The MBTA wasn't running outbound trains between Park Street and JFK this afternoon because of "a power problem in the downtown area," according to announcements that played in between the usual announcements imploring riders to pay their fares and to say something if they see something.

I was at South Station when an inbound train pulled in around 2:30 p.m., emblazoned with "Out of Service" displays. But it stopped and then, after a minute or so, the doors opened. Like the well trained sheep we are, everybody got on - and suddenly realized the train smelled like burning garbage.

"It's just a trash fire on the tracks, not the train," an MBTA cop reassured us. "It's a trash fire, not the train."

More cops appeared on the platform. Then the doors closed and we left.

The Food Monkey considers those ads now gracing some stations (such as Government Center and Back Bay) with the chef sneering at the Pepsi drinkers of the world:

... It seems that Chef Colicchio suggests pairing your diet coke with something that appears a burger/seafood paella hybrid, with a pile of polenta covered in ketchup as a side. I am most glad to see this, as up until this time, I had believed myself to be alone in my Diet Coke and paella burger dining practices. ...

Speaking of T ads, what's up with the schizophrenia at South Station, which can't decide if it should promote Macs or Windows?

Brian Hopkins, a New Yorker up in Boston for a little barhopping a few years back, sued Amtrak in 2008, alleging the railroad failed to alert him that climbing on top of a train at 4 a.m. and grabbing hold of the overhead wires might result in such severe burns that he'd lose one of his arms.

Hopkins has since added the MBTA to his lawsuit (of course). As is often the case with federal lawsuits, the wheels grind slowly. Hopkins' lawyers now want Amtrak to hand over all the documentation they have on people who have ever been electrocuted by grabbing catenary wires in general and dating back to 1991 at South Station specifically.

The MBTA says new Silver Line 4 service will get riders from Dudley Station to South Station in 30 minutes, with the first, ceremonial, run scheduled for 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Buses are scheduled for every 10 minutes during rush hour and 15 minutes the rest of the day. T officials say federal stimulus money was used to get the service started.

The existing Dudley-to-Downtown-Crossing service is now SL5. SL3, which served part of the South Boston waterfront, was discontinued.

Natasha Lloyd tweets:

The inbound Worcester MBTA train just crashed into the platform at South Station. Several people were injured. Most are ok.

WBZ tweets 12 people are being treated for minor injuries, adds the injured were all people standing waiting to get off the train. Local 718 tweets two people had to be put on backboards, one elderly.

And, of course, last night, two Worcester Line trains almost collided head on near Back Bay.

Passengers being taken away outside South Station, by NECN:

Around 10 a.m., Boston Police tweet.

Jonathan Kamens reports an MBTA cop threatened him with arrest for trying to give reporters at this morning's Google Maps/MBTA press conference at South Station flyers about incorrect bus-route information at mbta.com.

Although the building is publicly owned, it is managed by a private company, a representative of which told Kamens he couldn't exercise the First Amendment without a permit. A few minutes later, a T cop told him to knock it off or she'd have to take him away, he says.

The Globe reports on the financial arrangement between the MBTA and the private company that leases South Station.

Dan Grabauskas blames Fred Salvucci, who hasn't been in office for 20 years. The Outraged Liberal asks:

... So if this is a problem of 20 years, why hasn't anyone noticed it before, least of all the crackerjack MBTA management that is trying to pinch every penny to avoid fare hikes?

Reader Chris Rich wonders just what is in the severance deal that Grabauskas negotiated for himself that leaves Deval Patrick unwilling to pull the trigger and dump Danny early? Obviously Grabauskas must has some contract skills.

Kate Adams forwarded this photo of people actually walking around in the sunshine at noontime today, at the South Station farmers' market.

Neighbors and patrons of the South Street Diner packed a Boston Licensing Board hearing this morning, asking the board to let the long-time eatery continue to operate around the clock.

Michael Flemming said he and his wife moved to the area exactly because it's a bustling area, thanks in part to the diner, which has been open 24 hours for more than 60 years.