commuter rail

Super-angry commuter-rail conductors

adamg — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:08:02 -0400

I've taken the commuter rail from Providence to Back Bay several times in the past few weeks for internship interviews, and one thing constant with my trips are that the commuter rail workers, especially female, are super angry and pissed off at everything! ...

Commuter rail breaks up families

adamg — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:46:34 -0400

Channel 4 reports:

The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad is looking at making some changes after a train in Waltham started to move before three children were able to get off, separating them from their parents. ...

While the MBTA rushes, sorta, to keep people from evading fares electronically ...

adamg — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:40:15 -0400

They might wish to have a word with the MBCR's commuter-rail conductors. From a Worcester-line rider's note to the MBCR about a late train on Aug. 14:

... It's bad enough to have your trains arrive over 30 minutes late with no signage indicating so at the station! The female conductor did not even bother to collect fares. I asked another passenger who boarded at South Station, and she said that the conductor did not collect for passengers boarding there either. ...

They could rename it Beijing Bay station

adamg — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:58:42 -0400

Ever wonder if the T purposely designed Back Bay station to funnel all the diesel fumes into the station instead of away from it? EnuhCork reports it's even worse than usual these days:

... Once you walk up the stairs from the Orange Line platform, you start to feel the air getting heavier...start to smell some smoggy odors.

Soon, you're running for the door because you can't breathe.

Commuter rail in the mist

adamg — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:10:50 -0400

Franklin station in the mist this morning.

Mystery Train

adamg — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:21:26 -0400

Bobquasit's been workin' on the railroad poem. A snippet:

The conductors all thoughtfully aid in the mystery,
Never breathing a word which might pierce that dark veil
Where is the train going? Are we passing a station?
Was that blob Back Bay station, or was it Montvale?

Forget getting the trains to run on time; just get the conductors to announce where they're going

adamg — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:22:38 -0400

Charlie on the Commuter Rail notes that the issue of commuter-rail conductors not announcing where their trains are going at Ruggles grows only worse:

They often don't bother to announce the destination of the train, and sometimes they don't even step out on the platform! Since the trains have been more and more erratic, time-wise (they can vary from the schedule by five minutes or more) this is particularly worrisome. Often passengers have to go into a train and ask the passengers inside where the train is going.

Also, there was a car on the Franklin Line last night that smelled like sewage.

You may recall how the initial "let's mess with commuters' heads and not announce destinations at stations like Ruggles" thing started during the secret work action, which is supposed to be over, but, you know, conductors just wanna have fun.

Meanwhile, Train Stopping shows that what we have on commuter rail is a failure to communicate: In response to a commuter complaining about inaccurate delay info on mbta.com, a customer-service manager at MBCR (which actually runs the trains), replied:

We provide the MBTA with the delay information but we cannot access their website to post delay information; that falls under their purview.

Allegedly the MBTA is working on a fix, but has provide no completion date.

Suicide by train

adamg — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:48:00 -0400

Man hit by Amtrak train at Westborough station; officials pronounce it suicide.

Late MBTA photos

adamg — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:58:47 -0400

Lori Magno has started a Flickr group to chronicle late MBTA trains and buses and the signs that (sometimes) announce their lateness (the ultimate MBTA lateness announcement). She describes her inspiration:

... So last night I arrive in time for the 6:25 only to have the sign say "Late 10 min" and then the sign changed to say "Late 15 min" with no announcement and North Station was left to ponder "15 minutes from now, or 15 minutes from 6:25?" GAH! ...

But thanks to a screamy conductor who forgot to check tickets, she at least got a free ride.

Commuter-rail derailment near South Station

adamg — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:36:59 -0400

No injuries, but could affect morning commute.