about that. WMATA did indicate they are still around in the press release but I haven’t seen them since January (last time I rode them was on the Blue Line). Probably they were in the process of retiring before the 6000 separation incident

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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Not sure about this but I believe all remaining 40 ft Orion VIIs are retired. Not sure though because I'm hearing 2724 and 2727 are still active via a Facebook comment but another FB comment said 2724 with a bunch of the retired Orion VIIs at FMR. If anyone can pass by FMR to confirm it that'd be great but I believe on 11/18/2020 was the final time a 40 ft Orion VII operated (last operated on the 7A/7F)

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RailBus63

RailBus63

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3 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

Not sure about this but I believe all remaining 40 ft Orion VIIs are retired. Not sure though because I'm hearing 2724 and 2727 are still active via a Facebook comment but another FB comment said 2724 with a bunch of the retired Orion VIIs at FMR. If anyone can pass by FMR to confirm it that'd be great but I believe on 11/18/2020 was the final time a 40 ft Orion VII operated (last operated on the 7A/7F)

End of an era. 

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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metro proposed to eliminate all Metrorail weekend service, reduce frequencies of trains to make trains run every 30 MINUTES, and closing 19 stations. This will piss off literally all of the DMV but I got a feeling this won’t happen. They did something like this before and it didn’t even went past the drawing boards
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/metro-budget-cuts/2020/11/30/b1ff6cee-3328-11eb-8d38-6aea1adb3839_story.html

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Border City Transit

Border City Transit

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14 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

Here is a pic of 5500 and 5503 at Bladensburg taken by Antoine Edwards on Facebook. It looks like all the XD60s will be going there. Not sure any Vins or License Plates yet.

Nice!

I love that they start at 5500 rather than 5501. WMATA is pretty inconsistent about that...

And gotta throw some positive reinforcement for the back window!

Who knows what will happen with the service cuts... but is the artic fleet finally expanding beyond its traditional complement of ~75 units?

I've heard "excuses" about space constraints at the garages. Still, I've always thought WMATA could make much greater use of artics. Maybe things are heading that way.

 

 

 

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DCTransitFilms

DCTransitFilms

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1 hour ago, Border City Transit said:

Nice!

I love that they start at 5500 rather than 5501. WMATA is pretty inconsistent about that...

And gotta throw some positive reinforcement for the back window!

Who knows what will happen with the service cuts... but is the artic fleet finally expanding beyond its traditional complement of ~75 units?

I've heard "excuses" about space constraints at the garages. Still, I've always thought WMATA could make much greater use of artics. Maybe things are heading that way.

 

 

 

That is why WMATA will be rehabbing Blade and rebuild Northern in order to hold more artic fleet since WMATA's artic fleet has been lacking for years. At least WMATA isn't starting with a 01 anymore.

 

Also I'm hoping the changes won't go through because people rely on the trains after 9:00 and weekends. Its looking like WMATA is not caring about its customers anymore in order to say money. 30 minute headways is going be a disaster within 5 minutes.

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