MBCR is charged with managing a number of aspects of the MBTA’s commuter rail system and includes everything from the mechanical upkeep of locomotives and passenger coaches, to the staffing and operation of commuter trains, right down to the very critical maintenance of the system’s infrastructure to include signals, switches, rails and bridges.
Many passengers would say another important facet of management should be that of maintaining a high level of cleanliness on the 410 passenger coaches. Since becoming General Manager in November 2010, I’ve stressed the importance of cleanliness at every level of our operation. Additionally, I have ordered our team to raise the bar on those efforts – because just clean is not good enough.
Before cleaning
After cleaning
It’s important to mention that MBCR’s Coach Cleaners did a good job cleaning coaches under less than ideal conditions for many years; but there is always room for improvement. This is why the Mechanical and Engineering Departments were tasked to come together with ideas that would result in our customers being able to relax and unwind after a hard day’s work while riding in cleaner coaches on their commutes. The most significant challenge the team identified was the heavy build up of what appeared to be dirt visible on the coach exteriors. To attack the oxidation, teams retrofitted the old wash station in the South Side Service and Inspection (S&I) Facility. The existing wash station at the S&I was not capable of addressing the oxidation on the substrates, or exterior surfaces. The solution to the challenge: they fabricated, from scratch, spray arches capable of dispensing properly diluted soap applications to cut through the heavy accumulation of oxidation.
Before the retrofit
After the retrofit
The reason behind the retrofit stems from the “purple” exteriors of commuter coaches and the fact that they are comprised of three separate alloys. This meant adjustments to soap concentrations to achieve maximum results on the various surfaces– something that had not been done before. MBCR managers spent several months perfecting the system before it went online, and still continue to modify the solution to achieve the best results possible.
A forklift is needed to load the soap
Keeping coaches clean means more than a new train wash system. Hard-to-reach spots require crews to hand-scrub coaches and locomotives. We dedicated more personnel to the teams already in place who spent months painstakingly cleaning areas that were not effectively cleaned by the automated washing systems.
Scrubbing those hard-to-reach spots
Interior coach cleaning is another important component of our campaign to keep it clean. MBCR has provided training to new hires with the focus on interior coach cleanliness. This system uses a steam disinfection process which can safely remove grease, stains, grime and bacteria and this has been accomplished with the ever present awareness of protecting the environment! The cleaning product used is a soy-based green product and friendly to the environment.
Our “Cleanliness First” campaign means more than providing the most comfortable commute possible for customers. It means operating with the mindset that clean is never clean enough. Anytime we hear a report of an untidy restroom, trash left behind on the train, or dirt and grime on a coach, we want to respond immediately. We now have a team that is dedicated to tracking down every report of a cleanliness problem and resolving it before the next day’s commute. We are proud to keep it clean on the commuter rail.
Train Sense: Safety First On The Rails
At MBCR, we take everyone’s safety with the utmost of seriousness. MBCR carefully trains every engineer, conductor, and mechanic to remember the one thing that has been and always will be our top priority – safety.
As you may know, MBCR and MBTA broke ground in 2009 by becoming the first passenger rail system in the USA to require Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) aboard every train. http://bit.ly/A0xR6q
In fact, everyone in MBCR’s Transportation Department is currently being given even more training on safety related initiatives, including anti-terrorism safety training, AED and CPR certification/recertification; and the latest safety techniques. When the process is complete, customers can be confident that when they ride the commuter rail, they’re in some of the best hands found on any railroad in the United States.
This type of training has paid off in the past. Last year, the crew of train 041 saved the life of a man who had collapsed from a heart attack at South Station using the CPR training they had received and one of the many AEDs we require around the rails. http://bit.ly/AtqsPp
MBCR is proud of the work of those employees and proud of the tremendous strides made in safety by our workforce. Through increased efforts at the company surrounding safety, MBCR has risen to become one of the top two safest passenger rail systems in the nation based on Accident Frequency Ratio ratings. We are proud to be among the nation’s leader in safety and work continuously to maintain our high ranking.
In addition to day-to-day safety, MBCR tries to prepare for whatever situation might come our way. This means preparing for medical emergencies, weather-related hazards, and unexpected issues involving moving parts and equipment.
We even participate in a number of drills with transportation and community safety partners every year. During these events, unthinkable disasters are simulated in mock emergency crisis drills. While it is difficult to prepare for the unexpected, we do everything possible to maintain a high level of preparedness for worst case scenarios.
