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Single-car trains on the Green Line on busy shopping day
By adamg on Fri, 11/27/2015 - 10:33am
Johnmcboston wonders why the MBTA is running single-car trolleys on Black Friday.
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Comments
Not only running single car trains
But on a Saturday schedule no less. And, as an extra bonus, the "next train in X" displays are not operating either - perhaps the T doesn't want to admit that they are running the Green Line on truly pathetic headways today.
Fixed
The MBTA
Aside from a few major events, the MBTA generally has no consideration for things that may increase demand. They have't even decided if they're running a Gillette train for the Winter Classic yet.
I still am dumbfounded that
I still am dumbfounded that they run Gillette trains ONLY for Patriots games and not any other events at Gillette. I mean.
Not a big overlap...
Who tf are these theoretical transit oriented black friday shoppers?
and how do they haul their new tv home on the green line?
Now, if you want to make an argument that this is far from a holiday for everybody and the T should be running more than just a Saturday schedule for rush hour commuters, I'll listen.
TVs are less of a haul nowadays.
30in or under (or so) it's a slim card board box with a plastic handle making it like a briefcase.
They run single trains on
They run single trains on Sunday evenings all the time as well. Very annoying but sadly used to it at this point.
Why? What is the advantage of
Why? What is the advantage of this for the MBTA?
Cost, I imagine
If this is one of the holidays they negotiated with their unions, then it would cost them 1.5x to run a normal weekday schedule.
Energy savings for one
The MBTA is the biggest single electricity consumer in the state of Massachusetts.
Also...
If they run single cars, they only have to pay one driver, overtime or not. They had only one car per run this morning, but two at lunch time. However, I tried to get on to go to the Prudential Center for shopping but could not because none came for 15 minutes and I had to get back to work. After work they still had two cars but things were slower.
Interesting picture....no one
Interesting picture....no one is on their phone, such a rare sight to see that.
Looks like a bunch of Trump
voters to me.....
Not even winter yet and it's
Not even winter yet and it's already time for another purge at the T. How sad.
Today is a regular work day for many
Forget the shoppers, what about all the people who have to work today? Today is not a holiday and for the T to run diminished service when it is a regular work day for so many is ridiculous. The T does not exercise good judgement.
Interesting to note that
the Orange, Red, and Blue Lines, Commuter Rail, and ALL bus lines are running on normal weekday schedules. But it's hardly a secret that T management wants little to do with running the Green Line, so let's use "day after Thanksgiving" as an excuse to cut just that service.
Today.....
Today is also a day that many people who are not working come into the city to see the Bruins game, visit the MFA and/or ISG Museums, catch a theatre matinee or go to the movies - all at locations serviced by the green line. At least it turned out to be a nice day for a walk.
This Green Line one car is
This Green Line one car is perhaps adjusted for reduced college student rideage? Just a guess, I am still missing it from the Arborway though.
As usual the T gets t backwards.
Everything has full regular service today exclet the green line, which is the most capacity constrained. If the red orange and blue lines ran on Saturday schedules there would still be a train every 6-8 minutes today with six cars ; plenty of room for passengers (and teevees). If a few express commuter rail runs were kieboshed and succeeding trains ran locally, three would be no major issues. But instead they handicap the Green Line, with longer headways and shorter trains, cutting capacity by 60% or more.
And, shocker, it doesn't work.
Update - Left the office about
2:20 pm. Noted they were running two car trains on all lines (including the E), and that the 'Next train in X' displays were working - except where they haven't been connected up yet - at this point.
I had to run an errand out at Lechmere before I got the CR home, so I didn't notice the headway between successive Lechmere trains on the display at North Station. Because the following train was to North Station, the displays at Boylston and Park Street were of no help with that.
I get the theory
The day after Thanksgiving, in my experiences, has been the quietest non holiday weekday on the T. Add to that the fact that the BU kids are all back home and most BC students have also decamped and putting the Green Line on Saturday schedule makes sense, in theory. Of course, I don't know how good it would work in the Riverside line.
Disclaimer- I did not go to work today, though I wanted to. Aparentally, people frown on leaving a 3 year old home by himself. I mean, he has Cheerios and the TV. He'd be okay.