RIPTA: 19 (Plainfield/Westminster)
Okay…I know Walmart contributed to the destruction of American cities and brought everyone out to the suburbs and represents everything wrong with American consumerism and whatnot…but man, they really have everything, don’t they? And for such low prices! The Walmart in Cranston, RI was the first one I had ever been in, and…wow, what an experience! But then I remembered what Walmart did to America and went right back to hating it. Anyway, did you know that there’s also a bus that goes to the Walmart in Cranston, RI? Let’s talk about that.
 |
| Yes, it’s the 19! Also, don’t ask what my friend Michael and I were doing in Cranston at 6:00 at night. |
This route is basically as simple as running from this Walmart in Cranston back to Providence. So yeah – we headed out of the parking lot and turned onto Plainfield Pike. The road went downhill, playing host to both houses and suburban businesses with parking lots. There was a brief residential neighborhood before we got to the intersection with Atwood Ave, where there was retail on all sides.
 |
| An earlier trip speeding along Plainfield Pike. |
Past that intersection, the road became just Plainfield Street, and it had a bit of an industrial feel. I mean, there were houses and businesses, too, but it just wasn’t a very nice neighborhood. It became entirely residential soon, but it was all broken by a storage place – a clear sign that we were in the suburbs. Unfortunately, it was also the start of another semi-industrial section.
 |
| Beautiful. |
Once again, though, it became houses after a little while. Eventually, we reached a park. where we turned onto…Plainfield Street. Okay, I guess the street decided to take a right, too. Now it was dense, with a lot of houses along the road, interspersed with sketchy-looking restaurants.
 |
| Oh dear, that is not a nice intersection… |
Pocasset Ave merged into Plainfield Street near an apartment building, and we headed under an overpass for Route 6. This took us into Olneyville Square, where we merged into Westminster Street. There were businesses along the road as we headed through the square, then we crossed over the Commuter Rail tracks and under Route 10 in quick succession.
 |
| A few businesses. |
The street was a close mix between houses and random businesses. It continued like that for a good while, actually, before we merged with Cranston Street – now there was a high school and an apartment building on one side, and multistoried brick buildings on the other. We crossed over I-95, then made our way onto Washington Street. We were most definitely in downtown Providence now, with multistoried buildings on all sides. This street led us right into Kennedy Plaza, where the bus let everyone off.
 |
| Those buildings make for a rather pleasant background. |
RIPTA Route: 19 (Plainfield/Westminster)
Ridership: In 2012, the 19 got pretty good ridership, with 1,541 riders per weekday, 980 per Saturday, and 754 per Sunday. Most of these came from the denser part of the route, but a lot of people got on at Walmart, too. This held true for my trip, which only got about 10-15 people, but it was an inbound trip on a Saturday night, so that makes sense.
Pros: This bus serves a lot. The Walmart out in Cranston seems to be a big ridership draw, and a few rush hour trips are extended to the Cranston Industrial Park, so the route definitely has reverse commuting opportunities.
Cons: Aside from the weekday schedule (every half hour), I think the 19 could stand to run a little more often. On Saturdays, it’s every 50 minutes and on Sundays, it’s every 70 minutes. That said, the route is coordinated pretty well with the 17 to provide frequent service along Westminster Street to Olneyville Square, so there’s that.
Nearby and Noteworthy: When I told my band teacher (who’s from Rhode Island) that I took the bus through Olneyville Square, he went “Oh my gosh, that’s the most dangerous neighborhood in Rhode Island! You don’t want to be hanging around there!” So, uh…don’t go to Olneyville Square, I guess. But hey, there’ll always be Walmart!
Final Verdict: 7/10
I was originally going to give this one a 6, but the coordination with the 17 brings it up for me. Most of the 19’s ridership is concentrated on the inner section, and a lot of it is shared with the 17 anyway, so service is more frequent than it looks. That’s not to say that people don’t take the route further, and I would love to see more frequent service in the outer section, but it would just result in less-crowded buses.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Talbot Ave
When the MBTA was upgrading the Fairmount Line, Talbot Ave was the first new station to open, in late 2012. And, uh, I realized that I’ve been really harsh on the Fairmount Line stations I’ve reviewed so far. Yes, the line itself isn’t the greatest, but the stations really aren’t quite as bad as I’ve say they are. So, with that in mind, let’s look at Talbot Ave.
 |
| The station platform. |
The main part of Talbot Ave’s platform is pretty standard Fairmount Line fare, but I like it. There’s a large shelter that runs along the southern part of the station, and underneath it, you’ve got benches and wastebaskets. Plus, many of the station signs have cool historical pictures of the area.
 |
| The other end of the platform, as well as a train in the background! |
However, unlike most Commuter Rail stations, the rest of Talbot Ave’s platform is not bare! It has a few shelters along the whole thing, which is pretty nice and makes the station seem more hospitable. Indeed, the whole place is rather tranquil…until you see the broken glass in the shelters and remember what kind of neighborhood you’re in.