In September, the MBTA, MBCR, and local police and fire departments participated in Massachusetts’ first ever night-time train crisis drill held in Norwood. The drill simulated what would happen if a residential fuel truck was stuck on the tracks when an outbound train collided with it. http://bit.ly/yilg6d
MBCR even waved an inbound train through the intersection on the opposite tracks as part of the drill, making some lucky commuter rail customers participants in our scenario. We let those passengers know it was just a drill before the train went through the crossing, of course, and there were no delays experienced by their train.
Safety means much more than sitting around waiting for disaster to strike. The real task is to work hard every day to prevent anything from happening to our customers and employees. http://mbcr.net/Commuter_Rail_Safety_Tips.html
Thank you, as always, for riding the commuter rail. And yes, have a safe trip!
Passenger Coach Update: New “Truck Shop” Makes a Big Difference for Daily Commuters
Few aspects of the commuter rail have a greater impact on a customer’s experience than the passenger coach they ride in. Each week, MBCR operates 356 passenger coaches across Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
As many commuters know, many coaches are nearing the end of their useful life cycle, with 345 coaches now 20 years or older and 57 over 30 years old. http://mbtareview.com/ Unfortunately, the requirements of providing 40 million passenger trips each year creates a real grind on coaches. Daily travel creates the greatest impact on wheel chassis of coaches, which are known “Trucks” in the railroad industry.
For commuters, the problem with Trucks is their inevitable breakdown from routine use, and the resulting repair time to fix them. In the past, an inefficient process was necessary due to space constraints and lack of updated equipment. As a result, crew experienced significant backlogs when repairing coach Trucks, which led to a shortage of “spare coaches.” These extra coaches are critical for “just-in-case” scenarios when trouble arises elsewhere in the system.
Thanks to close cooperation between MBCR and the MBTA railroad operations team, a solution was recently identified that directly benefits commuters. This summer, the MBTA funded construction of a new, dedicated “Truck Shop,” which allows repair crews to fix wheel chassis on coaches independently of other coach repairs. http://tinyurl.com/78frdmg This critically important new process has yielded tangible results: coach Trucks are now repaired nine days faster than a year ago.
The new Truck Shop features two 10-ton cranes and state-of-the-art welding equipment. The streamlined repair process appears to be making a real difference for commuters, as MBCR reported a 92.8% On-Time percentage in December, a record for the company in wintertime. http://tinyurl.com/7wb2xk4 The positive trend has continued, with MBCR steadily breaking on-time performance numbers in January.
MBCR is confident that as winter continues to unfold, the reduced repair time for Trucks will ensure available equipment, even during the most severe weather.
Thank you for reading Rail Innovation to learn about MBCR’s continued plans for improvements, more efficient processes and updates about the hard work that 1,850 men and women do every day to provide you with safe, reliable service.
Welcome to the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company
Welcome to the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail’s new blog. We hope this forum will help our team communicate with customers and the public while answering important questions about the commuter rail.
We know our customers want and deserve a safe, reliable commute and we work hard every day to provide it. In fact, MBCR posted our best single-month of performance since June of 2009 in December 2011 with an on time percentage of 92.8%. Currently, MBCR is running above 93% on-time during the month of January.*
The improvements resulted from a renewed spirit of collaboration with the MBTA, a new senior management team at MBCR, and significant investments into service improvement initiatives.
MBCR plans to build on its success in the coming year, with a particular focus on a new mechanical department initiative funded by the MBTA. This program allows MBCR crews to repair chassis structures on coach cars an average of nine days faster than before. This new “Truck Shop” allows more reliable equipment to return to service promptly. MBCR will also continue with planned track work, such as construction of a second track along the Haverhill line to permit greater maneuverability of trains, which reduce residual delays.
Rail Innovation will illuminate these projects and more, allowing our customers to examine just how much our daily efforts enhance their commute.
As we continue to focus on what we can do better, it is important that we hear from customers about what we are doing well and what we need to improve. I encourage you to respond to this blog, or contact us on Twitter via @MBCR_info.
All best,
Hugh J. Kiley Jr.
MBCR General Manager
*MBCR also has a contractual goal with the MBTA that has been met in six of the past eight years, including the past three. This contractual goal is determined by examining the impact of factors outside our control, such as extreme weather, medical emergencies, police actions, 3rd party interference (such as Amtrak or freight trains), and improvement projects on rail system infrastructure, and then adjusting the results to reflect these issues. The commuter rail company posted a 96.1% adjusted on-time rate in December. For the year, MBCR posted an adjusted on-time percentage of 95.1%, meeting its contractual goal of 95% adjusted. The company reported a 96% or better performance seven months during 2011.
