Northern Virginia Roll Call

what do you do for work? will you make about the same there?

 

Kind of curious to your thoughts on the bus system with the silver line? It can travel without any obstruction by having a dedicated rail pathway and it has new systems that make more efficient than the older lines, but doesn't mean its perfect by any means. I worked on phase 2, but phase 1 was a cluster fuck to say the least as about 80% of the electrical design intent had to be scrapped and new security assets/design had to be revisited AFTER its creation off of route 7 as there was a lot of things they didn't foresee. That being said though, someone had to be the guinea pig to bring these items to light for the long haul.

A lot of the single tracking is due to over 40 years of a flawed philosophy that they would replace equipment after failure that could include loss of human life (atleast 4 major lawsuits currently pending). They are now trying to revisit and fix 40 years worth of maintenance neglect and update safety protocols where some, if not none ever existed. Its not going to be an easy road as metro is now finding that if you cut corners that code and such was created for, when fatigue life hits, you will pay...and likely have to do a full reno. Metro had this coming, just took a safety big wig to address it as a priority.

 

Im a mech engineer...I havnt delved into the financial of that area yet, but even if I take a 10k cut I would be fine still. All things considered with my experience I am underpaid for this area by a long shot so Im thinking I can make it. The intent is to live with the girl...helps that she is a nurse so hopefully that can lead to a comfortable lifestyle.

 

nice man! I would love to eventually make it out to Wyoming / Montana.. we loved it out there when we road tripped from Denver to Black Hills South Dakota

 

I hear that area is pretty cool, I just worry with the Spokane area by not being in the big city if jobs will be scarce for that local. I might have to shift to seattle if all else fails, but I don't want to be there long term due to the rain and pricier lifestyle. At the same time, engineering can be in rural areas, but can also be nonexistent.

 

yea that makes sense... I hear Seattle is amazing. My boss is from there and never shuts the hell up about it.

 

Since Metro's funding was from DC manly with little help from Maryland and Va as that more of cost is now being spread out over Md and Va there should be a change in the way Maintenance is looked at. But even that is facing challenges from legislators as they want this to stand on its own feet as that means tax hikes that will hurt. This will eventually cost the riders from Loudoun to stops in DC around $25 bucks RT plus parking. Tax payers pick up a huge part of that with subsidies.

 

Oh im sure...one of the biggest issues that the metro always runs into when going to the government for their yearly "bailout" they have to argue how they can prevent further catastrophic accidents and such. Partly the reason the old CEO bailed so suddenly I think was due to two back to back lawsuits that could be argued that metro chose to neglect action due to funding. The current CEO is doing a good job of getting rid of the good ol boys and trying to fix an aging, fatigued transit platform.

If the metro can provide plausible data that their safe tracking has achieved considerable maintenance milestones, then I can see them getting their money. At the same time, safe track is likely going longer, burning more budget, and bringing more issues to light than likely aniticipated. The immediate impact to this is it forces the end user to consider unpredictable wait times, cost benefits of utilizing uber, POV useage, etc. By metro limiting its function atleast from a night perspective, they have people already seeking other alternatives. I am doubtful with their recent safe track completions that they will likely have much argument that what they are doing has any up front benefits that can be seen on paper besides key equipment replacement, but I don't attend those sort of meetings either haha.

My guess is metro likely agreed that prior to implementing the safetrack process, that they were given a certain yearly timeframe of financial support to complete this maintenance cycle. You can argue what you want, but Metro does help the transportation infrastructure by removing a lot of foot traffic on the roads and can avoid traffic to some degree within normal operation. Nova and MD may not see the impact, but places like DC are getting more buildings to replace prime parking lots which further encourages mass transit.

Lastly, metro is a bitch of a client to work with. Part of me wants them to be wiped off the planet, but because of my reasons, I know that is a selfish statement from my end.

 

anyone else bored at work???

 

I am trying my hardest not to drive out to Falls Church and bitch slap a coworker who is making my job harder for the sole reason that they are lazy and don't like doing their job.

 

How are you going to be able to appreciate your creature comforts if you never get out? Roll out and smack that bitch into the next realm!

 

Because we're all civil servants in the federal government and apparently only 30% of the people actually do work around here.

 

Damn son didn't know you have been plagued with those GS zombies. But that's what the m4 is for right???

 

I have been a federal employee for almost 6 years now and sometimes I really wonder what I have to show for it besides increased sogginess around my mid section and diabetes.

 

That's a bummer man, my pops is on the verge of diabetes. Did you get that within the last 6 years?

 

Within the last 2 years actually.

I've been looking for other work outside this area.. Too close to the flagpole for government work. I used to work out in the field where it was more about getting the job done instead trying to do the least amount while staying under the radar of the SES.

 

sounds like we work with the exact same people....

 

Not gonna lie, it was much easier getting things done when we were occasionally shot at than it is to get anything done in this area.

 

Yea I totally understand that, at the same time field work is so different from the office. In the office people can hide and use all sorts of occupied tactics. Out in the field things are much more transparent and the need to complete timelines seem to have more precedence.

 

funny how getting shot at is a "work motivator"