Federal official raises concerns about safety on new Metro line
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/concerns-raised-about-metro-train-control-system-on-new-rail-line/2013/06/13/68d86bf2-d452-11e2-b05f-3ea3f0e7bb5a_story.html
Attachments:

“We have people out there who observed things and said it was done inappropriately and called them on it,” Potter said Thursday. “Any testing they did is going to be redone.”

“All changes are going to be documented, and the system is going to be thoroughly tested before it is accepted,” Potter said. “We are not going to turn over an unsafe rail project to [Metro.]”

Dan Stessel, a spokesman for Metro, referred questions to MWAA.

Adam Pratt, a spokesman for Alstom, wrote in an e-mail Thursday, “We respectfully decline the opportunity to comment.”

Leslie Pereira, a spokeswoman for Bechtel, said in an e-mail that Alstom had made changes without approval. Bechtel has meet with Alstom senior management, she said, to “strongly reinforce the need to follow procedures.”




Looks like they were caught red-handed though. How does a contractor use a subcontractor with such a terrible safety record?

Any costs related to this situation, including salaries of personnel retesting and evaluating these circuits, as well as lost revenue if the line opening is delayed, should be charged directly to Alstrom. The only way companies like this are ever going to stop crap like this is if it starts hitting them in the bottom line.

Most responsibility for rail car safety design decisions rests with WMATA rather than MWAA. The 64 cars for Silver Line are part of a larger WMATA order to replace the Series 1000 cars.

An even more important potential rail car design problem may exist on which I don't recall seeing any reports of how the Series 7000 cars will prevent problems in the event of an accident - telescoping.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescoping_(railway)

The Federal Transit Administration did not have any authority over urban transit system safety at the time of the Red Line crash in 2009 and in April 2010 when the Series 7000 rail cars were ordered. Series 7000 rail cars are being built to WMATA specifications - not MWAA's.

Problems with the Automatic Train Control system have been investigated during the last four years by WMATA and the NTSB as part of their analysis of causes of the Red Line crash. After the accident, one news article indicated that a WMATA subcontractor had replaced some of the Alstom track circuits with possibly substandard circuit boards.

The public should be told the completion date of NTSB and WMATA accident investigation studies of Red Line accident causes and how WMATA has responded to make design changes to prevent a recurrence.

Pat Nowakowski, Silver Line project manager, told the MWAA Board several months ago that only one pre-production Series 7000 four railcar set will be delivered to WMATA by the January 2014 opening of the Silver Line. The remainder are now scheduled to be delivered between mid 2014 and mid 2015. The new Silver Line rail cars are to be used throughout the Metrorail system, even though WMATA and its riders are not paying any of their costs. WMATA has repeatedly failed to make public information about the ATC system.

Alstom has presumably designed ATC systems for transit systems throughout the world. If deficiencies exist in their design, information may exist on accidents elsewhere.

Bob Bruhns Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any costs related to this situation, including
> salaries of personnel retesting and evaluating
> these circuits, as well as lost revenue if the
> line opening is delayed, should be charged
> directly to Alstrom. The only way companies like
> this are ever going to stop crap like this is if
> it starts hitting them in the bottom line.

That I agree with. Just as the government is responsible for paying change order that occur because of faulty contract documents, the contractor is responsible for the costs and delays that occur due to faulty work.

In my opinion, any delay that happens because of this should be removed by forcing Bechtel to work overtime at cost to remediate.

PS, whoever is copy pasting these from the comments section of the WaPo story, is a loser.

Why are they using a contractor with such a horrible record? Part of the problem with Metro is the gross defects in their contracting. We have suffered many problems, such as leaks into the system, because of faulty contractual provisions or failure to enforce contracts. Now we see that they are allowing contracts to contractors who should be blacklisted due to records of poor performance.

As a technician I have seen where initial testing was done in this manner when there was a parts shortage. This is done to check out the rest of the system. As long as it is done just for a system check and not an acceptance check it is okay. When the boards become available and the system is complete then final acceptance can occur. No I do not work for any of the contractors. If this practice is used for acceptance testing that is a major problem. Accepting a system and then adding untested components later because they are the "same thing" will not work on an ATC system because indidvidual circuits need alignment. Hope they get it right!

waywardsnuffy wrote: Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a technician I have seen where initial testing
> was done in this manner when there was a parts
> shortage. This is done to check out the rest of
> the system. As long as it is done just for a
> system check and not an acceptance check it is
> okay. When the boards become available and the
> system is complete then final acceptance can
> occur. No I do not work for any of the
> contractors. If this practice is used for
> acceptance testing that is a major problem.
> Accepting a system and then adding untested
> components later because they are the "same thing"
> will not work on an ATC system because indidvidual
> circuits need alignment. Hope they get it right!


