CATA: Yellow Line (Gloucester – Magnolia)

Oct 17, 2016 | | 0 Comments

The CATA has a very strange obsession with school trips. For every route on their website, they actually put the school trips for each route first, which can be very confusing – “Why does this bus only run twice a day?” My friend Nathan and I ended up riding one of these school trips, but it ended up being a lot crazier than we expected. Time to ride the Yellow Line!

The bus in Gloucester.

Okay, so let’s talk about the Yellow Line as a route. I’ve mentioned before (in my first non-MBTA review!) that the CATA actually has three Yellow Lines with no relation to each other at all. The one we’re talking about today runs from downtown Gloucester to a neighborhood called Magnolia to the southwest.

Looking to the front of the bus.

The bus was similar to the one on the GATRA 140 (possibly the same vehicle). However, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, the GATRA one was much better designed. That one had felt more like a real bus, with a screen up front and better seats, in my opinion. The CATA vehicle had those…minibus seats, and only a simple “stop request” sign that made THE MOST ANNOYING NOISE WHEN TRIGGERED. Also, instead of putting the fare machine up front, they stuck it to the side a bit, getting rid of a whole seat pair!

Nice view!

From the grand CATA hub of Dunkin’ Donuts, we headed down Main Street, passing the businesses of downtown Gloucester. Eventually the street became Western Ave, and came up along the harbor with a huge median and lots of trees and grass everywhere. However, as this was a school trip, we deviated from the normal route by turning onto Centennial Ave. This took us to a loop in front of the Gloucester High School, where other buses had already congregated.

Lots o’ variety here!

After the five minute trip to the school, we now had to wait…15 minutes?? Yeah, they have the bus get to the school before it even lets out! And since this trip leaves from Gloucester, it actually gets other riders – there were two other people who had gotten on before that had to wait, too! Oh well, after the steady stream of students had gotten on, we left and headed back to Western Ave.

A residential neighborhood near the high school.

We went over a river, then passed the Gloucester World War II Memorial where Western and Essex Aves split. We stayed on Western, which curved around through a residential neighborhood. We passed Stage Fort Park, and the street became more woodsey from there. Turning onto Hesperus Ave, it was now entirely forest for the most part.

A fleeting water view!

We passed the Hammond Castle Museum (which looks beautiful), and soon after the street became Norman Ave. The houses were denser now, as we were in Magnolia Square, almost in Manchester but not quite. We turned onto Fuller Street and made a little loop via Hesperus Ave, Lexington Ave, and Flume Road, passing houses and a few businesses in the process.

Looking down Lexington Ave, the “main drag” of the neighborhood.

Now we headed up Magnolia Ave, which was residential once again. Once we reached Magnolia and Western, Nathan and I assumed the trip would be over – on the schedule, it listed this as the last stop. But wait…we crossed over Western Ave and continued down Magnolia! No normal CATA route does this, not even the regular Yellow Line, which would’ve turned onto Western to get back to Gloucester! Well, things were getting weird…

Where are we???

Our original plan was to walk to West Gloucester from Magnolia and Western, but since the bus was now heading in that direction, we figured we’d roll with it. Magnolia Ave had houses along it for a bit, then after some woods, we went by an industrial park. The street curved a bit more before passing under the Commuter Rail tracks, then we reached the intersection with Essex Ave. Perhaps we’d turn towards Gloucester now? Wait, no, we turned westward – away from Gloucester!

Some rather large houses.

Okay…so now we were heading down Essex Ave in the wrong direction. What the heck was going on? And then…we turned onto Concord Street?? It was this narrow street that went by a school and then under Route 128. “We’re getting further and further from West Gloucester,” Nathan pointed out. But I had to see this strange route through.

Hey, at least there’s a nice view!

It was residential on the other side of 128, although we also passed a variety store. We came up alongside a marsh, then turned onto Atlantic Street. It continued along that marsh, with a few houses on the other side. Finally, we turned onto Castle View Drive, entering a gated community, and the final passengers got out in this development.

Some intersection…or something…

Now the driver turned around and asked us where we were going. “West Gloucester,” we said. “This is West Gloucester,” the driver replied. “Uh…could you take us to the Commuter Rail station if that’s okay?” I asked. He kind of grunted, and then drove us back, but it was obvious he wasn’t happy about it. Oh well, at least we made it to the station…

The bus heading down Essex Ave.

CATA Route: Yellow Line (Gloucester – Magnolia)

Ridership: N-O-T G-O-O-D. It’s the least-used CATA route on weekdays with less than 25 riders, and on Saturdays it gets maybe 10-15 (it’s so low down on the graph I can’t really tell). I will say that this school trip got a good amount of people, though – around 15 in total! So I guess school trips are where most of this route’s ridership are.

Pros: Well, the route does serve…stuff. Like, um, a lot of woods. And some houses. The school trips get people…

Cons: Let’s start with nitpicky stuff and move outward. Firstly, that school trip really should leave Gloucester later – if it has actual riders, too, why make them wait at the school for 15 minutes for no reason? Also, you know all that weird stuff on the school trip that didn’t show up on the Yellow Line schedule? Well, turns out it’s on the Purple Line schedule! What the heck?? Can you not show the full route on one or the other? Sigh. But no, the Yellow Line’s main problem is that it really doesn’t serve…anything. Most of the houses it runs by wouldn’t be using the bus anyway! That’s probably why its schedule is so bad – three trips on weekdays and four on Saturdays. Hey, why the heck does it run more often on Saturdays when less people are using it??

Nearby and Noteworthy: Hammond Castle looks incredible, and I actually really want to visit it myself. However, with the Yellow Line’s schedule, be prepared to spend a lot of time there…

Final Verdict: 2/10
Honestly, I see no reason why this route couldn’t just be eliminated outside of the school trips. They seem to be the only ones that get any ridership! Maybe if the Yellow Line got extended to Manchester, it could get more people, but even that would be mostly forest. Okay, I’ll draw it out, why not?

But yeah, I doubt that would get too much more ridership. The Yellow Line could probably be relegated to school service and I doubt too many people would care…

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Transit Day!

Oct 16, 2016 | | 1 Comment

Wow…I had never been to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine, before, so that in itself was an amazing experience. But coming there on Transit Day, the annual event where the museum actually runs much of its collection, was even more amazing! Here’s the full report on the event.

The old Northampton EL station at the entrance.

The entrance fee to the event was $10, which was incredibly reasonable. My friends Sam, Jordan, and John Arico (who thankfully gave us a ride from NH) arrived slightly after opening, paying our fees and getting nice admissions reminiscent of old 1800s train tickets. First we looked at the gift shop for a bit, which offered model trains, books, and other memorabilia.

The station at the Visitor’s Center.

Outside of the Visitor’s Center, the main attraction was a loop for trolleys. This is where all of the streetcars boarded to give people rides. There was also a picnic area, and several sandwiches and snacks were on offer nearby.

A New York car passing through the subway boarding area.

Normally passengers can’t ride Seashore’s rapid transit cars or buses, but both operate on Transit Day. The rapid transit boarding area is a simple wooden staircase, while buses loaded up at a dirt loop across the rapid transit tracks. I’ll be discussing all these trips later, but for now, let’s look at some old vehicles!

