MBTA Construction Projects
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Ron Newman
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Re: T construction news
I don't know what it's like on weekdays, but whenever I use Ruggles on weekends there are plenty of other people getting on or off commuter trains with me.
If Ruggles is to have two separate commuter rail platforms, a train announcement system in the lobby (both audible and visual) is going to be very important!
I don't know what it's like on weekdays, but whenever I use Ruggles on weekends there are plenty of other people getting on or off commuter trains with me.
If Ruggles is to have two separate commuter rail platforms, a train announcement system in the lobby (both audible and visual) is going to be very important!
F-Line to Dudley
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Re: T construction news
Ruggles only gets 49 weekday boardings, per the Blue Book. It probably leans much heavier on A.M. exits than P.M. boardings, though, so that wouldn't be an indicator of platform foot traffic. Again, it's the track-switching complications slowing up thru trains on the center track that are forcing this move...not ridership. When they do this construction MBCR is probably not going to use the center track on the island platform at all and it'll become a de facto side-platforms stop for loading/unloading.
T doesn't track weekend boardings at all, so we don't yet have a means of seeing which stops skew higher in % of boardings on a line with the different weekend ridership demographics. Would be interesting if/when they ever get commuter rail Charlied to track that, because there probably are a couple surprises.
Ruggles only gets 49 weekday boardings, per the Blue Book. It probably leans much heavier on A.M. exits than P.M. boardings, though, so that wouldn't be an indicator of platform foot traffic. Again, it's the track-switching complications slowing up thru trains on the center track that are forcing this move...not ridership. When they do this construction MBCR is probably not going to use the center track on the island platform at all and it'll become a de facto side-platforms stop for loading/unloading.
T doesn't track weekend boardings at all, so we don't yet have a means of seeing which stops skew higher in % of boardings on a line with the different weekend ridership demographics. Would be interesting if/when they ever get commuter rail Charlied to track that, because there probably are a couple surprises.
Re: T construction news
From what I heard at the UI testing session for the mobile ticketing app, rolling out Charlie to the commuter rail is dead. There are no plans to implement Charlie on the commuter rail.
From what I heard at the UI testing session for the mobile ticketing app, rolling out Charlie to the commuter rail is dead. There are no plans to implement Charlie on the commuter rail.
F-Line to Dudley
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Re: T construction news
Dead for now, yes. Because they are commitment-breaking cowards who need some excuse to justify having way too many conductors per train clogging up the staff ranks. CR Charlie was supposed to be A Very Big Deal™ back when they first announced the rollout. But then the Empire struck back against itself.
Dead for now, yes. Because they are commitment-breaking cowards who need some excuse to justify having way too many conductors per train clogging up the staff ranks. CR Charlie was supposed to be A Very Big Deal™ back when they first announced the rollout. But then the Empire struck back against itself.
Re: T construction news
This is the kind of crap that drives me f-ing crazy. For an agency that continually struggles to justify itself and fight for funding, they really don't have a damn clue who actually rides the train. There is no actual data collection on where people board and where people get off every day. If they instituted Charlie on the Commuter Rail, they would know where people got on, what sort of pass they had, if the ticket is legit, and lots of other info. They cold get a sense of transfers to bus and subway. They could see how the trains are actually utilized on any given day. But no, we will just have conductors wandering through nodding at people with passes, occasionally punching tickets, and occasionally selling some. Whatever is in that Blue Book on the CR is probably bullshit because there is no way they are actually counting every rider. How the F is the T supposed to legitimize itself without real numbers?
This is the kind of crap that drives me f-ing crazy. For an agency that continually struggles to justify itself and fight for funding, they really don't have a damn clue who actually rides the train. There is no actual data collection on where people board and where people get off every day. If they instituted Charlie on the Commuter Rail, they would know where people got on, what sort of pass they had, if the ticket is legit, and lots of other info. They cold get a sense of transfers to bus and subway. They could see how the trains are actually utilized on any given day. But no, we will just have conductors wandering through nodding at people with passes, occasionally punching tickets, and occasionally selling some. Whatever is in that Blue Book on the CR is probably bullshit because there is no way they are actually counting every rider. How the F is the T supposed to legitimize itself without real numbers?
