MBTA issues

[Fenway]

You can't make this stuff up

Green Line speed restrictions not lifted, in the most T way possible

The MBTA announced this morning it was unable to lift the "global" speed restrictions on the Green Line this morning as it had hoped just yesterday: Read more.

www.universalhub.com

 

[Brian Battuello]

There is a strange lack of front page stories about the "T" this morning, so dropped by with an unrelated report. There is a new book out with an overly complete history of Boston Transit.

Boston in Transit: Mapping the History of Public Transportation in The Hub: Beaucher, Steven: 9780262048071: Amazon.com: Books

Boston in Transit: Mapping the History of Public Transportation in The Hub [Beaucher, Steven] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Boston in Transit: Mapping the History of Public Transportation in The Hub

www.amazon.com

I am in awe of this book. In almost 600 pages, it covers Boston transit from canoes to the latest T maps. The author has an extensive collection of all sorts of tickets, maps, schedules, advertisements, etc. While the number of illustrations can only be described as excessive, there is detailed and easy to follow related text. While I doubt few will read it cover to cover, it is an invaluable reference source for all aspects of Boston transit. Highly recommended.

 

[Fenway]

The MBTA has unveiled its speed restrictions dashboard so you can see where somebody on a bicycle can pedal faster than a subway train - like much of the Blue Line and the Green Line between Chestnut Hill Avenue in Brighton and the Lechmere viaduct.

The T promises to update the page every day so riders can follow along as the T clears, or doesn't, the slow zones that have long plagued riders and all the new ones that were added over the past couple months.

The black triangles show where trains can't go more than 10 m.p.h.



​

 

[Brian Battuello]

And back in the bad news category, an analysis of the slow zones by the Globe shows that a red line train takes an average of 78 minutes longer for a round-trip ride Ashmont, Alewife, Ashmont than if the trains were run at the original design speed.

Not that any sane person would do that.

 

[Fenway]

It just doesn't end



Today I took a Green Line train from Union Sq to Woodland and it took 76 minutes and coming back it was 71 minutes.
Now the Blue Line has become a problem

Blue Line riders had maybe the best T commute. Now, speed restrictions have trains crawling and riders bawling. - The Boston Globe

After new MBTA data reveals that speed restrictions have been placed on 77 percent of Blue Line tracks, riders express frustration and annoyance with what many consider the most reliable subway track

www.bostonglobe.com

 

[Fenway]

Apparently, Governor Healy has decided on Phillip Eng, the former president of the Long Island commuter rail system to be the new GM of the MBTA.

Phillip Eng

new.mta.info

Former Long Island Rail Road president Phillip Eng front runner for MBTA GM job

Former Long Island Rail Road president Phillip Eng could be announced as Gov. Healey's pick as soon as Monday, according to WBZ-TV's Jon Keller.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Brian Battuello]

Job interview:

"So, if we put you in charge of the MBTA, how will you fix it and turn it into a world class system? And how long would that take and how much money do you think you'll need?"

 

[Fenway]

I wish him well

 

[Lcon]

I think that oversimplifies MBTA. The T isn’t just the Subway lines it’s a layer cake of networks spread over three states Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhodes island. Bus, light and heavy rail, ferry services.

You have what? at-least 8 major modernization and development projects for the rail aspect. South Station, Back bay station, the orange line , the green line extension, Rolling Stock on the commuter line, which is overdue. Draw bridge one off north station hasn’t even started yet. That’s before any pop up issues like Harvard Square. Or the new governor’s want to electrify the commuter rail system which would feed back into rolling stock and demand major changes to all the railways in the greater Boston area.
Oh then the North South connection project that has been boiler plate for at-least as long as the LIRR grand central.
This hasn’t even left the Boston metro area and we’re still on the rails.

 

[Fenway]

Didn't take long for the Boston media to question the hire

 

[AmtrakMaineiac]

I thought the WGBH presentation brought up some good points. The lack of any mention in the 5 year plan of key projects like electrification and red/blue connector, and the fact that the T needs to both fix the current problems with the broken system but at the same time look toward the future such as the projects I mentioned. These will be challenges for the new GM to deal with.