No air conditioning on BART this afternoon
This afternoon with temps roaring into the 90's in SF and in the triple digits inland, BART trains had NO A/C. Train #446 from SF to Dublin a prime example of this. 630pm train was absolutely packed. People sweating all over each other. No AC!!!
The T/O was having fun in his A/C seat. FUcking T/O starting and stopping the trains in between stations just to see riders stumble all over each other. One guy was thrown all the way across the train and landed his sweat soaked body on top of me.
Everyone was sweating. The handrails all were wet with sweat. THe seats were all soaked with wet stinky sweat. THe whole train stunk like ammonia and urine.
Geez BART, get a fucking clue will ya?!
the chances that every car
the chances that every car had no A/C are slim to none. our cabs do not have a separate A/C, if the lead car is hot so it the operators cab. next time MOVE TO ANOTHER CAR! HELLO!
we don't stop or start the train at will it's all controlled by central. there's no telling why your particular train was stopping and starting.
Sadly, the T/O can only see
Sadly, the T/O can only see the first car get thrown all over each other.
I personally think seeing a sweaty knot of uptight commuters would be mildly amusing, but that is beside the point.
BTO, there were a pretty high number of cars without AC this morning. Not sure why? But yes there is a computer program that keeps trains so that they don't come within a certain distance from each other to avoid a collision.
BART car smells like sweat and urine? That is news?
I totally understand you
I totally understand you being annoyed at the situation, but your comments are misguided. As stated elsewhere, the same AC that cools the car also cools the cab. That means the operator was also hot, unless the heat was body heat from people crowded in the car or if they had their window open to give them a slight measure of relief.
Also, your complaint the operator started and stopped the train to play with people is not founded. That is just not done. There was probably congestion and they were moving the train as fast as they could within the safety guidelines of the control computers that keep a certain distance between trains.
You might have been able to move to another car with better air conditioning. They are independently operated and pre-set to around 70. The operator has no control of the AC, except to call for a technician to check cars that are reported to be hot or cold, and the response time is as fast as possible based on operating conditions at the time.
If I don't like the car I'm in for any reason, I know there are at least two other cars I can walk to that I might like better.
I agree with the comment
I agree with the comment about the scumbags that pee on the platform. There was a fresh puddle drying in the hot sun on the Coliseum platform last evening. I think if they are caught they should have to lick it up.
As far as A/C goes, I got on a beautiful car last night, I think it was 2580. Practically brand new. It even smelled good. I had to look around to make sure I was even on Bart. The A/C worked, the announcement speaker was discernable, and reupholstered seats. Amazing.
I'm sure it will be trashed in no time.
AC is seperate on each
AC is seperate on each car.
TOs don't control the trains.
-Hockey Player
If you push the button to
If you push the button to talk to the train operator and complain that the AC doesn't work. Will they stop the train at the next station and park their until a tech comes by? Do you think they will really do that?
i hope they would not do
i hope they would not do that. personally, I would rather tough it out in a hot train for 30 minutes vs. the alternative: risk of the train being taken out of service, having to stuff myself into the next train which will be hopelessly overcrowded (two trains worth of commuters) AND getting home 30 minutes late...
If you notice the train's
If you notice the train's climate control system is out of whack or just not working, use the intercom as rafa said to contact the Train Operator.
boopie, just out of curiosity, what line do you ride that runs every 30 minutes during commute hours?
I digress. Sorry.
ANYWAYS! Once the train gets to the yard or when it terminates (at DC, Concord or Fremont yards) a technician will look at and [hopefully] repair the problem(s). The train will NOT be taken out of service for an AC problem unless it is a health hazard, a la packed train in 90+ degree heat.
i take the
i take the pittsburg/gunpoint line, and i didn't say i'd have to wait 30 minutes for the next train, but that i would get home 30 minutes later than usual.
in my experience of trains being taken out of service, the next train rarely comes at the scheduled time of 5 minutes - it is probably at least 5 to 10 minutes late for a total wait time of 10 to 15 minutes. then, you run the risk of not being able to get on the next train (the passengers on my SRO train + a those on the new SRO "rescue" train = people left on the platform). lets just say i DO get on the first train. now, because it is packed to the gills with sweaty people, it is going to stop longer at each station to allow those jammed in the middle of the cars ample time to get out (this adds another 5 minutes to the commute, so now we're 15 to 20 minutes late. then, the train arrives at my station (walnut creek) and literally 75% of the people exit the train (don't ask me why, but at least 50% of the train empties at WC every day). this causes jams at the escalator and stairs (1 minute) and faregates (30 seconds) and stairs up the parking structure (1 minute). mind you, i park at the top (no choice, that is all that is left when i get there) meaning that i have to wait for every idiot and their mother to try to back their SUVs out of their spots as i weave my way down 4 and 1/2 flights of parking (2 minutes). but wait, i'm not done yet. now all the SUVs funnel slowly into the one lane exit (as much as 5 minutes, believe it or not, as the cross traffic does not have a stop sign and it tends to back up well past that point in heavy traffic), so that we can have the privilege of waiting in line for our turn to merge on to ygnacio valley road - a constant flow of 50 mph traffic coming around a blind corner (thanks to an ill placed bart track support pillar), no lane for us to use to accelerate AND we only have about 30 yards to weave ALLLLL the way across three lanes of 50 MPH traffic to get the freeway onramp (5 minutes). needless to say, this takes quite a while. if there was a "frogger championship edition," that is what it would be like. lastly, the later i get on the freeway, the more traffic there is. tack on 5 to 10 more minutes.
so you are right, it doesn't take an additional 30 minutes, it is more like 40. but i'd much rather get home 40 minutes earlier and be all sweaty - it only takes about 2 minutes to jump in the shower and freshen up. i feel much better now.
You should try the Pleasant
You should try the Pleasant Hill station. They're expanding the garage, it's closer to the freeway, and as you say almost everyone gets off at Walnut Creek anyway. And freeway wise it's only a few exits up, though you do have to worry about a freeway split regardless of which way you're going.
I am really starting to hate downtown Walnut Creek. I refuse to go there if there's an alternative at Sun Valley or on CC Boulevard.
i absoultely DESPISE
i absoultely DESPISE downtown walnut creek. i tried to drive from bart to the cantina one night after work, which is maybe about a mile, and it took me longer than it takes me to get home to danville - and that was before i started to look for parking.
like you, i refuse to go to wc unless there is no alternative.