New Red and Orange Line Cars

Jahvon09 said:
Nice wealth of info!

But the MBTA, like someone else said, should've replace the old decrepit trains about 10 years ago! Why do they wait so long to replace old dilapidated equipment that that has been inconveniencing commuters for about 10 to 15 years before getting new stuff!!

This, I just can't see & is beyond me!! :eek:
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The MBTA racked up a bunch of debt in the 90s and 2000s through far flung commuter rail expansions and the silver line, and MassDOT wasn't helping because they were busy with the big dig. When the recession rolled around, mbta revenues fell (they rely on the sales tax) and the state didn't do enough to pick it up. As a result during the recession and just after there was lots of deferred maintenance.

Well that, and MBTA pensions are more lucrative than any other state agency. But I won't get into out of control costs (green line extension).
 
I think that making sure that commuters are able to get to their destinations, such as work, school, doctors' appointments & shopping safely should be their #1 priority, instead of rushing to get another fare increase in order.

True, they must run on a budget, but be that as it may, they are always doing things that disrupt the riders, which to me sounds crazy & stupid. Penny-wise, pound-foolish!!!
 
tysmith95 said:
The MBTA racked up a bunch of debt in the 90s and 2000s through far flung commuter rail expansions and the silver line, and MassDOT wasn't helping because they were busy with the big dig. When the recession rolled around, mbta revenues fell (they rely on the sales tax) and the state didn't do enough to pick it up. As a result during the recession and just after there was lots of deferred maintenance.

Well that, and MBTA pensions are more lucrative than any other state agency. But I won't get into out of control costs (green line extension).
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I mean... that isn't quite how it went down. Most of what you list was legally binding remediation work due to the Big Dig, and the payment of it was shifted from the Big Dig's books and directly onto the MBTA's. Around the same time, the MBTA also switched to forward funding, which is what tied it to the sales tax which never lived up to expectations (rise of internet shopping, recession, etc).
 
The Big Dig, though it supposedly improved driving, somewhat, was a nightmare in & of itself. It was so F'd up, what with cost overruns crappy work poor management & leaky tunnels.

And even today, commuters are feeling lingering effects that pop up now & then. :eek:
 
Where's the 3rd rail?!! The new trains are scheduled to make their debut just before Christmas. :cool:
 
Jahvon09 said:
Where's the 3rd rail?!! The new trains are scheduled to make their debut just before Christmas. :cool:
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And the new OL cars were supposed to debut before Xmas 2018 so I wouldn't get your hopes up for the RL cars to start service on time, ESPECIALLY since the RL test track is 4.5 months behind schedule according to the most recent FMCB presentation. If they can't start testing the pilot vehicle until August then I wouldn't expect any revenue service of new RL vehicles in 2019.

Construction Substantial Completion:
Contractual: 04/07/19
Projected: 08/22/19*
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Somehow, monkey wrenches just seem to keep on being thrown into the program, putting things further & further behind!! It's ridiculous!! :mad:
 
Jahvon09 said:
Somehow, monkey wrenches just seem to keep on being thrown into the program, putting things further & further behind!! It's ridiculous!! :mad:
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I remember when the GLX was supposed to be finished... sometime before I joined this forum, I think. A few months is small potatoes.
 
I think they're being responsible to work out the kinks now instead of pushing out trains in rough beta. Think about how many infrastructure projects we're sitting on because public confidence is still low from high-profile failures. If they put these trains on and stuff starts breaking it'll be decades before anyone trusts the T to do anything on this scale again, and we cannot afford that.
 
I noticed that the red line test track has wooden ties with a natural color. Are they unpreserved or is there a new alternative to creosote?
 
Arlington said:
I noticed that the red line test track has wooden ties with a natural color. Are they unpreserved or is there a new alternative to creosote?
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In the second image it looks like they're changing them out.
 
Will there be just one track or will there be two, one in each direction?
 
Jahvon09 said:
Doesn't look like it either.

What is that thingy that they are putting there, a temporary shelter for the railcars at night to protect them from inclement

weather? :cool:
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The building has a maintenance pit, so my guess is that it's a small maintenance shed to make adjustments in between test runs.
 
bobthebuilder said:
The building has a maintenance pit, so my guess is that it's a small maintenance shed to make adjustments in between test runs.
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Yes. Just an inspection hut for on-the-fly stuff. Perspective on the photos may be off, but I think it's supposed to be able to fit 2 cars...though one of the cars might well be sticking out the door with how small it looks.

If they need to take a look at any major problems they'll be bringing it to the main Cabot facility with its indoor lifts and huge stock of inspection equipment.
 
Jahvon09 said:
Where's the 3rd rail?!! The new trains are scheduled to make their debut just before Christmas. :cool:
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Can't have third rail without first having all the ties that will need to support third rail mounts changed out for longer ties. The ones on there right now are not long enough. They'll be bringing in an automated tie changer first.
 
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