The T

The T worker in question walks through smokey car. Photo by Christopher J. Ternus.

An inbound Red Line train that left Harvard at 11:54 this morning finally made it to Central at 12:37 p.m. - pushed there by another train - the MBTA reports.

Christian J. Ternus tweets:

Just got off Red Line train that caught fire. Train filled with smoke.

MBTA operator lost her keys and couldn't get into cab to call for help. Operator told passengers not to ride Red Line in bad weather. "MBTA doesn't spend enough to make it safe." Passengers were having asthma & panic attacks. MBTA op described this as "passengers complaining." Train was *On Fire.*

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo says there was no fire on the train, adds:

The train operator did not lose her keys nor make any safety-related announcements on the intercom. The tweet was in reference to another MBTA employee who had boarded the train to investigate the cause of the power problem. The employee attempted to open a door at the end of a Red Line car, but was unable because she did not have a key. This employee made some comments to another employee that were picked up by one or more customers (one of whom then tweeted). Both employees have been identified and both have submitted statements to supervisors. The head of the Red Line is investigating.

As in the MBTA is announcing significant delays due to signal problems at Harvard.

UPDATE: The E Line is being a tad extreme today, as well, thanks to a little fire at Symphony that's shut service on the line.

Wicked Local Cambridge reports on a March 2 incident in front of the Alewife T station.

Back in December, MBTA officials warned they'd have to make their annual spring pledge to cut service and raise fares unless the legislature decided to give it more money. The legislature did nothing and so yesterday, MBTA officials warned they are looking at either 33% fare hikes or lower increases coupled with the possible elimination of all weekend service and weekday service after 11 p.m. and the end of 30 bus routes.

The Outraged Liberal posits it's past time for the legislature to end the annual game and come up with a funding scheme that doesn't leave commuters hanging for months at a time wondering if they'll have to budget more for their daily rides.

Go to the front of the outbound Orange Line station at Chinatown and you'll see these mysterious tunnel entrances just past the end of the station, where the tracks curve on the way to Tufts Medical Center.

What strange wonders lie on the other side of this gateway?

The T's started soliciting bids from companies willing to bolster WiFi service on the Purple Line and ferries in exchange for advertising opportunities, starting with painting over the AT&T logos now on the sides of commuter-rail trains (unless, of course, AT&T bids and wins). According to a T press release:

Courtney Jackson.Updated Friday morning.

A man shot in the stomach around 9:50 p.m. at the Dudley MBTA station was pronounced dead not long after at Boston Medical Center. WBZ reports the man was shot in the station, then stumbled onto a crowded 28 bus.

Friends are identifying him as Will Jack, also known as Courtney Jackson.

Brian Cooper, 25, and Jamel Bannister, 22, are scheduled for arraignment today in Roxbury District Court on murder and firearms charges, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports. Both were nabbed not long after the shooting by Boston Police officers working a detail nearby. Transit Police say the shooting was not random - the pair targeted Jackson.

Banker & Tradesman reports.

WBUR reports on the impending three-year Longfellow Bridge repair project that will include a total of 25 weekends of Red Line bustitution and lane restrictions for drivers.

The Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership has posted a photo of the temporary tracks installed to let the Orange Line continue to run during the week as the Assembly Square station is built.

Transit Police say a driver trying to make a left turn ahead of a trolley was cited for a collision last night that left his car with damage, sent a couple of people to the hospital for observation but left the trolley unscathed.

Collision. Photo copyright Scott Eisen. More photos.

An outbound Green Line trolley hit a car around 8:10 p.m. at Comm. Ave. and Pleasant Street.

B Line service was halted; Comm. Ave. outbound was shut. An MBTA spokesman said the cause of the "minor accident" remains under investigation. One of the two people in the car complained of back pain.

Boston Stay Up:

Boston is a world class city and it's a hub for culture, higher education and the arts; but unlike most world class cities, public transportation doesn't run all night. As students of Suffolk University, the MBTA is our main source of transportation and it keeps us from fully enjoying nightlife.

