MBTA Buses & Infrastructure

Aloisi's BS meter going off, too. . .


TransitMatters re-tweeting parallel threads about how this doesn't pass the most basic smell test, so expect an official statement soon (which they can pretty much crib verbatim from the Op-ed Aloisi & Alon Levy wrote about TT's & BEB's only a couple months ago, since the key points have already been bottom-lined). Once they're done with more urgent business first blowtorching the whole "Cutting Forward" fiasco.
 
It's also kind of rich that they cite the sorry state of the overhead wires as a reason to rip them out, without mentioning how they got to be in such a sorry state to begin with.
 
It's also kind of rich that they cite the sorry state of the overhead wires as a reason to rip them out, without mentioning how they got to be in such a sorry state to begin with.

That's what all govts/agencies do when they want to justify getting rid of something that works. Defer maintenance until it doesn't, then cite that as a reason to get rid of it. It's the entire governing philosophy of the GOP for the last few decades, but they don't have a monopoly on it.
 
It's also kind of rich that they cite the sorry state of the overhead wires as a reason to rip them out, without mentioning how they got to be in such a sorry state to begin with.

I'm not even sure how that blanket logic applies to the 16-year-old Silver Line. Unless they're drawing a straight arbitrary crayon line between "we can't fix the crumbling tunnel pavement unless we lay off the entire OCS department first." Which...well, let's just see them try that one and see how well it goes over on Average Joe Seaport commuter for shits and giggles.


Meanwhile, New Flyer also has the best-selling 40 ft. and 60 ft. TT's in the world with the Xcelsior XT40/XT60...parts-compatible with all the XDE40/XDE60 hybrids we already have. And they offer the XT's with optional full-BEB battery to run on in-wire charging implementation where up to two-thirds of its total trip can run off the wire under reference-spec conditions. You can still order the plain TT with an empty battery compartment if you want, but New Flyer is pushing the BEB TT as its base model now because of how much it simplifies OCS maintenance on large systems (San Fran, for instance). i.e. Buyers will never ever have to scramble diesels from another garage or disrupt schedules during routine maint, so the BEB-TT saves money over 'regular' TT's even on entirely self-contained networks with no regular service off-wire roaming. SF is pushing through a fleet reassignment across garages as a result of being able to reduce its spare ratios for TT's via this roaming capability as it proliferates via TT fleet renewal.

So...not a more-perfect glove fit available for Silver + Cambridge on Planet Earth than what's available off-shelf from New Flyer and being pursued aggressively in multiple other U.S. cities retaining/enhancing their networks. Keeps spare ratios low and saves money on OCS maintenance. Literally SAVES them money with an honest follow-through if they'd just drop this manufactured crisis over deferred maint. So of course the state is shitting all over the icky-poo OCS and burying the lede on much awfuler future spare ratios foretelling permanent service cuts! Because of course they are when the facts are diametrically opposed!


They're going to get beaten like a pinata over this when TransitMatters sounds off. They've already written that Op-Ed once before. Now it's going to be weaponized because the best examples of TT network-leveraging for the battery future are other U.S. cities. The rationale they're pushing is equal parts pants-on-fire lying and the absolute worst Not Invented Here syndrome, and they apparently think by slipping that at the end of the 4-hour torture session of "Cutting Forward" that it'll escape notice. Not so. The rebuttal can cut straight to the chase on all these OCS excuses about it being all about more cuts, cuts, service cuts in the end. So it isn't a poorly-argued nerd discussion about bus power plants at all, but rather another damning Exhibit of how "Cutting Forward" isn't intended to be temporary at all that will further enflame public opinion when it's spelled out for the public in perspective.

If there's any silver lining, it's that they picked such sloppy and self-undermining take that you have to wonder if they have any stamina left to double-down on it when the evidence gets stacked against them.
 
Sierra Club and CLF sound off in joint press release that includes the official statements of MASSPIRG and TransitMatters, amongst others:



Sierra Club missive isn't all that significant in a vacuum, but the lumping of heavy-hitter thinktanks & advocacy groups into a single set of coordinated talking points becomes an immediate problem when the affected communities run with this script in their opposition. The T unfortunately set itself up as sitting ducks by having the same exact guy from Sept.'s extremely pessimistic BEB assessment presentation to the Board give the contradictory presentation slipped into the last 15 minutes of that 4-hour torture session Monday. The contradiction has been duly nailed to the wall in a narrative that they don't have an electric implementation plan at all, don't care, and are only interested in service cuts. Face: meet briar patch.

The swift and brutal pushback is welcome, but unfortunately it lays bare that there's no real plan underpinning the Bus Transformation at all...just internal chaos and indifference. That's quite very bad overall. But I guess better they be sloppy enough to telegraph that truth way early rather than let the facade crumble too late to matter. The public might well have to Better Bus this planning shit ourselves now that it's nakedly apparent no one's behind the wheel at this on the inside.
 
Contractors working on the lower level of the Harvard Square bus subway appear to be installing new mounting brackets for TT wires in the tunnel roof.
PXL_20201115_195021311.jpg
 
Contractors working on the lower level of the Harvard Square bus subway appear to be installing new mounting brackets for TT wires in the tunnel roof.View attachment 8299

Part of the resurfacing work. Ceiling was refinished, so all old utilities were ripped down and replaced by new conduits (seen on wall at left above tunnel lighting) and brackets. You can see they're identical to the new ones at right on the other busway when that was refinished last year.
 
Part of the resurfacing work. Ceiling was refinished, so all old utilities were ripped down and replaced by new conduits (seen on wall at left above tunnel lighting) and brackets. You can see they're identical to the new ones at right on the other busway when that was refinished last year.

One thing with the refinished busway that has irked me is the low curb reveal. I'm surprised it's acceptable as it seems like it would interfere with comfort for people in wheelchairs and mobility devices.
 
So are they ever going to re-light the glass block "stained glass wall" from behind on the upper level of the Harvard busway? (admittedly, I haven't been up there in 3 years). Seems to me that c.1998 all the (flourescent) lights had died behind it. Then c.2000 they relit it all. Then by 2010s all the bulbs were dead (and a whole generation probably doesn't even know the lights were back there, and thinks it just a crazy, shiny-block wall)
 
So are they ever going to re-light the glass block "stained glass wall" from behind on the upper level of the Harvard busway? (admittedly, I haven't been up there in 3 years). Seems to me that c.1998 all the (flourescent) lights had died behind it. Then c.2000 they relit it all. Then by 2010s all the bulbs were dead (and a whole generation probably doesn't even know the lights were back there, and thinks it just a crazy, shiny-block wall)

If you go back up now yup, all the bulbs are re-lit.
 
And it looks incredible.

1280px-Blue_Sky_on_the_Red_Line_and_route_77_boarding_area%2C_November_2020.jpg

I really love that. Cities should be magical. More!

The refinished mural at Park Street station is another great example of how someone at the T "gets it". Well done!!!!! Boston already has these treasure chest components - - use 'em and display 'em!
 
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SUNDAY VISIT TO SULLIVAN BUSWAY
I gotta say, that the Sullivan square upper and lower busways are a fine facility...just that the lower busway could use more cover, and the whole daily parking lot should be TOD.

Very nice "next bus" sign
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Finding your bus' berth upon exiting the OL
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Slightly out of date bus map

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Redoing the old OL station canopy

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Small taste of why they don't (usually) use Corten steel if there's going to be people or sidewalks underneath:
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