WMATA Board Heads Need to Roll

[Tristan]

I don't think John Catoe is a little guy in the signals department, but I'll double check that and get back to you. 

The reason we aren't blaming the Board of Directors is because we actually know how transit works and how WMATA is structured, and we know that the Boardroom isn't the place where these things are discussed.  On corporate and other boards, sometimes they are composed of industry experts and such who would be expected to know what's happening; the Metro board on the other hand is composed of politicians.  Chris Zimmerman (I'm not endorsing him so don't attack me) is probably the most knowledgeable member of the board when it comes to public transportation, and even he isn't all that.  I just refuse to accept that firing some politicians from a basically volunteer board with revolving appointments is going to prevent accidents; you need to dig in and find where the problems are so that you correct them -- if you get rid of the Board, that's only placating people (like you) politically, not fixing the problems that lead to the accident.

http://wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/meetings.cfm
Why don't you go here and listen to these board meetings to see what goes on and how it works -- the executive branch reports to the legislative branch, the legislative branch makes actions based on the information presented by the executive branch.  The decision to do something like shut a single detection circuit off is a decision made in the executive branch, and if it isn't reported, the board won't know about it.  It is the Chief Executive's responsibility to know what's happening, and that person is John Catoe......and even at this point, I'm reluctant to call for his hanging, because we don't even know the facts of the accident yet.

[smithavechuck]

And here is a comprehensive Washington Post  report on the ATC issue.  Well written from a technical perspective.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062501073.html

Chuck

[Sand Box John]

smithavechuck
And here is a comprehensive Washington Post  report on the ATC issue.  Well written from a technical perspective.

Actually I thought it was over simplified. I also though it used far to much generalized language and not enough precise language, The language in the graphic in the article is somewhat deceiving.

I have a WMATA signal maintainers manual sitting on a box next to me. It does a far better and more comprehensive job of explaining the workings of the signaling and train control system.

But I will give the Washington Post the benefit of a doubt, because they are writing to an audience with 7th reading comprehension.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

It could have been a worse article.  It says Lindsay Layton contributed to the writing, and if Lena Sun had written that explanation on her own, it would have read very differently.

[Antozilla]

I said it before nad I will say it again heads need to roll and accountability starts at the top.

   

Sources Claim Metro Was Warned of Circuit Problem    posted 10:49 am Thu July 02, 2009 - WASHINGTON  from ABC 7 News - http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0709/636836.html   Sources tell ABC 7 News there are significant new findings on what led to the breakdown on Metro last Monday. Two sources who must remain anonymous because they are close to the investigation allege that Metro technicians knew about a serious circuit problem on the track five days before the deadly accident and that they allegedly reported the problem to supervisors days before nine people lost their lives. On June 17, the sources say several technicians discovered a circuit component near the accident scene, known as a Wee-Z bond, was not working properly. Metro explains that particular circuit communicates train speed and distance between the tracks, trains, and the operations control center. The sources explain there was bobbing in the circuit, meaning it was intermittently dropping out and could possibly be unable to detect a train on the track. Five days later, a train was stopped on that track waiting for another to clear the station ahead. The sources say the system failed to alert an oncoming train, #112, that there was a train stopped in front of it. According to the sources, #112 did not go into automatic protection mode and it collided into the back of the stopped train. The investigation has since revealed the operator herself tried to engage the emergency brakes 450 feet before the point of impact to no avail. The operator and eight passengers were killed. Sources say the technicians all claimed they notified supervisors and Metro's maintenance operations center about the circuit problem five days before that collision and that the information was entered into Metro's maintenance computer database. NTSB investigators ran a test after the accident and reported finding a circuit that failed to detect a test train at the same location as the train that was struck on June 22. Earlier Wednesday, Metro said the circuit had been replaced on June 17 during routine maintenance and that a computer review of circuit data done after the accident did reveal the circuit problem. When asked if Metro was aware of any problems on the track prior to the accident beyond what was looked at on the computer, Metro's Lisa Farbstein said, "I am not aware -- no one has shared with me. I wouldn't have access to those types of memos if there were -- I am not saying there were -- I just honestly don't know." But when asked about this new information Wednesday night, a spokesman refused to comment citing the ongoing investigation.  © 2009 WJLA-TV All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Tristan]

We don't disagree that accountability is at the top, but I think we're seeing a different view of the top.  The GM is accountable to the Board but he is the chief executive of the agency and HE is the "top" that would need to fall.  The entire Congress wouldn't be impeached if we found out that Iraq was a big lie, the onus would be on the president.  As the article you yourself posted, Metro TECHNICIANS, not Board Members, were aware of the problem.  They report to their supervisor, who reports it up the chain to the General Manager, who then...if he needs Board approval or money, will report it to the board.  We've been through this about 20 times and you're making a nuisance of it now.

[Sand Box John]

"Antozilla"

Source: Metro circuits were malfunctioning for five days
Originally published June 26, 2009
By Marge Neal
News-Post Staff

Status log of track circuit the stopped train was occupying (B2-304) (1.25 MB PDF file)
Status log of track circuit behind the track circuit that the stopped train was occupying (B2-312) (208 KB PDF file)

NTSB is saying they discovered an 'anomalie' in the tracks circuits in question. As it stands now I don't think either WMATA or the NTSB yet know what caused the anomalie.