Equipment issue causes shorter Muni trains, crowded commute

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- About 20 Muni trains are shorter than usual today because of an equipment issue.

A spokesperson for SFMTA said a train operator noticed the ride felt different yesterday. They investigated and determined a sheer pin had failed. Sheer pins connect the cars together.

"Siemens is in the process of redesigning and reengineering a more reliable sheer pin. They say that the ones that are currently on the vehicles last 120 days. And then we have to switch them out. They have already expedited plenty of pins, while they work on a more permanent fix," said spokesperson Erica Kato.

Some trains that usually have two cars only have one today. Commuters noticed the difference.

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"We have heard from riders that there was extra crowding. This was something we anticipated but we tried to limit the impact by spreading out those single cars throughout all of the lines," said Kato.

Yuriy Dybskiy needed to be at a meeting in downtown San Francisco at 9:00am. At 8:45 he was still waiting for a train he could fit onto at Cole and Carl.

"We've skipped two trains because we couldn't get in so... are we going to get in on the next one - maybe. Are we going to be late for the meeting- probably," said Dybskiy.

He pointed out that options are especially limited on a rainy day.

"You look at the Uber and Lyft prices, it is like 60 dollars to get downtown like- are you kidding me? And bicycles - it is not good weather today. I love BART I love MUNI but when it is on time and when we can get in," he said.

Officials hope this morning's commute will be the worst of it.

"We are expecting some sheer pins to arrive today actually and we will be in the process of replacing them but it is likely our riders will experience some extra crowding tonight as well," Kato said. She said the commute should be back to normal on Monday.

Officials say the parts are under warranty so taxpayers will not have to pay for the fix.

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