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Dead Red Line train makes for very unhappy commuters
By adamg on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:54pm
Somewhere between Park and Harvard is an Alewife-bound train that simply couldn't take it anymore, to the consternation of riders on both it and other trains stuck because of it, not to mention the people who finally straggle to Alewife only to find that the parking garage is, of course, releasing them into the wild only very reluctantly.
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Comments
"approaching Harvard outbound"
The text alerts said the train was "approaching Harvard outbound"
I was on the dead train. I
I was on the dead train. I boarded at Central and we lurched toward Harvard. Then we stopped. The train behind us had to push us the remaining few yards to Harvard station.
Second time I've taken the Red Line the past ten days. Second time my train has died.
Passing the giant "It's never this obvious" Homeland Security-funded backpack on the way out of the station could not have better expressed what's wrong with this country in the year 2011.
Backpack
Isn't it reassuring to see this tucked away in the corner --
http://db.tt/U09QT3j9
-- as you're leaving the station because of another rush hour breakdown.
It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to know that the feds have all the right priorities in doling out money to the T.
How do we get our money back so that we can spend it on, hhmm, let's see, some new cars to replace the 40-year-old Red Line cars.
That was one of the worst
That was one of the worst commutes I've ever had. Parts of it were not the MBTA's fault (the parts where I was in hideously uncomfortable shoes not made for the 2+ hours of standing I did at work and not having time to have lunch) but man oh man, after this morning's display, I'm just glad to be home and wish I didn't have to turn around and do it all over again in less than 12 hours.
This whole day was bad for the red line
Every morning I take the Alewife bound red line train to Kendall. This morning, I heard the automated voice say:
"Next stop Kendall MIT!".
Ok, so I wait, and wait, and wait...hold on a minute there...Isn't that Kendall? And we're passing it?!
"Next stop, Central Square!"
Uh...did I day dream through my stop...? Nope, turns out the train conductor didn't stop at the platform. So we were all in the tunnel beyond the Kendall platform. We stayed there for a while, while he probably asked about backing up to the platform. At Central, a good amount of the train left the station, crossed the street, and headed back into Kendall going in the opposite direction. It was a rather eventful morning.
Some photos from Harvard
Some photos from Harvard --
http://www.flickr.com/photos/87614014@N00/tags/redlinedelay113011/
Looks that way on weekends now, too
Due to "bustitution" between Harvard and Alewife, it is a complete madhouse all the way from the platforms to the bus drop off/pick up areas.
At least you account for the
At least you account for the bustitution in making your weekend T plans.
It's sad that one needs to also account for their train breaking down during rush hour.
Here's What I Don't Get
The delay announcements are made by a different voice from the one that gives pre-recorded station stops, and they sound like they're being read by a computer: "We are rexPEHRiencing deLAYZIN service two whale WIFE station."
These delay announcements are made in my experience at least once a week. I generally ride at rush hour, so it's probably much more. In fact I heard them in the morning and evening yesterday. So can't they get that guy with the nice soothing station-stop voice to record them?
Just get *any*
Just get *any* English-speaking human to record delay announcements, rather than that awful computer.