Incompetence at Howard today, Aug 10.

[strictures]

I got to Howard by bus around 2:40 PM today & went to the NB platform to catch the Swift. I got about halfway north on the platform, when a guy in a reflective vest told us to go to the SB platform, as all Evanston & Skokie trains were using that. Some sort of unexplained problem. There wasn't anyone at the farebox level telling anyone anything. So I & a half dozen others go down or up to the SB platform, where Run 595 is sitting. We were told to walk all the way to the southern end of the platform & we'd catch it. At that point, 595 starts north & just ignores us all & heads out. Then we see Run 592 enter the SB platform, go to it & we're told, no, you can't board, go back to the NB platform. We see a guy who appears to be the boss at Howard on the NB platform & yell to him that no one knows anything. He says we're crazy & goes back downstairs.

So we all cross back again to the NB platform to catch 592.

Now exactly what would've been wrong to allow us to ride the train to the turnback track?

I absolutely hate Howard! The fools in the tower constantly load both tracks 1 & 2 with SB Red Line trains, making it impossible for Purple & Skokie trains to proceed through the station, either to turn back & go north or continue as expresses to the Loop.

It seem like it's run as a little fiefdom where the top secret control center on Racine has no say in how Howard operates. Plus all the clocks on the platforms still have different times on them!

[cta5658]

10 minutes ago, strictures said:

I got to Howard by bus around 2:40 PM today & went to the NB platform to catch the Swift. I got about halfway north on the platform, when a guy in a reflective vest told us to go to the SB platform, as all Evanston & Skokie trains were using that. Some sort of unexplained problem. There wasn't anyone at the farebox level telling anyone anything. So I & a half dozen others go down or up to the SB platform, where Run 595 is sitting. We were told to walk all the way to the southern end of the platform & we'd catch it. At that point, 595 starts north & just ignores us all & heads out. Then we see Run 592 enter the SB platform, go to it & we're told, no, you can't board, go back to the NB platform. We see a guy who appears to be the boss at Howard on the NB platform & yell to him that no one knows anything. He says we're crazy & goes back downstairs.

So we all cross back again to the NB platform to catch 592.

Now exactly what would've been wrong to allow us to ride the train to the turnback track?

I absolutely hate Howard! The fools in the tower constantly load both tracks 1 & 2 with SB Red Line trains, making it impossible for Purple & Skokie trains to proceed through the station, either to turn back & go north or continue as expresses to the Loop.

It seem like it's run as a little fiefdom where the top secret control center on Racine has no say in how Howard operates. Plus all the clocks on the platforms still have different times on them!

Maybe you can ride Metra, how about that?

[andrethebusman]

Howard has been a problem for DECADES. Two basic issues: 1) Some crews are supposed to turn the train around, while other trains are supposed to be laid up, but this is not what is done. When a train is supposed to be laid up and is turned instead, first you have to find a switchman to turn it, and this can take while. The other is that all trains going in the yard must be cleared out of bums, and this can be a long procedure. All this makes for delays, which is why sometimes trains are run into the SB platform. Also, this is why sometimes Evanston and Skokie trains leave from the SB platform.

One thing about turnbacks - especially the last couple of years, CTA has been very strict about NOBODY rides a turnback move. Basically, because there were cases where somebody was left aboard a layup, and then there was a big hassle getting them out of the yard. So the rule was made very absolute - turnbacks MUST be emptied out.

[strictures]

5 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Howard has been a problem for DECADES. Two basic issues: 1) Some crews are supposed to turn the train around, while other trains are supposed to be laid up, but this is not what is done. When a train is supposed to be laid up and is turned instead, first you have to find a switchman to turn it, and this can take while. The other is that all trains going in the yard must be cleared out of bums, and this can be a long procedure. All this makes for delays, which is why sometimes trains are run into the SB platform. Also, this is why sometimes Evanston and Skokie trains leave from the SB platform.

One thing about turnbacks - especially the last couple of years, CTA has been very strict about NOBODY rides a turnback move. Basically, because there were cases where somebody was left aboard a layup, and then there was a big hassle getting them out of the yard. So the rule was made very absolute - turnbacks MUST be emptied out.

1. The Red Line trains occupying both SB tracks aren't going into the yard, they're regular runs waiting for passengers to go south. The second train should always be held on the loop track.

2. That turnback rule is more proof that zero tolerance always has flaws. None of us were bums that shouldn't go into the yard, we were all going to Oakton or Dempster.

3.I'm thoroughly baffled why all trains have the same stop marks. Why are two car trains going all the way down the platforms, when the stairs aren't all the way down the platforms. It wasn't that way just a few years ago on the NB platform, although the SB platform has had that silly business for ages.  I understand they might want to berth a second train behind one, but in the case of Skokie or Purple Express, they aren't going to sit at Howard more than a minute.

[andrethebusman]

Actually, if one reads the schedule, usually a Red is supposed to pull up southbound just as the second leader is leaving. Unless the operator is going to lunch, usually they drop back two trains. The southbound Yellow or Purple is supposed to come in behind the Red that is leaving, and another Red comes in behind them. This is also why 2 and 4 marks are at the south end - it is laid out to facilitate transferring to Red, not to go down to street. You're right, too, this has always been this way.