Transit Police report arresting a Beverly man last night after he allegedly offered to pay an undercover officer $40 for what police call "oral copulation."

Police say the officer was on the inbound Orange Line platform around 6 p.m. when Handell Liburd, 33, approached her and began to chat with her:

Liburd eventually directed the conversation to the topic of making money and inquired if the UC police officer was interested in earning some US Currency. Liburd then bluntly offered the female UC officer 40.00 dollars to perform oral copulation on him.

Nearby officers then swooped in and arrested him on a charge of soliciting sex for a fee.

Innocent, etc.

Literally on track. At 8:20 a.m., A.P. Blake tweeted from North Station:

Sob Story Guy is spilling his schtick from IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREEN LINE TRACKS.

Why, yes, a train gave up the ghost at Charles/MGH this evening, following this morning's track problems.

At least this time the track problems were at Harvard instead of Central. Meanwhile, shortly after 9 a.m., Meghan M tweeted:

Green line inbound passengers. My train is so 100% stuck between kenmore & hynes. Expect delays. Also send breakfast.

And to top it all off, the electronic signboard at Park Street continues to show White Sox ads.

Brendan Kearney notes the impressive social media integration on the Silver Line this morning.

Wreck-It Reg tweets:

The electronic billboard inside the Park Street Red Line T stop is showing Chicago ads. Saw ads for White Sox and Arlington Park.

CommonWealth reports not only is volume up on the Silver Line into the city - for which Massport says it will eventually pay so riders don't have to - but it's up on the Silver Line to the airport, for which people still have to pay.

The MBTA's released this video of a raccoon attempting to get down to the Red Line platform at Downtown Crossing on Jan. 20 by way of the up escalator.

He's a little hard to see, but after the startled guy flees, look at :23, 1:05 and 1:28 for the best views.

T spokesman Joe Pesaturo reports animal control took the masked intruder away before Transit Police could issue a citation for fare evasion.

Video by Tailgate Jones; shot on Saturday.

Via Julie Cordeiro.

Transit Police report arresting a Boston man on charges he openly masturbated on an inbound Lowell Line train yesterday evening.

According to police, a woman on the train, due into Boston at 6:25 p.m., was minding her own business when she noticed some movement in the seat across the aisle from hers:

[Mehmet] Beyaztas was masturbating and looking in her direction. Beyaztas made no attempt to conceal and/or be covert in his actions and his penis was fully exposed. The reporting party moved away from Beyaztas and reported the incident to train personnel.

Police say they were waiting at the station when the train pulled in and that Beyaztas, 24, made an unsuccessful effort to run away. He's scheduled for arraignment today on a charge of open and gross lewdness.

Innocent, etc.

Transit Police report arresting a Somerville man around noon on Friday when he showed up with a stolen bike to sell to somebody who turned out to be an undercover cop.

Police say a Davis Square commuter had reported her Specialized Hybrid Globe 1 bike stolen from a station bike rack on Jan. 28 - and that a photo of it had shown up in the for-sale section of Craigslist on Feb. 7:

Detectives communicated with poster of the Craigslist posting via telephone and email where he again offered a woman's Specialized Hybrid Globe 1 bicycle for sale.

On February 8, 2013 (YES, same day as Blizzard 2013) the poster of the advertisement, Phillip Pinto 38 of Somerville set up a meeting with whom he believed was an interested customer. In fact the interested customer Pinto had arranged the meeting with were Transit Police detectives. At approximately noon time as the Blizzard2013 was beginning in earnest Pinto was waiting, bicycle in hand, at the pre-arranged meeting location. (Temple Street, Somerville). Detectives confirmed the serial numbers of the woman's Globe 1 bike Pinto was offering for sale to that of the victim's stolen bicycle. Detectives confiscated the bicycle and placed Pinto into custody for Receiving Stolen Property.

Innocent, etc.

A train died on each line, a suspicious package showed up on the platform at JFK/UMass, there was a medical emergency at Kendall, commuter rail had snow issues, but, yes, the trains ran (except the Mattapan Line, which was replaced by a bus).