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Commuter rail

A beam in thine own street

By adamg - 4/9/21 - 2:54 pm
Big beam

Yesterday, a trucker delivered this oversize-load sized steel beam to Robert Street in Roslindale Square so that, starting at 4 a.m. on Saturday, workers can begin to replace the bridge that now carries the Needham Line over the street. The bridge dates to 1898.

Imagine being able to take commuter rail from here to Philadelphia

By adamg - 3/10/21 - 12:56 pm

Forget for a moment the question of why you'd want to do that, on a slow trip that would involve changing trains several times. The New London Day reports Connecticut legislators are considering a plan that would extend that state's commuter-rail system, which now ends at New London, to either TF Green Airport in Rhode Island or Worcester's Union Station - both of which are now also served by MBTA commuter rail. Read more.

It feels like a stranding: Dead train near Weymouth Landing

By adamg - 3/4/21 - 9:26 am

The T reports riders on the 8:05 a.m. Greenbush train out of South Station is now 50 to 60 minutes late due to a little engine that couldn't near Weymouth Landing.

Person hit by train on Northeast Corridor tracks at Jamaica Plain/Roslindale line

By adamg - 1/28/21 - 3:24 pm

Shortly before 2:30 p.m. near Pagel Playground at the Jamaica Plain/Roslindale line, Stanley Staco reports. Both MBTA and Amtrak trains were affected; overhead power was shut off. Read more.

Worcester man charged with using other people's credit-card numbers to snap up $100,000 worth of MBTA commuter-rail passes for resale

By adamg - 1/15/21 - 9:08 pm

A Worcester man was arrested this week on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for a scheme in which he'd allegedly buy commuter-rail passes to resell them at a discount over their face value. Read more.

Ad:

Commuter-rail schedules to be slashed in half for two weeks because so many train workers now have Covid-19

By adamg - 12/10/20 - 2:54 pm

Keolis and the MBTA announced today that, starting Monday, the number of daily train runs on the commuter-rail system will be cut from 541 to 246 - the system just no longer has enough workers not in quarantine to keep up with the normal schedule - and that while they hope to resume regular service on Dec. 27, the cutbacks might last longer. Read more.

Two sought for head-kicking attack at Back Bay station that sent man to the hospital

By adamg - 12/3/20 - 11:32 am
Wanted for attack at Back Bay MBTA station

Transit Police report they are looking for two men for what they call a "vicious attack" on a third person on a commuter-rail platform at Back Bay station around 12:50 a.m. on Wednesday. Read more.

Wait, this is 2020 and we haven't had a single Fitchburg Line train attacked by an Albertosaurus yet

By adamg - 10/16/20 - 9:11 am

There's still 2 1/2 months left.

Commuter rail, ferries, could face large cuts next year

By adamg - 10/6/20 - 9:20 am

CommonWealth Magazine reports on MBTA planning for service in an era when ridership remains way down due to Covid-19. Bus routes serving low-income communities, where demand has not collapsed, might be protected from cuts.

Police: Man was hanging out at Readville train station with a loaded gun

By adamg - 10/3/20 - 2:31 pm

Boston Police report arresting a Hyde Park man packing a revolver loaded with six rounds on the pedestrian bridge that connects the two sides of the Readville train station over the tracks. Read more.

Developer plans 16-story residential building next to fabled Allston train station - and to sell part of the land for the access to the station

By adamg - 9/1/20 - 9:55 pm

City Realty, which used to specialize in small apartment buildings, says it will soon file plans for a 16-story, 262-unit residential building on Ashford Street, next to the West Station commuter rail station that state officials once pushed but which more recently have said they would put off until 2040 or so. Read more.

Fire-belching locomotive on one train forces evacuation of another train at Back Bay

By adamg - 8/21/20 - 10:21 pm

Boston firefighters responded to Back Bay station shortly before 10:15 p.m. on reports of smoke coming from the vicinity of a commuter-rail train on Track 7 - which was quickly evacuated. Read more.

Man struck and killed by Fitchburg Line train in Somerville

By adamg - 7/31/20 - 2:29 pm

Transit Police report an outbound commuter-rail train hit and killed a man on the Fitchburg Line tracks near Beacon Street, around 1 p.m.

Police say the man was "intentionally on the right of way" and that foul play is not suspected.

State to announce final plans for Allston turnpike realignment this fall

By adamg - 6/22/20 - 10:54 pm

CommonWealth reports MassDOT is looking at a new alternative for rebuilding the turnpike while maintaining train lines, Soldiers Field Road and bike and pedestrian paths in a space just 204 feet wide just past where the Allston/Cambridge tolls used to be. Read more.

ElectriciT: MBTA looks at possible electric trains for next-gen commuter rail

By adamg - 6/17/20 - 10:08 am

Rendering from Stadler, whose trains, however, are not currently compatible with the T's existing "high level" station platforms.

Who knows if it will ever happen, but MBTA planners are currently reviewing replies from several train makers to a T request for information on what it would take to begin converting the current diesel-powered commuter-rail trains to trains powered by overhead electric wires. Read more.

MBTA hopes to reduce Blue Line ridership by decreasing fares to ride commuter rail from Lynn

By adamg - 5/21/20 - 4:11 pm

The MBTA announced that starting tomorrow and through May 31, riders can get between Lynn and North Station for the same price as a subway fare: $2.40 a ride. Read more.

Police: Man tries to rob Brinks worker servicing a South Station ATM

By adamg - 5/7/20 - 11:15 am
Flynn

Transit Police report arresting Daniel Flynn, 50, on charges he tried to grab some fast cash from a Brinks employee working on an ATM in the South Station commuter-rail waiting area around 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday. Read more.

All alone in the night

By adamg - 3/13/20 - 10:05 pm
Empty parking lot

Roving UHub photographer Sharon I snapped the scene at the parking lot of the Walpole stop on the Franklin Line when she got off the train around 7 p.m. - the only car in the normally crowded lot was hers.

No problem getting into town on one of Boston's most overstuffed bus lines this morning

By adamg - 3/13/20 - 9:37 am
Plenty of seats on the 9 bus

Brett snapped the social distancing on a 9 bus in South Boston this morning: Read more.

People avoiding the T like the plague

By adamg - 3/12/20 - 7:03 pm
A near empty Red Line train this afternoon

Our own Cybah had plenty of room to exercise social distancing on the Red Line around 3 p.m. today. He says his train the same time yesterday was full.

Mike Moody snapped a similar scene on an inbound Greenbush Line train around 7 this morning: Read more.

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