 |
| The station drop-off area. |
One of my favorite parts of Talbot Ave is at the entrance to the inbound platform along its namesake street. That’s right, the station actually has a drop-off area and a parking lot! Okay, so “parking lot” means two spaces that are for people with disabilities only, but it’s still really nice to see in the middle of such a dense area. There are also some bike racks here, and then a long but mostly sheltered ramp up to the platform.
 |
| Well, this is convoluted… |
Meanwhile, the outbound side has another crazy ramp that twists and turns on itself a few times before finally making it up to the platform. Like other Fairmount Line stations, I really wish there was a convenient set of stairs, too. Talbot Ave (the street, that is) is where this station’s bus connection is – the 22 gets a shelter on the inbound direction and a bench heading outbound.
 |
| The Standish Street entrance, featuring some graffiti. |
Finally, Talbot Ave has two additional entrances on its northern side, one on each platform, that lead to quieter residential neighborhoods. They’re both pretty simple, with T logos and signs at each one. plus some more bike racks on the Norwell Street side. However, there’s no way to cross between platforms here, so you have to go around the whole station if you’re trying to get a train in the other direction.
 |
| Two trains meeting! |
 |
| Heading towards Boston. |
Ridership: Well, in 2013, this station got an average of only 82 inbound riders per weekday, but I do hope that number’s gone up since then. I mean…it’s the Fairmount Line, so it’s hard to have high ridership expectations.
Pros: The station certainly tries to look and feel pleasant, and for the most part it succeeds. It’s weird that it manages to be as tranquil as it is, considering it’s not in the safest neighborhood. Also, Talbot Ave has a good amount of bike spaces, and even a few automobile spaces, which is a great inclusion. Finally, the platform offers shelter and seating the whole way down.
Cons: The broken glass all over the place is definitely an indication of what kind of area the station is located in. Aside from that, it would be great if there was a way to connect between the two northern entrances. Perhaps a pedestrian tunnel? Although I imagine that would be more expensive than it’s worth. Finally, the ramps down to Talbot Ave itself are really long…stair alternatives would be nice, although again, cost could be an issue there.
Nearby and Noteworthy: The surroundings of this station are mostly residential, so there isn’t much to see. It’s not the best neighborhood, anyway…
Final Verdict: 6/10
Okay, in terms of the station itself, the only problems are the ramps and the lack of a connection between the northern entrances. So what lowers it down to a 6? Well, the broken glass is ugly, dangerous, and could put people waiting on edge. Plus, there’s the fact that Talbot Ave just deserves to have rapid transit service, as does the rest of the Fairmount Line. I wish I was reviewing an “Indigo Line” station right now!
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
240 (Avon Square or Holbrook/Randolph Commuter Rail Station – Ashmont Station via Crawford Square, Randolph)
So many MBTA bus riders demand that their routes get more service, whether they’re deserving of it or not. Well, here’s a route where those complaints are definitely justified. It seems like the 240 is always packed, no matter what time of day it is. Why could that be? There’s only one way to find out…
 |
| The 240 inching its way past the BAT. |
After the huge crowd at Ashmont boarded the bus (and believe me, it took a while), we left the busway and headed down Dorchester Ave. It was lined with houses for a bit until we passed Carney Hospital, and later on there were businesses as we entered the Lower Mills neighborhood. There was a nice view of some repurposed factories as we turned onto River Street.
 |
| Lower Mills is such a cool neighborhood! |
River Street had some houses and some businesses, but we didn’t stay on it for long. Soon, we turned onto Central Ave, crossing the Neponset River and connecting with the Mattapan Line. Beyond there, the street became all residential, aside from a very fleeting view of a nice little pond.
 |
| The pond is just around that house. |
Outside of a middle school, we merged onto Reedsdale Road, now joined by the 245. It was still lined with houses, but there were points of interest unseen from the road: a fire station, Milton’s town hall, and a hospital were all located on side streets. Next to a church, the 245 headed its own way while we turned onto Randolph Ave.
 |
| A side street. |
Houses were still the principal buildings, but they were a lot further apart, and the woods basically dominated the east side of the road. We passed a golf course, and then houses lined the street again for a time. However, soon after going by a few farms, that was it – we were heading through the Blue Hills Reservation in Quincy with trees on both sides.
 |
| What a pretty driveway! |
There wasn’t much of note for a while, but once we made it past a traffic snag, the bus was going fast! We went through a gigantic cloverleaf interchange with I-93, and beyond there, we were in Randolph. The street was called North Main Street now, and we were back in civilization.
 |
| A shopping plaza. |
There were a few gross parking lots and hotels immediately past the interchange, but it was houses again beyond there. This became retail pretty soon after – indeed, the street was lined with businesses. A little later it became more of a mix, with housing developments or just plain ol’ houses coming between the businesses.
 |
| Well! It’s a man on a key! Okay! |
Eventually, we reached another shopping plaza. And then another. And one more! Yes, we were in Crawford Square, and shopping plazas with parking lots seemed to be popular, though there were also some normal businesses lined up along the street. On weekends, this is where many trips terminate, while on weekdays, some trips follow the 238 down Union Street to Holbrook/Randolph Station. However, we were on the full route to Avon, so instead we merged onto South Main Street.
