Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

Arlington said:
Either "all stops" or "stop requested" are valid operational strategies. All that's needed is that whichever be clearly communicated
Click to expand...
30+ years of riding the Green Line, it has generally been quite clear to me. If the operator announces that stop requests are in effect, they are in effect. Otherwise, they aren't.
 
Ruairi said:
Its totally stupid. Its a new line that's completely separated, Just stop at every stop.
I'm not sure I've ever been on a light rail line with it's own tracks not running on a street where I've had to request a stop.
If someone wants to take the new line they have to go through the ticket validation mess and then request their stop on a new line that they're not familiar with.
I mean I hate to be a downer and I love that the thing is opened but come on...
Click to expand...
If there is someone on the platform drivers will stop. I think it's okay that they skip if nobody is getting off. Shorter dwell times, faster trips FTW.
 
bakgwailo said:
Yup. either need to request the stop or they stop if someone is waiting. Really not a big deal, and way faster when they can speed through the stops.
Click to expand...

I agree in theory, though in a line (like GLX) that resembles more heavy-rail like operation with longer stop-spacing and higher speeds, not stopping at every stop basically creates train bunching on the margin by definition (a train speeding skipping a stop will start catching up to the one in front of it, and increase the gap with the train behind it). I have not ridden the GLX so I can not verify but don't the trains need to slow to 10mph while passing each platform anyway so the time penalty of a stop is not super severe?
 
HenryAlan said:
30+ years of riding the Green Line, it has generally been quite clear to me. If the operator announces that stop requests are in effect, they are in effect. Otherwise, they aren't.
Click to expand...
In *my* 30 years of riding the Green, I haven't had to ring for a stop in the 25 years since I moved out of Brookline* and over to Arlington and thence to Medford. I'd be p*ssed if I missed a stop because I failed to ring on the GLX (because on my joyrides they mentioned nothing about it. Also no ringing at Union Sq because it is a terminus/all-stop but would USq become ring-for-stop if that branch continues to Porter Sq?)

I bet I can prove that 90%+ of all Northside GLX riders and rides are from users who've historically boarded the GL at
  • Lechmere (from an 80-something bus, or on foot)
  • North Station (from CR or Orange line)
  • Park Street (having come from Alewife, Porter or Davis, or from a Bus at Central)
  • Haymarket (having ridden the 325/326s)
And that 95% of those trying out the GLX had never gotten to a surface GL stop that required ringing, but that most demand and ride history from Northside "ends" at
  • Some Subway stop before Kenmore (or long before)
  • The BU stops on the B
  • St Marys on the C (as a back door to Fenway)
  • Fenway or Longwood on the D
  • Longwood Medical Center on the E
How often would any such riders have even been introduced to the concept of ring-for-stop? Technically on the E, maybe, but would they as a practical matter?
I get that the operators might think "I'm on a surface stop without faregates, ergo, ring-for-stop" but that passengers are thinking "this is a station with elevators and fare machines. trains stop."

*even in Brookline, I lived @St Marys and never had to ring because I was going to Coolidge Corner and we all "just knew" that they'd stop, even if some *other riders* were ringing for their intermediate stops. So I bet I've never rung for a GL stop more than 4 times in 30 years.
 
Last edited:
Arlington said:
How often would any such riders have even been introduced to the concept of ring-for-stop? Arent' we talking just the outer reaches of the surface B, C, and deep into Newton on the D?
I get that the operators might think "I'm on a surface stop without faregates, ergo, ring-for-stop" but that passengers are thinking "this is a station. trains stop."
Click to expand...

I don't think it would necessarily be a problem for passengers if they bothered to explain it. As usual, their odd operating decisions are compounded by atrocious communication problems that could easily be anticipated and avoided. It's especially a problem considering that GLX is grade-separated and elevated and/or in a Commuter Rail trench, making it feel like proper stations rather than ring-to-stop surface trolley stops.

I also wonder, as sneijder discussed, whether there's a possibility of greater screw-ups to the schedule flow by skipping stops on GLX as opposed to the surface branches where (the D-branch excepted) they're already a scheduling black hole with the grade crossings. Seems like the risk of bunching on both ends might be more problematic than the already-existing risk of bunching on the western end alone.
 
