La Plata boarding efficiency?

[SteveSFL]

Like many of you (probably) I periodically watch the La Plata railcam. It seems inefficient to me that the stationmaster holds boarding passengers near the station until the SWC stops, and then allows them up the ramp onto the platform to board. This sometimes results in a delay if there are no detraining passengers because the train waits while the boarding passengers walk to the boarding door.

When there are detraining passengers, there is often somewhat of a traffic jam as both boarding and detrained passengers pass each other on the narrow ramp.

It doesn’t seem to be a safety issue since the passengers are allowed to stand right up to the yellow line in front of the station which is no closer than they would be on the platform or ramp.

It seems to me that the most efficient thing to do would be to have the boarding passengers go up the ramp onto the platform and line up along the rail just prior to arrival of the train.

Understandably there are times when the train is on the opposite track, but in that case it seems the stationmaster would know that at least a couple minutes in advance.

Am I overthinking this?

 

[TinCan782]

Like many of you (probably) I periodically watch the La Plata railcam. It seems inefficient to me that the stationmaster holds boarding passengers near the station until the SWC stops, and then allows them up the ramp onto the platform to board. This sometimes results in a delay if there are no detraining passengers because the train waits while the boarding passengers walk to the boarding door.

When there are detraining passengers, there is often somewhat of a traffic jam as both boarding and detrained passengers pass each other on the narrow ramp.

It doesn’t seem to be a safety issue since the passengers are allowed to stand right up to the yellow line in front of the station which is no closer than they would be on the platform or ramp.

It seems to me that the most efficient thing to do would be to have the boarding passengers go up the ramp onto the platform and line up along the rail just prior to arrival of the train.

Understandably there are times when the train is on the opposite track, but in that case it seems the stationmaster would know that at least a couple minutes in advance.

Am I overthinking this?

That ramp is a real bottle-neck. There is enough room to at least double its width.
That "upper" area at the top of the ramp is only a portion of the entire length of the platform.

 

[MIrailfan]

Like many of you (probably) I periodically watch the La Plata railcam. It seems inefficient to me that the stationmaster holds boarding passengers near the station until the SWC stops, and then allows them up the ramp onto the platform to board. This sometimes results in a delay if there are no detraining passengers because the train waits while the boarding passengers walk to the boarding door.

When there are detraining passengers, there is often somewhat of a traffic jam as both boarding and detrained passengers pass each other on the narrow ramp.

It doesn’t seem to be a safety issue since the passengers are allowed to stand right up to the yellow line in front of the station which is no closer than they would be on the platform or ramp.

It seems to me that the most efficient thing to do would be to have the boarding passengers go up the ramp onto the platform and line up along the rail just prior to arrival of the train.

Understandably there are times when the train is on the opposite track, but in that case it seems the stationmaster would know that at least a couple minutes in advance.

Am I overthinking this?

Nope I agree. I watch the cam too and am surprised they don't let the passengers wait closer to the train .

 

[SteveSFL]

That ramp is a real bottle-neck. There is enough room to at least double its width.
That "upper" area at the top of the ramp is only a portion of the entire length of the platform.

Ah yes, when I said “platform” I should have clarified that I meant the elevated and fenced portion of the platform. I agree making the ramp wider would go a long way towards fixing the issue.

 

[Eric S]

Reducing station dwell times seems like one of the often low-hanging fruits that can help improve travel times but that Amtrak all too often seems unable or unwilling to emphasize. No doubt, some stations have significant bottlenecks (overly short or narrow platforms, etc) but there are plenty where Amtrak's detraining and entraining practices lengthen overall travel times.

 

[MIrailfan]

How come they don't lengthen the platform at La Plata?