01 July 2009
Practice. Lots and Lots of Practice.
Since the Seattle Bus Tunnel -- oops, I mean "Transit Tunnel" -- reopened in 2007, they've had signs proclaiming "Light Rail -- coming in 2009!". I recently read that the train will start running in mid-July.
When the tunnel expanded its hours in May of this year, we started seeing "test trains". They don't have any passengers, they just drive up and down the track.
This week, the tunnel is back to its old, shortened hours. Why? So they can do more testing.
On the one hand, I guess it's good that they're making sure that everything's running smoothly. On the other hand...
What exactly are they testing?? For two months? And now they have to do special testing when the tunnel is closed? Huh?
Cynically, I expect there to be problems withing the first few months of actual operation.
When the tunnel expanded its hours in May of this year, we started seeing "test trains". They don't have any passengers, they just drive up and down the track.
This week, the tunnel is back to its old, shortened hours. Why? So they can do more testing.
On the one hand, I guess it's good that they're making sure that everything's running smoothly. On the other hand...
What exactly are they testing?? For two months? And now they have to do special testing when the tunnel is closed? Huh?
Cynically, I expect there to be problems withing the first few months of actual operation.
Labels: bus
# posted by mamurd @ 9:18 PM 
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Good call (being cynical about the operation of a new system). The testing is make absolutely sure that the trains can run and run and run without failure, so that riders will never get stranded. Until it gets old and worn out. Apparently, the testing is also helping to get folks living close to the light rail line either (1) upset at the amount of noise it makes, or (2) acclimated to the noise. Those trains are very loud when they run at high speed on the elevated lines near the south end.
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