 |
| A side street in Crawford Square. |
We went by a few municipal buildings and businesses before it became mostly residential again. Some telephone wires crossed over the road and we passed a tennis court, and later on, we went through a brief industrial section. Soon after that, we entered Avon, and arrived at our terminus pretty quickly from there, The driver pulled into the front drive of a church and let us off at a BAT shelter. It was a weird place to end, for sure…
 |
| The bus pulling away toward Ashmont. |
Ah, but you thought that was it, didn’t you? Nope – the 240 has another trick up its sleeve. You see, it has a total of eight trips (seven on weekdays and one on Saturdays), inbound only, that run express to Quincy Center. Yup, you heard me right! So Nathan, Sam, and I waited in Avon to catch one of these strange runs, and indeed, the only one that starts in Avon – the others are from Crawford Square.
 |
| “VIA N. RANDOLPH”??? No, I missed “Quincy Center”! ARGHHHHHH! |
It was the same scenery as before, up until North Randolph, back at that huge highway interchange with I-93. Instead of passing through it, we took that exit and merged right into…traffic. Okay, there was a bit of an accident on the highway, but eventually we passed it and started actually running quickly.
 |
| At least traffic allows for somewhat non-blurry pictures. |
So, what kind of amazing things were there to see? Not much at first – the highway was just running through woods. However, there was still a really cool novelty factor of being on an MBTA bus travelling down southern I-93! Eventually, we got to see some office parks, which was…not particularly exciting.
 |
| A building (after we left the highway). |
We arrived at the Braintree Split, taking the exit and going on Route 3 for just a tiny bit before merging off. We ended up on Thomas E. Burgin Parkway, going right past Quincy Adams, actually! The Parkway became its own little “express” road soon after that, travelling next to the Red Line tracks without any intersections.
 |
| What a beautiful parking lot. |
We rose up to ground level again and passed a few shopping centers. After that, we only had to pass a few houses before we got to Quincy Center – the drop-off busway to the west of the station. And with that, the bus headed off to go back home to Quincy Garage.
 |
| Not in service, unfortunately…I was hoping to get a picture of it signed as the 240. |
Route: 240 (Avon Square or Holbrook/Randolph Commuter Rail Station – Ashmont Station via Crawford Square, Randolph)
Ridership: Very, very high. The route gets 2,912 riders per weekday, 1,640 per Saturday, and 912 per Sunday. Those numbers may not seem too large for the T, but since the 240 doesn’t run as often as other routes, it’s very often packed. My rush-hour trip squeezed about 50-60 people on board, and the route is frequent at rush hour!
Pros: The 240 serves a lot. A lot. The North Main Street corridor in Randolph is huge, and it’s where most of the ridership goes. Also, I understand that the schedule tries its best to alleviate crowding for the most part – the route is anywhere from every 10-20 minutes during rush hour, and every half hour during the day and on Saturdays.
Cons: But the route is always so crowded. It doesn’t help that it runs every 70 minutes at night and every 75 minutes on Sundays. There are also some problems with schedule intervals – on Saturdays, for example, inbound buses at Crawford Square depart on the :00 and on the :20. That means there’s a 20 minute gap in service, then a 40 minute gap. I understand that this discrepancy is because the route is interlined with the 238, but it would be great if the intervals were more consistent.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Mayyyyyyybe Crawford Square, but even that doesn’t seem to be too interesting. Avon Square has a historical building, I think.
Final Verdict: 6/10
The 240 tries its best, it really does – it just can’t seem to satiate its crowds. Also, it doesn’t try at all at night. Or on Sundays. But anyway, this is a lifeline route to Randolph, and seeing how many people use it, it would really benefit from more service, if possible. A good start would just be to even out headways on Saturday inbound service, as well as midday outbound service. Oh, and also, those Quincy express trips are fun if you ever get the chance to take one.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Swampscott
Ahhhhh, Swampscott: a town known for its seaside location and tranquility. Does that mean that its Commuter Rail station has beautiful seaside views and charming houses nearby? No? Why not? Ohhhh, okay…when they say “Swampscott”, they really mean “Yeah, the station is technically in Swampscott, but it’s literally right next to the Lynn border.” So…this place may not be as nice as I thought it would be…
 |
| One of the station’s parking lots. |
Considering that Swampscott Station is in the middle of a dense residential area, it has a pretty impressive amount of parking. There are lots on both the north and south sides of the tracks, adding up to 133 spaces, which get about two-thirds filled on weekdays. The south side of the station features a few bike spaces, as well as some newspaper boxes.
 |
| Looking down the platform. |
The station itself is…kinda terrible, actually. First, I’ll address the building, which is somewhat charming, but the rest of the surroundings just drag it down. I mean, the platform is really bare with ugly metal barriers and a gross chain link fence across the tracks (which makes it unnecessarily hard to get to the other side of the station, for the record). There are no benches on the outbound side, while the inbound side has some under a generic Commuter Rail shelter.
 |
| Oh gosh… |
And then we get to the mini-highs. Hooooo boy, the mini-highs. They are completely bare. Absolutely nothing. This presented problems with my train, and presumably many others: it was raining outside, so of course all the passengers were waiting under the shelter way down the platform. Once the train came, everyone had to walk to the mini-highs, which held everything up by at least a minute! The mini-highs are long – there’s plenty of room for shelter and a bench!
 |
| An express train speeding through. |
 |
| The local coming in. |
Ridership: Well, you can’t say Swampscott doesn’t get high ridership! On the average weekday, it gets 884 riders, making it the 26th-busiest station on the Commuter Rail. It’s interesting to note how few of those people drive here – it’s a dense neighborhood!
