Several people have commented here that they’ve been on peak-direction trains that have kicked them off at either Rainier Beach or Beacon Hill. I suspect I’m not the only person who’s followed up directly with Sound Transit.

What’s going on is when we go from 7.5 minute morning peak service to 10 minute midday service (or 7.5 evening peak to 10 and then to 15), some trains need to be taken out of service. Taking the train all the way to the end of the line and out of service there would result in the train having to run empty back to base, confusing passengers.

It seems like a good solution would be to only take trains out of service in the off-peak direction. So in the morning, instead of kicking everyone out at Beacon Hill, the train would go through to Westlake, and then come back with a SoDo Only sign and special announcements. People will still get kicked off, but a lot fewer of them.

Sound Transit staff tell me they’ve been following up with Link operations internally. This will improve.

129 Replies to “Working Out The Kinks: Intraday Service Changes”

  2. I actually rode from Westlake on a train that terminated at SODO last night along with announcements (recorded and from the operator) and reader boards to match. This was around 10:30pm.

    1. Yeah, they have the announcements, the issue is that they’re terminating in the peak direction around the edges of rush hour. They just need to switch to off-peak.

      1. Ben,

        Many thanks for following up.

        I’ve been really impressed with how responsive Sound Transit has been.

      2. I think they should avoid running trains “out of service” as much as possible and carry passengers even when returning to the yard. That simply means trains that end at Beacon Hill (northbound) or SODO (southbound).

        The terminating trains should be in the off-peak direction – toward SODO after morning peak, and toward Beacon Hill after evening peak.

        But it also begs the question of why they don’t post a proper schedule. If a train runs every 10 minutes it should run past a given station at the same time every 10 minutes, eg. 09, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59 – and people walking will know when they have to leave their home or business to get there 2 minutes before the train, instead of at a random time. It’s more important when it runs every 15 minutes, or if there are irregularities such as when a train is withdrawn from service. Does that mean that all of a sudden there is a 20 or 25 minutes gap for a through train?

      4. I suppose that having no schedule avoids the issue of riders percieving a train as “x min late.”
        Not surprisingly, though, I have been able to catch a train at the same time (+/-2 minutes) 5 days in a row. It has been the same driver and seems to be the same “scheduled” train. I can plan when to leave the house down to the minute. If ST can maintain such good timing, a schedule would not be that bad.

      5. They’re going to start posting a schedule for the lower frequency times. It’ll start soon, as will the ‘next train’ information on the readerboards.

      6. Will that be based on a scheduled stop time or the real-time location of a train? What I want is a timetable I can stick on my refrigerator door.

      7. There aren’t printed schedules but the information is in Metro’s trip planner, so you can use the “create point to point schedule” function to generate your own timetable:

        http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-bin/p2p_page.pl?resptype=U&dp_loc=BEACON%20HILL%20LINK%20LIGHT%20RAIL%20STATION&ar_loc=SODO%20LINK%20LIGHT%20RAIL%20STATION&start_time=04%3A00%20AM&end_time=01%3A00%20AM&date=7%2F26%2F09&type=W&maxwalk=.25&access=N

        That having been said, I haven’t played around with it enough to know if the trip planner is loaded with the trips that terminate at Mt. Baker, SODO or Beacon Hill.

  3. Even if they changed nothing else, the train could at least say “Beacon Hill Station” on the readerboard of those trains. Then at least you could wait for the next one and only have to get up once.

      2. Easy solution: Have the automated announcement system (or whatever it is) say something like “This train will terminate at Beacon Hill Station.” Sound is harder to ignore than sight.

      5. Morgan, it sounds like it already does. People just have to get used to it.

  4. Why they kick people off trains is really the stupidiest thing I’ve ever hear off. It should be treated like a bus route…leave at the end of the line…not in the middle of the line!!!!! It is an inconvience to passengers.

    1. Agreed. Run the train to the end of the line and just have it dwell a bit longer THEN run normally back in the other direction.

      1. You’ve still got to take some trains out of service at some point, or else have a lot of them stacked up at Tukwila or something.

      2. Nothing wrong with an out of service train passing by. That happens often with BART in California. Either drop off the passengers and go empty to the base or carry the passengers all the way to Tukwila station, that’s the best service to the customers.

      3. It won’t just pass by. We don’t have express tracks! Because the train in front of it stops at all stations, it would too. There’s no reason not to pick up passengers. People would be VERY pissed if a train stopped and wouldn’t pick them up if they were just going two stops.

