Science Park/West End
It took some self-persuasion to go to Science Park (not always referred to as “West End”). After spending some time at the Museum of Science, I wanted to walk to Lechmere to experience the great Green Line ride. However, if I did that, I wouldn’t have a new station to post about. Instead, I decided to walk to Science Park, but take the train toward Lechmere. Then I would transfer to a train towards Boston and come back.
Before 2011, Science Park was painfully dated. It was a big, green, ugly elevated structure, there was ivy growing on the bridge pillar leading up to it, and it wasn’t wheelchair accessible. Because of this, the MBTA shut down the station (and Lechmere) for a six month rehabilitation project. The station reopened with a modern look and accessibility. And I have to say, it looks really good.
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| The old Science Park compared with the new. I couldn’t find any pictures of the old Science Park on the internet, so I’m lucky Google hasn’t updated Street View of the location yet. |
Anyway, the station has four entrances: two stairs and two elevators, one on each side of the station. I wanted to experience the elevator ride, so I went into that entrance. I found myself in a tiny room with two other people. It was extremely cramped as I went through the single fare gate. The elevators have voices in them that tell you what floor you’re on (“lobby,” “mezzanine,” or “platform”). They’re also glass, so you get a good view of the street and surrounding areas on the ride up.
I got off at the mezzanine to see what that entrance was like. This one is also small, with a narrow passage leading to another single fare gate. Since I was going to Lechmere, I had to take a separate elevator on the other side of the station. This one had the same voice, and it provided great views of the Zakim Bridge. Going up to the platform, there was one other person waiting. That actually surprised me, since Lechmere’s only one stop away. There was a decent crowd on the Boston-bound side, however.
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| I just love this picture. I don’t entirely know why, but I do. |
Station: Science Park/West End
Ridership: This is a very touristy (actually a word; you learn something new every day) kind of station. Obviously, people use this to get to the Museum of Science.
Pros: This station is one of the newest (if not the newest) station on the MBTA because of its rehab in 2011. This gives it a very modern feel. It also has a nice, simple layout. Plus, who doesn’t love elevated stations?
Cons: It’s just so cramped in this station. Even with only three people in the elevator entrance, I could barely move a muscle. The signage could also be improved; as my train back to Boston was leaving the station, I saw two tourists step out with a map of the system. I assumed they probably wanted to take the B, C, or D lines. The MBTA should really make it more clear that only the E line goes to Science Park (and Lechmere). Finally, it doesn’t have any MBTA bus connection, though Lechmere is in walking distance.
Nearby and Noteworthy: The Museum of Science… duh.
Final Verdict: 7
The modernity of this station is something I really like. Being the oldest subway in America, some stations are just too old fashioned. However, going to this station makes you miss out on one of the best views on the system. It’s also way too tight. I guess there’s just not much room to add more space to the station. Though this can’t really be helped, the station is relatively hard to get to, since it’s an island in the middle of the street. The signage thing can easily be fixed though. Make note of that, MBTA…
Latest MBTA News: Shuttle buses are operating between JFK/UMASS and Ashmont stations on April 20-21 from start to end of service. There are also a LOT of bus route diversions. Just look at the list on the MBTA website.
Deval Patrick vs Legislature
If you haven’t been following the news, Deval Patrick made a plan in January to create large improvements to the MBTA, as well as to roads and bridges around the state. This would include Commuter Rail service to Hyannis, funding for the Green Line extension to West Medford, and a massive expansion of South Station (among others). To carry out this plan, there would be tax hikes to get the money, such as raising income tax, sales tax, or putting tolls on major interstate highways.
Evidently, the legislature thought this was a hefty sum, so they suggested a less extreme plan. It would raise cigarette and gas taxes to eliminate debt on the state’s transportation system and the MBTA. However, this would mean only half of Deval Patrick’s plans would be implemented. Patrick said he would veto the $500 million bill. Now his relationship with the legislature is uneasy as they enter a debate about the plan on Monday. What’s especially interesting is that Patrick and the legislature are in the same political party. We’ll see what happens in terms of the plan on Monday. For the full article, click here.
31 (Mattapan Station – Forest Hills Station via Morton Street)
If this review seems a bit short, it’s because the bus itself is. However, in this case, that’s not a bad thing. The 31 is a great time saver if one needs to get from Mattapan to Forest Hills. It starts out on Blue Hill Avenue with the 28 and 29, but it quickly turns off onto Morton Street to Forest Hills.