Pros: I know the station is called “Swampscott”, but it’s in a good location to also (and perhaps mainly) serve transit-dependent East Lynn. It offers a good amount of parking for the area, and I like the fact that it has a building, despite the fact that it doesn’t serve much of a purpose.
Cons: Swampscott is uglyyyyyyyyy. Oh, don’t get me wrong, parts of the town are very pretty indeed, but the station is not one of those places. From the concrete of the station embankments to the metal barriers to the chain link fences everywhere, waiting here isn’t a pleasant experience. Of course, it’s made even less pleasant by the fact that the mini-highs are both completely bare and far from the shelter.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Nothing much, to be honest. However, the ocean (not the beach, though) is about a 10 minute walk away, so maybe you’ll find some stuff down there.
Final Verdict: 4/10
Swampscott serves a lot, but it sure ain’t pretty or even functional whilst doing it. Bare mini-highs are a big MBTA pet peeve of mine, especially ones that are far from the station shelters, so Swampscott needs to get it together in that regard. Give your high-level platforms some shelter! As for the aesthetics, it’s unlikely they’ll get an upgrade anytime soon, so we’re unfortunately stuck with them.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
424 (Eastern Ave and Essex Street – Wonderland Station via Highland Ave)
This is probably one of the strangest Lynn express routes, partly because it’s only an express in the evening! That’s right, the 424 only runs from downtown during the evening rush; in the morning rush, it gets cut back to Wonderland as the 424W. I took the full evening rush route, so we have a long trip ahead of us!
 |
| The bus at Haymarket. |
We left the Haymarket busway and did the whole loop-the-loop shazam to get around onto I-93, then we took the exit into the Callahan Tunnel. I’ve always liked the Callahan and Sumner Tunnels, if only because they don’t have that typical Big Dig-style tiling on the walls. We came out of the tunnel in East Boston, curving around up onto an elevated structure.
 |
| Wow, what a…great view… |
After going by Airport Station on the highway, the view got a lot more industrial. Also, the road stopped being a “highway” pretty soon after that, and we started passing stops. However, the nice thing about the 424 is that it doesn’t make the weird stops out here that the other express routes make, so that’s a small plus (although I imagine very few people use the stops to begin with).
 |
| Oh nooooooooo… |
We passed that point where the 120 joins the express routes for a block on its Waldemar loop, and then we went through more industrial wasteland (in heavy rush-hour traffic, of course). Mixed in with the huge random vats were some sketchy airport-related businesses. Next, the highway curved its way into Bell Circle, which is where we started making stops along with the other routes.
 |
| This area is so pretty and scenic, isn’t it? NO. |
The road entered some form of residential neighborhood, although the nature of the road certainly didn’t make the area feel like a “neighborhood”. Also, as we curved west, it got industrial once more before we merged onto Salem Turnpike at a rotary. This is always the best part of any Lynn express trip, where the bus gets to just zoom through open marshland at top speed!
 |
| Oh hey, it’s a building! |
The marshland was broken by a gigantic factory, then we crossed over a river into Lynn. The area was entirely industrial for a bit, including the MBTA West Lynn Garage, but eventually, the road (now called Western Ave) became lined with houses and businesses. Near a fire station, at the intersection with Market Square, a few routes turned off to serve Central Square, but we just stayed on Western Ave, whose scenery was still pretty similar.
 |
| Going by Lynn Garage. |
We passed a Super Stop & Shop, and after that the surroundings became more residential. We did go by a baseball field at one point, and there were retail and industrial buildings at certain intersections, but it was houses for the most part. Finally, we reached Eastern Ave and turned onto it, breaking away from the 450 at last. Was it a unique section? No, we were running with the 456 now, but it was nice to have a change of scenery.
 |
| A side street from Eastern Ave. |
Of course, “change of scenery” is a moot point, since the surroundings were essentially the same. We were still going by mostly houses, with the occasional businesses at some intersections. The difference was that it was a narrower, quieter street, and the bus was basically empty by this point. And then, at a random street stop…that was it. Last stop! Okay…
 |
| Welp…see ya. |
Route: 424 (Eastern Ave and Essex Street – Wonderland Station via Highland Ave)
Ridership: Although the route only gets an average of 258 riders per day, you have to keep in mind that since it’s rush hour only, the ridership per trip is much higher. My ride had about 25 people on board, most of whom got off along the shared section with the 450.
Pros: I don’t have too much to say here, actually. Its role as a supplement to the 450 is good, as is the commuter-oriented schedule – five trips in the morning and four in the evening, spaced about half an hour apart.