Brattle Loop said:
I don't think it would necessarily be a problem for passengers if they bothered to explain it. As usual, their odd operating decisions are compounded by atrocious communication problems that could easily be anticipated and avoided
Click to expand...

With text-to-speech putting in an automated announcement when departing Kenmore, Symphony, or Lechmere (to Medford slash Tufts) outbound should be pretty easy. Sure, it doesn't solve the problem completely for people who are only riding on the branch but it would help.
 
737900er said:
With text-to-speech putting in an automated announcement when departing Kenmore, Symphony, or Lechmere (to Medford slash Tufts) outbound should be pretty easy. Sure, it doesn't solve the problem completely for people who are only riding on the branch but it would help.
Click to expand...

Look at that, quick, simple solution...that they plainly didn't even think about. Good work, MBTA. Good work.
 
Gilman Square! Looking good, going to be great when all the remaining adjacent developments like the empty parcels, community path, and high school terraforming is done. ;)

6995E895-9F11-46DA-A06B-A3E9C297E1D5.jpeg
D12E85CA-802A-4E73-9847-173C59BBFD1E.jpeg
2DEE29B0-6317-4D5A-AED1-C82A37D18657.jpeg
BD8428A5-FFEF-4EC1-BF42-E6EBD7CAE316.jpeg
761C7505-7680-4700-BFAF-9457807D1FD7.jpeg
E262A6BA-B40F-4A58-B286-0319881E4E19.jpeg
B309020D-A266-4D0C-8DD2-14BBB58B4673.jpeg
AEC5F761-6A7D-49E3-9290-A82C9CD696CC.jpeg
EAD1531F-34D5-49E0-82E1-E892672038FF.jpeg
 
How about this accidentally artsy shot in between East Somerville and Gilman!? (I didn’t notice the T map in the window reflection when I took the picture…and someone walking on the community path - worker?)
4F06CB51-BE6E-4521-B295-57993B7E2559.jpeg


Also, not sure if this view below is new from the stretch in between East Somerville and Lechmere (perhaps this is also viewable from the Union Sq train). Either way, the Bunker Hill Monument caught my eye.
93B721C1-C70A-468E-BCAB-C1CA69D5FB25.jpeg
 
sneijder said:
I agree in theory, though in a line (like GLX) that resembles more heavy-rail like operation with longer stop-spacing and higher speeds, not stopping at every stop basically creates train bunching on the margin by definition (a train speeding skipping a stop will start catching up to the one in front of it, and increase the gap with the train behind it). I have not ridden the GLX so I can not verify but don't the trains need to slow to 10mph while passing each platform anyway so the time penalty of a stop is not super severe?
Click to expand...

I'd expect the real-world effect to be minimal with the short length of the line, though? We're talking 4 stops if this is only the behavior on the branch and not Lechmere, and presumably the only time you'll be skipping multiple stops going inbound is the lowest-ridership times of the day. Skipping outbound also won't really matter to anything with how close you are to the terminal at that point.

The EGE said:
What absurd, short-sighted cost cutting - narrowing your walkway half-width to save a few bucks of concrete. (Never mind that an uncovered walkway in a trench that gets no sunlight in winter is a prime location for black ice.)
Click to expand...

And all the salt they'll be putting down to make up for it will be great for the lifespan of the concrete + railings. I wouldn't be surprised if a canopy would have legitimately been the cheaper long-term option vs the vastly greater snow clearing + salting they'll have to do.

The width I have less strong feelings about? It's still the width of the staircase, so it feels tolerable enough in the pedestrian capacity sense. I agree that it can't have saved a whole lot of money, though.
 
Dr. Rosen Rosen said:
Also, not sure if this view below is new from the stretch in between East Somerville and Lechmere (perhaps this is also viewable from the Union Sq train). Either way, the Bunker Hill Monument caught my eye.
View attachment 31812
Click to expand...
Looks like that view is new, because the Union Square branch is on the curved tracks passing below.
 
millerm277 said:
And all the salt they'll be putting down to make up for it will be great for the lifespan of the concrete + railings. I wouldn't be surprised if a canopy would have legitimately been the cheaper long-term option vs the vastly greater snow clearing + salting they'll have to do.
Click to expand...

Couldn't they use any of the many non-salt ice melting pellet options available? Or sand? Or some of each?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top