MBCR

If you're loco for locos

adamg — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:24:29 +0000

Locomotive

Matthew in Boston took the photo while on a T-sponsored tour of the locomotive repair shop in Somerville today. More photos.

Posted under this Creative Commons license and in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Quiet car not quiet enough? This MBCR video will put everyone to sleep

oddjob60 — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:53:24 +0000

Y'know, after reading the Globe's item on the MBCR's quiet car instruction video, I was hoping for a zippy, fun, media-savvy video that would illustrate quiet car rules with hammy overacting, simulated quiet-car confrontations, something. Nope. It's at the other end of that continuum, the one with employees "acting" as passengers and monotonous official soundbites. Not surprisingly, the conductors, who are used to talking in public, do the best.

Also worth noting: the bit about how the quiet "is expected to be maintained purely by mutual respect for one another." In other words, don't expect the conductor to get involved.

Reminder to commuter-rail riders: It's still technically illegal to punch a mime

adamg — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:34:35 +0000

Seems MBCR will have mimes stationed in North and South stations this afternoon to help usher in the expansion of quiet-car service across all the T's commuter-rail lines.

Company running commuter rail gets bonuses just for doing its job

adamg — Sun, 15 May 2011 14:07:26 +0000

The Globe has a fun piece detailing the relationship between the MBTA and MBCR:

Then, in 2007, the MBTA added contract language that effectively offset the penalties and the T began paying Mass Bay about $2 million a year in bonuses for trains that did arrive on time, even as customers were complaining that an increasing number of trains were arriving late or not at all.

Shiny new commuter-rail locomotive up on the lift

adamg — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 18:00:19 +0000

This is one of our new-via-Utah locomotives, getting inspected or something at the Boston Engine Terminal in Somerville.

Countdown timers come to the Reading Line

roadman — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:13:33 +0000

As of this morning, the new "train arrival system" countdown timers have been activated on the Reading/Haverhill line, at least at the stations between Wakefield and Greenwood.

With the new system in place, most of the annoying "nanny" messages have gone away. Between the 'countdown' timer, which displays about every thirty seconds, there was only one "non-train" message advising folks to renew their monthly passes online. Not sure if this welcome lack of clutter on the boards is a permanent condition or not.

Interesting thing about the countdown, in that it displays "Next Boston Train In :XX" until two minutes before the train arrives, and then goes completely blank from then on. The signs also do NOT display information about outbound trains, at least for now.

Some Haverhill customers got an unexpected upgrade this morning

roadman — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:53:55 +0000

Got this T alert on my cell this morning.

(Haverhill Alert) Haverhill # 212 (7:30am ib) will service customers from Lawrence to Boston. Amtrak Downeaster will pick up customers at Haverhill for Boston.

Of course, the question is - What happened to the passengers from Bradford?

Another week, another MBCR edict to their passengers.

roadman — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:34:02 +0000

Just got this e-mail from MBCR regarding changes in off-peak boarding of trains.

Customer Service Information

Changes to “Off-Peak” Boarding

Beginning Monday, February 1, 2010, new off peak train boarding and operating procedures will be implemented on all commuter rail lines. From this date forward, no off peak trains will be allowed to depart a station until all exterior doors are fully closed.

Not a good afternoon on the Fairmount Line

roadman — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:02:25 +0000

From the T web page:

Fairmount Alerts

Fairmount Train#763 (5:10 outbound) & Train#764 (5:53 pm inbound) is cancelled. 1/14/2010 4:44 PM

Fairmount All IB & OB trips are experiencing delays of 20-25 minutes delays. 1/14/2010 4:37 PM

Fairmount Train#759 (3:30pm outbound) experiencing a 40 min delay. 1/14/2010 4:36 PM

Fairmount Train#760 (4:13 pm inbound) experiencing 20-25 min delays. 1/14/2010 4:22 PM

Latest from MBCR:

roadman — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:21:01 +0000

More useless and expensive electronic gizoms that "feel good but do little if any actual good" are coming. Just got this e-mail from them:

NEW CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM
Now boarding…!

MBCR: For the safety and convenience of our employees

roadman — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:54:06 +0000

Got this e-mail from MBCR regarding a change in policy about exiting trains.

Customer Service Notice

Control Coach Changes

Monday, January 11, 2010!

Effective January 11, 2010, except in the case of emergency, customers will no longer be allowed to enter or exit from the “operating end” of the control coach. The engineer operates the train from this location on inbound trips. Upon arrival into Boston, there are mandatory safety duties for engineers to perform which do not allow for foot traffic through the operating end of these coaches.

Signs will be placed on the coach door on that end of all control cars to remind customers of this rule.

Conductor on train that didn't stop in time at South Station sues railroad

adamg — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:21:24 +0000

MBCR conductor Alexis Roman yesterday filed a federal lawsuit against his employer for injuries he says he received when a Worcester Line train crashed into the bumper at the end of the tracks at South Station on Sept. 15.

Roman says that by allowing the crash, the company, which operates the MBTA's commuter lines, was negligent and failed to provide him with a safe workplace.

His lawsuit does not specify the nature of his injuries, but says they caused him injuries severe enough to results in physical pain, mental anguish and lost wages. About a dozen people were treated for what officials said at the time were minor injuries.

And now for something out of the ordinary

roadman — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:51:26 +0000

A broken drawbridge.

From the T web page:

Newbury/Rock #168 (11:06am ib) experiencing over 30 min delays due to Saugus Drawbridge stuck open. 11/19/2009 12:12 PM

So the train left at 11:06, and the alert was issued at 12:12. Yah, I'd say that's well over 30 minutes.

Yes, the MBTA is cracking down on commuter-rail fraud

adamg — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:09:55 +0000

The T acknowledged today conductors on commuter-rail lines are attempting to ferret out weasely commuters using fake tickets - as first reported on Universal Hub by Roadman.

T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the bogus-ticket detectors have uncovered eight fake monthly passes or one-way tickets this week. In a statement, acting T General Manager William Mitchell said, "We owe it to the vast majority of our customers who regularly pay their fares to expose the selfish behavior of those who feel they don't have to pay."

Counterfeit pass epidemic?

roadman — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:21:44 +0000

Apparently, MBCR and the T think so. This morning, the conductors on my inbound Reading line train were checking everybody's monthly passes with a purple UV flashlight to verify they had the embossed "MBTA VALID PASS" printing on them.

It's all part of the new MBCR/MBTA campaign being featured on large posters at North Station that's called (and I kid you not) the "Revenue Protection Program".