I’m sure many of you guys will recognize this one!
Yes, let’s start with 4028, one of the MBTA’s old Flyer trackless trolleys. These started getting phased out in 2004, but they entered service in 1976, so they’re still quite old! Seashore has a few of them, but 4028 is in the best condition, I believe. It was high floor, with mostly double forward-facing seats. I loved the folding doors and rear window! Plus, they kept the old ads up, including a trolley map that didn’t include the 72, for some reason.
An old MBTA work vehicle.
A Flyer signed as the 65, but what the heck is that paint scheme?
A Pullman, formerly a trackless trolley.
Looking inside.
Woah!
Yes, the next point of interest on our little tour were these State of the Art Cars, manufactured by USDOT and marketed for a few US cities. They were meant to be the new standard in rapid transit, but no one wanted them! Unfortunately people weren’t allowed inside, but we could see into one of the cars – it had tables and forward-facing seats, as it was designed for long distance service. The other car had different seat combinations and was more meant for short trips. Imagine one of these operating in Boston!
An AM General United Airlines shuttle.
Awww, yeah, it’s the mock-up Type 6!
What a strange map.
Yes, it’s the mock-up Green Line Type 6 car! This was a scheme by the MBTA to create its own streetcar to replace the PCC, and its one and only mock-up is now at Seashore. It feels pretty wide for a Green Line car, which might be because one set of seats faces sideways. Unfortunately, the cost of mass-producing these vehicles was too high, so the MBTA had to look for outside manufacturers; this led to the Boeing LRVs replacing the PCCs instead.
Morrison Hill Station.
Next, we walked over to Morrison Hill Station, which light rail trips stop at. Its shelter is from an old interurban rail station in Maine, and it’s very quaint. The station serves the nearby carbarn, as well as the restoration shop, which we were unfortunately unable to visit. Morrison Hill is also a great place for train pictures!
An MBTA Type 5 coming around the bend!
A John Stephenson car from New Haven.
That’s a Swiss trackless trolley on the right, while I’m sure everyone knows what’s on the left!
An MBTA “Fishbowl” bus.
A few different vehicles in a corner. 
Now this one is awesome – an articulated Twin Coach bus from Omaha!
Another artic, this one made by General Motors and hailing from Ottawa.
A work car from Claremont, NH.
After this little tour, we headed back to the Visitor’s Center, where trolleys were starting to line up for rides. I was immediately drawn to 1227, a center-entrance car from Cleveland. Why was I drawn to it? Well, one of its destinations was “Miles Ave”! But anyway, the inside was quite nice too, particularly the seating.

The front of the car.
The inside, looking toward the front…
…and toward the back. Those seats were so comfy!

Unfortunately, problems with 1227 led to the train being sent out of service, which was a bit of a process. While that happened, we went and watched some rapid transit movements that were being made. It allowed for some fun comparison shots.

Boston vs. New York!
Boston vs. New York again!
New York vs…uh, New York, I guess.

When we got back to the Visitor’s Center, we decided to take a ride on 303, a J.G. Brill car from New Haven. It was an open trolley, so we figured we’d get a nice breeze as we headed down the track. I can’t imagine one of these being in service now, though – what happened when it got crowded??

The trolley at the Visitor’s Center loop.
The inside.

From the Visitor’s Center, the tracks head up through the facility and soon arrive at Morrison Hill Station. From there, we went alongside the carbarn and then over a level crossing with a dirt road. There were more trolleys and random parts visible on either side, as well as the MBTA’s old fire bus hanging out in a clearing.

Heading around the loop.
Really old Blue Line cars!
Another yard view.
Not the best fire bus picture, but we’ll get back to it.

From there, it became pure scenic as we went through the fall woods. We passed a station used for Seashore’s Pumpkin Patch Trolley, and then the track was basically just straight with no stops. Finally, we reached Talbot Park, the “station” at the end of the line. It’s basically just a turnaround loop with a small platform, and we just headed back to the Visitor’s Center.

Meserve’s Crossing! That’s the pumpkin patch station!
Going under some telephone wires.
Some wrapped-up streetcars near Talbot Park.
A marsh on the way back.

However, we set off again almost right after getting back, as they were doing a run on a New York Redbird! There was also an R-22 train in the two-car set that was apparently used in the movie “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three”, but I think most passengers cared about that Redbird. The inside was surprisingly similar to other New York cars still in service, but it had some awesome ads and neat maps.

The train at the platform.
The inside of the R-22…
…and the inside of the Redbird!

Once we got out to Talbot Park, an odd transfer procedure occurred: the set of Hawker-Siddeley Blue Line cars came up to us and passengers walked from one to the other! Now, I’m sure many of you know what these Blue Line cars look like on the inside – they were around until 2009 when the new Siemens cars fully entered service. For those who don’t know, it was basically like a smaller Orange Line train.

The empty train (once everyone had gotten off). 
We did some more walking around after that; here’s the Redbird again.
An old Elevated car for the Orange Line!
That weird open car was for sightseeing through Montreal!
The other train in the Elevated set, this one a work car.
I decided to take a ride on the Main Line Elevated train out to Talbot Park, and it was pretty sparse on the inside. The poles were all rusting, and the walls were a rather ugly shade of green. The train had certainly seen better days, but it was an awesome ride regardless!
The inside of the train.
*gasp* The CONTROLS!

Once I got back, we all heard that they were going to send a cavalcade of trains down the main line. They were running buses to the point where the trains would pass, so we hopped onto an old CT Transit vehicle to head out there. It doesn’t appear on the Seashore website, for some reason, but it was another GM Fishbowl.

The front of the bus…
..and the back (with an old school bus in front of it).
The inside.
Looking toward the front.
The “route” was a simple dirt road snaking through the museum. It traversed the perimeter of a bunch of different car barns, showing off just how huge their collection is. Eventually, we arrived at the “stop” near the point where the trains would be going by, but we had a bit of time before they would head out, so we explored some of the buses out here.
Some buses.
Some more buses!
A bus from DC.
Ouch…that vehicle’s certainly seen better days.
Oh dear…
Some old parts on the ground, with more sad-looking vehicles in the background.
Yikes!
Aha! Here’s a bus in good condition! This is from Portland METRO.
The cozy inside.
A Fishbowl from Manchester, NH.
The inside.
The driver’s seat!
The MBTA Fire Bus, only recently brought to Seashore.
The inside.
More people started to gather up, and eventually we all formed a “photo line”. Every time a trolley or train came through, everyone would get quiet and the vehicle would rumble past. It was honestly quite magical – no sounds aside from the trains heading through the woods.
The New Haven trolley!
The MBTA Type 5!
The open New Haven trolley!
The Montreal observation car!
The Main Line El set!
The New York Redbird!
The Boston Blue Line cars!
Once all that photo line excitement was done, we headed back to the main area. This time, we rode a different Fishbowl, this one from Lewiston-Auburn, ME. I’ve never heard of either of those places, but apparently Lewiston is the second-largest city in the state, so…wow!
The back of the bus.
The inside.
Ummm…something tells me these aren’t original seats…
The route the bus took back was a bit more woodsey.
Quite woodsey!

Upon return, Sam and I went to Morrison Hill to take pictures of the many trolleys coming back from Talbot Park. I have no idea how they were able to bring so many out there, but it was definitely a pain to turn them around. A lot of the cars were stuck out there for a while, including my friend Josh, who had arrived later in the day. He joined us at Morrison Hill once his car got back.

That old school bus kicking up a lot of dirt.
A North Shore Line car from Chicago.
A Bridge Car from what is now PATTCO.
The Blue Line train…from below.
The Redbird coming through.
The Main Line El train approaching.
The New Haven car.
The Type 5 heading toward the Visitor’s Center.
The open New Haven car.
Man, that Montreal car looks epic!

