Embarcadero ::: Street escalator is out of service. There's a mechanic on the scene and he has it partially disassembled.

Macarthur ::: STILL no further progress on the new faregates. They got off to a good start, installing one bank of gates in the first couple of days, but now--two weeks later--there's been no movement.

Meanwhile, at Ashby, it looks like we're ready to go with the new gates. The section of "fence" has been removed and the wanky plywood/pvc tubing/yellow tape contraption is holding off the space. How long 'till the new gates themselves show up?

Work has started on new faregates at Ashby!!! Preliminary work, that is. Workers are cutting away part of the "fence" near the faregates in order to provide more room for the extra gates that are going in. Very exciting.

Embarcadero ::: Your busker report -- 3 man doo-wop outfit is giving us some "Down By the Riverside." I've heard them here before; they're good. Matter of fact, almost all the buskers at Embarcadero are good. I haven't complained yet about the musical selections at Ashby, but they're less good. Downright awful, actually. Kinda wish BART Police would enforce their anti-busking regulations at Ashby.

Richmond train is on time. I get a seat. A baby starts screaming at the top of its lungs. That is one loud baby. The woman sitting behind me is coughing up a lung. At 12th Street, a man gets on and immediately BEGINS TO SPEAK IN THE LOUDEST NON-SHOUTING VOICE THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE. Damn. This is one noisy train, what with the screaming, coughing, and TALKING. It's nice to get off at Ashby, and the aforementioned awful busker isn't here today.

Transitteen points out that amid all of the anticipation of BART to SFO, we should be wary of the strain that the extension will put on an already overburdened system. Of course everyone hopes that it goes smoothly, but it could lead to "more delays, equipment shortages and failures, and even worse service. As usual the Richmond line has been left out for now, even though most airport workers do come from the Richmond Line. Look for a possible Richmond line extension to SFO in summer 2004 or beyond. Also the Fremont line is supposedly going to begin turning back at 24th street to save on equipment and money starting in Summer 2004 (tentitive) but all and all a mid-system turnback is just asking for more delays."

Can you believe it? The Chron says that BART will open to SFO on June 22nd! Very exciting, after all that waiting.

Not to brag or anything, but here at LWB we predicted that it would open in mid July, so we were only off by 3 weeks.

Embarcadero ::: Lap-steel guitar player is back, and the bad clarinetist has been replaced by a grizzled old prospector with a beat up old folk guitar.

Embarcadero ::: Platform escalator is back in service.

No musical accompanyment to our morning commute today.

Embarcadero ::: It's a highly musical Wednesday. This morning we were serenaded by that soul-patched young hipster and his classical violin; this evening it's a elderly lap-steel guitar player. He's terrific and sounds great in the resonant BART station, but his sweet sound is being polluted by a marginally competent clarinetist who is making a feeble attempt at Sketches of Spain.

New faregates are stuck in the open position. I process my ticket anyway and head for my train.

Macarthur ::: There's been absolutely no progress since monday on installation of the new faregates. Still just one bank installed but not yet activated.

Leaving Embarcadero this evening I get a seat on the Richmond train (!), which turns out to be a mixed blessing. It's more comfortable to sit than to stand, but by the time we get to Ashby the train is packed solid and it takes forever to exit. By the time I fight through the crowd, get off the train, and slog up the stairs, I'm at the end of the long exit queue that is slowly filing through the two exit gates.

Nice ride in this morning, light traffic and I get a seat at Ashby. At Embarcadero, the platform escalator is still out of service, partially disassembled, and cordoned off.

Macarthur ::: One bank of new faregates is installed, but not yet activated. Inside the station, standard BART station signage identifies the escalator to take for Richmond & Pittsburg trains. There's no sign at all on the other (SF, Fremont) escalator. On the platform, I notice that the electronic message signs aren't showing train destations this morning.

Embarcadero ::: Exiting after a pleasant ride, I see that the platform escalator is still out of service, and the electronic message signs are saying that a systemwide computer failure means that signs may report incorrect or no destination information. Yeah, I noticed that.

Embarcadero ::: Platform escalator is still out of service; the one functioning escalator is running "up," so we're all slogging slowly down the congested stairs.

Circa Childrens' Hospital ::: That weird jerky, klunky accelleration thing has been getting really bad lately. Coming out of Macarthur the train usually lurches maybe 6 or 8 times. Pretty hard, too; the standing passengers nearly lose their balance. No idea what causes this.

BART is considering another 10% fare hike, says the SF Chronicle. Big bummer. Same article also says that BART will begin installation of the new ticket vending machines next month (May) and will complete all installation by the end of the year (8 months)! If true, that's a much more rapid schedule that BART has applied to the new faregates, which are about one third complete after maybe 7 months of work.

Ashby ::: One entry gate, one exit gate, one out of service with the attractive orange sticker.

Onboard ::: Light traffic today; I get a seat immediately.

Embarcadero ::: Platform escalator still out of service.

Embarcadero ::: Platform escalator is still out of service. On the platform, not such a mess, in spite of the systemwide delays. I arrive a few minutes ahead of my usual schedule, which turns out to be just in time to catch a very late Richmond train. Decent.

Uh oh...radio says that BART had a systemwide computer failure this afternoon, with delays up to 40 minutes. Now, they say, delays are running 10 to 15 minutes. Probably will be a zoo at Embarcadero.

I'm running just a hair late today, racing to get to Ashby to catch my SF train. I hear it approaching just as I reach the station, and sprint to the gates fumbling with my ticket. Through the gates...train is stopped at the platform...think I'm going to make it...turn the corner...platform escalator is out of service and cordoned off. That's it, by the time I reverse course to the stairs, the train is gone. Now I've got a 15 minute wait for the next train.

Embarcadero ::: Platform escalator is out of service and cordoned off.

BART says that Macarthur is next to get new faregates. Anyone know if BART has finished installation at Daly City and Glen Park? MK conjectures that work may continue from Macarthur down the Richmond line, which would be most excellent!

BART says that Macarthur is posted by Life With at 10:31 AM

Friday, April 04, 2003

Ashby ::: one entry gate in service, with its gate jammed in the open position. Being the good citizen that I am, I run my ticket through nonetheless.

Thursday, April 03, 2003

Ashby ::: One exit gate, one entry gate, one out of service gate.

12th Street ::: Ah, there's one of the brand new faregates sporting a very fashionable bright orange Out Of Service sticker over its mouth.

Embarcadero ::: Platform escalator out of service and dismantled.