the dwfma blog.

Did you know …

The Maryland towns of Bowie and Odenton are share a namesake, Oden Bowie.  Bowie was a successful businessman who had helped organize the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company.  After a few years of success the B&P was eventually swallowed by the PRR in the late 1800s.  Bowie eventually elft the railroad to serve as governor of Maryland from 1869 to 1872.

Both Bowie and Odenton are well-known local rail stops, ones originally serviced by the B&P and now serviced by MARC trains running over Amtrak rails running along the Northeast Corridor.

Of course, no Maryland history story would be complete without a connection to Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore.  Bowie’s wife, Alice Carter, was related (through her mother) to George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, father of Cecilius.

This will likely fleshed out later, but it’s a start.  Better research might help, too, especially since I read elsewhere that while Odenton is definitely for Oden himself, whereas Bowie was or may not be named more for his family (and specifically, a father or son).

Aren’t you glad you asked?

 (Originally stared August 31, 2009, at 12:54pm, and eventually posted nearly a year later.  Better late than never.)

Hard to imagine I have been a MARC rider for over four years, and I am just now getting around to complaining about service, but this nugget was too hard to pass up:

REMINDER: Beginning Monday, August 3, 2009, MARC Train conductors no longer accepts bills larger than $20 as payment for tickets on board MARC trains.

Commuters are encouraged to use the Self-Service Ticketing (SST) Kiosks located at most stations whenever possible to purchase daily tickets as well as weekly, monthly, and Senior/disability discounted tickets. SST’s accept all major credit and debit cards; cash or vouchers of any kind cannot be used.

Thank you for riding MARC Train Service.

August 5, 2009 3:22 PM

Let’s ignore both the grammar and the timing. We are familiar with articles, conjugation, and adverbs, and in MTA’s defense, they did send a similar notice some time before the change. (Of course, “some time” translates to the Thursday morning before the policy takes effect on Monday, so that’s not much notice.)

Instead, focus hard on these two points.

1. MARC train personnel are no longer accepting bills larger than $20.

This will affect a lot more people than most readers would think, but for purposes of safety, and placating those ticket-punchers who are biding time until their pensions kick in, we’ll accept this change as a necessary reality.

2. Commuters are “encouraged” to use the self-service ticket kiosks.

Makes sense. If you’ve ever stood at an Amtrak counter and waited for the next lunar eclipse while a bored Amtrak employee checks your ID, prints your ticket, talks to their supervisor, and leaves their desk (not usually in that order), you know the kiosks are worth a worthwhile alternative. Except a good chunk of MARC commuters have some sort of employer- or government-based pre-tax voucher program (like SmartBenefits), and since “cash or vouchers of any kind cannot be used”, kiosks are not an option.

In other words, MTA is refusing large bills, and encouraging commuters to use machinery which refuses cash of any denomination.

The MTA proves, once again, to be nothing but a group of shakedown artists.  News emerged today that their MARC commuter rail service will running under a modified flavor this coming inauguration day, January 20, 2009.  This day is a weekday, a Tuesday, one previously unidentified in any MARC or MTA literature as warranting a modified schedule.

Instead, here is how the MTA plans to get themselves paid:

MARC Train
Inauguration Day: Penn, Camden and Brunswick lines will operate between 5 AM and 9 AM and between 4 PM and 9 PM. MTA monthly and weekly passes, 10-trip tickets and previously purchased one-way tickets will not be accepted. All trains will be reserved and tickets must be purchased in advance. For the Penn Line, there will no service north of Penn Station.

Add to which indignity, they are taking their sweet time telling riders how much those special tickets will cost.

Details about schedules and tickets will be available Friday, December 12

Try not to pass out as you hold your breath. In the meantime, read for yourself about the ridicularity.