After that, we walked around back to another North Shore Car from Chicago – this time a dining car. It was in surprisingly good condition, with some very comfy couches and a kitchen that looked functional! There was also a fantastic money shot from one of the windows of three MBTA rapid transit cars.

A SEPTA train.
The Chicago North Shore cars.
Pretty!
The kitchen.
AW YEAH THERE’S THAT MONEY SHOT!
The Blue Line Hawker-Siddeleys again.
The fire bus coming around the bend.
And again!
Another North Shore car going out for a ride.

Next, volunteer John Petillo took us on a tour of the Green Line Boeing car out at the entrance of the museum. These are pretty “new” as well (relative to the rest of the museum), having been retired from service as late as 2009. Honestly, the inside was basically the same thing as a pre-overhaul Type 7, but it was still neat to be in there!

Ah, the good ol’ nonexistent M Line.
The inside.
The front.
The driving area!

And finally, John Arico gave us basically the best opportunity ever…Sam, Jordan, Josh, and I all got to drive a Blue Line train! Yes, after everyone else had left the museum, John (who’s helped out at the museum for years), us, and a few other of his friends all got onto the Hawker-Siddeley cars and went out for a spin! Aside from a slight mishap involving someone putting in too much power (I won’t say who it was, but it wasn’t me!), it went perfectly. It was one of the most terrifying yet exhilarating experiences of my life, but hey, none of us crashed the train, so I guess we could all be Blue Line drivers if we wanted to!

Focusing on the track ahead! Credits for the pictures of me go to Sam.
You have to keep the handle down the whole time or else the train activates the emergency brake.
I managed to get the train up to 25 MPH, which was really exciting!
“Next stop, Bowdoin!”
And finally, the train at night. What an amazing day!

Petition to Keep the MBTA Public!

Oct 14, 2016 | | 5 Comments

I’ve drifted away from talking about news on this blog (the “Latest MBTA News” section of every post hasn’t had any actual content in months), but this petition is incredibly important to sign. Governor Charlie Baker has been pushing for certain parts of the MBTA to be privatized, which would be horrible for everyone. Sam Hegg (writer of Sam’s Operation Oculi) wrote up this petition, and I urge you all to sign it. He explains the negative impacts of privatization better than I could, so read the petition and then sign it to help the MBTA’s workers, riders, and Commonwealth taxpayers. Spread the word!

CATA: Red Line (Gloucester – Rockport via Thatcher Road)

Oct 12, 2016 | | 0 Comments

THIS BUS ROUTE IS RIDICULOUSLY SCENIC AND YOU ALL SHOULD RIDE IT!!! Have I gotten your attention? Great, let’s review the Red Line.

The bus in Rockport.

My friend Nathan and I got on at Rockport Market, which is considered to be the first timepoint of the route. I would make a joke about it not having amenities, but to be honest, even just a sign is rare for CATA! Of course, the stop had nothing else, but a sign is…good…

Beautiful.

We headed down Broadway, then turned onto Mount Pleasant Street, which took us away from downtown Rockport. This was a hilly street lined mostly with absolutely lovely houses (as well as the occasional inn, and they were lovely, too). The road became South Street, and it was still residential aside from a little tea room and a rehabilitation center.

Why, I do believe I can glimpse the ocean back there!

As we came up a bit closer to the water, the houses started to get much much bigger. We came pretty close to a golf course (because of course there would be a golf course in a place like this), but then the road went more inland. Now we were speeding through the forest, going by nice little houses.

Would it be surprising if I said that this isn’t the most scenic part of the route? Well…it’s not.

South Street curved away, and now we were on Thatcher Road. There was a bit more forest, and then we came out into a marsh. The dense houses of Long Beach were in sight across the swamp, and it was a fantastic view! After that, we entered Gloucester and went by an ice cream shop, and then more houses.

Wow!

However, it wasn’t long before the views came back! Thatcher Road eventually entered another marsh, offering a look out to the beach and at distant houses. However, we soon reached…a deviation? Wow, okay, I wasn’t expecting that. Yes, we actually turned into the parking lot for a Stop and Shop, although we did pick someone up, so that’s good.

Best view on the route, guys!

But no, the best view was soon to come…very soon, actually. We turned onto Bass Ave, which became Nautilus Road and went right up to the water. There was a little beach here, and the view was fantastic. But guess what? It would get better! Now we were on the East Gloucester peninsula.

Awesome!

Yes, because then we merged onto Atlantic Ave, which was literally running alongside the coast! We were just going along this somewhat twisty road with an absolutely amazing water view to the left and a bunch of hotels and mansions on the right. Well, I guess that’s how an oceanfront view affects property…

I’m including multiple pictures, because this is amazing.

Eventually, it became houses on both sides as Atlantic curved inland a bit. It merged around into Farrington Ave, which took us across to the other side of the East Gloucester peninsula, where we turned onto Eastern Point Boulevard. This was Niles Beach, and we got another awesome ocean view, and…OH MY GOSH, I CAN SEE BOSTON!

There it is!
A wider look at the wonderful view!

We passed through a section with dense (charming) houses, and then came up to the water again! This time, it was a view of the Rocky Neck peninsula, a really fascinating neighborhood – it’s an “art colony”, with lots of galleries and businesses! The street became East Main Street from there, curving past houses and shipyards with views of downtown Gloucester.

The view of Rocky Neck.

Due to one-ways, the inbound and outbound routes had a short split here. Thus, we merged onto the narrow Sayward Street, which was lined with houses. Next, we turned onto Bass Ave, only a half mile away from that Stop and Shop we had served a while back! Yeah, the trip around East Gloucester is a quite the deviation…

Looking at Gloucester!

Bass Ave was also residential, but soon we got a rapid scenery shift. We passed a park, the street became Eastern Ave, and the surroundings got very industrial (at least on the ocean side – the other side of the street was houses and businesses). Finally, the street name changed again to Rogers Street, and we reached the Gloucester Dunkin’ Donuts in no time.

The bus in Gloucester.

CATA Route: Red Line (Gloucester – Rockport via Thatcher Road)

Ridership: On weekdays, the Red Line is the second-busiest connection between Gloucester and Rockport, although still below average with about 70 riders per day. On Saturdays, it’s even lower, with the Red Line being the third least-used route overall, getting about 35 riders. My trip certainly wasn’t busy – it only had two other people.

Pros: THE VIEW THE VIEW THE VIEW THE VIEW THE VIEW! And, uh, I guess the route serves some stuff, too.

Cons: Like any CATA route, the Red Line’s schedule is insane. It can be generalized to around four trips per day (weekdays and Saturdays), but on weekdays there are strange short-turn trips and crazy school trips to factor into the mix. Also…why does it say “Commutter Rail” on the online schedule? Please fix that, CATA.

Nearby and Noteworthy: Who cares about what’s AWAY from the bus when riding it is so beautiful? Although the Red Line does serve a few points of interest like Niles Beach and Rocky Neck, many are also served by the summer-only Stage Fort Park Trolley, which has a more consistent every-hour schedule.

Final Verdict: 5/10 (but 10/10 for the view!)
As a route, this is probably the worst of the Gloucester-Rockport CATA buses. It’s the most infrequent one, it gets low ridership, and its schedule has a typo! That being said, the Red Line has the best view BY FAR, and I wholeheartedly recommend riding this thing just to look out the window. Just…good luck getting on the thing, what with its schedule and all. Again, the Stage Fort Park Trolley also traverses the most scenic part of the Red Line in the summer, with a much more frequent schedule.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

CATA: Blue Line (Gloucester – Rockport via Lanesville)

Oct 10, 2016 | | 0 Comments

CATA has three routes running from Gloucester to Rockport: the Green Line, the Red Line, and the Blue Line. They all vary in terms of scenery, and each offers a completely different ride. Today, of course, we’ll be taking a ride on the Blue Line, which is the easternmost Gloucester-to-Rockport route.

