September 12, 2008

When I arrive at New Carrollton after my MARC ride - there is usually an 8 car train waiting... today it was 6.... I though oh well ... maybe less cars because its Friday. In the rush from the MARC platform to the Metro platform I noticed 1 Bright yellow sign on 1 faregate ( about the size of an 8x11 in piece of paper) that mentioned major delays, and you may want to reconsider swiping your farecard. I didn't think much of it at the time... and proceeded on my way to the train.

Aside - Saw a dude taking up as much space as possible reading newspaper and with his messenger bag sitting on the other seat, this of course was my cue "Excuse me...." And with a huff of exasperation he moved his bag and then sat with his arms crossed... What a baby! LOL!

Anyway I pulled out my book, and started reading....Crackle-Crackle.... "If you have just arrived we have a situation... " I think uh -oh! The Metro guy proceeds to tell us that there is a suspicious package at Benning Road area, and he is only going as far as Minn Ave... where there will be shuttle busses to Stadium-Armory. I check my phone -- no alert from Metro ( which if they had sent one I possibly could have taken MARC all the way into DC) - (its now 8am - still no email alert from Metro)

We are on our way... after Landover, Metro guy announces... we are single tracking (so we switched to the Northbound track) due to a train already at Minn Ave. Ok... then we pull into Cheverly... where people heading into DC are on the opposite side of the track ... Metro guy "Well people are on the other side of the track... guess that's way it goes sometimes.." LOL - everyone on the train laughs!

We get to Minn Ave - Rush to shuttle bus ... (I actually made it in the second one!) While waiting for the shuttle, Not in service bus pulls up... Driver starts shouting I am heading to Deanwood! Everyone around me "Why is the bus going to Deanwood, the trains are running to Deanwood!"


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On the shuttle bus... we get cut of by a silver Durango - Metro driver lays on horn... Durango lays on brakes... Shuttle bus riders laugh... this continued for a while.

Arrive at Stadium Armory - go through faregates... which are all labeled with the Yellow Major Delays signs... Train headed for Vienna comes through, I get on, figure out the situation at Benning Road is resolved ... and here I am !


It only took me about 1 hour and 50 minutes to get to work today... could have been worse, But Metro really needs to improve communications!


Sent from my BlackBerry

2 comments:

Robin said...

What an adventure! I stayed out of the fray today, thanks to the morning news, no thanks to Metro (jerks!) who did not send out an e-mail alert.

michelle said...

lucky you! but it really was more comical than anything....(except for the lack of communication from metro). i think it helped that it happened soooo early and was a friday!