Worcester line

Refugees from commuter-rail train in desperate escape bid

adamg — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:47:17 -0400

This account of a Worcester Line train stuck in Newton for an hour yesterday reminds one of last fall's Great Escape on the Red Line. And then there's this:

... One of the conductors on the 527 was telling some of the refugees (and I was overhearing) the real reason the 519 stopped suddenly: the engineer ran a red flag, which is a no-no anytime but especially recently, with the scandals that have been plaguing train systems, here to California, with distracted engineers at the controls.

Better commuter-rail service to Worcester

adamg — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:52:32 -0400

Train Stopping rounds up all the coverage on yesterday's announcement that the state will pay $100 million to CSX to buy the rail line between Worcester and Boston - which includes new train runs starting later this month.

One of the benefits of riding the Worcester Line

adamg — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:42:15 -0400

When your train is cancelled and you get to ride a bus into town, you get your choice of reasons why.

Train Rider provides the officialest of all the answers.

You learn something everyday: Commuter trains can get flats

adamg — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:43:29 -0400

Train Rider relays a report from a suffering commuter on this morning's P508 Worcester train, whose riders got into Boston three hours after they left Worcester:

... Apparently, the MBTA has known for weeks that the P508 train has "flat wheels." Flat wheels can cause the train to de-rail. The maximum "Wear and tear" that's allowed by law is 1 1/2 inches. Some of the wheels on this train had flat spots of OVER three inches. So, they forced everyone off in Framingham and made us switch trains. I got into the office at 10 AM. ...

Too hot for the little engine that could

adamg — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:41:27 -0400

Ah, yes, summertime means heat-related speed restrictions on the Worcester Line.

While MBTA police are busy looking cool in black uniforms at subway stops ...

adamg — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:28:29 -0400

Commuter-rail riders are coming home to find their cars smashed in:

... On the train last week, I was standing behind a couple of Grafton commuters who were talking about the break-ins. One woman was saying that she had filed a police report with the town of Grafton and that the police responded to her that there have been over 30 (!) break-ins in the last 4-6 weeks. ...

For he's a jolly good fellow

adamg — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:22:22 -0400

Eddie is a conductor on the Worcester Line whom everybody seems to like. So when the regulars heard he was taking a buyout, they sprang into action, Charles Glassenberg reports:

... I was slipped a little piece of paper and a woman whispered to me the cryptic words "it happens right after Wellesley Farms." The paper had the lyrics to "For he's a jolly good fellow," and instructions to sing once we heard the whistle. Once we pulled out from Wellesley Farms, a shrill whistle was heard, and both decks of my packed double decker car burst into song. Eddie was duly impressed, and touched. At South Station everyone stopped to shake his hand, and wish him well in his retirement. ...

The fired head of commuter-rail operations speaks

adamg — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:39:07 -0400

Train Rider posts a letter from Bob Stoetzel, recently fired as head of commuter-rail operations over that Halloween-costume issue:

... To be quite honest, my termination would have been easier for me to accept if I was advised I was being held responsible for the overall decline in commuter rail service performance and the high level of dissatisfaction and frustration being experienced by commuter rail customers on all service lines, including the Worcester Line. ...

MBTA tries novel way to curb overcrowding on commuter trains

adamg — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:14:10 -0500

Train Rider reports that for the second night in a row, the doors on his train at South Station were locked:

... They announced the train, still the doors were locked. There was a conductor on the track, just walking back and forth. Finally, the majority of us standing on the platform, went through the front door and then back through the cars to get to a seat. While we were walking down the aisles, one of the conductors was coming through and getting angry (p*ssed) that the conductors couldn't get up the aisle. I said, "well, this wouldn't happen if all of the doors were open." Not sure they appreciated that! ...

MBTA rescheduling works: Worcester Line now has 91% on-time record

adamg — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:14:24 -0500

It's amazing what some schedule lengthening can do.