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Plucky Brit to try to set record for visiting every station on the T today
By adamg on Mon, 11/25/2013 - 8:17am
UPDATE: The T reports Fisher is hoping to make Ashmont the last subway stop on his trek, around 1:15 p.m., followed by a ride from there to Mattapan.
WBUR interviews Adham Fisher, who hopes to beat the 12-hour record set by some MIT students in June. Hopefully, he didn't start in Ashmont.
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Comments
Bad day!
This cold will not be helping at all. I mean, he can definitely beat the lethargic 12-hour record, but it's going to be hard to do it in the flight layover window he allotted himself given the cold weather. I have a plan to shave 30 mins off his record, which I will put into practice if he is successful.
What counts as "visiting?" Is
What counts as "visiting?" Is it hopping on and off the train at every station? If so, well, 12 hours doesn't seem crazy for the MBTA.
And why is the Silver Line not included?
Yeah, wondering
I was wondering the same thing. Is simply passing through (without getting off the train) legit? Noted that the MIT students weren't really racing, in my opinion, given the detours here and there, but they also did not include the Silver Line.
Perhaps it's because the Silver Li(n)e
is really just a glorified bus with a fancy name.
Dang, his twitter is pretty
Dang, his twitter is pretty quiet today. I'd like to see if I can run into him in my travels today.
Boston 2024 - Long-Distance Subwaying
Can anybody explain why this is interesting (I admittedly did not listen to this story and do not remember what I read about the last one)? Isn't this just a networking problem that some CS major can solve and implement? After you get an optimal path through the system, isn't it just luck of the draw as to how the T is running and maybe a little bit of atheltic skill to get to where you want to be for transfers? Is this all just a ploy to drum up enough interest in Long-Distance Subwaying for Boston's 2024 Olympic Bid?
Is getting through the T optimally some unsolvable problem? You can start your T jokes now ...
Optimization
I don't know if I'd call it a "networking" problem. I'd call it an optimization problem: how do hit all those dots on the map using the least amount of resources (time, primarily). Definitely suited for math or computer science folks but not strictly them. But yes, there is some luck involved too. But that's the essence of sport - the outcome is a result of preparation and luck.
New York
There is a history of this sort of competition in New York. The system there is extremely more complex, of course, so it really is a daunting puzzle. As I recall, doing that system in 24 hours is a goal for many. Despite the "record" set by the MIT folks, I'd guess a very decent time at doing the T (excluding Silver Line and commuter rail) would be about 8 hours?
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Wikipedia concerning New York Subway Marathon - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subway_Challenge
One of the features of the NYC
subway competition is not only how fast you can do it, but the fact you can cover every station and line on the entire system on just one fare. If you want to include covering both the Green Line branches and the Mattapan high-speed line, in addition to the rapid trainsit lines, that is not possible here in Boston.
True
Trying to dope out the least fare pays needed to complete Boston... Would it be nine (barring a nice trolley operator who might let you slide on a return fare if you explained what you were doing?) I'm thinking you'd have to pay an initial fare, then a return fare on all 5 ends of the Green, one return fare on the Red, one on the Blue and one on the Orange? Of course, I'm not taking into account transfers.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
You wouldn't need a return fare
on either end of the Red or Orange lines, as you don't physically need to leave the "within the faregates" portion of the station in Braintree, Alewife, Forest Hills, or Oak Grove to be able to re-board a train in the opposite direction.
Doesn't Ashmont require a return fare?
At least before its recent reconstruction, you had to pay another fare if you wanted to turn around. I don't know if that's still the case today.
Ashmont
For the Red, I was considering Mattapan as a place you'd have to get off and re-board, with subsequent new fare payment at Ashmont. Of course, using Mattapan as your start or end would eliminate that. As for the Orange, I'll admit to base ignorance. For some reason, I thought Forest Hills would have to be a re-pay.
OK, for sake of silly argument, let's make the start Mattapan. One fare when you reach Ashmont.
Take it to Alewife. Turn around and go to Park Street.
Green to Government Center. Take the Green to Lechmere. Get off, re-board, second fare.
Take to Heath, Get off (kind of silly, but I think the strict rules would call for a third fare there) and re-board for Copley.
An exchange at Copley would call for your fourth fare (you could backtrack to Park, but we're also looking to set a speed record, so Copley it is.)
Take "D" to Riverside. A 5th fare gets you back to Reservoir, where you walk a short distance to board a tunnel-bound "C" line train for a 6th fare.
Get off at Kenmore and change to "B" for Boston College, where you will pay a 6th fare for your return.
Return on "B" to Government Center. Switch to Blue.
Blue to Bowdoin, then a free turnaround and take to Wonderland.
Your 7th fare is required at Wonderland.
Take the Blue as far back as State and switch to Orange.
Orange to Forest Hills, free turnaround, travel to Oak Grove, which is also a free turnaround.
(You could choose which direction to head first on Orange, if one would result in a time savings. I'm not sure which would, if any.)
Return to Downtown Crossing, switch to Red, take Braintree train to your final stop.
Anyone have a better route, and reason for it being better? Or fewer fares?
I am such a subway geek...
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Unless I misread this
You don't need another fare to get back on at Riverside, it drops you off behind fare gates.
Perhaps So
I thought fare payment was always on-board on the "D", but if no additional needed at Riverside we're down to 6 fares, correct?
Also, I notice I said "Green to Government Center. Then Green to Lechmere." Or something to that effect. Obviously, one could get a Green to Lechmere from Park, but I'm so used to being on trains coming out of service at Government Center, that I naturally added that without thinking.
Aargh! And I notice I said "6th fare" twice, so one would have to be a 7th fare, and...
This is just a tad more difficult than I initially imagined. Someone else take over.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Would buying ...
... a one day pass be considered cheating? (It would be a bargain, under the circumstances).
I Don't Make The Rules
Heck, I don't even know what the rules are. Your suggestion makes sense to me, though.
Another interesting problem would be to figure out the maximum number of stations that could be reached on one standard fare.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Hmmmm
> Another interesting problem would be to figure out the maximum number of stations that could be reached on one standard fare.
sounds too much like math. ;~}
Your route is very good
However, if your principal goal is to minimize fares (as opposed to "visiting" stations from both platforms), I suggest you switch from eastbound (inbound) to westbound (outbound) on the Green Line at Arlington instead of Park Street. Unless that's no longer possible since the multi-million dollar remodeling of the station was done.
Thanks, Roadman
Brain fart, I guess. I don't know why I would have skipped over Arlington as a turnaround.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Also, I believe at Wonderland
Also, I believe at Wonderland the train leaves you on a platform that's outside fare collection, so you have to pay to get back in.
Ah yes, I'd forgotten
about Wonderland. So you could only do all of the Red and Orange lines on a single fare
Anyone visit all Boston public libraries? Or all schools?
Anyone visit all Boston neighborhood branch public libraries? all library departments? Or all Boston schools, all school departments?
Interesting challenge
I'm sure in the PervOlympics there is a competition to see who can stick some book pages together in the back stacks of every BPL branch in town. Maybe a Biatholon event with Orange Line Free-Style Wanking.
Interesting Supplemental Question
How many of the Boston Library's branches are within walking distance (say a half-mile) of a T stop? Combining the two - riding to every stop on the T, disembarking and visiting every branch within walking distance, all within one day - would probably be a very difficult challenge. Theszak?
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com