From: btiffany@pbs.org
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: MARC information wanted
Date: 26 Jan 93 13:32:02 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: PBS:Public Broadcasting Service, Alexandria, VA

Lawrence Mulvihill writes:

> If you commute regularly from anywhere between
> Brunswick, MD and Martinsburg, WV to Rockville Metro
> stop, please post your opinion about the journey.

How 'bout from WV to DC and beyond to Alexandria?

> Amoung the questions I have buzzing around my
> brain are:

That's AMONG.

> -- Are runs usually on time?  What is "on time"(+-5minutes)?

MARC usually runs on time, and by on time I mean early or within a couple of
minutes of the advertised.  When things go wrong, though, they do so in a
major way.  (Most common:  signal failure [certain signals are notorious,
can't understand why CSX doesn't take notice]; Amtrak No. 29 running late
and MARC trains being held for it [a source of major anger among commuters
when it happens]; some sort of mechanical failure.  But "most common" does
not mean these failures are "common".  Overall, service is excellent.)

> -- How bad is the parking at the lot you use (crime, 
>    crowding, etc.)?

Ask about a specific location, please.

> -- How stable are the monthly fares?

V E R Y .

> -- Is crowding bad?  Are people turned away for lack of
>    seating?

It can be, but overall it's not bad.  Nobody is ever turned away, seats or no
seats.

> -- Could one read or work on the journey (i.e. how bad
>    is the roadbed and the internal power supply to the
>    lights)?

HEP power is reliable.  Of course there's an occasional failure, but it's
better now than it's ever been.

Ride is OK (varies from car to car).  I do most of my reading on the train.
That's where I read the newsgroups, in fact.  Laptops are common.  So are
people trying to sleep (especially West Virginians), so you'd better be
more considerate than some people if you are a talker, and find one of the
cars where the talkers are.  If you are one of those compulsive talkers -- or
one of those newspaper readers who folds every page over and over and
"shakes" the creases out of every page -- who boards a car full of "sleepers"
with a fellow motor-mouth and proceeds to carry on as if no one else were
there, then I and my fellow sleep deprived West Virginians may feel
compelled to toss you from the vestibule as we cross the Monocacy River bridge.

> -- Has the governing authority hinted at the demise of the
>    line in the future?

Quite the opposite.  Expansion is planned with service to Hagerstown (!) and
Frederick (I have my doubts that the former will ever come off).

> -- What is the general condition of the engines and the cars?

Better than in the past.

> -- How do most people pass the time?

Morning or evening?  Which train?  You have the PARTY CAR (first car on #275),
which I avoid at all costs, especially on Fridays.  You have the card players
(generally too noisy but an established train feature), the good ol' boys'
car (last car on #275 and on #274), the gabfests, and the sleepers.  I prefer
absolute silence, whether I choose to read or try to sleep.

Unfortunately, MARC has mandated obnoxious P.A. system station announcements
(*loud*) which most of us find very irritating.  Long time riders such as I
know where we are blind; with our eyes close we recognize every curve, every
sound, every rail joint by the feel of it.

> Since I've never used this run, there are probably
> several things about it that I should ask, but
> don't know to ask.  Please stick that in as well.

I could keep you here with commuting stories from now till November, but I
have to get back to work.

-- Bruce Tiffany

P.S.  You might ask for a comparison to driving.  Easy:  Driving IS NOT AN
ALTERNATIVE.  You'd go broke quickly and die young.
Newsgroups: rec.railroad