The bus turning to get into the Dunkin’ Donuts stop.

The bus on the Blue Line was my first time on a CATA Gillig, but it felt a lot like a GATRA Gillig. The seats on this bus were nicer, though, with really great patterns on them. There were no automatic announcements of any kind, and the “stop request” sign (activated by pulling a cord) simply lit up. I also want to point out how strange it is that CATA destination signs don’t acknowledge their line colors in any way! They just say the destination, and not “Blue Line” or “Red Line” as well.

The inside, with mostly sideways seats.

We left Dunkin’ Donuts and turned onto Main Street, running down Gloucester’s main drag. We then turned onto Washington Street, going by houses as we ascended a slight hill. Next, we turned onto Prospect Street, and after passing a park, we headed onto Railroad Ave. There were businesses along here, although we picked no one up at the Commuter Rail station.

Looking down Route 128.

We continued down Washington Street after that deviation, passing more houses. We headed around Grant Circle, and soon after went by Addison Gilbert Hospital. A little past there, the Orange Line turned away and we were left alone on Washington Street.

Wow!
We passed a baseball field, and then came right up alongside a marsh, offering a great view. There were a few businesses here, but mostly the area consisted of houses and some churches. Although the street shied away from the sea, it was still a pretty area, with plentiful trees and charming residences.
How’s about a blurry side street?
It was mostly houses along here, but we did go by a restaurant and a post office at the intersection with Holly Street. Washington Street went onto a peninsula after that, before heading onto a nice bridge over Goose Cove. The surroundings were residential again on the other side, with a few glimpses of Lobster Cove through the houses and trees.
Wowwwww….
There was a rather lovely forested section, with the water still slightly visible through the trees. As the street curved around a bit, we reentered civilization – this was Annisquam Village. It didn’t feel particularly villagey, though…it was just a church, some houses, and a fire station. Still, it was quite charming!
A small river.
The road passed over a tiny creek, and it was all residential from there. There was a bit of a clearing at one point, though, where we passed a field and also got a view of Plum Cove. Washington Street got absolutely lovely after that, with light drifting turns and some charming houses on the sides. We even went by a few businesses in Lanesville, which was such a cute little village.
Looking down a side street in Lanesville.
The street curved up and around to become Langsford Street. It continued to be residential along here, aside from a cemetery. At that point, we merged back into Washington Street, which rose up on a hill alongside some quick glimpses of a beautiful cove. Around here, the street became Granite Street, and we entered Rockport.
Ooooh!
Granite Street curved south and inland, with more houses on either side. At one point, though, we passed a strange industrial building that came out of nowhere. After that, we went by some attractions such as a post office, a fire station, and some really nice churches. From there, the houses became a lot bigger and more expensive-looking, as we were right by the sea.
A bit of a view past some houses.
Other points of interest along here were a pier, and some sort of development with identical houses along the ocean. Unfortunately, Granite Street eventually curved inland, and it was now residential on both sides (lovely houses, though). The road became Railroad Ave, and the reason for its name was evident as we went by the Rockport Commuter Rail station.
Downtown Rockport!
Next, we turned onto Broadway, which was lined with houses, churches, and inns. We soon passed another fire station, a business block, and a library, then turned onto Mount Pleasant Street. There was a common on the corner, while the street had some lovely businesses and buildings along it. Finally, we reached Dock Square, and this is where we deboarded the bus, which got ready to do a Green Line trip.
I like this picture more, but the “VIA EASTERN AVE” gives away the fact that this is a Green Line bus now.
There we go! We’ll just pretend it’s a Blue Line trip…
CATA Route: Blue Line (Gloucester – Rockport via Lanesville)
Ridership: On weekdays, this is CATA’s second-busiest route, with an average of about 125 riders. It’s only the fourth-busiest route on Saturdays, though, clocking in at around 45 riders. Both of these average out to about four people per trip, although I will note that my particular trip got packed due to around 15 runners who got on at a certain stop. Well, okay, “packed” relative to the rest of the CATA, but still.

Pros: This is one of the CATA’s more frequent routes, although that’s not saying much – every 2 hours certainly isn’t anything to be proud of. It’s also one of the more scenic trips on the system, with nice water views and lovely neighborhoods along the whole ride.

Cons: Okay, I have to ask why there are two trips – 6:01 and 6:31 PM – that run from the Gloucester Commuter Rail station to Rockport. Why do they only run from the station, and why are they within half an hour of each other? Other than that, the Blue Line’s ridership isn’t that good, but this is CATA we’re talking about – you really can’t expect much in that regard.

Nearby and Noteworthy: Lanesville was a really great-looking village, but I’m not sure if it’s interesting enough to hang out there for two hours. With regards to the route itself, it’s a pretty scenic way of getting from Gloucester to Rockport, although as we’ll discuss in the next CATA review, there is a better alternative…

Final Verdict: 8/10
For the CATA, the Blue Line is definitely a good one, both operationally and in terms of the ride. The schedule isn’t terrible for CATA standards (and considering the route doesn’t serve a dense area), and it seems to get at least some people. Plus, the ride is pretty scenic!

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

CATA: Orange Line (Gloucester Crossing and Business Express Loop)

Oct 9, 2016 | | 0 Comments

I had…low expectations for this one. I mean, just look at its map! Just seeing it gives me Dedham Local Bus flashbacks…

Ewwwww…

Okay, so this is the “Gloucester Crossing and Business Express Loop”. First of all, don’t call it an express, because it truly is anything but. Its purpose is to provide a local service to the town of Gloucester, which thus makes it the only full-year CATA route that doesn’t go into the middle of nowhere! Does this equal high ridership? Let’s find out.

Okay, I didn’t realize the camera was on “sepia mode” when I took this, so, uh…welcome to old-time Gloucester?

Getting on with my friend Nathan was an interesting experience. The driver (whose name we came to find out was Bill) said something like “I saw you taking that picture of the bus!” Nathan said that I write a blog about buses, which caused the driver and the two old ladies in the back to laugh. We took our seats, and for about five minutes we could hear the old ladies discussing how that was “such a cute idea.” Thanks, I think?

The best picture I could get of the inside…

It was actually a pretty decent minibus. The wheelchair lift was decidedly un-jiggly, and though the radio was playing, it was classic rock rather than awful rap. Stop requests were performed by pulling the cord along the side of the bus. Finally, all CATA buses use CharlieCard fare machines, but they look so weird and out-of-place on a minibus!

A shot of downtown Gloucester.

We left CATA’s super-special hub at Dunkin’ Donuts and headed down Main Street, going by the businesses of downtown Gloucester. Next, we turned onto Washington Street, meandering up a curvy, residential hill. There were a few businesses at Gloucester Station, and then after some more houses and a graveyard, we made our first deviation.

Some houses as we turned off of Washington Street.

This was Centennial Street, which crossed over the Commuter Rail tracks and was lined with houses. We turned onto Emerson Ave for a block, then onto Lincoln Street, stopping near a housing development. After that, we reached the Gloucester High School, where a few turns took us past a stadium and back onto Centennial Street. This took us to Washington Street again, where we continued on our way.

The high school.

After some more houses on Washington Street, we reached a big rotary, where we merged onto Route 128. There was a bit of an express section as we zoomed down the highway until we hit another rotary – Blackburn Circle. We deviated here to go and serve the Gloucester Crossing mall, where a few people got off and we had to lay over for a bit to keep to schedule.