Cons: Why the heck doesn’t the route go downtown in the morning? Or conversely, why the heck doesn’t the route start at Wonderland in the evening? Bottom line: BE CONSISTENT. My main gripe in this regard is if you have a commuter that relies on the 424W, perhaps for the lower fares. Well, what are they supposed to do in the evening? They have to pay the inner express fare on the 424 from downtown (which is kind of a joke anyway, considering the route is barely “express” once across the harbor), or take the 455 from Wonderland and change buses. Now isn’t that a pain??
Nearby and Noteworthy: Do you like sketchy Lynn businesses? Great! There are plenty along here.
Final Verdict: 4/10
I like the 424’s concept: it provides extra supplementary service to the 450. Great. However, its inconsistency between the morning and the evening rushes drives me crazy! Here’s my proposal: just run all 424 buses to Wonderland. This would allow for a low-cost alternative for commuters who live along the 450 route, plus the shorter route could free up a few buses for the other packed Lynn routes. Win-win, I say!
UPDATE 9/1/19: Now every 424 does go to Wonderland! Hooray! As far as commuter routes go, I would call this a solid 7 now.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
West Newton
Welp, we’ve finished the B Line, which had some truly horrible stations. As long as we’re on this high (or low, I guess), we might as well complete another set of terrible stops: the Worcester Line Newton stations. I’ve done Newtonville and Auburndale, so now it’s time to tackle the rotten meat of this disgusting sandwich, West Newton.
 |
| Oh nooooooo… |
Yup, this being a Newton station, it’s right next to the highway! The loud, noisy, fuming highway! Excellent. And guess what? It only has one platform! And since they were doing track work the day I came here, we had to get off on the wrong track, crossing to the platform via a boardwalk! We’re off to a great start, aren’t we?
 |
| This shelter is in fantastic shape, isn’t it? |
The shelter is a rotting, dilapidated mess. So basically, it’s what you would expect from a Worcester Line Newton station! Yes, it’s the classic I-90 shelter, with a few benches and a wastebasket underneath its rusting roof. There are some ads and torn-up schedules to see, as well.
 |
| One of the staircases leading out of the station. |
The rest of the platform is basically bare, aside from a few more wastebaskets. So now, let’s talk about the exits, which for some reason go underneath the dingy overpasses and then curve around back up! What is preventing the staircases from just rising up from before the bridges? What’s more, they’re the kind of staircases that you can see through as you climb! I’m just gonna quote my Auburndale review here: “Hope you’re not afraid of heights!”
 |
| Ewwww… |
Both entrances to the station offer the same…*ahem*…”amenities”. That means a “Commuter Rail Station” sign, a station name sign, and in the case of the western one, a lone newspaper box. However, one thing this station does excel at is parking. It’s got a total of 213 spaces, located in two…unsigned lots. And one of them is across a busy street from a station entrance. But hey, at least there’s good parking!
 |
| A standard Commuter Rail train… |
 |
| …and a little CSX locomotive passing through! |
Ridership: This is the least-used Newton station, and actually the least-used station on the entire Worcester Line – it only gets 284 inbound riders per weekday. Strange, considering that it’s the Newton station with the most parking.
Pros: Actually, yeah, the parking. And that’s about it.
Cons: West Newton has all your typical I-90 station cons. It only has one platform, the shelter on that platform is horrible, and the noise of the highway is constant. I also hate how the staircases go from the other side of the bridges and loop around – that’s so stupid! It’s dingy under those bridges, man!
Nearby and Noteworthy: Nearby Washington Street has plenty of businesses and restaurants, including a local cinema!
Final Verdict: 2/10
Overall, much like the arrangement of the stations themselves, I would slot West Newton in between Auburndale and Newtonville. It has a decent fence, unlike Auburndale, but it still has horrible staircases, unlike Newtonville. The decent amount of parking is ultimately what brings this up to a 2 for me, since it’s hard to find parking in such a dense area, anyway.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
GUEST POST: Plymouth and Kingston/Route 3
Adam sent in this guest post reviewing the two termini of the Kingston/Plymouth Line. Thanks, Adam!
Today’s review takes us to the two terminus stations of MBTA Commuter Rail’s Plymouth/Kingston Line which are Plymouth Station and Kingston/Route 3 Station. I recently got to visit both Stations and wrote this review to tell you guys what I thought about them!
 |
| The train at Plymouth. |
 |
| The parking lot at Plymouth. |
 |
| The platform at Plymouth (looking inbound). |
 |
| Dead end! |
 |
| The train at Kingston. |
 |
| A railroad crossing right before the station. |
 |
| Interesting to see this set of F40PH locomotives together in the layover yard. |
The last time I visited Kingston/Route 3 Station, I saw a huge parking lot with lots of cars in it, and it’s much bigger than the one at Plymouth Station, with 1,039 parking spaces, to be exact. Although the view wasn’t as great as it was at Plymouth Station, I still enjoyed my visit there and would recommend it to other railfans!
 |
| The parking lot at Kingston. |
Stations: Plymouth and Kingston/Route 3
Ridership: Both stations have low ridership. Kingston/Route 3 usually draws an average of 683 passengers per weekday while Plymouth Station only draws 30 passengers per weekday. Both stations are in the middle of nowhere, though, which probably explains it!
