I’m grateful that Baltimore magazine’s Patrick Maynard spent a day riding the city’s single subway line. For one, I can now be fairly certain it exists. Also, it sounds like the rat thing might have been over-hyped.MTA workers once told the Baltimore Sun that they’d seen a rat you could mistake for a “baby kangaroo” living in Baltimore’s subway system, but Maynard didn’t see one on his recent eight-hour, five-loop ride.
What he noted was a pleasant, mostly quiet experience on cars which were “spotless, fast-moving and in great condition.” There was at least one hiccup: the electronic voice misidentified several stops in a row. But, as potentially annoying as that could be for someone an unseasoned passenger who wasn’t paying much attention, it’s a minor malfunction in the world of transit.
Maynard peppers notes from his experience with mini history lessons on public transportation in Baltimore. It’s worth a read.
This must be an article planted by MTA or MTA must have paid him to paint such a rosy picture of the subway. I ride the subway to and from work each day. The cars are far from “spotless” and in “great condition”. People eat, drink and litter on the subway. As for mostly quiet, I guess Mr. Maynard didn’t ride in the afternoon when all of the school kids were riding and yelling and cursing at each other. I’m also guessing he wasn’t on a car with a drunk or drug addict or some crazy religious person singing on the car during his ride to work in the morning. It’s a great way to start the work day. There are serious issues with the subway, safety being number one. We have no protection. Although it’s touted that cameras are watching, they are not watching in real time. Mr. Maynard should go to work for the MTA. He already has the delusional attitude that everything is fine which MTA espouses any time an issue is brought to its attention.
He documents a broken escalator, a broken announcement system and a guy selling stolen goods. If that’s a “not bad” commute, I’d hate to see a bad one.
Compared to NYC subways it is
Riding the subway before and after work-great (but not really that clean). Riding during the day the only people having fun are the Millenials who are learning to socialize VERY LOUDLY. And maybe a little menacingly, depending on the group.
Just because a person rides the Metro for eight hours, one day does not mean what he experienced is the norm. I have seen rats on the tracks at Charles Center, walking on Baltimore Street, and at Lexington Market. MTA needs to acknowledge they do exist. On Monday, Sept. 26 I got on a train with the floor so sticky and wet I did not know what the liquid was and had to question myself if I wanted to stay or wait for the next one. The tracks at Charles Center constantly have trash on them. MTA for some unknown reason will reduce six-car trains to 4-cars every time it snows. Why??!! It is a gamble as to which one will arrive. Where is the MTA police to patrol passengers who think it’s OK to play their rap music loud and then rap along?! For a single track, two direction system there is room for plenty of improvement. Why are they still single tracking, although during “off
hours”, after inconveniencing their rides for three weeks during the summer? MTA DOES NOT deserve a pat on the back because of Mr. Maynard’s article.