North Station-South Station Rail Link

Matthew said:
Only thing I can think of is a branch off from the proposed NSRL that tunnels under the harbor, allowing some trains to serve south station, and then terminate at Logan. Still sounds too costly to be built.
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Especially when there's a relatively simple transfer at SST to the SL1, and a potential for a Green Line transfer at NST that goes to the Airport.
 
To be fair, the SL1 is awful. I took it last month to the airport. Big mistake. 45 minutes, crush loaded to the MAX, had to stand with my bag while the bus went slowly thru the Transuckway, and did loop-de-loop all over the Seaport on it's insanely stupid route. Plus we waited 89 seconds (I counted, while balancing my bag) at the moronic D street crossing w/no signal priority.

I'm done with that, until Gov't Center reopens.

A direct South Station -> Airport bus makes a lot more sense than SL1.
 
Matthew said:
To be fair, the SL1 is awful. I took it last month to the airport. Big mistake. 45 minutes, crush loaded to the MAX, had to stand with my bag while the bus went slowly thru the Transuckway, and did loop-de-loop all over the Seaport on it's insanely stupid route. Plus we waited 89 seconds (I counted, while balancing my bag) at the moronic D street crossing w/no signal priority.

I'm done with that, until Gov't Center reopens.

A direct South Station -> Airport bus makes a lot more sense than SL1.
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Out of curiosity, have you tried the Massport Back Bay/Copley-Logan shuttle yet? On a Friday, it will still get stuck in the same traffic in the Ted Williams as the SL1, but you will at least get a seat. It usually takes about 20 minutes to get from Copley to Terminal A.
 
winstonoboogie said:
Out of curiosity, have you tried the Massport Back Bay/Copley-Logan shuttle yet? On a Friday, it will still get stuck in the same traffic in the Ted Williams as the SL1, but you will at least get a seat. It usually takes about 20 minutes to get from Copley to Terminal A.
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It's not only the seat, it's also that it doesn't have to deal with the traffic getting into the Ted from SLW, which gets my vote for dumbest idea in the history of transit.
 
Equilibria said:
It's not only the seat, it's also that it doesn't have to deal with the traffic getting into the Ted from SLW, which gets my vote for dumbest idea in the history of transit.
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On the trip from Logan to Back Bay, the bus uses the U-turn ramp at Allston/Brighton -- another nice idiosyncrasy of our transportation network (No Back Bay Westbound Turnpike exit).
 
JeffDowntown said:
On the trip from Logan to Back Bay, the bus uses the U-turn ramp at Allston/Brighton -- another nice idiosyncrasy of our transportation network (No Back Bay Westbound Turnpike exit).
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They also sometimes use the pike route to go the other direction from Copley to Logan, but will also use Dartmouth St. to Albany and enter the HOV lane to the tunnel. They change the route as required depending on traffic conditions on the pike.
 
JeffDowntown said:
On the trip from Logan to Back Bay, the bus uses the U-turn ramp at Allston/Brighton -- another nice idiosyncrasy of our transportation network (No Back Bay Westbound Turnpike exit).
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I hadn't considered this until I took the shuttle one evening. Made incredible time getting from the airport to the Allston U-Turn and then got stuck in traffic. Didn't end up being too much quicker than the T would have been.
 
I thought I saw the bus on Clarendon once ... was that my imagination?
 
JohnAKeith said:
I thought I saw the bus on Clarendon once ... was that my imagination?
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The airport bound buses turn from Boylston on to Clarendon to St. James to stop across from the Copley Plaza (they also stop at the inbound entrance to the Green Line on Boylston). After leaving the stop on St. James they will either enter the westbound pike, or do the loop around the Westin to head for Dartmouth St.
 
I've thought about it but it's iffy. I get out at Copley and go where, exactly? Not even sure what it looks like, or if it follows the schedule.

Do they take CharlieCards?
 
Yes, they do, Matthew! It's free with your Charlie Card or $5 without one (one way).
 
Matthew said:
I've thought about it but it's iffy. I get out at Copley and go where, exactly? Not even sure what it looks like, or if it follows the schedule.

Do they take CharlieCards?
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It runs every 20 mins 5 AM to 9 PM, leaves the front of the Hynes Convention Center on the hour, 20 past, and 40 past. Next stop is right in front of the stairs from the inbound Green Line entrance at Copley (same stop as Route 9 bus pick-up). Bus usually gets there 2-4 minutes after leaving Hynes. They usually have an A-frame sign on the sidewalk to identify the stop. They also make a second stop at Copley on St. James across from the Copley Plaza, same as Route 39 outbound stop. The buses are standard blue Massport buses, clearly labeled "Logan Airport".

They take Charlie Cards/tickets and just do a visual inspection (so a blank card/ticket with no value will still get you a ride). They also take $5 from debit or credit cards if you don't have a Charlie Card or Ticket (no cash).
 
Ok, I'll give it a shot next time. I wasn't sure how they check your pass. And I don't have a monthly anymore. But if I can just wave a CharlieCard, I'm game.
 
JeffDowntown said:
On the trip from Logan to Back Bay, the bus uses the U-turn ramp at Allston/Brighton -- another nice idiosyncrasy of our transportation network (No Back Bay Westbound Turnpike exit).
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Everyone that takes the pike is supposed to pay a toll so if you get on at Southeast Expressway you pay up at Alston--Brighton. If you get on at Newton, then you payup at Allston--Brighton too. If people are getting off around Back Bay then they're getting a free ride on the Pike.
 
Digital_Islandboy said:
Everyone that takes the pike is supposed to pay a toll so if you get on at Southeast Expressway you pay up at Alston--Brighton. If you get on at Newton, then you payup at Allston--Brighton too. If people are getting off around Back Bay then they're getting a free ride on the Pike.
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Now that they're doing HST, they should look at their options...
 
Digital_Islandboy said:
Everyone that takes the pike is supposed to pay a toll so if you get on at Southeast Expressway you pay up at Alston--Brighton. If you get on at Newton, then you payup at Allston--Brighton too. If people are getting off around Back Bay then they're getting a free ride on the Pike.
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There's actually a toll on the u-turn too. So the only real 'free ride' is between rt. 16 and newton corner, both ways... (or outbound through the ted from south bay or waterfront...)
 
timsox6 said:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/...over-trains/LQcMhbUEQUJsRqiAOoAxXN/story.html

Boston Globe article on the link.
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Weld said he has not discussed the rail link plan with the GOP’s current gubernatorial hopeful. But he adds, “If you said to me, who is the financial genius who could figure out how to finance this, the first guy I’d go to is Charlie Baker.”

“No matter who the governor is,” added Dukakis, a Martha Coakley backer.
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Is this a ploy by Weld to get me to vote for Charlie Baker?--by making a half-promise to build the NS Rail Link? 'Cause its strangely effective.

If Baker is credited with (blamed for?) financing Big Dig and the Greenbush, $1b for NS Rail should be a piece of cake. And its a reminder that Baker, the MBA (Kellogg) just sounds more "mathy"when he does math.
 
Is this a ploy by Weld to get me to vote for Charlie Baker?
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When I read that yesterday, I couldn't figure out what the hell the aim was. I'm still not sure. "We both think this project that no one, including us, is actively working on is good." I mean.... are they putting plans in place? Are they actively talking to people? What's the deal here?
 
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