Pros: Both stations are great to visit and are always quiet, with a great sight seeing view on an awesome line.
Cons: Only four weekday outbound trains (061, 063, 065 and 067) serve Plymouth Station per day, which means it’s limited service.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Both stations are in the middle of nowhere. Therefore there are no stores or mini malls around, but Kingston does have a soda machine and a place to buy breakfast items and tickets, but that’s only open during the morning rush. On the Plymouth side, the only thing nearby is a bunch of houses, but there is GATRA that services both stations and can take you to Plimouth Plantation and Plymouth Rock.
Final Verdict: 5/10
I just wish Plymouth had a vending machine to get snacks and drinks from in between trips and that there was some sort of shopping center that was at least 15 minutes max worth of walking distance from each station, but overall I just love going to the South Shore to railfan!
The B Line: Exposed (FULL MOVIE!)
“The B Line: Exposed” is finally here! Watch as Sam, Nathan, Jordan, and I traverse the most hated line in Boston to review every one of its stops, descending into insanity as we go! It’s quite an adventure, filled with humor, anger, and lots of craziness…
Boston College
Oh my gosh, we’ve made it! We’ve finally made it! We’re at the end of this HORRIBLE line! Okay, so this is the “grand terminus” of the B, and it’s way better than most other stations on it. And by “way better”, I mean that it’s…somewhat decent. Boston College, everybody!
 |
| Looking at the station’s yard. |
The drop-off system at Boston College is interesting, to say the least. Normally, trains let out along a platform within the station complex that stretches around a building for MBTA employees. Simple enough, right? But SOMETIMES – ostensibly when three-car trains are operating – trains will let out at an in-median platform on Commonwealth Ave! Now isn’t that just a wee bit confusing?
 |
| The crazy boarding platform! |
Boston College has a really weird boarding platform, as well. It’s basically a bunch of staircases and ramps going all over the place! Well, we’ll start with the “entrance”, which features some newspaper boxes, a staircase, and a ramp leading in the…general direction of the platform, I guess? It’s more complicated than it looks.
 |
| What is this insanity?! |
Of course, despite the weirdness of the platform itself, this station has some actual amenities! Huzzah! There are benches and wastebaskets and a proper ADA platform, and best of all: shelters with benches under them! The B has finally figured it out! Too bad the platform can only board one car of a train. Yeah, that’s a pretty big design flaw, isn’t it?
 |
| Some trains in the station. |
Station: Boston College
Ridership: Sadly, this is not a particularly well-used stop, with only 1,136 riders per weekday, slotting it at sixth-worst for the B. So…why is this the stop that gets all the amenities?
Pros: Yes, as I mentioned, there are proper amenities here, and Boston College feels like an actual, true station. It actually has benches under shelters!
Cons: There are three main problems with this station: the deboarding process is inconsistent, with two separate platforms; the multileveled inbound platform feels more complicated than it needs to be; and it can only board one car.
Nearby and Noteworthy: There’s a little business block next to the station with restaurants, and of course, it’s right near the sprawling Boston College campus.
Final Verdict: 6/10
And thus, we’ve reached the unsatisfying end of a rather unsatisfying adventure. The B Line is…terrible. And most of its stations are terrible. There’s definitely a lot of work that needs to be done to make this line wheelchair accessible, let alone…y’know, good. So hopefully, improvements are in the future for the most hated line in Boston. Stay tuned for “The B Line: Exposed“, coming out tomorrow!
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Sutherland Road, Chiswick Road, Chestnut Hill Ave, and South Street
Well…it doesn’t get worse than this. We’ve hit the bottom of the barrel, people. I’m…I’m not even sure to begin with these stations. Let’s just head down the line.
 |
| The platform at Sutherland Road. |
Okay, I have four stations to talk about, except none of them have anything! So…yeah, I have no idea how I’ll be able to write this review. But yeah, these four stations literally have nothing. Just…asphalt. Sutherland Road has some nice trees on the outbound platform, I guess.
 |
| Chiswick Road. |
And Chiswick Road is more of the same. I would say that they should put benches on the inbound platforms, but you can’t, because they’re so narrow! There’s no room! When a train goes by, it feels like it could graze you!
 |
| The platform at Chestnut Hill Ave. |
Okay, here’s Chestnut Hill Ave – looks identical to the other ones, right? WRONG. This station has the most narrow platforms I’ve ever seen at a train station. The picture is pretty deceiving of this, since the outbound side gets wider by the intersection, but as you go further down, the platform is just the yellow line. Now isn’t that funny? Passengers aren’t supposed to stand on the yellow line, yet here, there’s nowhere else to stand!
 |
| Moving on to South Street. |
Anddddd…yeah, South Street is basically the same as the other ones. So, what else is there to say about these horrible stations? Uh…well, a few of them still have service alerts hanging up from 2012! Great to see that the B is up-to-date! Finally, I figured I’d mention the track connection between Chestnut Hill Ave and Cleveland Circle/Reservoir – it’s always cool to see trains running down there.
 |
| Alright, one train per station. And yeah, I know I used the first one in Washington Street, too… |
Stations: Sutherland Road, Chiswick Road, Chestnut Hill Ave, and South Street
Ridership: These are some of the lowest-ridership stops on the B: Sutherland Road gets 856 riders per day, Chiswick Road gets 615, Chestnut Hill Ave gets 626, and South Street gets 214 (the least-used station on the B and the fourth least-used on the whole MBTA).