Now that’s a publicity shot!

Some trips also deviate to the Blackburn Industrial Park by request, but clearly we didn’t have one, as we just headed back onto Route 128. We took this all the way back to the previous rotary, where we turned again onto Washington Street, continuing north. The street was mostly lined with houses, but we also passed a hospital. Next, we turned onto Dr. Osman Babson Road, where we looped around another small hospital. And then we went back the way we came.

Leafy!

We headed towards the rotary, but turned onto Poplar Street at the last minute. Aside from more houses, we also passed the Gloucester Public Works and another cemetery. After serving Poplar Park, a housing development, we turned onto Maplewood Ave, going under Route 128. This narrow street was lined with dense houses, and it stayed that way until we got back near the Commuter Rail station.

A residential side street.

There were a few businesses as we crossed the Commuter Rail tracks, but before we could serve the station itself, we had to deviate once more. This required turning onto Smith Street, then Pleasant Street, where we reached an apartment building. The bus actually did a loop around its tiny front drive, then we made our way back to Maplewood Ave.

Looking down Maplewood Ave.

We deviated to serve a Shaw’s, then merged onto Railroad Ave, coming up alongside the Commuter Rail station. After that, we turned onto Washington Street for a few blocks before turning onto Prospect Street. It was lined with rather charming houses, and we also passed a park and an apartment building. Next, we made a rather strange deviation, turning onto Dale Ave in order to serve the Post Office and City Hall.

The end of Dale Ave.

We turned onto Middle Street for a block, then turned onto the residential Pleasant Street, and then back onto Prospect Street. This took us around past more houses and a small apartment building onto Rogers Street. After going by some industry, we came back to the Dunkin’ Donuts, where Nathan and I got off, having completed a whole loop.

The bus on Rogers Street.

CATA Route: Orange Line (Gloucester Crossing and Business Express Loop)

Ridership: On weekdays, this is by far the busiest route on the CATA, with an average of 180 riders – about 18 people per trip! Bill, the driver, said that some days the bus can be empty (my trip got around 10 people), but other times there can literally be standees. Standees on a minibus! What?? On Saturdays, the route only gets around 50 people, about 7 per trip. Again, though, the route can get a bunch of riders on busy shopping days.

Pros: Pretty simple pro here: the route actually gets people! Yes, it’s completely catered to shoppers, but I guess if that equates to ridership, I can’t complain. The true highlight of the trip, though, was Bill. He was one of the nicest bus drivers I’ve ever met, and he seemed to know every single person that got on the bus! He would always tell people to “stay out of trouble” as they got off, which was pretty funny.

Cons: Just look at the route! It’s a mess! Most of the deviations get people, I guess, but it would be great if the map at least had arrows to let you know where the bus actually goes. It’s also ironic that the busiest route on the CATA is forced to use minibuses – if they cut some of the really outrageous deviations (like pulling into the narrow front drive of that apartment building), they could give the route full-sized buses, which would be better. Finally, just as a nitpick, all of the trips leave Dunkin’ Donuts on the hour, but for some reason there’s a trip at 2:08 on weekdays (i.e. 1:00, 2:08. 3:00). I’m sure there’s a reason for it, but it just looks kinda ugly on the schedule.
(UPDATE: Turns out the 2:08 departure is meant to get the bus to Gloucester High School right at dismissal – that makes more sense now.)

Nearby and Noteworthy: Well, if there’s anywhere you want to go in Gloucester, this bus will take you there. The real question is if you would WANT to go to any of these places. No…no, probably not.

Final Verdict: 9/10
Yes, I know there are a lot of cons for this route. Yes, I know I usually hate routes with millions of deviations. But the thing is, it gets people. And for CATA, this is an incredibly frequent route! I guess it needs that “frequent” every-hour schedule, too, since so many people seem to use this thing. Perhaps the best part of the ride, though, was Bill. The way he knew everyone and talked to people was great, and it made the ride such a pleasure! That’s truly what gave this route that extra point to become a 9.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Thanks to everyone from Reddit and Universal Hub who checked out the Hastings review! Also, I did go to Transit Day at the Seashore Trolley Museum yesterday, but it might take me a little while to get the post out…but look forward to that!

Hastings

Oct 5, 2016 | | 19 Comments

Hastings is a very special station…so special that I think it doesn’t deserve a normal review. In writing this post, I stuck the caps lock button on and essentially turned myself insane. Hastings does have a lot to rant about, after all. Maybe this was a bad decision. Maybe the post won’t be entertaining. But I just thought I’d give this stop the scolding it deserves, rational or not. So with that, let’s get into the worst station on the whole Commuter Rail!

THE “PARKING” “LOT”.

OH, WELL, LOOKIT THAT. HASTINGS THOUGHT TO GIVE US PARKING. NOW, ISN’T THAT NICE? IT USED TO BE COMPLETELY UNPAVED, BUT NOW IT’S GOT GRAVEL INSTEAD! WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT! THEY SAY IT HAS SPACE FOR 6 CARS, BUT I’M NOT SURE HOW THEY FIGURED THAT OUT, SINCE THERE ARE NO SPACES – IT’S JUST A PATCH OF FREAKING GRAVEL!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO HASTINGS.

ALRIGHT, DO YOU WANT TO SEE HASTINGS’S PLATFORM? WELL, WONDER NO LONGER, FOR THOU ART LOOKINGETH RIGHTETH AT IT! IT’S. JUST. GRAVEL! AND IT’S NOT EVEN, LIKE, NICE TINY GRAVEL THAT’S WALKABLE! NOOOOOO, HASTINGS HAS BIG ROCKS TO MAKE YOUR WAITING EXPERIENCE THE BEST ONE POSSIBLE! BLUMPITY BLUMPITY BLUMP BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY

OH WOW CHECK OUT DAT SAVAGE INFORMATION BOI

WELL, AT LEAST HASTINGS HAS A NICE SCHEDULE POSTED. HEY, QUICK QUESTION, IF SOMEONE WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF STICKING A SCHEDULE UP HERE, WHY DIDN’T THEY PUT A FREAKING STATION SIGN UP TOO?? BUT OKAY, I DIGRESS, DEAR FRIENDS. AT LEAST THEY HAVE A SCHEDULE…OH WAIT, IT’S FROM 2014. EVERYTHING HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED SINCE THEN! WHAT THE HECK??

AND I THINK TO MYSELFFFFFF WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLDLELEDLLDLEDLDL

WELL, NOW WHAT’S THIS OTHER SHEET HANGIN’ UP ON DAT SIGNAL BOX? OH, OKAY, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW ARRIVAL TIMES HAVE CHANGED SLIGHTLY WITH THE…2016 schedules? Okay, no. NO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE CAME HERE, PUT UP THE THING ABOUT THE ARRIVAL TIMES IN 2016, BUT DIDN’T BOTHER TO CHANGE THE OLD SCHEDULE! IT’S SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE!

THANKS FOR THE WARNING, MOM

THIS. THIS SIGN IS THE ONLY INDICATION THAT HASTINGS IS A TRAIN STATION. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT GIVES SIMPLY AN ENCYCLOPEDIC LEVEL OF INFORMATION, DOESN’T IT? WELL, WITH THAT, I GUESS THIS REVIEW OF HASTINGS IS OVER, SO…wait…what’s that next to the sign?