  5. “Taking the train all the way to the end of the line and out of service there would result in the train having to run empty back to base, confusing passengers.”

    I think we are all used to seeing the “Out of Service” signs or whatever on buses, and running the train back with a clearly labeled “Out of Service” sign would not be a problem.

    However, if the train is clearly labeled that it doesn’t go all the way and announcements are clearly made about what is happening, changing trains in the middle might not be too bad. It’s probably more annoying than just watching an “Out of Service” train go by, though.

    1. Well, Metro uses “To Terminal” but only hardcore transit fans really know what “terminal” means. I talked to another passenger at the zone one day during the snow that thought that buses signed up as “To Terminal” were headed to the airport.

      1. It seems like on a route where the endpoint isn’t a physical station but rather a bus stop, it would make more sense if it were “terminus” instead of “terminal.”

    2. Yeah i think a simple “Out of Service” message on the train and maybe an announcment on the station platform “Stay clear – train not stopping” would work the best. Like vancouver’s skytrain.

    3. Hold on. Remember, all trains stop. It couldn’t just ‘pass by’, it would simply hit another train ahead of it! It still has to dwell.

      1. But they can get up to 3 minutes apart, so at a 7.5 minute headway time they could at least pass through some of the stops… then wait at places that aren’t stations.

      3. Oran’s right, and in the tunnel, they have to wait behind signals for buses. The trains would not be able to just ‘blow by’.

  6. Is there really no alternative to kicking people out mid-line for taking trains out for changed headways?

    Of course, *I* wouldn’t mind constant headways throughout the day.

    1. No, there really is no alternative. The OMF is at the upper 2/3 of the line. They can’t drop passengers off there, so they’ll have to do it somewhere. Either it’s the end of the line and you spend extra money deadheading, or midway which is somewhat cheaper.

      1. If they can afford to run the train from Tukwila to Beacon Hill they can afford to run it the rest of the way to Westlake and then deadhead back. Especially in the morning when they know that most of the people on the train are going downtown. It’s just poor planning to take a train out of service in the peak direction at rush hour.

      2. It’s not money, it’s “here’s a train stopping at every station” (which they will have to do because the train ahead of them is) that doesn’t take passengers.

      3. See, but here’s the thing. It doesn’t matter at all whether or not there’s an out of service train deadheading back to the OMF, because the existing revenue trains are still sticking to the newly changed headways. It’s like “oh, here’s another train” but that train isn’t supposed to be there in the first place, so as long as riders carry the preconception that train frequency drops following peak hours, then there isn’t a problem.

      4. Okay, so tell me why these trains shouldn’t pick up passengers if they want to go to an intermediate stop?

      5. They most certainly could, but isn’t the issue at large people wanting to travel beyond these intermediate stops, but failing to notice the destination sign? In the case, it’s trying to prevent the expulsion of passengers entirely– peak or non-peak direction.

    2. They could take you on a free tour of the Operations and Maintenance Facility. That would rule.

      1. I think that would be similar to the free ride through Atlantic Base when someone “falls asleep” through the last stop at the IDS.

  7. They were trying to save money, pure and simple. Obviously without regard to passengers.
    Building stuff is much more fun than operating it day to day. That is why Metro is the operator.

    1. Since they’re using your money to operate it, you should be thankful they’re trying to save money. I’m not sure how they do it without regard to passengers, since everything they do revolves around passengers.

      1. 15 minutes of operator pay is worth inconveniencing a train load of people? I don’t think so.

      2. I think this was more of a case of “oops we didn’t really think of it that way”.

        I suspect soon enough they will no longer take trains out of service in the peak direction when going from 7.5 minute frequency to 10 minute frequency and the only reason they’ll pull a train in peak direction is when there is some sort of problem requiring the cars be removed from service.

      3. You have to inconvenience them at some point. The only change that really needs to happen is to make it off-peak, and for people to get used to the fact that trains do say where they end.

  8. After nearly seven months of light rail service in Phoenix, I still have to explain to people (when I’m down there) why the trains have to go out of service; apparently it does make sense to some people. The trains are well signed, etc., so people just need to pay attention.

    OTOH, it was hilarious listening to people at the Stadium station on Thursday when the DSTT was closed. “I have to take a bus to get downtown?!?? I already had to take a bus to get to this thing from the airport!”. Oh, white people and you’re distain for buses….

    2. Oh, white people and you’re distain for buses….

      Please tell me I’m reading that wrong.

