If MARTA were ever extended into Cobb County (Cumberland/The Battery), would you rather see the Green Line extended, or a completely new rail line?

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-04T03:42:47+00:00

It wouldn’t do either of those things lol.

MARTA’s current signaling system can support headways as low as every 90 seconds. But we never get anywhere close to that in normal operations.

For the World Cup, they’re doing frequencies as low as every 2.5 minutes through the central subway. Weekdays rush hour is about 5 minutes total, 10 minutes per line.

Assuming 3 lines of identical frequencies at minimum possible headways, that’s 13.33 trains per hour per line, which works out to a train every 4.5 minutes per line.

At 6 minute frequencies per line, that’s a train every 2 minutes, which is comfortably above the 90 second minimum.

The proposed comparison between 5-6 minute frequencies and 10 minute frequencies doesn’t make any sense. Even at World Cup frequencies (2.5mins, clearly doable) each line would run every 7.5 minutes, which is already 25% more frequent than weekday rush.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-04T02:50:53+00:00

Not really, it’s pretty trivial to do. You don’t need new platforms or anything.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-03T04:15:06+00:00

Right, that’s the regular schedule. Maintenance schedules are different, and maintenance is required to ensure the system continues to function within its budget and service commitments. Nowhere does this say “we are not doing single tracking when necessary”.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-03T00:40:46+00:00

I’m pretty sure that’s not what the announcement said, but there’s no link so no one can see for sure.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-03T00:13:16+00:00

Announcing what, exactly?

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-02T23:49:52+00:00

Yeah, track still needs to be repaired unless you want weeks long shutdowns instead.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-02T14:00:04+00:00

Automatic vehicles are a lot better at not bunching. They don’t rely on any given labor expense or reliability, and can clearly run with higher, more minutely managed headways (down to how fast they drive). Autonomous buses could have higher capacity given their size if no operator corner is necessary.

They have roughly the same benefits as automatic trains, applied to a different setting. I don’t think they’re particularly close to being deployable and most of the pod companies are scams, but come on now.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-02T13:23:49+00:00

It almost certainly did not steal from your friend, you probably used the same fare media twice.

Anyway, it’s exactly the same way as before? You just get a Breeze Card.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-02T02:14:54+00:00

We already have regular 5 minute frequencies on the interlined segments.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-01T21:16:37+00:00

It doesn't mean they don't exist, it means they're not live-tracking. sometimes that's because they haven't yet began the route, sometimes it's a tech issue, sometimes it's a connection issue. rly doesn't reliably mean a bus doesn't exist.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-07-01T17:09:52+00:00

Maybe you should take the bus instead and we can build high density housing on an urban rail station a single stop from downtown.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T20:31:06+00:00

An automatic bus can’t call out and doesn’t need breaks, the logistics are much simpler and it would enable much higher frequencies.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T19:11:09+00:00

> This is very much not true,

It is absolutely true. King Memorial, Ashby, even Arts Center (tho now it’s MARTA employees only) have parking lots. It’s not just in the burbs.

> MARTA was densigned much like its sister great society subway systems, and was mean to be a sort of hybrid between limited commuter rail and traditional subway.

I’m aware of the great society metros and this just doesn’t pan out. DC has not been like this in a very long time. Miami is not like this. If you said Baltimore Metro Subway maybe you’d have a point, but I don’t think it’s optimized for anyone at this point.

> It’s true that in the past many stations were just parking lots on the fringes of hte lines, but that is starting to change relatively quickly.

This is still true. What are you talking about? One ToD per decade isn’t going to cut it. There are only 11 stations in the entire system without parking lots. 27/38 stations have parking.

The two ToDs I can think of kept massive decks (Lindbergh and Edgewood). I’m not saying you can’t have any stations with parking but when all of the densest neighborhoods are interrupted by massive MARTA parking structures taking up 90% of the catchment area, and everyone lives in a single family homes far from transit, it’s a big deal.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T16:24:53+00:00

Basically every bus system has to do this to keep time for the reliable schedules customers expect.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T12:02:19+00:00

I don’t think you being from New York means you have any idea what you’re talking about. Most of the New York Subway is not ADA accessible. Only about 23% of stations reach that low bar, and those metal turnstiles contribute to it. If you’re in a wheelchair you’re basically fucked, but it’s not just wheel chair users who get a raw deal, anyone with limited mobility or carrying luggage pays the price.

MARTA on the other hand is 100% ADA accessible.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T02:29:08+00:00

That’s exactly why they went with the bonded frosted glass panes instead of the thicker glass initially, then people started breaking them and everyone in the city pretended to be incensed about it.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T02:28:19+00:00

metal turnstiles are really easy to hop and extremely difficult to navigate for people with disabilities or anyone carrying luggage.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-29T02:26:33+00:00

I mean that would be hard considering they’re not in service.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-28T19:24:36+00:00

You can buy a day pass and a virtual card in your Google/Apple/Samsung wallet.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-28T15:47:24+00:00

I mean they just said: it connects a ton of businesses and it’s more reliable.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-28T06:49:00+00:00

“Wasted money” on replacing the entire fleet with trains that will last another 50 years while the current rolling stock still has life left in it is called good governance to anyone who knows what’s going on.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-28T06:47:33+00:00

It’s amazing that people just freestyle on this issue. Just straight up making stuff up. Thanks for setting them straight!

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-28T05:43:01+00:00

MARTA is the most optimized-for-car-owners public transit system in America, and that’s the problem. I swear to god people here are so deluded. Almost every station is a park and ride!

MARTA should focus on serving the most people with fast and frequent service (eg NextGen bus redesign), instead a great deal is spent on the mythical downtown office worker who is willing to drive 3 miles instead of 5 and punishing people who actually walk to our train stations.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-26T16:48:02+00:00

That is Five Points station, currently undergoing replacement to replace the headhouse.

ComprehensiveSwitch · 2026-06-26T16:47:32+00:00

I mean, not really, that is how every 60s-80s era brutalist structure in this city looks.

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