Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

jass said:
The Globe is not a tabloid. When they publish something like that, its because they know exactly what is happening but are not allowed to quote someone. Thats pretty much journalism 101 and Im surprised both you and F are confused by that.

Had the Herald reported it, than yeah, grain of salt.
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Except...no, it's not. The story they actually printed said one thing, and used as 'evidence' to support it quotations that did not support the basic thesis. If they were told something off the record, as you suggest, they did a disservice to their readers by allowing publication of an article that poorly written. The article, as written, did not allege that they had been told that the project would be delayed, it essentially pulled that prospect out of thin air, and "supported" it by means of equivocal statements from public officials, none of which confirmed or denied it and some of which implied that delay was not the case. Nowhere in the article is it so much implied let alone suggested that anyone in the know had indicated (even in a non-attributable manner) to the Globe that the project was facing the prospect of a delay. That's why it reads like a tabloid, and I suspect what got F-Line so miffed about it. I'm well-aware of the prospect that they were fed information that they weren't allowed to quote, but it's not journalism 101 to write a story in which the central premise is or appears, in the text itself, made up completely out of thin air, which is the case in this one. They clearly couldn't even be bothered to suggest that someone inside the MBTA or the state or anyone involved (however anonymously) had suggested the possibility of delay. I'd understand if it had been framed as "unnamed source/speculation/rumor says X", MBTA says Y", but it wasn't. The story itself had no evidence or reasoning to suggest to the reader that a delay was anything more than baseless speculation by the reporter, which is either irresponsible journalism or (as I suspect in this case) just bad writing.
 
I gotta say, something that makes the whole thing look "realer" to me is seeing the wires strung up. Like, for some reason that's what actually triggers my brain to say, "It's really happening!"

And today's delay notwithstanding, it really is happening!
 
I like the raw steel look much better than the green. They shoulda used that at lechmere as well. It goes well with the concrete.
 
I think the green coating provides a measure of protection against vehicle exhaust, which the weathering steel does not.
 
They still could have painted the green portion a darker color similar to the weathering steel. The green looks too much like a highway overpass, but, hey, I'll take whatever they've done. Since 1945 is a long wait and I'm happy it's getting done.
 
^Perfect canvas for a large public art program.. Take away some of the grey.
 
ceo said:
I know they're necessary, but wow are those sound walls ugly.
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Would you rather have THIS? Remember THOSE days? People had to climb up tons of stairs to reach the train platforms. Boy, that was a killer!!! And the noise when the trains went by, that was so atrocious!!! :oops:
The Old El..jpg
 
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Jahvon09 said:
People had to climb up tons of stairs to reach the train platforms.
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The new Lechmere Station will also have stairs to climb up (except for those few who take the elevator). I would have liked an escalator installed at Lechmere but they were trying to keep costs down.
 
Charlie_mta said:
The new Lechmere Station will also have stairs to climb up (except for those few who take the elevator). I would have liked an escalator installed at Lechmere but they were trying to keep costs down.
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Escalators exposed to winter elements are very problematic. Also the T insists on using sand combined with rock salt in huge amounts around stations .When sand is not removed it's abrasive, and retains corrosive moisture in electrical, structural and mechanical components.
 
reno said:
Escalators exposed to winter elements are very problematic. Also the T insists on using sand combined with rock salt in huge amounts around stations .When sand is not removed it's abrasive, and retains corrosive moisture in electrical, structural and mechanical components.
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Other outdoor stations have escalators (Airport station for one). It seems the impact from salt and the outdoor environment could be managed by enclosing the escalator.
 
Jahvon09 said:
Would you rather have THIS? Remember THOSE days? People had to climb up tons of stairs to reach the train platforms.
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Oh, no argument, I just wish the sound walls were a little prettier.
 
Several years back, the WMATA in Washington, DC had serious problems with their escalators & elevators at just about every subway station. A Dupont Circle Station, I was trying to make my way up an escalator that was broken & shut off. It made me very frustrated, knowing that hardly any of the escalators were working!! A reporter just happened to be in the station. She had me fill out a questioneer. I also told her that I was really angered over the fact that seemingly nothing was being done about the ongoing problem. Today, that problem is well behind us now. And BTW, the escalators that run to the stret were also replaced at that station. They work beautifully now!! :giggle:
 
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