General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Wow, the T is very lucky that nobody died from that. If the door pieces that fell off were shattered, imagine what that would have done to a person...

The door actually swung open and smashed into one of the columns, which ripped it off. Just an insanely violent scene this morning in the oldest part of our subway.

I can't help but think of all the times I've got on a GL train by squeezing myself onto the last step in front of the doors, with the doors pinning me in. I suppose in this instance, since they were having problems with that door, most people near it had already moved away from it by the time the maintenance crew supposedly fixed the door and sent the train on its way. The door swinging open was sudden, but had been precluded by door issues. The MBTA is just insanely lucky no one was killed or even hurt.

The T isn't happy:
A Green Line inspector is facing disciplinary action for failing to ensure that the trolley door was secured in the closed position before the train proceeded to Park St. Because of his failure to follow established procedures, a segment of the door dislodged after making contact with a part of the subway infrastructure
 
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Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Driven by Weather

Green Line is closed between Kenmore and Fenway. See the story below:

The Green Line D Branch is Closed Between Kenmore & Fenway Due to Flooding

The MBTA using sandbags to barricade the tunnel east of Fenway Station.

Take a look outside, Boston. The deluge of rain continues upon our fair city. The downpour as become so intense, and the ground as accumulated so much water, that the Green Line D Branch is susceptible to flooding. Until further notice, Green Line service is suspended between Kenmore and Fenway Stations in both directions.

"Due to the rising levels of the Muddy River, the MBTA is building a barricade of sand bags in front of the Green Line tunnel portal just east of Fenway Station," said MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo. "Buses are providing replacement service until further notice."

...

It's good that they are taking preventative measures to avoid incurring millions of dollars of repair costs. I wonder if there is a more permanent solution, or if these flooding risks will be completely alleviated by the day-lighting of the Muddy River, as advertised.

Also, a Commuter Rail retaining collapsed due to the rain in Belmont. My outbound Fitchburg Line train this morning took more than twice as much time as usual between Porter and Waverley and took the inbound (left) tracks.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

I don't know what this is referring to, and its also important to note how far the administration (any administrations reach is). Patrick hasn't killed SCR, but I don't see many boondoggles.

I think Patrick has actually been a great Gov. for transport and would do more if given the opportunity. But some wins to count:

1) move GLX forward
2) New Red and Orange cars ordered and paid for
3) Fairmount line stations and path to DMUs
4) First Infill stop on OL supporting massive TOD
5) SL to Chelsea
6) Beacon park sold and in process of straightening
7) DMU expansions
8) High Speed toll on Tobin and timeline for Pike
9) real time tracking apps and mobile ticketing app for Commuter rail
10) Logan international destination expansions (not T, but same transport theme and a huge success)

Choo -- "Elections Have Consequences"

Available funds for T projects will be limited due to both the slow growth of the state tax revenues and the likely significantly limited availability of Federal Grants

Hence, until a state of good repair is achieved on the tracks, stations, rolling stock, etc. -- I would not expect Baker administration to proceed with any new construction projects on the T

Logan, because it has an independent source of revenues [mostly parking] will continue to develop much as it has
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Choo -- "Elections Have Consequences"

Available funds for T projects will be limited due to both the slow growth of the state tax revenues and the likely significantly limited availability of Federal Grants

Hence, until a state of good repair is achieved on the tracks, stations, rolling stock, etc. -- I would not expect Baker administration to proceed with any new construction projects on the T

Logan, because it has an independent source of revenues [mostly parking] will continue to develop much as it has

You are not explaining your disproven assertion that Patrick's admin was filled with boondoggles.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

The MBTA got FTA money to "raise a retaining wall and install watertight barriers at MBTA's Green Line Fenway Portal to reduce flooding" from Sandy relief $$

per http://www.fta.dot.gov/printer_friendly/15138_16147.html

Which I've read as D service will always have to stop during times of high water because the portal will be plugged and impassible.