Pros: NOPE.
Cons: Can these even be considered “stations”? I mean, the MBTA website does, but THAT SEEMS PRETTY DUBIOUS TO ME. They literally have nothing at all. I’m basically reviewing strips of asphalt here! Wonderful!
Nearby and Noteworthy: It’s mostly apartments out here, but you’ll find a bit of retail in little pockets along Comm Ave.
Final Verdict: 1/10
These are definitely the WORST stations on the Green Line. Yes, the E Line street-running stops are bad, but at least they have T symbols, and some have shelters! Plus, they’re on wide sidewalks! I mean, with these stations, if you take a step backward a car will run you over, and if you take a step forward a train will run you over! Yeah, these stations are most definitely deserving of their bottom-of-the-barrel scores.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
The MBTA’s New Hydrogen-Powered Bus!
We’ve been seeing a lot of new buses lately, but this one definitely takes the cake. The MBTA has a pilot bus that runs on hydrogen that just entered service! Sam and I caught it at Sullivan on the 109, and after a passenger tried to “arrest” us for taking photos, we stepped inside. And…oh my gosh, it is absolutely amazing. It looks and sounds nothing like any other bus on the MBTA, with facts about the bus in lieu of ads, and some simply wonderful sounds as it accelerates and decelerates. Take a look at these pictures!
 |
| The bus coming into Sullivan. |
 |
| Wow, that’s quite a lineup! |
 |
| A solo shot. |
 |
| The awesome interior! |
 |
| Some of the “ads” in the bus. |
 |
| I’m not the biggest fan of the “stop request” font, but that’s unimportant… |
 |
| Looking towards the front. |
 |
| The bus in Everett. It looks so cool! |
 |
| Goodbye! |
Washington Street
Aha! We’ve finally hit a gold mine, people! Well…more like a mine of gold that’s really kinda lame and low quality, but better than what’s in the other mines surrounding it. Yes, we’ve arrived at Washington Street, and it’s…passable?
 |
| The platform! |
Yes, Washington Street has ADA platforms! And proper barriers protecting passengers from traffic! And wheelchair ramps at the ends of the platforms! And a modern shelter on each side! And…no benches under them. Oh come on, really? Why can’t the B ever get this right?? Darn it…
 |
| I’m kinda cheating a bit, but here’s a train en route between Sutherland Road and Washington Street. |
Station: Washington Street
Ridership: This is a major station on the B, and it has the fifth-highest ridership on the line, with 1,885 people per weekday. It’s kinda funny that nearby Warren Street actually gets more people, though, despite not being as major of a station in the T’s eyes.
Pros: We have proper platforms again! We have proper barriers again! We have proper shelters again!
Cons: But still no darn benches! The B gets so crowded that many people aren’t able to sit on the train, so why not let them sit at the station, at least?
Nearby and Noteworthy: There are some businesses here, but you’re not gonna find too much of note unless you walk (or take the 65) to Brighton Center, a little over a mile away.
Final Verdict: 6/10
Well, we’re basically at the level of the Boston University stations again. And honestly, Washington Street is slightly worse than those stations (it only has one shelter on each side, for example), but it’s a lot better than what’s around it. And as we head further west? Abandon all hope ye who enter…
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Griggs Street/Long Avenue, Allston Street, and Warren Street
Harvard Ave is a horrible station because it deserves so much better, what with its accessibility and high ridership. That’s why I got into an all-caps rant in that review. However, with the trio of Griggs Street/Long Avenue, Allston Street, and Warren Street, we’re back to typical B Line badness – nothing to get too worked up about.
 |
| Well then… |
Yeah, of course, “typical B Line badness” does mean “incredibly terrible”. Here we see the inbound platform at Griggs Street/Long Avenue, which is a ridiculously long name for a station, incidentally. All three stations have similar inbound platforms, with an ugly, benchless shelter and crumbling concrete barrier.
 |
| The outbound platform at Allston Street. |
Okay, it has to be said that Allston Street’s outbound platform is slightly better than the other two. Yes, they’re all completely bare, which I guess can be excused this far out on the line – although based on the picture above, there are still some people that travel outbound even out here. Allston Street one-ups the other two stations with a somewhat proper barrier, however; Griggs Street and Warren Street are merely curbs.
 |
| Warren Street has quite a shelter! |
Warren Street is more of the same for the most part, but it is one of the more unique stations on the B. The outbound platform is simply asphalt with no barrier, as usual, but the inbound side is on a really steep hill! Its shelter has to be super offset from the ground in order to be straight! Yes, there are still no benches, but it’s definitely an interesting sight.
 |
| There were a few train pictures I liked from these stations, so have three! |
Stations: Griggs Street/Long Avenue, Allston Street, and Warren Street
Ridership: Griggs Street and Allston Street get pretty standard Green Line ridership, with 1,203 and 1,437 riders per day, respectively. Warren Street, on the other hand? It’s the fourth-busiest station on the B, with 2,047 riders per day! Huh…okay!