…

Okay…so someone came here with a sharpie…and made that…someone went to the effort of coming here…and writing information in tiny letters that no one will ever see. They…they even drew a little sign around “Hastings” and gave the MBTA website and everything! So…this is the signage. THIS IS THE ONLY INDICATION THAT PEOPLE ARE WAITING AT THE HASTINGS COMMUTER RAIL STATION ON THE FITCHBURG LINE IN WESTON, MASSACHURSETSTES! HASTINGS? MORE LIKE HATE-STINGS, BECAUSE THIS STATION IS THE WORST!

GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN

STATION: HASTINGS

RIDERSHIP: GEEZ, A WHOLE 44 PEOPLE ARE SUBJECT TO BOARDING AT THIS PLACE EVERY DAY? I AM SO SORRY.

PROS: THE ONLY PRO I CAN THINK OF IS THAT AT LEAST THIS PLACE GETS ONLY GETS FIVE TRAINS IN EACH DIRECTION, WEEKDAYS ONLY! SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE BASED ON THE LOW RIDERSHIP…

CONS: MY GOSH, THIS WHOLE STATION IS A CON! HASTINGS IS JUST A BLACK HOLE OF CONS! OR MAYBE JUST A FLAT-OUT BLACK HOLE, SINCE IT BASICALLY HAS NOTHING! NO PLATFORM, NO SIGNAGE, BARELY ANY PARKING, AND THE ONLY INDICATION OF THE STATION NAME IS WRITTEN IN SHARPIE!

NEARBY AND NOTEWORTHY: YES! THERE IS A FIELD NEARBY, COMPLETE WITH SOCCER GOALS AND A BASKETBALL COURT! MAYBE YOU CAN USE IT TO WORK OFF YOUR ANGER AT HOW BAD HASTINGS IS!

FINAL VERDICT: 0/10
HASTINGS DOESN’T DESERVE ANY KIND OF POSITIVE INTEGER FOR A SCORE! IT IS NOTHING. LITERALLY NOTHING. PUT A SIGN HERE, AT LEAST! OH MY GOSH, THIS REVIEW MADE ME GO CRAZY…

LATEST MBTA NEWS: SERVICE UPDATES

Stay tuned for more normal reviews in the future! And let us never speak of this place again.

Lincoln

Oct 4, 2016 | | 0 Comments

There are five Fitchburg Line stations that require crossing the outbound track to board on the inbound, and four of them are in a cluster. I’ve reviewed three out of those four, and Lincoln is by far the best one (not that it has much competition – don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about that last one that shall not be named), but does that make it good? Let’s find out.

Did I mention this was a night review? Don’t expect the best pictures…

My friend Nathan and I got off on the outbound platform, having done our monumental trip from Silver Hill. It’s definitely underwhelming, but I suppose no one would ever be waiting here, so it doesn’t matter much. There’s no shelter along the whole thing – indeed, there aren’t even benches! All the platform offers is a few wastebaskets.

This is a rugged bike rack…

Lincoln has a weird platform setup – they’re both along the same track, but staggered. The “outbound” one is to the north of the station’s level crossing, while the “inbound” one is to the south. To get from the outbound to the inbound, you have to walk along next to a post office, then go over the crossing. Along the way, you can find an unworking payphone and a bike rack in the middle of some trees that apparently gets usage. Can’t complain!

Looking down the inbound platform. Sorry guys, this was the best I could do…

The inbound platform is dominated by a building, which itself has a few businesses and offices in it. What kind of features does it have? We’ve got another bike rack, some stairs that lead to nowhere, some radiators, some wastebaskets, a schedule, a single bench, and newspaper boxes. Also, no shelter at all…ech. Finally, the station map has a pretty funny error, showing Beverly as being a station on the Rockport Line but not the Newburyport Line!

The boarding area.

I gotta say, although Lincoln requires passengers to cross the outbound track to board on the inbound, it has the best facilities of any such station on the Fitchburg Line. First of all, the electronic scroller gives safety warnings about the crossing, which is a good touch. Also, the area has lots of signs and paint to make sure it’s obvious what to do.

The station parking lot.

Lincoln has a rather…interesting parking situation. It features a decent amount of spaces (161), and is paved and well-organized and all that, but…it still uses an honor box! Seriously, Lincoln, do you really think people want to be stuffing dollar bills into tiny slots just to park? Upgrading to Pay By Phone isn’t that hard!

Goodbye, blurry beast…

Station: Lincoln

Ridership: Okay, it’s the Fitchburg Line, so you can’t expect anything too high…Lincoln gets 391 inbound riders per weekday. Of course, it was empty when Nathan and I were here, it being night and all.

Pros: Lincoln has a good amount of parking, double that of neighboring Concord. Its outbound platform is functional considering barely anyone would ever use it, while the building on the inbound side is charming. Although the inbound platform requires crossing the main line to board, at least it’s the “safest” station to do it.

Cons: Well, number one is the honor box, which is ridiculously antiquated and needs to go. More important, though, is that the inbound platform really needs more seating and some sort of shelter – it has a good amount of amenities, but they forgot the dang shelter! Maybe they could just stick a (I can’t believe I’m saying this) bus shelter over by the boarding area to make operations more streamlined. Actually, why are there two platforms in the first place? Consolidation would be really simple…

Nearby and Noteworthy: There’s nothing too special near here: a post office, a supermarket, a bank, and…an art gallery? Okay, that’s pretty cool.

Final Verdict: 5/10
Yeah, it’s functional, but Lincoln is quite far from perfect. Honestly, changing that honor box would raise the score to at least a 6, and that’s not a hard fix! That inbound platform is kind of a mess, though, and putting some sort of shelter with seating near the boarding area would be great (but probably not something the MBTA is willing to do). But crossing the outbound track is something that flat-out can’t be fixed unless they build another platform, so…sorry, Lincoln…

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Wachusett

Oct 1, 2016 | | 1 Comment

Well…this was unexpected, wasn’t it? The MBTA gave this station practically no advertising at all! Admittedly, it has very limited service at the moment – Wachusett is only getting two trains per day. But hey, since it’s open now, what say we give it an ol’ review? Sam and I only had around 15 minutes here, but let’s take a look at the newest station on the MBTA!

