Universal Hub - The T

Green Line makes way for ducklings

adamg — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:13:22 +0000

Service on the B Line was interrupted briefly around 1:30 p.m. by a family of ducks - and bystanders trying to convince them trolley tracks are not really all they're quacked up to be. MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo reports on the incident on Comm. Ave. near Blanford:

Approaching the tunnel portal, a trolley operator spotted a small group of people chasing some ducks on the Green Line right-of-way. The trolley operator stopped, and notified a Green Line supervisor. Service was interrupted for twelve minutes while the humans and waterfowl were cleared from the right-of-way.

Jamison Kissh adds workers from BU Facilities also joined in the duck hunt.

Another Green Line groper pursued

adamg — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:16:03 +0000

MBTA say this guy is wanted for indecent assault and battery for an incident that happened last Tuesday at Park Street.

According to police, "a female victim was inappropriately assaulted" by him while they were getting on a C trolley.

He's described as 25-30. In addition to his red T-shirt, he wore a gray hoodie with black horizontal stripes, blue jeans and sneakers.

If you know him and are disgusted, contact Transit Police at 617-222-1050 or send an anonymous text tip to 873873.

Excavator hits gas main in Kendall Square, buildings evacuated, roads shut, Red Line halted

adamg — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:32:52 +0000

Move it!

Happened around 11:10 a.m. at 5 Cambridge Center, AlertNewEngland reports.

Robert Love, who took the photo, reports:

Leak so big, it sounded like a fire hose.

UPDATES: NStar got the gas turned off around 11:40 a.m. Robert Love reported at 12:40 that the streets were re-opened and that people were being let back into their offices - except 3-5 Cambridge Center.

The excavator that caused the commotion. Photo by Robert Love.

MBTA map contest submissions

BostonUrbEx — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:05:12 +0000

Last month, the MBTA announced a contest in which anyone could design what could be the next MBTA map.

Transit Maps has not one, but two contest submissions posted for our viewing pleasure. While no submissions have been officially heralded by the MBTA at this time, it is clear that some very talented cartographers are partaking in the festivities.

The MBTA had previously announced a deadline of April 30, 2013, however no mention of the contest has been made since the original announcement of the contest.

Loud boom rattles Boylston Street, shuts Green Line, but no fire, no smoke, no injuries reported

adamg — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:20:22 +0000

BFD response to mystery boom. Photo by Victoria Bedford.

Around 8:50 p.m., Boston firefighters and Transit Police rushed to the area of Arlington and Boylston streets after several people reported hearing a loud explosion. Cara Terez, sitting on the Rattlesnake roof deck, tweeted:

Loud LOUD explosion.

As a precaution, the T shut Green Line service as firefighters looked around on the street and in the station for the source of the boom, but they found nothing, an inbound Green Line driver reported the tunnel between Copley and Arlington was fine and service started up about 10 minutes later.

Brian D'Amico tweets police speculate a tour bus may have had an engine backfire or two.

Brighton could get first commuter-rail stop in five decades

adamg — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:26:34 +0000

The Boston Business Journal reports the Department of Transportation's Finance Committee this week approved a plan under which New Balance will build a new Worcester Line station near its impending new Brighton complex. The stop will be called Boston Landing.

That's quite the boarding-house reach

adamg — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:01:29 +0000

Transit Police report a surveillance camera captured a man in the act of stealing a worker's T-Mobile Galaxy Note 2 phone out of a North Station information booth around 12:20 p.m. last Thursday.

They've posted a series of the photos in the hopes of tracking down the man, whom they describe as white, about 35, 5'5" to 5'7" with a heavy build. He was wearing a blue, long-sleeved shirt with a black and blue stripped tie and black pants and had a black backpack.

Man admits putting hands around bus driver's neck, but denies trying to choke him

adamg — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:40:56 +0000

This guy tells WBZ he was only expressing his displeasure at the way the driver was driving.

Man charged with choking bus driver in Saugus two days after start of campaign against attacking T workers

adamg — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:34:05 +0000

Transit Police report arresting a Saugus man after he started choking a bus driver for no good reason they could tell and another passenger had to pull him off.

Police say Franco Contino rode a 426 bus from Haymarket in Boston to Saugus without incident last Wednesday afternoon.

But when the bus stopped on Lincoln Avenue to let passengers off, Contino erupted in fury and began cursing out the driver, Transit Police say:

Speaking of pointless MBTA alerts

roadman — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:13:29 +0000

Case in point:

Haverhill 213 10:30 AM OB experiencing 30-45 min delays due to residual delay 5/13/2013 11:46 AM

Are the people who write these things really that dumb? Oh wait, I guess that's a rhetorical question.