That is a very interesting technical note. I hope people understand that, more than likely though WaPo's writer as well as most readers don't and will continue to attack in a frenzy without questioning what they are reading and what the actual implications are

"The Silver Line is the first Metrorail line not built by the transit agency, which opened the rail system in the 1970s.

Nowakowski said additional testing could prevent the Silver Line’s being turned over to Metro by the September deadline.

Metro has said it will need 90 days to test the new rail line before it starts carrying passengers in late December or early January. It is unclear whether the changes will add to the cost of the project, which is already over budget.

“We’re in no way shape or form going to allow safety to be compromised,” Nowakowski said."

Scary, but at least they were caught.

Bill Castle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why are they using a contractor with such a
> horrible record? Part of the problem with Metro is
> the gross defects in their contracting. We have
> suffered many problems, such as leaks into the
> system, because of faulty contractual provisions
> or failure to enforce contracts. Now we see that
> they are allowing contracts to contractors who
> should be blacklisted due to records of poor
> performance.


Certainly this needs to be checked out. A wheel part broke off of the Silver Line test train in late February 2013 and cut 60 signal cables of the speed and status reporting system, causing huge rush-hour delays. And a Silver Line test train hit a number of emergency control boxes and maybe a handrail back around March 2013, and I am reading reports that a Red Line train hit some loose service stairs this morning, causing damage to some signal enclosures. If the control system needs attention, and if service stairs and handrails need better mounting, then let's get it done.

Yes, she was a coward, she should have stabbed him with a dinner knife! Wait, maybe you were referring to him???? I'm soooo confused!

He "voluntarily" went to the Police because his lawyer arranged it to avoid a far worse scene. Had he not "volunteered", the Police would have come to his home to arrest him.

With that kind of money, "maybe" the police would have gone to his house. It's more likely that they would have called him and politely "requested" that he come to the main station for a "conversation".

But if she does not press charges, then what?

If this is really a problem, and she is horrified, should she not leave him?

M O N E Y + S T A T U S = She stays.

Only because people make it complicated. I get it. Feelings, promises of change. Sometimes fear of being hurt far worse. Sometimes fear of isolation if the guy took her away from her family on a move. There is a lot involved.

But not really for her. She is independant, has masses of support and fans, can get another fine man, the guy has only so many years left. He'd probably die in prison or break a hip in a fight.

The situation she is in is not really comparable to a woman living far from home with little income and kids to support trying to leave a man who is bigger and stronger who beats her mercilessly.

If this woman wants to leave, she can easily leave. Probably end up richer because of it (unless she is worried about a prenup)

A poor man would be in jail just with an accusation of assault. Yet, this dirtbag is pictured attacking his wife and he gets a caution warning...

Bob Bruhns Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Certainly this needs to be checked out. A wheel
> part broke off of the Silver Line test train in
> late February 2013 and cut 60 signal cables of the
> speed and status reporting system, causing huge
> rush-hour delays. And a Silver Line test train hit
> a number of emergency control boxes and maybe a
> handrail back around March 2013, and I am reading
> reports that a Red Line train hit some loose
> service stairs this morning, causing damage to
> some signal enclosures. If the control system
> needs attention, and if service stairs and
> handrails need better mounting, then let's get it
> done.

Someone copied and pasted my comment from the Path from last week.

There is a huge amount of money in transportation. Some say $27 Trillion, worldwide. Seems to me that this is up there with military and war spending.

Shouldn't this kind of spending be watched carefully?


Foreign leaders back private development of transportation projects
Star-Telegram, May 28, 2013
http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/05/28/4889709/foreign-leaders-back-private-development.html

Some groups seem to think that this money is their personal piggy bank.