The platform.
I really like the open part of the platform. It’s reminiscent of Weymouth Landing, with a high wall on one side (featuring a nice concrete design) and a single track on the other. Each station sign features a historical photograph, and every other one has a bench. The platform stretches on for quite a while – a lot further than any train would ever stop.
The ramp.
However, there is a purpose to the long platform, in that it leads to a ramp up to the exit. It feels like any other modern Commuter Rail ramp, including a “break bench” in the middle. It takes passengers up above the train tracks and under some pylons before arriving at the station “lobby”.
The “lobby”…or whatever you want to call it.
The “lobby” area of Wachusett doesn’t have much, and it doesn’t need to. The first thing to notice is the electronic station sign – my gosh, they’re awesome. And sure, they don’t say anything other than “Welcome to Wachusett Commuter Rail Station” yet, but it’s cool that this place has new signs. The lobby has bike racks, too, and some wastebaskets to finish it off.
Now we’re talkin’!
Of course, I can’t forget about the busway and shelter! The busway is just a loop for MART vehicles to turn around, but I’m really glad they’re bringing service here – they have one route to Fitchburg, and one to Gardner. And that shelter! Oh my gosh, it’s so nice inside. Hearing the rain pitter-patter on the roof while sitting on a brand-new bench…I could’ve stayed there for hours!
The parking lot under construction.
Wachusett’s parking isn’t complete yet, but eventually the station will have 360 spaces. Right now, the lot is mostly just a big expanse of dirt, traffic cones, construction vehicles, street lights, and patches of soil. I’m sure that come completion, though, this lot will look great!
And finally, the shelter…from above!
From the lobby again, a set of stairs takes us full circle back down to the platform. The station shelter is modern, and basically what you would expect from a newer Commuter Rail stop. Beyond the shelter, another ramp rises up to another part of the parking lot, so there are accessible entrances on either side of the platform.
It’s a new station, so here’s a bunch of train pictures!
Station: Wachusett
Ridership: This evening, the place was practically empty aside from a few folks coming to take pictures or check it out. Once full service starts, though, ridership should increase as people start to realize the station is open. It’s slated to get around 400 people per day, which would be average (maybe even above average) ridership for the Fitchburg Line.
Pros: This station is very appealing aesthetically, for one thing – the platform, bus shelter, and scenery all look great. Commuters from Gardner will definitely appreciate Wachusett, as coming here and taking the train will be faster than just driving to Boston (and I’m glad MART is providing bus service to Gardner, too). Also, when winter rolls around, the ski trains that run here should be great for day trips to Wachusett Mountain.
Cons: The only negative aspect about Wachusett is that it has the potential to become another Wickford Junction (i.e. a new Commuter Rail station in the middle of nowhere with low ridership). For now, the station’s emptiness is just because of the timing of the limited trains, although they’re only running them in the first place because they had to open the station by the 30th or else incur fines from the grant that funded a large portion of it. Once full service begins in November, we’ll be able to see what Wachusett’s true ridership is.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Unless you’re going skiing, there’s nothing of note here at Wachusett. It’s essentially in the middle of nowhere…
Final Verdict: 9/10
From a purely aesthetic point of view, Wachusett is near-perfect for the Commuter Rail. The platform is like a more rural version of Weymouth Landing (another fantastic station), and the MART bus shelter is top-notch. This station also offers a lot of parking, and is right next to Route 2 for easy commuting. Honestly, the only worry I have for Wachusett is low ridership, but this place has a lot more potential than Wickford Junction – there’s a reasonably-sized city close by (Gardner), and come winter, it will hopefully be packed with skiers!
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Silver Hill

Sep 29, 2016 | | 5 Comments

This is one of the least-served stations on the entire Commuter Rail! With only two trips in the morning and three trips in the afternoon, clearly Silver Hill is a station for commuters only. But what it lacks in service, it makes up for with lots of charm!

The road leading to the station.

As you walk toward Silver Hill (which my friend Nathan and I were doing), the area has a certain…feel to it. You know…all the houses around are huge, and there are long-ish sections of woods between each one. This is Weston, after all – one of the wealthiest towns in Massachusetts.

Wow…such glorious amenities!

So…the parking here is a bit dubious. The MBTA website says it has none, but that patch of gravel next to the station is most definitely used by cars. Of course, there’s no rhyme or reason to it – some people park forwards, some park backwards, and some just use it as a pick-up area. The station also has a bike rack, which is locked to the fence (arguably not a necessary precaution in Weston, but I digress).

How charming!

Yes, the platform is unpaved. Yes, you have to cross the outbound track to get to the inbound side with no crossing whatsoever. But…it sure is a lovely place, isn’t it? The wooden road bridge over the station adds lots of character, while the shelter is awesome. It feels so rustic inside, and it may only have a single bench, but it gets the job done really well! There’s a great sign on the shelter too, saying that the station has had continuous service since 1844. Wow!

A train blazing through!

Station: Silver Hill

Ridership: Oh boy, get ready for this: a whole 15 people per day! Don’t get me wrong, it makes perfect sense since it gets so few trips. On another note, Nathan and I got an outbound train from here and went one stop to Lincoln – quite possibly the first time such a trip was ever made in history! The conductor gave us a strange look…

Pros: Ahh, it’s just so charming. It really feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere when you wait here, right down to the wooden bridge, stairs, and shelter. Also, the parking here is free, and I’m sure that lot will never get full!

Cons: This place is still in really bad shape. The platform isn’t paved at all aside from the shelter, and even the tracks are in subpar condition here. Having to walk across them to the inbound side is annoying without pavement, as well. Yes, we’re talking about 15 people per day here, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is below the minimum one would expect for a Commuter Rail station.

Nearby and Noteworthy: Do you like big houses? Great! That’s basically all you’ll see out here!

Final Verdict: 3/10 (sorry!)
Look, I’m gonna admit that I fell in love with Silver Hill’s immense charm while I was here. It really is an awesome place to hang out. But…you guys understand why I gave it a 3, right? It’s just so basic and it gets so few trains that it’s just…a 3. However, I will say that the limited service it gets makes the station a true hidden gem, and it’s most definitely worth checking out.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

Sam’s Operational Oculi: Running Time, Layover, and Cycle Time

Sep 28, 2016 | | 9 Comments

In this Operational Oculi, I decided that I’d take a quick break from garage walkthroughs and begin to tackle the subject of how a public transportation schedule is made. Some terms that I am going to try to define today are “running time”, “layover”, and “cycle”. I am hoping that this post (along with my others coming up later) will give you an appreciation for why your bus arrives at a certain time (and how in most cases it’s not random).



Almost every route in the area has an “inbound” and an “outbound” direction. Even routes like the MBTA 201 and 202, which for the most part are loops, run “outbound” and “inbound” (and change directions at a given point in the route). At most times of the day, especially during rush hour, most people want to travel only one of those two directions. This can prove to be challenging, since there is a bigger demand for service in one direction than the other. Transit agencies strive to keep their buses comfortably full at all times. Since buses can’t just magically spawn at the places that they are needed, equal service is usually given to both directions of the route. This isn’t always the case, and we’ll go over those special cases some other time.



For the purposes of this post, we’ll assume that every route has its own buses that run back and forth on it. In another post, I’ll try to explain what “interlining” means and how most buses will run several routes in a given day. However, there are plenty of routes on the MBTA and elsewhere that follow this model of having their own buses that run back and forth and don’t run on any other routes (such as the 111 and 352). In order to build a schedule, you need to determine: a) how often the bus should come (the headway), and b) how long it will take from Point A to Point B (running time). The running time heavily influences the headway; it can affect how quickly a bus can do a round trip and therefore how frequently the bus can come. On routes that aren’t interlined, the running time is probably one of the biggest factors of what can determine a headway to ensure that service runs on time and also frequently, efficiently utilizing all of the buses that could be given to run that particular service.

Running time is calculated by taking archived, real-time data from buses, discarding outlier sets of data (that one day two weeks ago when traffic was gridlocked shouldn’t be built into the schedule), and finding the median amount of time from there. It is a very delicate science to assign running time: too little running time and the bus runs late, too much running time and the driver will drive slower than is necessary to avoid running early. This is where layover time can come in handy. Layover time is the time between when the bus arrives at its destination until the time it has to leave on its next trip. Layover time is crucial to keeping buses on schedule. The MBTA requires a minimum of 20% layover time after every trip (so, for a 25 minute one-way trip, 5 minutes must be designated as layover time. This means that during the 25 minute trip, the bus can be delayed up to 5 minutes and still be able to leave in time for its next trip. The scheduled running time for a round trip plus layover on each end is called the cycle time.