F-Line to Dudley
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Re: T construction news
Not only that, but if they're trying to justify hugely expensive parking expansion it's critical that they get actionable Charlie tracking data straight from who's using the lots to where they are going on the train to where they are going when they get downtown.
This is just like the service cuts and the asinine Green Line front-door boarding: the poverty cry has NOTHING to do with finances and everything to do with protecting institutional fiefdoms. Nothing will ever change with this until the Legislature is arsed enough to reform it all. For real, not for show.
Not only that, but if they're trying to justify hugely expensive parking expansion it's critical that they get actionable Charlie tracking data straight from who's using the lots to where they are going on the train to where they are going when they get downtown.
This is just like the service cuts and the asinine Green Line front-door boarding: the poverty cry has NOTHING to do with finances and everything to do with protecting institutional fiefdoms. Nothing will ever change with this until the Legislature is arsed enough to reform it all. For real, not for show.
Re: T construction news
Ruggles CR always seems to be popular when I pass by during PM peak. Maybe that is the only time.
I wish MBCR/MBTA would crawl out of the 19th century already. Traditionalism is all fun and games (choo choo! all aboard!), until you realize it's a serious time and money drain for everyone in the region.
Ruggles CR always seems to be popular when I pass by during PM peak. Maybe that is the only time.
I wish MBCR/MBTA would crawl out of the 19th century already. Traditionalism is all fun and games (choo choo! all aboard!), until you realize it's a serious time and money drain for everyone in the region.
Digital_Islandboy
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Re: T construction news
If I recall correctly one of the issues was it was impossible to verify what pass is on the Charlie Card if it became cracked. You could imagine what would happen to a conductor if they told someone who claimed they had a Zone 8 pass that they would have to pay the fare for that ride because the Charlie Card wasn't reading? Sending them to Downtown Crossing also wouldn't help if they got that pass through their employer. The MBTA was also hindered with a privacy lawsuit when Charlie Card was being rolled out over tracking customers. Part of the MBTA's settling of that issue was that the MBTA promised not to use the tracking information in a way that targets someone. So the way it is right now was on purpose. If the GM had his way I believe one option was that customers would actually have to buy their Charlie Card or get the free Charlie Ticket. CharlieCards cost the MBTA money so that was supposed to be passed on to the consumer.
If I recall correctly one of the issues was it was impossible to verify what pass is on the Charlie Card if it became cracked. You could imagine what would happen to a conductor if they told someone who claimed they had a Zone 8 pass that they would have to pay the fare for that ride because the Charlie Card wasn't reading? Sending them to Downtown Crossing also wouldn't help if they got that pass through their employer. The MBTA was also hindered with a privacy lawsuit when Charlie Card was being rolled out over tracking customers. Part of the MBTA's settling of that issue was that the MBTA promised not to use the tracking information in a way that targets someone. So the way it is right now was on purpose. If the GM had his way I believe one option was that customers would actually have to buy their Charlie Card or get the free Charlie Ticket. CharlieCards cost the MBTA money so that was supposed to be passed on to the consumer.
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Digital_Islandboy
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Re: T construction news
As someone that has seen some of the reports on ridership. You can't see where someone is going to- because they do not tap their CharlieCard when exiting. The only presumption the MBTA can make is where they see the card get 'dinged' at in the AM and where they see it get 'dinged' at in the PM.
You can *assume* that is where they're going to in the morning but to be quite thruthful the person could actually be getting off at Downtown and then in evening walking to South Station to 'ding' in. To the MBTA, the assumption would be that the person was going to South Station every morning. Part of the reason for Charlie Card roll out was Federal mandate. All transit authorities in the USA that want Federal funding must be able to show how much ridership they actually have. Any authority not able to produce those figures might get passed up for another authority that can prove their actual ridership.
As someone that has seen some of the reports on ridership. You can't see where someone is going to- because they do not tap their CharlieCard when exiting. The only presumption the MBTA can make is where they see the card get 'dinged' at in the AM and where they see it get 'dinged' at in the PM.
You can *assume* that is where they're going to in the morning but to be quite thruthful the person could actually be getting off at Downtown and then in evening walking to South Station to 'ding' in. To the MBTA, the assumption would be that the person was going to South Station every morning. Part of the reason for Charlie Card roll out was Federal mandate. All transit authorities in the USA that want Federal funding must be able to show how much ridership they actually have. Any authority not able to produce those figures might get passed up for another authority that can prove their actual ridership.
