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Orange Line springs an electricity leak
By adamg on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 8:08am
Orange Line riders wait for mystery shuttle bus at Green. Photo by Rick Pinchera.
UPDATE, 9:24 a.m.: The T says normal service has resumed, but with "residual delays."
You'd be hard pressed to pick a worse time for the Orange Line to die than 8 a.m. on a weekday. But there's no service south of Ruggles as the T tries to figure out where the power went. Shuttle buses are allegedly plying the roads; the queueing masses at Forest Hills are being told to take the 39. Rider Jennifer M sums it up:
BLARG
Of course, the problems quickly backed up north of downtown as well. Shana O. tweets:
Stuck on an orange line train packed like sardines delayed at CC, feeling claustrophobic
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Comments
A southbound train was being held at
North Station when I came through about 8:35. Several PA announcements about the problem indicated "20 to 30 minute delays" and advised passengers to use the Green Line.
However, as the Green Line was still running their "normal" schedule - i.e. terminating most trains at Government Center, instead of actually sending more service to North Station to handle the overload, the inbound platforms were a total cluster.
One Day T Boycott
Sure, it would be a clusterfuck on the roadways - BUT THAT WOULD BE THE POINT! Stop starving public transit or people WILL start driving to work.
No car? Maybe you could form a car pool ... and that carpool might be more reliable and defray the costs of the driver. (I have a neighbor who checks the bus stop for me because it could mean getting to work 20 minutes earlier using the HOV lane).
I was on a packed platform at
I was on a packed platform at Sullivan. In 30 minutes, the MBTA sent 3 trains inbound. They were all packed, so no one could get on. I got on an outbound train to Oak grove so I could go inbound again. I especially liked the message that we should take the green line from Haymarket or North Station. How do they expect us to get there?
A platform inspector at Wellington
told my friend and others who were waiting for service to take a northbound train to Malden Center and get an inbound commuter rail train to North Station. The inspector also indicated that the commuter rail ride from Malden would be free because of the Orange Line problem.
And true to form, this option was never mentioned in any alerts or PA announcements.
Just as we reached Ruggles....
...on our shuttle that oozed there in a molasses-like fashion, the "all clear" signal was given. Commute time this morning -- Forest Hills to Government Center -- one hour, 45 minutes.
Worst Non-Blizzard Commute Ever
I had been sitting on the Orange line train at Green Street around 8 am when it all stopped. For several minutes they had been telling us of delays and the outbound train driver actually suggested people walk the the rest of the way to Forest Hills. Then we got the announcement that we all had to get off and they would send shuttle buses. After about five minutes of waiting I decided to walk towards Ruggles. By the time I got to Stony Brook, there was still no sign of shuttles. So i turned up toward Centre Street and the 39 bus.
I told everyone heading down what was going on so they could adjust accordingly. By the time I got to the bus stop, there was a huge crowd, all checking they're smart phones for updates. I waited as bus after bus went by without stopping, all packed to the point that I expected to see people hanging out the window. I lost count after 10 buses.
Several of us abandoned the bus plan and headed down to the Green line. I was sure today would be a "terminate at Brigham Circle" day for the E line but was relieved to see a train at the station. Finally got on (with a seat and everything!) and updated work with my ETA. As the train headed into Copley I got the final message that the T was moving normally with residual delays.
So I left my house in Roslindale at 7:10, walked the kid to school and finally made it to work at 9:45. Should have bailed and spent two hours at JP Licks.
Maybe the electricity went
Maybe the electricity went down into the Stony Brook conduit and out to the Charles river.
Empty Office until 9:45
About half my office was mega late. Anyone on the Green or Orange lines, or on the Commuter Rail routes that could serve as alternates.
I somehow managed to miss the fun by taking the two-wheel option - again!
When they announced at CC
When they announced at CC that we were held up due to the power issue, I got off and walked to work from there. I didn't bother getting on the Green Line at the North End (to simply go to Park Street and walk again), since I figured that North Station, Haymarket and Government Center would become mobbed.
I didn't even run into the 92 or 93 until I was at State Street. So even going back up Rutherford Ave for the buses would've been a wasted effort.