Today's blog is brought to you

by the letter S.  S is for single tracking.

MARTA has seen a lot of single tracking lately, particularly on the south side, between Garnett and Oakland City.  Guess where I get on the train?

So what is single tracking?  I had to learn this one as a transit newbie, and since this blog is to share all my transit wealth, here I am to tell you all about single tracking.

MARTA is a two track system, meaning one track is dedicated for trains going north bound and the other is dedicated for trains going south bound (or, you know, East and West.  Just pick a direction).  This allows for more trains to be going at once and for less wait time.  Simple concept, right?  Not all subway lines are double tracks, like parts of the Tube (London, folks).

So when MARTA is single tracking, that means that they have closed one side of the track in that direction.  For example, they close the South track and both North and South bound trains have to share one track.  Therefore, they have to wait for one another to pass and it adds on to commute time, as you hang out on the train.

Now don't ask me what they're doing on the other side of the tracks as they close them.  Supposedly it's to repair the track.  I'm pretty sure it's to build snow men that they can then run over with trains.  That or they're having parties.  Maybe a combination of both.  But it makes people stir crazy when you trap them in a metal box and then don't move the box.

Supposedly you can check the MARTA website to see if they're single tracking.  I wouldn't know, cause I like to gamble with my commute.  I just show up, get on a train, sometimes even the right one, and see where I end up.  It makes transit that much more fun!

(and yes, I totally spazzed out at Avondale last night because there train with a sign for Indian Creek on the other side of the station and I thought I had gotten on the wrong platform.  The operator just parked it there.  To mess with me, I'm sure.)