The Danger Train Scares Me
Callie and I crossed the Main Street rail line last night, somewhere in the area of Elgin (can't remember what street we were on exactly).
I saw something I've never seen before.
We were stopped at a red light.
Danger Trains were approaching from both directions.
Then we got the green light. I thought "oh my gawd, we're about to become #78."
But no -- BOTH Danger Trains stopped on either side of the street, and waited as the cars went across (knowing the statistics, we, of course, waited until both Danger Trains were fully stopped before paying attention to that green light).
The lights for cross traffic finally turned red, and the Danger Trains resumed putting along [edit: For clarity, I want to add that the lights for cross traffic finally turned red AFTER all the traffic had gone through the intersections, and the trains had been sitting still for somewhere between 30 seconds and one minute, I would estimate. That may not have been clear from the original post. To be even more clear -- traffic was stopped at the street as trains were approaching. As trains were nearly at the intersection, traffic got a green light. The trams did stop, on both sides, and were forced to wait by the traffic crossing. The system seemed to work exactly backwards from how Metro initially said it would work, since the trams are said to enjoy right of way at intersections and are not supposed to be held by misbehaving lights.].
There's our Transit Backbone in action. And actually, I was a little surprised. It had been raining, after all, and there were puddles. The little tram can't always go when there are puddles.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/09/05 06:32 | Danger Train | Technorati
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Comments
I think there already has been #78, you likely would have been the 79th collision.
Posted by Tom Bazan @ 07:03 on 02/09/05
That's a good point! I had forgotten that some good folks were looking into that one. I think the Houston MET people commented on that also. It's good to have a transit authority so forthcoming with information, eh?
Posted by Kevin @ 07:40 on 02/09/05
So...you're complaining because things worked as they're supposed to?
Posted by Charles Kuffner @ 12:32 on 02/09/05
Why in the world do some people choose to read relatively innocuous posts as complaints?
The post is an ANECDOTE -- when I'm complaining about something, it's rarely esoteric.
Want to draw a conclusion that it's odd when the transit backbone is forced to stop for traffic that was previously stopped, a conclusion contrary to how Metro said the system would work? Be my guest.
Want to draw a conclusion that it may well be the prior accident (still under investigation) in which the driver claimed the lights were screwed up may actually have resulted from the system not working as intended? Be my guest.
Want to question the wisdom of at-grade rail placed on a dangerous corridor being touted as our city's Transit Backbone? Be my guest.
Readers are welcome to their opinions.
But there's not much in the way of complaining in the post. Just an anecdote, from which many conclusions might be drawn.
Unless you're talking about the fact it's hard to get Metro to be forthcoming about crash info. That's a complaint of others, based on their experiences, but that's not a complaint in this post per se.
The anecdote is meant to convey the idea that it's a very good idea to be extra careful around the Danger Train. I wouldn't think anybody could object to that, given the problems thus far.
I have posted an edit where I think I might have been less than clear, but I don't think it changes anything substantively, and it may make the text somewhat redundant. But, clarity is always the first goal, and style the second, so maybe the edit helps in that regard.
Posted by Kevin @ 12:52 on 02/09/05
Kevin,
Quit your esoteric whining.
Posted by Chris Elam @ 14:38 on 02/09/05
*pout*
From here on, I will endeavor to whine more exoterically!
Posted by Kevin @ 14:41 on 02/09/05
yay
Posted by Chris Elam @ 14:58 on 02/09/05
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