Long wait times have become commonplace on BART amid this winter’s wet weather, and now we have some answers as to why.
KNTV found that the new “Fleet of the Future” trains have a braking problem, and that problem has been exacerbated by storms in recent months. New cars make up about half of BART’s fleet.
BART data from September to December 2022 apparently shows that rain accounted for nine of BART’s ten worst delays, according to KNTV.
The problem is how the brakes on new cars respond to wet conditions. BART spokesman Jim Allison told the outlet that new BART trains have sensors that detect when their wheels are skidding or spinning too quickly, which they do on wet rails. This, in turn, activates the train’s “safety” emergency brakes, so that it can safely stop at the next station. But this can cause all the train’s wheels to go “flat”, because the new fleet’s braking system automatically applies to all wheels at once. It has been reported that older trains did not have this automatic wheel control system which creates this problem.
Braking causes uneven wear on the wheels, which can mean entire trains needing to be repaired, spending days or weeks in the shop.
To try to fix this, BART has been reducing speeds on the overhead parts of its system on rainy days, also causing delays and not completely solving the flat issue. Allison admitted to KNTV that the new fleet isn’t perfect and said a long-term solution may take a decade.
The agency urges users to check its website and social media accounts for updates on service delays and plan accordingly.
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Image via BART.