      3. Well I suspect a fair number of “choice” riders and people who really don’t like buses might be white, but I wouldn’t put it the way he did.

        Also in Seattle buses don’t carry quite the stigma of being only for the poor and minorities they might in other places.

      4. Yeah, it was put wrong. My brother & sister, for example, would rather hop a bus or train even though they both are fully able to drive (they gave up their licenses years ago)

    1. Because they’re different types of trains. Skoda offers it on their destination signs, and Kinkisharyo doesn’t.

      1. Well on the street car it isn’t really on the destination sign. It’s its own little sign. Is it impossible to put a little clock on a Kinkisharyo car?

      2. Public schools generally lack hallway clocks, so some teachers buy a cheap clock at Office Depot and then put it on the wall. Maybe a rider could do that on Link.

      3. Actually… it has to do with the fact that the clocks in each station aren’t quite synchronized yet. You’d see a Link car with a clock that mismatched the station clock. Again, give it time. They’re working on everything!

  10. Off topic, but kudos to the Metro driver that spotted the south park murder suspect…good eye!

    1. Yeah, they get announcements over the air periodically. The coordinator will read a description of the suspect and let operators know what area to look for them in. If an operator spots them, they’ll quietly let the coordinator know and the police will intercept them. The coordinators also announce when the suspect has been apprehended or when some other reason dictates that operators no longer need to keep an eye out.

  11. If Memory serves me correctly, There are several extra tracks at Seatac. I believe that the mid point terminations of Runs will last until thoes sidings at Seatac are available, at that time, we will see most of the train terminations at Tukwilla (or Seatac)

    1. I visited the SeaTac/Airport station a few months ago and can say that there are no extra tracks. The two tracks extend for a short distance beyond the center platform and end. There is a crossover before the station like in Tukwila.

      Northgate will have the extra tracks, the two mainlines and a pocket track north of the station but it’ll be a while before we get there.

      1. ok, then can someone tell me what the elevated structure over 170th East of the “Through” link tracks, North of the Terminal, and South of the Cemetary (Where the Raddison used to sit) is?

      2. That’s the northbound Airport Expressway. The Port of Seattle reorganized the airport roadway system at the same time as Sound Transit’s Airport Link construction. That allowed Link to run in the median of the new expressway. They even used the same contractor.

  12. Oh boy, where to start… we operators (drivers) do have an off duty time. When we drove buses for Metro we could go on our base route to the Metro base. However, on the trains we have to follow the same route as the in service trains when we head to the barn. We could go “out of service” as the very last trains of the night do and not pick up anyone, or we could stop and pick up passengers and take them as far as we can go before taking the train into the yard for the night. Those would be the ones with the SODO STATION, BEACON HILL STATION signs, or for the really late trains northbound MT. BAKER STATION. Even though, most riders will not look at the destination sign, even though it is out there.

    Even the clock on our dashboard is wrong most of the time. This is why we still need to have watches set to within 10 seconds of the time at Link dispatch.

    There are no trains that turn back at Rainier Beach. If they ask you to leave there either there is a problem with the train and they needs to be taken out of service into the Henderson Pocket track.

    All train will operate to Seatac when the station there is open. There will be no holding area beyond the station itself.

    The operators could announce on the PA the the final stop is “…….”. I will start doing that along the way, as I have begun to announce as they do in the UK “one minute until the train leaves”. See, you do get results here at Seattle Transit Blog, at least with one of the operators.

    1. There is really no excuse for not having all of the station clocks, the dashboard clocks, and link dispatch all synced to the same time source and from that to an official and accurate time source like GPS or the NIST clock.

      Since there is obviously some sort of data network between the electronic signs at the stations and Link dispatch syncing the clocks is relatively trivial if the equipment is set up for it. Similarly if there is a data channel between the trains and Link dispatch syncing an on-board clock really isn’t a problem.

      Even without a data network, radio clocks that sync from the NIST signal are fairly cheap now days.

      1. Agreed. And all the signs should show when the next train is due to arrive, not just the current time!

    2. The Rainier Beach thing may have been one time. I’ve been hearing Beacon Hill or SoDo more.

    3. Thanks Doug! I certainly appreciate the effort because in time, others will catch up!

  13. Count me too among those working to have trains go out of service in the off-peak direction, WITH correct destination signage and platform announcements and on-train announcements. That ought to cover it! This may require a complete rewrite of the daily schedule, however, so may take some time. Unlike Metro buses, tho, it doesn’t have to wait for the next service change!