Re: T construction news
Same thing that would happen if they lost or severely damaged their CharlieTicket?
The card can be registered online and easily replaced if lost or stolen too...
Same thing that would happen if they lost or severely damaged their CharlieTicket?
The card can be registered online and easily replaced if lost or stolen too...
Digital_Islandboy
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Re: T construction news
A little different. If you lost you CharlieCard or CharlieTicket (unless you got that the CharlieCard from your employer you're out of luck.) Or if you've since registered it on the CharlieCard website....
If you have something printed on flimsy CharlieTicket media, and ifit can't scan it can be read because it is printed ticket. If you however crack your CharlieCard, and the card scanner cannot read it, a conductor wouldn't have a way to verify a pass is on there. They will then have the responsibility to demand payment and send the customer to get a new CharlieCard.
So it would lead to more frustration than it is worth. If you came up to me with a CharlieCard, and I try to scan it, I can't tell what's on there. You could tell me a Zone 8 monthly and all that might be on there is $0.60 stored value. I doubt the management at MBCR wanted deal with the hassles either.
A little different. If you lost you CharlieCard or CharlieTicket (unless you got that the CharlieCard from your employer you're out of luck.) Or if you've since registered it on the CharlieCard website....
If you have something printed on flimsy CharlieTicket media, and ifit can't scan it can be read because it is printed ticket. If you however crack your CharlieCard, and the card scanner cannot read it, a conductor wouldn't have a way to verify a pass is on there. They will then have the responsibility to demand payment and send the customer to get a new CharlieCard.
So it would lead to more frustration than it is worth. If you came up to me with a CharlieCard, and I try to scan it, I can't tell what's on there. You could tell me a Zone 8 monthly and all that might be on there is $0.60 stored value. I doubt the management at MBCR wanted deal with the hassles either.
Digital_Islandboy
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Re: T construction news
The process used to be not so easy. I'd *never* wish-- to lose my CharlieCard. When I was there it wasn't an easy process.
The process used to be not so easy. I'd *never* wish-- to lose my CharlieCard. When I was there it wasn't an easy process.
Re: T construction news
I haven't tested it but my CharlieCard is registered and they promise they can replace it if so.
Meantime I watch people on the Commuter Rail leave their $150+ monthly pass lying around on the seat and I really wonder. I'd be super paranoid if I had one of those. Just a tiny crappy piece of paper which you have to insert into those terrible fare machines if you want to use a bus or subway.
I'm pretty abusive to my CharlieCard and I haven't experienced it cracking open. Even if it did happen, I think it's a fairly rare issue and tantamount to the problem of losing the card or ticket.
I haven't tested it but my CharlieCard is registered and they promise they can replace it if so.
Meantime I watch people on the Commuter Rail leave their $150+ monthly pass lying around on the seat and I really wonder. I'd be super paranoid if I had one of those. Just a tiny crappy piece of paper which you have to insert into those terrible fare machines if you want to use a bus or subway.
I'm pretty abusive to my CharlieCard and I haven't experienced it cracking open. Even if it did happen, I think it's a fairly rare issue and tantamount to the problem of losing the card or ticket.
Digital_Islandboy
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Re: T construction news
Commuter Rail can tally by amount sold via the TOMS machine, Fare Vending Machines, plus the receipts sold on-board, or regular monthly pass sales.
--
Some call T's new Charlie Card an invasion of privacy
But agency insists safeguards in place
By Mac Daniel, Globe Staff | April 16, 2005
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...l_ts_new_charlie_card_an_invasion_of_privacy/
The MBTA can use 'general' information but not information of any one or two people if that makes sense. A legal challenge pretty much killed what you're asking for.
Commuter Rail can tally by amount sold via the TOMS machine, Fare Vending Machines, plus the receipts sold on-board, or regular monthly pass sales.
--
Some call T's new Charlie Card an invasion of privacy
But agency insists safeguards in place
By Mac Daniel, Globe Staff | April 16, 2005
http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...l_ts_new_charlie_card_an_invasion_of_privacy/
The MBTA can use 'general' information but not information of any one or two people if that makes sense. A legal challenge pretty much killed what you're asking for.
