Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

[Java King]

FWIW, I was in Seattle last week, and the system was very confusing. I asked some people at the station how to pay, and they said that I needed an APP to tap on and off. I couldn't find any relevant information at the station, and people came over to me and told me just to get on the train. LOL I was REALLY trying to pay, but it was so darn confusing. I wonder how much money the Seattle system is losing? LOL I even downloaded the APP AFTER I rode on the train, but still couldn't figure out how to pay.

 

[as02143]

^I think part of the reason the enforcement isn't happening yet is because the fare collection system is in transition and both confusing and easy to take advantage of. It will be simpler when the new Charlie Cards are in place. Theoretically, they should be able to allow riders to tap a Charlie or Credit Card on the Silver Line at Airport without charging them so that they can use it as proof of boarding. So a lot of the confusion/complication should dissipate and those complications should be addressed in a year or so.

What I don't understand is why the T isn't going to provide receipts and change tickets for cash payments. They want people to pre-load Charlie Cards with cash at vending machines and tap on board like everyone else. Realistically, I think most cash users are unlikely to do this. So if someone boards a Medford/Tufts train at Lechmere and pays cash on the train, how are enforcers at, say, Magoun going to be verify that? If it's not clear for riders and there's no way to reliably, easily verify and enforce payments, it's not going to work.

End state there is going to be no cash payment at all anywhere on board the Green Line, Mattapan Line, Commuter Rail and buses.

The program would be either get a Charlie Card or use your own contactless bank card.

 

[TrolleybusFoaming]

FWIW, I was in Seattle last week, and the system was very confusing. I asked some people at the station how to pay, and they said that I needed an APP to tap on and off. I couldn't find any relevant information at the station, and people came over to me and told me just to get on the train. LOL I was REALLY trying to pay, but it was so darn confusing. I wonder how much money the Seattle system is losing? LOL I even downloaded the APP AFTER I rode on the train, but still couldn't figure out how to pay.

Seattle very recently switched from distance based fares (with tap on/off) to flat fares (no tap off), which definitely doesn't help. I think otherwise their system is reasonable, with validators on the platform for tapping on and an app similar to mTicket where you purchase and then activate tickets. The app is a bit obscure and kinda confusing, though. It was incredibly difficult to figure out if a ticket on the app includes transfers between modes (it's not supposed to, but drivers took it), along with other quirks. They say it's intended for infrequent riders, presumably so they don't have to get an Orca card, but it's not super intuitive. Also, it had a bonkers rewards system that made it incredibly easy to earn free rides that they also got rid of recently.

 

[Stlin]

Just to be clear, I'm not having a go at you, I appreciate the info
I just think it's daft trying to police a system with so many different versions of paying.
How much would fare gates at the 7 new GLX stops cost and how much would they save?

To be fair, at the moment the T using life-extended/overhauled S&B gates that date to 2006 or so, and at the time AFC 2.0 was anticipated to completely replace all the S&B gates by now with something provided by Cubic. They would have had to somehow either go buy 7 stations worth of legacy equipment from S&B, put in something not common to the rest of the system, or just wait for the final cubic integration.

At this point though, the cubic contract has been modded enough he T has a new faregate RFI out - the T may be looking to just use the cubic system as it's "back office" fare platform, while procuring new gates for the system. So far it looks like just an info exercise, but it's a thing where they're asking about fare gates for different environments to potentially include regional rail.

 

[Java King]

Seattle very recently switched from distance based fares (with tap on/off) to flat fares (no tap off), which definitely doesn't help. I think otherwise their system is reasonable, with validators on the platform for tapping on and an app similar to mTicket where you purchase and then activate tickets. The app is a bit obscure and kinda confusing, though. It was incredibly difficult to figure out if a ticket on the app includes transfers between modes (it's not supposed to, but drivers took it), along with other quirks. They say it's intended for infrequent riders, presumably so they don't have to get an Orca card, but it's not super intuitive. Also, it had a bonkers rewards system that made it incredibly easy to earn free rides that they also got rid of recently.

I arrived at the new Lynnwood Station about 9pm on a Sunday evening, and there was virtually NO information that I could find for buying a ticket. As an infrequent rider, I found it very confusing!

 

[greenlinetobrooklyn]

Recently (past few months), trains between East Somerville and the bridge go extremely slow. I noticed a S10 sign on the outbound track while riding into the city today. Why isn't this marked on the slow zone tracker?

 

[alewife]

Recently (past few months), trains between East Somerville and the bridge go extremely slow. I noticed a S10 sign on the outbound track while riding into the city today. Why isn't this marked on the slow zone tracker?

Green Line rules only allow a maximum speed of 10 mph within interlocking limits (i.e. over automatic switches), so 10 mph is the “normal” maximum speed there.

(My hope is that the T eventually changes this rule, because that section in particular is brutal.)

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Green Line rules only allow a maximum speed of 10 mph within interlocking limits (i.e. over automatic switches), so 10 mph is the “normal” maximum speed there.

(My hope is that the T eventually changes this rule, because that section in particular is brutal.)

They're not going to relent on that speed limit until GLTPS is finally implemented enforcing absolute stops and speed limits. Because that's what the NTSB is all up their ass about over last month's derailment where the operator blew a double-red stop signal (and the approach speed limit) on the inbound-side GLX interlockings.

 

[WestMedford]

Green Line rules only allow a maximum speed of 10 mph within interlocking limits (i.e. over automatic switches), so 10 mph is the “normal” maximum speed there.

(My hope is that the T eventually changes this rule, because that section in particular is brutal.)

Is this rule caused by Breda or is it unrelated?

 

[alewife]

Is this rule caused by Breda or is it unrelated?

I believe it’s unrelated, because there are several hand-throw crossovers posted at 25 or 30 mph. But as F-Line noted, they’re unlikely to change it any time soon given the recent derailment.

 

[RandomWalk]

I saw the lights on for the new Inner Belt entrance at East Somerville. It is making progress, but there is still a lot of work before it will open. Strangely, it appears that the entrance will cross the outbound track at the far end of the platform from the existing entrance.

 

[ceo]

I saw the lights on for the new Inner Belt entrance at East Somerville. It is making progress, but there is still a lot of work before it will open. Strangely, it appears that the entrance will cross the outbound track at the far end of the platform from the existing entrance.

That makes sense. You want the crossing to be at the departure end of the platform, where the train is already stopped.