    2. Thanks! Although doesn’t it? I thought schedule adjustments had to happen on the Metro schedule because of operator scheduling?

  14. There are some riders that happen to be deaf so they cannot hear what the announcer is saying so they depend on the signs, so announcing on the speaker only is a bad idea. They both should do correct destination signage AND announcing on the speaker for the hearing folks.

    1. They should do away with the scrolling of the destination signs, and just pick text that can fit on the display, so you can read it at a glance. I think the scrolling makes it much harder to read.
      TUKWILA
      WESTLAKE or SEATTLE-Westlake (if it fits)
      SODO
      MT. BAKER
      STADIUM

      They can all fit within the display without scrolling

      1. I agree. The scrolling signs are hard to read. Don’t think SEATTLE-WESTLAKE will fit though (simply SEATTLE would be fine)

      2. Yeah, the word “station” is redundant. I think it should be done away with on the spoken announcements as well.

      3. Totally agree… Eliminate scrolling in favor of static messages except perhaps when the next stop is announced. That’s to say, I think it would be fine if the name of the next stop scrolled over the previous/current stop. I also agree that “station” is redundant and just takes up announcement time and readerboard space.

        I have some issues with the announcements in general.

        It’s been mentioned before that there should be more warning than the door chime. An announcement before the chime would give more notice.

        The “now entering” announcements seem to play too soon, especially in the downtown tunnel where the message is played just before the train stops for a few minutes. I understand that the train has to wait for bus traffic, but maybe the message shouldn’t be played until the train can be reasonably sure of making it to the platform.

        Also, “now entering” seems a little verbose when it could just say “this is [station].”

        The door info should probably be given with the next stop info instead of “now entering”. That’s to say, “[Station] is next. Doors to my right.”

        The “my” thing seems a little odd but doesn’t really bug me. :)

        I also think it’s a bad idea to have “international” as part of the name of two stations.

      6. Yes, get rid of the rolling sign. Do what they do on the bus side and have a set of signs that alternate like:

        DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
        WESTLAKE STATION

        Back and forth.

        and many people are going to to call the Tukwila station “Tukwila International Blvd Station”. No one outside of Sound Transit and Tukwila officials. Hey, I still call it Pac Highway!

      7. Yeah, they should use the destination signs just like they do on buses.

        It would say WESTLAKE via
        DOWNTOWN

        If going to Tukwila it would say TUKWILA STATION.

        I don’t like the scrolling signs at all…faster when it goes back and forth and it’s easier to read that way.

      8. Tukwila Station is a Sounder platform – you don’t want people confusing them, and they will.

      11. Did. Those were the signs and announcemnts delivered with the cars with a mans voice, and have been deleated. Don’t know what his problem was, but he kept telling people to use the wrong doors to exit!

      12. Totally agree with all of you! Please get rid of “station” and minimize scrolling. People with sight problems cannot see the scrolling signs very well.

        And I like it when some operators play the name of the station when the doors opens on the platform in addition to the “now entering”.

  15. I’ve got an idea. Why not put rubber tires on the trains, then run them on the roads, then that way train service can get to the eastside within a year or so.

    2. That train already runs, it’s called the 550. If you want better service, you need right of way, and that’s what takes time. Oh, and if you pay for the right of way, in the long run, it’s cheaper to run trains to begin with, which is why we do!

  17. I like sound transit’s solution. if i was waiting for a train just to sodo, i’d like the opportunity to hop on one that is going there instead of seeing ‘out of service’ and having to wait until the next one.
    Also, I can’t tell you how often I hear my non-bus-riding coworkers complain about seeing ‘so many’ empty, ‘wasteful’, to-base/to-terminal metro buses.

    1. I would be handy if the eastside-based commuter buses could layover in downtown Seattle and the operators could deadhead back on an in-service bus.

    2. Sound Transit and Community Transit already do that for their commuter routes. You can see buses laying over in the OMF parking lot and a lot across Airport Way from the Link OMF.

      1. Do the entire PT and CT commuter fleets all fit down there? I still see many busses deadheading to Seattle from the North and South and wonder if it’s for their first or second commute trip.
        Also, I feel like I’ve been told before that some Metro busses to Base/Terminal can still be ridden.

      2. Do the CT buses layover all day there or just deadhead down at like 2 p.m. and then get their riders?

        Metro and ST buses going to bases/terminals can be ridden between the freeway stations on the 520 bridge. One reason behind that is because there’s not a bike lane, and those buses increase the bike capacity of the bridge by 2-3 bikes per bus.