Pros: There isn’t much good to say about these stations, but at least each one is unique. Griggs Street/Long Avenue gets the reward for longest station name on the MBTA; Allston Street is the only B Line station with the metal barriers seen on the outbound platform; and Warren Street has that incredible hill!
Cons: Butttttttttttt…they’re still standard B Line stations. That means essentially nothing going outbound, and a single solitary shelter with no bench going inbound. Great…
Nearby and Noteworthy: There’s not much in the way of businesses around here, aside from a few supermarkets and convenience stores. I like the look of the apartments along this part of Commonwealth Ave, though!
Final Verdict: 3/10
Yeah, whatever, I’ve got nothing new to say here. However, I will say that these stations get imaginary bonus points for being unique!
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Harvard Avenue
I thought this would be a good one! I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD ONE! It…it looked so promising… But nope, turns out Harvard Avenue is just as stupidly bad as every other B Line stop. Wonderful.
 |
| The outbound side. |
The sad part is that the outbound side is actually okay! I mean, it has an ADA platform with a nice curve and a fence blocking passengers from traffic. The shelter has no benches under it, but it’s a modern shelter. The platform also has a wastebasket and a wheelchair lift. So yeah, one would think that if the outbound side is this competent, then the inbound side would have to be even better! Well…
 |
| WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS THIS??? |
THE INBOUND PLATFORM IS A JOKE. A JOKE! LOOK AT ALL THOSE PASSENGERS CROWDED ON THAT TINY THING! SURE, THE PLATFORM IS ADA, BUT IS THERE SHELTER? NO! ARE THERE EVEN ANY BENCHES? NOPE! ALL YOU’VE GOT IS A HORRIBLE WASTEBASKET! ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!
 |
| An inbound train. |
Station: Harvard Avenue
Ridership: Oh, you know, it’s only the BUSIEST STREET-RUNNING STOP ON THE ENTIRE GREEN LINE! It’s such a shame those 3,602 riders per weekday have nowhere to SIT!
Pros: The platform is great – it’s ADA, it has the yellow bumps, wonderful. And for the few people going outbound, they shouldn’t have much of a problem here.
Cons: Too bad the VAST majority of people here are going inbound! Because, you know, people commute into the city. And for a major “accessible” stop like this one, you would think a shelter would be a given. Heck, you would think a bench would be a given! My gosh, the 66 stops here, and it gets a shelter on one side and a few benches on the other side – you know it’s a bad station when the bus stops have more amenities than the train platform!
Nearby and Noteworthy: Harvard Ave is a major street lined with businesses, although Commonwealth Ave around here is mainly apartments.
Final Verdict: 4/10
This station is just…stupid. Considering the huge amount of riders it gets, how can the inbound platform get away with not even having a single bench??? Who thought it was a good idea to give the outbound platform a shelter but not the inbound? Harvard Ave gets a 4 because its platform is in good ADA condition, but only because of that. From a planning perspective, it deserves way lower.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Babcock Street and Packards Corner
Finally we’ve left Boston University! My gosh, so much of the “straight” section of the B Line is in the shadow of BU! But now, we’re departing both the university and the “straight” section of the line as it takes a left onto the much more curvy part of Comm Ave. But first, we need to look at the final stations on this inner section of the line: Babcock Street and Packards Corner.
 |
| The shelter at Babcock Street. |
Okay, one thing I can say about the shelters at the previous stations is that at least they were somewhat modern. Sure, they were benchless and horrible, but at least they looked decent. Welp, that’s been thrown out the window at these stations, where now we have these really ugly old shelters. And guess what? Still no benches!
 |
| Packards Corner’s platform. |
Packards Corner is noteworthy because it’s where the B takes a left and leaves the 57 once and for all. And of course, I’m sure many of you know that Packards Corner has a track stub where the former A Branch to Watertown used to split off! It’s not much, but it’s cool to see. But…nah, the station itself is still terrible.
 |
| A train rounding the curve! |
Stations: Babcock Street and Packards Corner
Ridership: Babcock Street has pretty average ridership, with 1,387 riders per weekday. Packards Corner, on the other hand, is one of the busiest stations on the Green Line! It gets 2,654 riders per weekday, and boasts the second-highest ridership on the B and the ninth-highest ridership for the Green Line branches.
Pros: Well, there’s a shelter on both inbound sides. That’s…nice. Packards Corner has a somewhat decently-sized barrier on its inbound platform.
Cons: Basically the same problems as before. These stations still don’t have benches under their shelters, and the platforms are in terrible condition.
Nearby and Noteworthy: There are a few final outposts of Boston University near here, but by this point, Comm Ave is mostly dominated by businesses and apartments. Also, check out the A Line stub at Packards Corner if you’re interested!
Final Verdict: 3/10
Meh. These stations aren’t at all noteworthy by themselves, aside from the stub at Packards Corner. The B Line still has no idea where to put its benches at stations, so sheltered seating is still out of the question. So yeah…nothing to see here.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates