Riverside Line

Wire problems mean bustitution between Riverside and Kenmore.

The MBTA forwards a photo of somebody waiting for the train at Longwood this evening.

The T is busing Riverside riders between Reservoir and Riverside because of a tree that fell on the tracks.

MBTA Transit Police have posted a photo of a guy they say bashed the bishop at Beaconsfield on the evening of Dec. 3 while a woman looked on in shock from the other side of the tracks.

G.A. Robinson reports somebody had their cell phone stolen around 8 p.m. at the Chestnut Hill stop on the Green Line by a black man and a Hispanic woman with a rifle.

A Boston woman used a knife to threaten passengers on an outbound Riverside trolley until she was removed by MBTA and Brookline Police at Brookline Hills last night, the T reports.

Transit Police say Madina Clayton, 52, sat across from a man on a trolley around 9:45 p.m. and took out a folding knife, which she began opening and closing while staring at him:

The victim became uncomfortable and stood up to change seats, Clayton also got up from her seat pointed the knife at the victim and stated "Are you looking at this M***** *****R !" Another witness stated Clayton attempted to engage another male (separate from above) in conversation, when the male got up to change seats Clayton followed him with the knife opened. Other witnesses stated Clayton "haphazardly" swung the knife at yet another male victim as he was disemabrking the trolley.

Dead train at Reservoir around 8 a.m. means no inbound service, natch. And no announcements on increasingly crowded platforms, either.

Some commuter-rail passengers didn't fare much better.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, Hoot was too badly hurt to be saved.

The MBTA reports workers found this owl huddled near Waban station on the Green Line this morning and named him Hoot, before transporting him to a local animal hospital.

Earlier:
Owl removed from Park Street station.

Sandbags at Fenway portal. Photo by MBTA.

The MBTA trucked in sandbags to the Fenway tonight, in case workers have to barricade the portal used by Riverside trolleys to head into Kenmore in case Sandy supercharges the Muddy River. The T wants to avoid a repeat of a 1996 flood that shut Kenmore for two months when the Muddy overflowed its banks and poured down the portal into the station.

Fenway portal dam in action, in 2010.

The Globe reports the alleged butterfingers was packing a loaded gun on an outbound trolley just before Newton Centre; a rider dropped a dime and police arrested him and three pals.

another power problem on the Riverside Line - with buses replacing streetcars between Reservoir and Riverside. Here's the official alert:

Alternate shuttle bus service will replace Green D-Branch trains between Reservoir and Riverside Station due to a power problem. Please expect significant delays and seek alternate transportation where available. Â 9/7/2012 7:42 PM

Note that the MBTA has posted this exact same alert about the wire problem at least four times since 6:20. They obviously don't understand that people don't need to have their phones on to get messages.

Of course, if the Green Line ops folks had any common sense, they would run half the available C cars in a loop outbound via Beacon Street and inbound on the Riverside line, and run half the available D cars in a loop outbound via the Riverside line and inbound via Beacon Street - instead of overloading the C line by telling people to go to Cleveland Circle and get the buses from there.

And I can only imagine how long it's taking folks to get past Government Center eastbound (my scanner doesn't work in the building I'm currently in). Step # 1 when there's a "problem" affecting the C line seems to always be to short turn most of those trains at GC.

Bit of a problem at Eliot on the Riverside Line tonight, where wires have come down, trapping a train, Brian D'Amico reports. Buses to the rescue, the T says.

Newton Patch reports police are looking for a guy who allegedly slapped a cell phone out of man's hands on the Riverside line this morning - and slapped his face for good measure. The phone slapper then bounded out of the train.

If you guessed Friday afternoon rush hour, you win! Unlike the people now stuck waiting for shuttle buses to get them around the downed wire at Newton Centre, who lose.

Around 8:20 a.m., an inbound Kat Powers reported:

On a D Line train in Newton delayed by a turtle on the track. Driver has announced she can't move the train because the turtle will die. Waiting for an official to move the turtle.

A few minutes later, she reported two MBTA officials arrived to try to move the recalcitrant reptile.

Action-news reporter Steve Annear adds:

Officials removed it with a shovel.

Inbound turtle-free service then resumed.

Newton Police report the attack happened around 10:30 a.m.:

The victim was on the T platform when she was attacked from behind and thrown to the ground. The victim's cell phone was stolen during the attack.

Police report, however, five arrests were made.

So far this morning trains have had to be taken out of service on the Red, Orange and Riverside lines. The E Line is stopping at Brigham Circle because of a car accident further up the line. No word yet from the Blue Line.

Daisy Razor reports on some attempted flirting on the Riverside Line today.

The MBTA says it hopes to have all trains, buses and ferries running on normal weekday schedules first thing Monday morning.

The one possible problem: The Riverside Line, hard hit with track-seeking trees and limbs that came down in impressive numbers, in some cases landing on overhead wires on their way down.

"Crews are working very hard to have the Riverside Line ready for the morning commute," the T said in a statement."

The T estimates crews responded today to more than 100 reports of trees or large limbs down on subway and commuter-rail lines.

The MBTA provided this photo of the Green Line between Chestnut Hill and Reservoir stations. More photos in the comments.

Mark G tweets this morning:

Stood up by D line today. Even brought flowers. Wanted to take her out to Newton but after 45min T said "Son she's not coming."

No details as to specific location along the D line. From the T web page:

Green D Line experiencing 10-15 min delays due to pedestrian on the tracks. 6/29/2010 11:22 AM

D trolley vs. cellphone-using pedestrian at Chestnut Hill, shortly after 9 a.m.

Wicked Local Brookline reports the guy got lucky; slid under the trolley rather than becoming at one with it.

If it's at Waban the day Green Line service resumes, at least three, Lorianne DiSabato reports:

... I appreciate news crews' apparent solicitude in following up on this important story ... but why exactly is it necessary to have three different networks shooting live footage of an otherwise empty MTBA stop? ...

NECN: MBTA resumes service along Green line.

Terrese Edmonds
MySpace

UPDATE, 10:10 p.m.: The Globe reports the trapped operator, Terrese Edmonds, has died.

UPDATE, 9 p.m.: One operator still trapped.

Channel 5 reports two Riverside trolleys collided around 6 p.m. near the Woodland stop. Channel 4 has more, says one train was stopped at a red signal. Operator of the second train trapped, eight people seriously injured.

WBZ Radio reported helicopters and ambulances to ferry the more severely injured to hospitals; walking wounded slowly making their way to the train stop.

Staging area set up at Brae Burn Country Club. Initial emergency reports.