      3. I don’t think so. It’s just an observation from passing by. First time I saw the buses parked in the OMF parking lot, I thought, wow they are really busy giving tours!

  18. Another issue that has been somewhat irritating is the right of way issue through Rainier Valley. I realize that trains have ROW during peak travel times but not during off peak. The few times I’ve ridden the train, it stopped at every light throughout the valley, or sometimes the train stopped several times for no apparent reason, allowing buses and cars to whiz passed the train.

    I am pretty patient and will continue to ride the train despite these issues, but many other passengers on board were outspoken about this and seemed hesitant to continue riding it because the trains get stuck in traffic.

    Does anyone know if ST intends to give trains full ROW through the valley at some point to reduce travel times, or is there a major issue that forces the trains to stop periodically that ST will fix over time?

    1. “I realize that trains have ROW during peak travel times but not during off peak. ”

      Is that what it is? Shouldn’t they have ROW all the time? I’ve found that about 50% of the trips I’ve taken we are stopping multiple times at signals in the Valley. This should not be happening.

      1. They are supposed to have the signal priority at all times of the day. I have heard that there is a glitch in the signaling software that will occasionally cause a train to get multiple stop signals. I haven’t yet experienced this, even at midday. Hopefully they get it ironed out soon.

      2. They don’t get priority, it’s just timing. If they got priority, there are signals where cars would NEVER get to cross.

      3. Which is the whole reason they never should have built any of Link at level grade. And to think they are planning level grade in Bellevue, which is just idiotic if you’ve ever driven even once through the Bel-Red corridor in the afternoon.

      4. No, it’s priority. The train controls the signal sequences. The operator calls for a proceed signal when entering MLK or leaving a station. The call starts a signal cascade which gives the train a cascade of proceed signals to the next station and preempts the traffic signal timing at intersections. The system was designed so that the trains shouldn’t have to stop between stations, but it seems that occasionally trains are being stopped and then they get out of sequence with the signals ahead of them.

      5. From what I heard, they do get priority. I cannot speak for how the Link system specifically operates but there are basic concepts to transit signal priority systems (TSP). TSP could be set up to be passive (everything is timed) or active (priority is given only when it’s needed).

        Like Zed said, the operator pushes a button to request priority. The call is sent through a loop to the signal control system (those marked stopping points are important!). The system figures out what to do to the signal timing at all those crossings to make sure the train goes through to the next station. In order to give the train the signal cascade it has to take away time from other movements. It can extend the green, give an early green, or skip phases (like left turns or pedestrian crossing). The system knows that the train cleared the station (or crossing) and then that intersection goes into ‘recovery’ mode that is return to normal timing to make up for lost time.

        During recovery, the system may be set up to lock out requests (otherwise it’ll be like Ben’s scenario). Each system has its own rules to granting priority, like a pedestrian phase cannot be skipped more than once. That’s why sometimes trains get stuck at ped crossings. There’s also a narrow window that the operator has to get through otherwise they get out of sequence, like if they accelerate too slowly and don’t maintain speed. The operator can tell when the signals are about to change as they flash for a few seconds before changing.

      7. Maybe it’s just semantics, but I’m pretty sure Link has a permanent right-of-way – it’s the big cement median with train tracks. Also, when it goes through the intersection, Link has the right of way. With regard to signals, it’s something else (pre-emption? priority?).

      8. You’re talking about two different meanings for right of way (ROW). There’s the physical ROW that transportation facilities like roads or tracks occupy and there’s the concept of giving right of way to vehicles in traffic control (usually by signals or signs). Link has it’s own right of way that’s not shared with other vehicles. When Link goes through an intersection on a proceed signal then other vehicles must yield the right of way to the train.

        There is a distinction between pre-emption and priority. The terms are often used interchangeably but they are not always the same thing. Preemption means the requester, be it an ambulance, police car, fire truck, or train, interrupts the current signal cycle and gets the green ASAP. Priority means the signals are modified to better accommodate the prioritized vehicle.

        Link or Sounder or freight trains, for example, preempts signals in SODO and activates the crossing gates. In the Rainier Valley, Link gets signal priority. You never see Link stopped at crossings in SODO.

  19. “Taking the train all the way to the end of the line and out of service there would result in the train having to run empty back to base, confusing passengers.”

    No offense, but this just shows how provincial Seattlites are with respect to public transport. It is a common occurrence in systems around the world to see empty trains running out of service on the line. Which is worse: to see an empty train pass by and have to wait 2 minutes for the next one, or to actually be KICKED OFF your train? I rest my case. Sound Transit is really stupid.