Re: T construction news
The whole conductor thing would be solved by simply having people tap into commuter rail and then off at their stop (with occasional spot checks for fare evasion).
The card could easily be programmed to handle that....just look at how the 30 year old card in DC keeps getting new stuff added to it.
Terminal:
Outlying station:
Fare evasion checks work as follows:
On some trains, but not all, you ask for the card. if the person didnt tap in = ticket.
Tapping out takes care of itself, because if you dont, you get charged max fare.
The whole conductor thing would be solved by simply having people tap into commuter rail and then off at their stop (with occasional spot checks for fare evasion).
The card could easily be programmed to handle that....just look at how the 30 year old card in DC keeps getting new stuff added to it.
Terminal:
Outlying station:
Fare evasion checks work as follows:
On some trains, but not all, you ask for the card. if the person didnt tap in = ticket.
Tapping out takes care of itself, because if you dont, you get charged max fare.
Commuting Boston Student
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Re: T construction news
Go to any friendly neighborhood T agent, and ask for a second CharlieCard. Then, buy some nail polish remover - give that poor card a 20 minute bath, it totally melts away, and you can fish out the only actually useful part of the card - the RFID antenna / chip. As long as that copper wire is not frayed or cut, you can do just about anything to the Card and have it still work just fine - and that wire (plus the chip) makes up maybe 5% of the card.
So, the other 95% is useless plastic that you could do any number of terrible, depraved, third-grade-science-experiment things to completely free of consequence. Twist it, melt it, poke holes in it, bend it, break it, as long as the wire's intact you are good to go. Hell, you can even twist the wire into a shape that you think suits you better. Just make sure it's still all going in the same direction because bending the wire back on itself is the OTHER way you can screw up your card.
(And, as an aside, any mobile ticketing app that would link to a CharlieCard would have that information registered/stored by definition, so we're 0 for 2 on reasons why Charlie's not on the CR.)
Go to any friendly neighborhood T agent, and ask for a second CharlieCard. Then, buy some nail polish remover - give that poor card a 20 minute bath, it totally melts away, and you can fish out the only actually useful part of the card - the RFID antenna / chip. As long as that copper wire is not frayed or cut, you can do just about anything to the Card and have it still work just fine - and that wire (plus the chip) makes up maybe 5% of the card.
So, the other 95% is useless plastic that you could do any number of terrible, depraved, third-grade-science-experiment things to completely free of consequence. Twist it, melt it, poke holes in it, bend it, break it, as long as the wire's intact you are good to go. Hell, you can even twist the wire into a shape that you think suits you better. Just make sure it's still all going in the same direction because bending the wire back on itself is the OTHER way you can screw up your card.
(And, as an aside, any mobile ticketing app that would link to a CharlieCard would have that information registered/stored by definition, so we're 0 for 2 on reasons why Charlie's not on the CR.)
F-Line to Dudley
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Re: T construction news
Rumor has it 80 MPH speeds are finally coming to the Framingham-west portion of the Worcester Line within months, after the post-CSX service expansion ramps up. Will allow most Framingham short-turns to get extended all the way to Worcester. I'm not sure what, if anything, that technically entails to do to the infrastructure. Could it be that there was no actual physical reason for the 60 MPH speed limit on cab signals other than the CSX dispatching nazis?
(Framingham-east, of course, still ain't going faster until they replace the signal system.)
Rumor has it 80 MPH speeds are finally coming to the Framingham-west portion of the Worcester Line within months, after the post-CSX service expansion ramps up. Will allow most Framingham short-turns to get extended all the way to Worcester. I'm not sure what, if anything, that technically entails to do to the infrastructure. Could it be that there was no actual physical reason for the 60 MPH speed limit on cab signals other than the CSX dispatching nazis?
(Framingham-east, of course, still ain't going faster until they replace the signal system.)
Re: T construction news
Fuck this organization
http://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2012/09/28/rt-39-bus-improvements-delayed/
2006!
No, 2008!
2010 we promise!
Ok, now its set in stone, 2012!
Are you fucking kidding me?
Now property owners apparently own the street right of way as well?
Fuck this organization
http://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2012/09/28/rt-39-bus-improvements-delayed/
2006!
No, 2008!
2010 we promise!
Ok, now its set in stone, 2012!
Are you fucking kidding me?
Now property owners apparently own the street right of way as well?