Artics Not Operating on the X2

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Just in case anyone has been under a rock since the NABIs arrived: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/23/AR2009072303792.html?hpid=topnews

[Tritransit Area]

So who thought it was a good idea to announce that the NABIs were purchased for the X2?  I guess it was a "clean air" kick thing.

Do the Express "Zs" really need those artics?  Is it out of the question to send a few to Bladensburg to help out until they figure out something better?  I'd say send some of the Neo artics from Northern, but I know they are well needed for the 70/71

[C40LF_2464]

I'd say send some of the Neo artics from Northern, but I know they are well needed for the 70/71

Maybe when Northern gets there 62LFA'sand put them in service they can give them to bladensburg.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I'd say send some of the Neo artics from Northern, but I know they are well needed for the 70/71

Maybe when Northern gets there 62LFA'sand put them in service they can give them to bladensburg.

I doubt that would happen. Even though the X2 is a heavy hitter line, you still have the S line and 70 which needs tics even during late night. I remember taking a late night S2 run that still had an artic running around 130 in the morning. Also, the 62LFAs are primarily going to replace the NABI artics and not so much the Neo tics. The 20 tics that Bburg has now are well enough for the X line.

[WES]

Well some short term solutions would be to temporarily increase the frequency from the current 6 minutes to 2-3 minutes during rush hour, 4-5 minutes during the midday and early evening and 6-8 minutes on Saturdays till artics usually doesn't run.  On Sundays no increase in service would be needed as 40 footers run on Sundays anyway.  Also short terminating some buses in Chinatown might help also, mostly everyone who rides the X2 gets off around N. Capitol Street.

They might want to save some Flxes before they retire them all before needing them probably again.

[WayneNYC]

So who thought it was a good idea to announce that the NABIs were purchased for the X2?  I guess it was a "clean air" kick thing.

Do the Express "Zs" really need those artics?  Is it out of the question to send a few to Bladensburg to help out until they figure out something better?  I'd say send some of the Neo artics from Northern, but I know they are well needed for the 70/71

While the Zs may not always need the artics, it's likely that buses doing those expresses are interlined.  I'm not for pulling artics out of Montgomery or Northern.  I've been saying for years that WMATA doesn't have nearly as many artics as they need.  It's my opinion that conservatively, WMATA needs about 100 artics.  Too bad the last couple artic orders have been replacements and no extras for expansion.

[WES]

I did read something interesting on WMATA's website a few weeks back.  They intend to have an artic fleet of around 130, nearly doubling what they have now, but when they plan to have that number to 130 is another thing.  Would be nice if those 45 stimulus buses would be artics.

[WayneNYC]

So who thought it was a good idea to announce that the NABIs were purchased for the X2?  I guess it was a "clean air" kick thing.

Do the Express "Zs" really need those artics?  Is it out of the question to send a few to Bladensburg to help out until they figure out something better?  I'd say send some of the Neo artics from Northern, but I know they are well needed for the 70/71

While the Zs may not always need the artics, it's likely that buses doing those expresses are interlined.  I'm not for pulling artics out of Montgomery or Northern.  I've been saying for years that WMATA doesn't have nearly as many artics as they need.  It's my opinion that conservatively, WMATA needs about 100 artics.  Too bad the last couple artic orders have been replacements and no extras for expansion.

Well some short term solutions would be to temporarily increase the frequency from the current 6 minutes to 2-3 minutes during rush hour, 4-5 minutes during the midday and early evening and 6-8 minutes on Saturdays till artics usually doesn't run.  On Sundays no increase in service would be needed as 40 footers run on Sundays anyway.  Also short terminating some buses in Chinatown might help also, mostly everyone who rides the X2 gets off around N. Capitol Street.

They might want to save some Flxes before they retire them all before needing them probably again.

Agreed!  You can often see two or three relatively empty X2 buses west of North Capitol.  Looking in from the outside, it does seem like it would help the line to short turn some buses there (at least during the PM rush hour). 

[DCT S9Z4Z6]

It would be nice if Montgomery ran artics on ALL Q2, Y8-9 & C2-4 trips. Heaven knows these routes need the capicity

[79MetroExtraMD]

It would be nice if Montgomery ran artics on ALL Q2, Y8-9 & C2-4 trips. Heaven knows these routes need the capicity

Not all of the Q, Y, and C2-4 trips really need tics. It's mainy rush hour and some parts of midday leading up to evening rush. The Z line gets quite alot of folks, mainly those heading up toward White Oak and Castle Blvd. I've ridden Z8s at late night and you have standing room only as soon as you leave Silver Spring.

As for the X2, I think having a turnback at 7th & H instead of N. Capitol would somewhat work since it would serve those folks at Gallery Place, but as for how they would turn back is another question. Plus, the X1 runs from N. Capitol on east to Minn Avenue during rush hour.

[Perry]

The problem would be how the runs are blocked.  If it's an all-day block or interlined with another route, then whatever bus is deployed has to stay out there the whole time regardless of the demand.  Maybe they could find some other interlining to make sure that every trip that used the artic could use them rather than wasting it on trips where they'd be only partially full.  It's a challenge that's for sure, but I think they should plan for the heaviest loads and not worry about a noon trip not needing it as long as they have the capacity for the trips that are normally crush load.

A short turn at McPherson Square for the X2 could provide a very quick turnaround, but it's not too much further from Lafayette, unless they take away some recovery time too to get the trips moving faster in the corridor.

[OrionFlyer]

It seems as though an "X9" may be in H Street's future.

[BladensburgB2]

Do anyone know when the other 62ft are going to arrive there is nothing at CET at all but a few new express buses and like 2 or 3 locals.

As far as the X9 thats a short line to put anything like that over there on Benning Road/H street .........

[Scrabbleship]

Do anyone know when the other 62ft are going to arrive there

I wonder what the holdup with them is at this point. Then there's the 37 footers that still haven't showed up even though the buses they've replaced were preemptively retired.

Why do I think this whole LFA order has been a massive piece of clusterfudge for WMATA?

[79MetroExtraMD]

Do anyone know when the other 62ft are going to arrive there

I wonder what the holdup with them is at this point. Then there's the 37 footers that still haven't showed up even though the buses they've replaced were preemptively retired.

Why do I think this whole LFA order has been a massive piece of clusterfudge for WMATA?

Bus orders take a while to get produced, especially when you have a crapload of TAs that have ordered buses around the same time. Also, even when they come in, the operators, mechanics, etc have to be trained on them.