So let’s try to apply all of this into an example route. Let’s say that there’s a route 63, running from Alewife Station in Cambridge, to Central Square, Waltham, running via Waverley Square in Belmont. Running time data suggests that the trip takes 25 minutes on Saturdays. Service every 30 minutes has been deemed optimal. We can determine the minimum layover time by taking 20% of the 25 minute running time, which is five minutes. Adding up the running time in both directions, plus two six minute layovers on each end, means that we have a 60 minute minimum cycle time on this route. This works out perfectly, since 60 is divisible by the 30 minute headway that we were striving for. The cycle time divided by the headway equals the number of buses required to run the service. Since 60/30 = 2, two are required to run the service. Most of the time however, the optimal headway is not evenly divisible by the cycle time. In these cases, three things could happen: the layover time could increase, the headway could change, or the route could interline with another route. The last scenario mentioned has become increasingly common, and I hope to get the interlining post that I mentioned earlier up in the near future.

That’s it for this post. Please be sure to stay tuned for more posts from Miles and some more stuff by me in the future!

Kendal Green

Sep 26, 2016 | | 3 Comments

Kendal Green, Kendal Green, Kendal Green…yup, this is a station, all right. I think I’ve exceeded the number of interesting words I can possibly say in this intro…

Looking down the platform. By the way, that speck is an unfortunate presence on my camera lens…I really need to get that fixed.

Okay, the first thing to note about Kendal Green is that it’s a pretty small station. In fact, when my friend Nathan and I got out here, we were let off in the middle of the grade crossing! Another thing to note about this place is the fact that in order to board inbound trains, you have to cross the outbound track. They have pavement on the tracks to make it easier, but it’s certainly not an optimal setup.

Underneath the shelter.

This station has a rather charming building that provides a bit of shelter. Underneath it is a bench, a wastebasket, a bike rack (very convenient), a schedule, and…polls? Yes, for some reason there were election polls hung up on the wall. Is this really a place where people come to vote?

Looking the other way down the platform.

The rest of the tiny platform isn’t particularly noteworthy, and thus we move on to parking. Now, I actually didn’t know this place had a lot when I was here, so I’m basically relying on Google Street View and the MBTA website for my information. But yes, Kendal Green has a small lot with 57 spaces. It seems like it gets pretty full on weekdays, which could be bad if people can’t get in, but at least the parking’s free!

A train heading into Boston.

Station: Kendal Green

Ridership: Oh dear, not much at all…Kendal Green only gets 162 inbound riders per weekday. It’s the fourth least-used station on the Fitchburg Line.

Pros: This station definitely has charm to it, especially with that building. Its amenities are fine considering its ridership, and the free parking is nice, as well as the bike rack. Finally, I like the way this station is scheduled – outside of the peak, it’s always a flag stop. This is a good way of letting people get on if they’re there, but not having to hinder other passengers on the train if the platform is empty.

Cons: It’s just a very basic station. The platform is tiny, and there isn’t even one on the inbound side! That being said, I guess it does match the ridership.

Nearby and Noteworthy: No, the surrounding area is basically all houses. It’s only a mile to the closest 70 stop, though!

Final Verdict: 5/10
I dunno, it’s just…Kendal Green. I certainly see its charm, and it has a good amount of it, but the lack of an inbound platform is really bad. Even then, giving this a 6 would mean it’s better than Concord, which it most certainly isn’t. Kendal Green does its job fine, but it definitely has its fare share of problems.

Latest MBTA News: Service Updates

MBTA Bus Roadeo!

Sep 25, 2016 | | 5 Comments

This year, I got the chance to attend the 40th Annual MBTA Bus Roadeo, and it was an absolute blast! My friends Jordan, Nathan, Nick, Sam, and I met up at Sullivan at around 6:30, and then we walked over to Charlestown Garage where the Roadeo was taking place. When we got there, breakfast sandwiches and coffee were available, and people could go inside buses 1459 (an Xcelsior that’s barely been in service), 291 (an RTS converted to a work bus with trolley wires), and 2600 (an ancient GMC from 1957!).

The view of all three buses from across the yard.
A shot of 291 after it had been moved.
The inside! Slightly different from a regular RTS, eh?
A better view of 2600.
The inside! Those seats were comfy.
A look at the driving area.
Oh yes, they also had this tiny train-bus thing on display!
Ah, the MBTA’s failed Nova Bus prototype…

At around 7:30, the main event began. The Roadeo is a competition between the best drivers on the MBTA – there are a bunch of requirements just to be eligible to enter. It involves a course through Charlestown Yard, where drivers are tested on a variety of different criteria. Additionally, they are tested on uniform and posture, as well as being able to find defects on a bus.

Operator 68014 at the start of the course.

Also, I ended up volunteering as a “runner”. This meant that as the buses went around the course, I would go to each judging station and collect the scoresheets to bring back to the scorers. It was a really fun job, and I’m really glad I was able to help out!

Getting the handoff from judge Lorraine Landsburg! Photo credit to Sam.

But you guys want to hear about the course itself, don’t you? With humorous and energetic commentary blasting over the speakers, buses had to traverse 11 challenges in the course (there were also three more that I’ll discuss at the end). The first vehicle challenge was getting the bus’s wheels through tennis balls without knocking them over. They got closer as it went along, and they were already tight to begin with!

Operator 71340 about to head through the tennis balls, with judge Jay Orlando looking on.

After that, buses had to take a left-hand turn. This one was incredibly difficult, since the cones on either side were so tight! Each challenge was graded on a scale of 50 points, and with this one, 25 were lost from hitting one of the entrance cones leading into the turn. Buses also lost points for shifting into reverse.

72113 making the turn.

The next challenge was also a tough one, where buses had to reverse leftward into a narrow alley of cones, then come out again. It was hard to get through without hitting at least one! After that, buses would do the same thing but on the right, and then make a right-hand turn with more narrow cones.

69646 backing up.

Buses had to make a “stop” after that, judged by how far they were from the curb and whether they made ADA announcements or not. From there, the next challenge was a slalom, where vehicles had to navigate their way around a set of cones. They had to face the “Offset Street” challenge next, which involved running through a straight set of cones, then doing an s-curve to another set of cones.

A bus (not sure about the operator number) making a stop.

Buses had to make a second stop after the Offset Street, and then we got to the most exciting part of the course: the “Diminishing Clearance” challenge. Here, buses had to go at least 20 MPH while not hitting any barrels – then they had to stop as quickly as possible to avoid hitting one final cone. It was exhilarating seeing buses speed through, and cheers from the crowd and commentator would erupt every time a barrel was sent flying.

72019 about to barrel through the barrels! That’s a pun or something.

Another aspect of the Roadeo that was just as important as the course was finding bus defects. These were more behind-the-scenes, taking place at the garage, and involved drivers having to find eight defects on a vehicle. There was even a “bomb” on board! Drivers were also scored on their uniform -every aspect had to be absolutely perfect.

The Maintenance Roadeo.

Also happening in the garage was the Maintenance Roadeo. This was where members of maintenance teams would have to perform challenges on various bus parts, such as starting up an engine. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to spend a lot of time back there due to my “running” duties, but it seemed pretty cool!

Inside the big dining tent.

Once the events were over, it was time to eat! There was some absolutely fantastic barbeque at the Roadeo, and more than enough for everyone to dig in. They also had popcorn and cotton candy, a DJ, and a bounce house for the kids. Finally, the results were announced: in 1st Place was Reynaldo Beato right from Charlestown Garage!

Announcing the results.

Overall, the Roadeo was super fun! It was great to see the buses navigate around the course, and meeting a bunch of instructors while collecting sheets was a blast. Finally, I want to give a huge thanks to Justin Grizy and Lorraine Landsburg for inviting us in the first place and making this all possible. Hope to come back again next year!

Some buses lined up.
And with the Roadeo over, the Charlestown buses came back to pull out!