How Silver Spring’s transit center plan grew into a fiasco
Washington Post, May 20, 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-silver-springs-transit-center-plan-grew-into-a-fiasco/2013/05/20/7f2fb1c6-b986-11e2-aa9e-a02b765ff0ea_story.html

$1M exposed D.C.-area bus stop leaves straphangers out in the rain
CBS News, March 28, 2013 8:31 AM
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57576724/$1m-exposed-d.c.-area-bus-stop-leaves-straphangers-out-in-the-rain/

Ex-FBI agent watches Turnpike’s contracts
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, November 19, 2012
http://triblive.com/state/2943282-74/million-commission-turnpike-contracts-company-compliance-gentile-fbi-orders-agency#axzz2SMsaBEzI

MWAA's Weak Policies and Procedures Have Led to Questionable Procurement Practices, Mismanagement, and a Lack of Overall Accountability
Office of the Attorney General
US Department of Transportation
November 01, 2012
Project ID: AV-2013-006
http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/MWAA%20Final%20Report.pdf

From Page 12 of the full report (Page 13 of the pdf):
Quote:
MWAA issued out-of-scope contract actions over $200,000 — including contract modifications and task orders — without required Board approval. From our statistical sample of 24 out of 343 active MWAA contracts, we identified 8 for which MWAA issued a total of 20 out-of-scope contract actions with a combined value of $57 million. Based on these findings, we project that MWAA has issued $107.6 million in out-of-scope contract actions on contracts active as of June 2011.
(Emphasis added)

People - wake up. $27 Trillion is a lot of money! Organized crime isn't a bunch of thugs in funny-looking suits any more - and it hasn't been, for decades. It is your Presidents, your governments, and your financial institutions. Wars are not their only game; they got smart, and tapped into world finance. You are agreeing to financial slavery to them as we speak. You need to stop allowing this to happen, before they take all control.

MWAA is building it to turn over to Metro, just the Silver Spring Transit Center. Right from the article:

The problems underscore complications related to Metro’s relying on other entities to build its infrastructure. In the case of the Silver Line, MWAA, with revenue from the Dulles Toll Road, was tapped to finance construction of the rail line, which eventually is supposed to run to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County.

The date most likely would have been met had the Frog company not decided to implement unauthorized changes to the control system electronics. The process of bait and switch seems to be the issue. As was mentioned earlier, why was the company allowed to even submit a bid based on its record?

Airports Authority says Silver Line still on schedule
Project scheduled to go to WMATA for tests in September
http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20130620/NEWS/130629966/1117/airports-authority-says-silver-line-still-on-schedule&template=fairfaxTimes

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority executives said Wednesday that Silver Line construction is still on schedule, despite media reports to the contrary.

MWAA President and CEO Jack Potter told the authority’s board of directors that he met with the contractor following news reports that the construction was delayed and would not open at the end of this year, as planned.

Potter said the contractor affirmed that the project is still expected to be ready to turn over to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for final testing Sept. 9.

Construction began on the $2.6 billion first phase of the new rail line in March 2009. It will bring five new Metrorail stations to Tysons Corner and Reston.

Once the system is turned over, it is up to WMATA to determine when to open the new rail line to the public.

However, both Potter and project Executive Director Pat Nowakowski emphasized that issues that come up in testing could delay the turnover date.

“We’re in a very fluid period,” Potter said. “We’re going to do our best to work through any issues that may come up.”

If any unexpected problems do arise during the testing period, it could cause some delay, Nowakowski said.

“When you deal with an issue this late in the project, there is less time to resolve the issue,” he said.

At the Wednesday meeting, the MWAA board also took another step in preparing for the second construction phase of the Silver Line. The board approved leasing office space in Herndon for project staff and contractors.

WASHINGTON - The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is investigating why a Silver Line test train derailed Tuesday.

The train's front axle popped off the track when it hit a derailer west of Wolf Trap, Pat Nowakowski, executive director of the Dulles Rail Project, tells The Washington Post.

A derailer is a mechanism that will derail a subway train if it goes farther on a track than it is supposed to go.

Test trains started running on the Silver Line tracks late last year, but Nowakowski says this it the first time there has been a derailment during the runs.

The first phase of the Silver Line will go out to Wiehle Avenue in Reston and is expected to open early next year.

The line eventually will take the subway from East Falls Church through Tysons Corner, Reston, Herndon and out to Dulles International Airport and Ashburn.