    1. It’s a common occurrence in places where the train can blow through without stopping. Because the train ahead of you (and buses, in the tunnel) DO have to stop, you have to stop your out of service train to wait in the next segment back, so there’s no point in not picking up passengers.

  20. Tukwila station confusion as to which track the next train departs from is very frustrating.
    Station staff don’t know which platform is next up, as I got 3 different answers to the same question. The reader boards don’t tell you which side to go up to.
    My wife has a bad hip, and can’t scoot around the platforms very fast. We tried to catch a train on the south platform, but as we got to the top, the doors closed and we missed it. OK, I’ll ask an agent, who sent us to the North platform.
    The next train came into the south platform again, and by the time we got down, and back, it too departed.
    So we went to the bottom, and waited for the 3rd train to arrive, then went up.
    How about the reader boards flashing “NEXT TRAIN – THIS PLATFORM”.

    1. Three different answers to asking which platform is next? Aren’t there only two platforms?

      1. We asked 3 different staff over the course of 20 minutes trying to figure out which of the two platforms was next up. BTW, we were not alone. Lots of other riders were doing the “platform shuffle”.

    2. The staff told us to go up the North platform but we saw a train on the south platform so we rushed to the other platform just in time for departure. We were fare checked, too.

    3. The reader boards will be working in a few weeks.

      PLEASE repeat this to others. I swear I’m the only person telling people.

    4. When there is no train sitting in the Tukwila Station, the SB train will always crossover to the primary loading track (the Northbound platform). If a train has just left NB and has not yet cleared the circuit, the SB train will enter the Southbound platform. Otherwise, a second train arriving at the station will use the open platfom.

      The Tukwila platform was not designed to be the last station on the line, otherwise like the Airport station it would have had a center loading platform. I too would hope Sound Transit would at least have two guards on radios, one at the platform level and one at the ticket machines to tell the riders which train is next to depart.

    1. Yeah, it’s called “opening Airport Link”.

      You can’t fix them. Your train has to arrive at one and depart at the other if you do that, and there’s no time to move trains from one to the other when there are more trains arriving!

      1. Why can’t southbound train arrive at Tukwilla on platform A. Drop off passengers. Continue past station, change direction, and use switchover track to get over to platform B. Pick up passengers and continue northbound. Tada, all trains leave from the same platform and there’s no more confusion. This is more or less what’s done in the Pine St. stub tunnel, so why can’t it be done in Tukwilla?

      2. Because “past station” is under construction and may or may not even have power. The next electrical block starts just after the station, and there isn’t a crossover right there anyway. You’d probably have to continue all the way to airport to switch tracks.

      3. I saw a train go past that station during the opening day and there is actually power on that line….the train was moving really slowly, though.

  22. Rode Link this weekend again and got stopped in the tunnel a few times, but the automated message came on about traffic ahead and people were pleased…along with the on-board reader boards displaying thie information.

    Was sitting by a family from Portland and loved the fact that the train was in a tunnel and even with the stops, felt that Link was much faster than MAX. In fact, they said they can out-walk MAX in downtown Portland.

    Haven’t had the issue this weekend where the trains stopped at every crossing in the Rainier Valley, maybe those kinks were worked out? The operators seem to be coming on the PA system and talking a little more when there are issues, such as emergency stops and so on.

    Can’t wait for the station reader boards to display the “next train” information. Seeing ticket cops a lot more now. Ate at a great Vietnamese restaurant neat Mount Baker station though don’t have the exact name (____ Thanh), right across from the car wash. Eat there, they are GOOD!

    1. The trains have level boarding and they’ll make sure you’re off the train before they close the doors. It’s not like they have to request the lift or ramp. Everyone’s inconvenienced by having to walk off the train.

      1. Yes, but how many non-disabled people need to strap themselves in? And how are deaf people to know what’s going on if there isn’t a display telling them why they are supposed to get off the train? I just think that Sound Transit has done a very poor job in explaining this stuff out of the gate, but this doesn’t really surprise me coming from an organization that thinks the free ride zone and buses sharing a tunnel with trains are good ideas.

      2. They don’t need to strap themselves in, it’s a train not a bus. The lack of audio and visual communication annoys the non-disabled but its worse for the deaf/blind.

      3. pragmatic, try actually RIDING the train. There aren’t any straps, this isn’t any different for wheelchair passengers as anyone else.

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