This is a net win, saving labor, improving response time, and avoiding a 1996-style flood.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Advocates urge T to speed up accessibility

By: Marie Szaniszlo

Advocates for the disabled and a judge who audited the MBTA’s progress on accessibility are voicing frustration with the pace of progress — stymied by massive debt — though they say the T has made significant improvements in the eight years since inking a settlement with the Boston Center for Independent Living.

“A lot of stations are still not accessible in a variety of ways,” including a lack of signs in Braille for the blind, announcements for the deaf and elevators and ramps for people who use wheelchairs, said the BCIL’s Karen Schneiderman. “The MBTA is required by law to provide equal access to its services for people with disabilities. It’s up to the T to figure out where to get the money. It’s not up to us.”

Retired Judge Patrick King, who is due to give an update on the agency’s compliance with the settlement agreement at 1 p.m. tomorrow at the Transportation Building, said the T has made “tremendous” progress since 2006, but he said it has been slowed by its $8 billion debt load — much of which the T attributes to transit projects that were required as part of the Big Dig permitting process.

“As a result, you’ve got 40-year-old trains on some lines,” King said.

Five of 60 subway stations lack any elevator. Construction of elevators at one of the five — Government Center — is underway and will be ready in the spring of 2016, T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said, while an accessibility project at Wollaston is in the planning stage and Hynes will be made accessible as part of a developer’s project adjacent to Massachusetts Avenue.

Another major problem with the subway system, King said, is the gap between the platform and trains. New cars that have been ordered for the Orange and Red lines will have a mechanical plate to fill the gap, he said, but those cars aren’t expected until 2017 or 2018.

As an interim measure, the T uses a bridge plate that is stored in the station and put in place whenever a person in a wheelchair arrives on a train.

“More often than not, I miss the train and have to wait for another until an employee shows up,” said Olivia Richard, 31, a BCIL member.

State Rep. William Straus, House chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, said the Legislature has dedicated a portion of sales tax — roughly $1 billion per year — to the T because lawmakers recognize there is “room to make things better.”

“I think the Legislature has been sensitive to that” he said.

Boston Herald
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

BostonToLancaster: As I PM'd you yesterday, your block quotes from the Copyrighted sources do not meet the Fair Use test (they are not part of any analysis or Free Speach position you are advancing, but rather copy wholesale someone else's work). I like stealing content form the Globe as much as the next guy, but let me do it via a links and clearing my cookies, rather than make the publishers of ArchBoston complicit in any theft. (And the Herald we can all read for free)
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Sorry, Arlington, I didn't see your PM until after I posted the above article. Thanks for making me aware of it; won't happen again.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Once again I arrived at 12:30am on Amtrak and all the doors into the station were closed except the one furthest from my train.

Fuck you too MBTA

Surprised by how massive the CVS is
IMG_0828_7847_zpseb2de91c.jpg
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

T just tweeted announcing expanded weekend service:

More options for wknd travelers! New @MBTA_CR wknd svc for Kingston, Greenbush, and Needham lines. Read more here: http://bit.ly/13KiPh7
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Riding one if the new hybrid busses on the 86 right now. Really nice inside, I think the new seats are more comfortable than the old, and the increased room for standies is welcome. My only issues are that 1) the offgasing from the new plastic is nauseating, and 2) they seem to have used real glass for the partition by the back door, and it makes a terrible creaking noise when the bus goes over bumps.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

One or more of the DE60LFRs also has the new seats.
 
Re: Driven By Customer 'Service' Parte Dos

Riding one if the new hybrid busses on the 86 right now. Really nice inside, I think the new seats are more comfortable than the old, and the increased room for standies is welcome. My only issues are that 1) the offgasing from the new plastic is nauseating, and 2) they seem to have used real glass for the partition by the back door, and it makes a terrible creaking noise when the bus goes over bumps.

I too have noticed the creaking noise. It's so loud and annoying.

Also:

1. Divider between the top (opening) and bottom (fixed) windows at the rear seats is at eye level. It makes looking out the window very difficult.
2. The back door opens a little when the bus goes over bumps.
 

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