Jimbo looks forward to the new Blue Line trains, only three years late, but wonders how the Globe could call the Blue Line "among the busiest in the MBTA system, which is only true if by "among the busiest" one means "the fourth busiest - out of four lines."
Comments
Sheesh--where to these Globies live?
By bobmetcalf - 12/26/07 - 10:34 am
The Blue Line is the busiest? Huh?
Are they phoning this stuff in from the
intern desk at the New York Times?
How The Mistake Might Have Been Made
By Suldog - 12/26/07 - 1:33 pm
I recall seeing a timetable for the T (which in itself could make for a whole slew of sarcasm-laced postings, but I digress) and I believe the Blue Line had the least headway between trains. That is, trains appear to run more frequently on the Blue Line than any other. Of course, this is mostly because the tunnel stations cannot accommodate trains of similar length to the red and orange line configurations. So, although ridership may be lower, there may be more actual traffic in number of scheduled trains.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Well, but even if that's
By emmy (not verified) - 12/26/07 - 8:30 pm
Well, but even if that's true... "among the busiest" implies that in a system with four lines there are at least three lines that are much busier than all the others. (This is, grammatically speaking, because you choose between two options but from among three or more.) All the others is... one line. The construction itself is illogical, irrespective of how busy the blue line is relative to the other lines or how you quantify "busy." It's sloppy writing.
Writing from personal
By Chris (not verified) - 12/27/07 - 10:24 am
Writing from personal experience as a daily communter on the Blue Line, the trains are generally as crowded during morning rush hour and all hours of the evening, if not more crowded, than on other lines, at least from Maverick to Government Center, and vice versa. The increase in the number of train cars is definitely overdue.
Blue Line trains shorter, with smaller cars
By Ron Newman - 12/27/07 - 10:52 am
The Blue Line can only run 4-car trains (vs. 6 on the Red and Orange Lines) until the State and Maverick platform extension projects are finished. Also, aren't the Blue Line cars smaller than Red and Orange Line cars?
Good odds
By Gareth - 12/27/07 - 10:32 am
Sloppy writing, agreed.
I figure they ran the odds and figured they had a 75% chance of being right.
I'd be interested to see the
By yuppiescum (not verified) - 12/27/07 - 11:27 am
I'd be interested to see the effect of the Red-blue connector at Charles/MGH on blue line ridership. It'd make airport runs, and fanueil hall visits (via Aquarium) much easier from the camberville area..
Cambridge to airport
By Ron Newman - 12/27/07 - 11:29 am
I'd like to see the Red-Blue connector as well, as it would bring me closer to my office than Government Center or Haymarket. But I find the Red Line-Silver Line connection at South Station to be an adequate way to reach Logan Airport.
Adequate as long as the
By Arborway - 12/27/07 - 11:40 am
Adequate as long as the buses are not running anywhere near capacity. Then it becomes worse than the B-Line.
Try the Boat from Long Wharf
By SwirlyGrrl - 12/27/07 - 1:14 pm
Plus: It is rather fast and convenient, particularly at rush hour when traffic is nitemarish
Minus: it costs $6 - but that's less than cab fare through the tunnels
But if you're already at Long Wharf
By Ron Newman - 12/27/07 - 2:03 pm
why not just take the Blue Line?
Good Question
By SwirlyGrrl - 12/27/07 - 11:47 pm
If I have a T pass and an hour to burn, I'll do it. If I need faster service and don't want to deal with the brand new shuttle bus walkways at the airport T station that were not built to allow two people carrying luggage to pass without stepping off the curb, I go for the boat.
Ditto if I don't have time to wait 20+ minutes for a shuttle bus, or I am hauling too much luggage (e.g. bike friday in it's turtle shell) to make the descent into the blue line and getting onto a crowded car a reasonable proposition.
Doesn't the boat require a shuttle bus, too?
By Ron Newman - 12/28/07 - 12:44 am
I thought the airport boat dock was too far from the terminals to walk, requiring you to ride the same kind of Massport shuttle bus that you do from the Blue Line station.
Yes, but
By SwirlyGrrl - 12/28/07 - 1:06 am
that shuttle seems to be more reliable than the others, and generally less crowded.
Bonus points for waiting area that is big enough to actually hold several people and their (big surprise here) luggage.
The Red/Blue Connector may
By Arborway - 12/27/07 - 11:43 am
The Red/Blue Connector may never happen now that the state (read: the Romney administration) rewrote the environmental laws to allow the EOT and MBTA to ignore their legally-binding agreements to complete certain transit improvements. (Arborway restoration, Red/Blue Connector...)
Yeah, that totally rots.
By Chris (not verified) - 12/27/07 - 5:01 pm
Yeah, that totally rots. "Plans" are required by 2011, but beyond that is a mystery. The Silver Line is wonderful for those living on the Red Line who'd rather not change trains twice to get to the airport, but for people who live on the Blue Line and would like a more direct route the Red Line, it's useless.
The T has more than just subways you know...
By Neal - 12/28/07 - 12:38 pm
The quote was that the Blue Line is "among the busiest in the MBTA system". As far as I know, in addition to the four subway lines, the MBTA system includes maybe a half dozen ferry lines, dozens of bus routes, a trolley line, three or four trackless trolly lines and 14 or so Commuter Rail lines. So, if they're comparing it to the rest of the MBTA system, it probably is among the busiest.
Good point
By adamg - 12/28/07 - 7:58 pm
Yes, if you look at it that way, which perhaps the Globe reporter was, but I'm betting most people would think "subway" when you say the Blue Line is among the busiest in the MBTA system - in which case it's more a case of sloppy writing/editing.