Home > Opinion > Commutants! > Archives > 2005 > November > 07 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMARTA is dead to me, Part Deux
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is public art at East Point.
I am edified and entertained.
Usual drill at College Park. (No college, no parking.) On to East Point. This time all three token machines keep puking up my five. The ten in my pocket was for lunch; now my ten is five tokens and five quarters.
Two inbound trains arrive and depart while I’m futzing with the machines. (I know, I know: Get a TransCard.) I see the taillights of the second as I walk down the steps. So I have a minute to view and appreciate the station decoration (above), which nobody ever seems to do.
More cell phone chatter from my fellow riders as I climb aboard. Thanks for sharing your lives with me. We go to Fort McPherson; I wonder what it will be called when they close the fort and how much it will cost taxpayers to redo the signs. Up the line toward town: Have you noticed that West End is east of East Point?
Total trip time: One hour 15 minutes, compared with the usual 45. Is MARTA worth an extra half-hour?
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Richard Halicks
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By Bel
November 7, 2005 10:57 AM | Link to this
I’m tired of the up to 2-hour MARTA commute home from Buckhead to East Lake. Eastbound trains never run on schedule, sometimes up to 45-60 minute delays. When the trains finally do arrive, they are crammed to the limit with weary commuters. I am tired of the pushing and shoving to board delayed trains. This will lead to a stampede at some point and I fear someday MARTA will experience a death by trampling.
I have returned to driving. I really don’t have any other option since I work as a contractor on short-term assignments—which not conducive to carpooling or vanpooling.
By Jcuervo26
November 7, 2005 11:09 AM | Link to this
Richard I totally agree. The MARTA experience is definitely something to keep a blog of. You have all inspired me to do something I have been contimplating for months. I will be making my commute to work from Spaghetti Junction to Alpharetta on MARTA. I know. Scary stuff but Im tired of 285. I am tired of the SR 400. Im tired of Holcolm Bridge and the way the traffic there comes to a complete stop about 3 miles before the 400. Just tired of spending money I have gone through all my RNB and Gospel CD’s looking for the answers during my am commute and I just had a revelation on the 400 this morning when the MARTA zoomed up past me on 400’s shoulder, something they just recently were allowed to do. SO, I am going to try it out. I will start 3 days of the week. Tues-Wed on Marta, Monday and Fridays DEFINITELY in my 95 Nissan Altima approaching 200k miles. I keep it in good shape and it runs as if it had 50 miles, but I’m not giving this govt any more money on gas that I don’t need to. I am physically fit and still young and eager enough to get me some exercise and try this commute. I will let you all know how this goes. Definitely not unfamiliar since I went without a car the first 6 months I lived in GA so Im familiar with the rail system just not too sure how this metro ATL to Alpharetta commute is going to turn out.
Will keep yall posted.
By Richard Halicks
November 7, 2005 01:30 PM | Link to this
Hey, Jcuervo and Bel, One of the messages that’s coming through on this blog is that MARTA’s a lot of trouble. Not for people who live close to a station or stop, but how many people is that? So I understand your frustration, Bel. I’m looking forward to hearing from you, Jcuervo, on how your MARTA experiment goes. You may find you need some Jcuervo!
By David
November 7, 2005 05:27 PM | Link to this
Hey Richard, you can’t blame MARTA for your ineptitude with the token machines. How much shorter would your trip have been if you knew what you were doing? Plus, if you bothered to check the train schedules on MARTA’s web site, you could be sure to leave yourself enough time to screw with the machines and still make your train. At least you have an extra day-and-a-half’s fare since you put that ten in.
By Jcuervo26
November 8, 2005 09:31 AM | Link to this
@Rich..Well, I did not get to start my MARTA adventure today like I promised. I think I got spoiled into driving into work cause im sooooo not looking forward to this commute. But I know its best for my car and my pockets so lets try this again tomorrow?
Traffic werent even all that bad today anyway..some days good, some are not.