Like the 28, the 31 has many more people getting on at Mattapan Square than at the station. After that, the stops on Blue Hill Ave are relatively minor, with only one or two people (if any) getting on at each stop. Once it gets onto Morton Street, the stops get much farther apart and the bus goes through southern Franklin Park. At this point, the bus travels very fast, not picking anyone up or dropping anyone off. It goes right by the Shattuck Hospital (though the route’s a good resource for people who need to get there), and pulls into Forest Hills Station.
This is a faster way to get between Mattapan and Forest Hills than the 30. It’s only a five minute difference (or so the MBTA schedule says) but the 31 runs much more frequently than the 30. So frequently, in fact, that you can pretty much forgo consulting the schedule and still not have to wait that long. The trip is scheduled to take about 12 minutes, but it probably took me 10. It’s also way faster than the train; with the train, you have to take the Mattapan High Speed Line to Ashmont, wait for a Red Line train, take it up to Downtown Crossing, wait for an Orange Line train, and take it back down to Forest Hills. If you need to get from Mattapan to JP, this is your bus.
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| You can tell from the snow in the background that I did not take this bus recently. |
Route: 31 (Mattapan Station – Forest Hills Station via Morton Street)
Ridership: This is a route that people take from start to finish. Pretty much everyone on the bus was using it as a link from Mattapan to Forest Hills (though some people probably use the Shattuck Hospital connection, too). The bus was half-full on a Sunday – not bad.
Pros: Two words: time saver. This is such a fast, easy way to get from Mattapan to Forest Hills and JP. Its headways are absolutely amazing for a non-Key Bus Route: Every 5 (!) minutes rush hour, every 10 minutes midday, every 13 minutes on Saturdays, and every 18 minutes on Sundays. That’s better than the 116 and 117, and those are both Key Bus Routes!
Cons: This might be a con just for the sake of having a con, but this route should definitely be a Key Bus Route. Problem is, that’s not necessarily a con, since I’m saying it’s such a great route that it should be more prominent (EDIT: Turns out the 31 is actually being considered an upgrade to being a Key Bus Route, according to this Wikipedia article. I guess that makes this even less of a con!)
Nearby and Noteworthy: The place that comes to mind is the Shattuck Hospital. The 31, along with the 21 from Ashmont, provides very frequent service here. I wish I knew someplace good this bus goes that’s not a hospital… but I don’t.
Final Verdict: 10
Well, viewers, this seems like a good time to review my rating criteria. A 10 means a bus that is perfect (however, that perfection is relative; we all know public transportation will never be perfect). The only con I gave this bus was that it’s such a great route that it should have more recognition, and that’s not even a real con. So with that, I present to you and excellent time-saver and the first 10 on this blog: the 31 [smatterings of applause]!
UPDATE 7/6/19: 8/10
Long-time-coming update here, as this has been the case for a while. The route has since become every 21 minutes on Sundays, which is awful and I hate it. Until it becomes every 20 or less, I’m sticking with an 8.
Latest MBTA News: April 13-14, the Red Line will run shuttle buses between Harvard and Alewife. And don’t forget that the Blue Line is running shuttle buses from Airport to Wonderland this weekend. Finally, if you haven’t noticed, I’ve added lists of bus routes and train stations on the blog. You can find them by clicking on the tabs that say “Bus Routes” or “Train Stations” on the top of the blog page. Or you can just click on the links provided.
Service Change: Orlando International Airport Shuttle, Super Star Shuttle, LYNX Bus Route 42 (International Drive/Orlando International Airport), and the I-Ride Trolley
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| The stations are actually quite nice. |
Interestingly, the monorail uses the same (or at least similar) rolling stock as the Atlanta airport train! They are both automatically driven, they both have the same shape, and they both only have two seats – one at each end. The resemblance is uncanny, but I don’t know if they’re exactly the same. The stations are very nice and modern, but the monorail can be very crowded. Overall, it’s a nice way of getting to your gate, and trains come every minute or so.
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| Adios, Mr. Train! |
To get to the Universal Orlando amusement park from the Crowne Plaza (an excellent hotel, by the way) and a number of other hotels, you have to take the Super Star Shuttle. Sure, there are other ways of getting to Universal, but the Super Star Shuttle is direct and FREE! You just get a boarding pass from your hotel and get on. Unfortunately, my parents and I were late finishing breakfast. The woman at the front desk told us the bus left, and missing one is catastrophic, since the bus only goes every hour for a limited time. We had to make a mad dash across the street to get to it.
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| The buses are wrapped in an ad for the “Orlando FlexTicket,” making it impossible to see out of the windows. |
Once we had gone to all of the hotels, the bus driver stood up with an introduction. At first I thought it would be a stupid lecture about safety, but it was actually quite entertaining. The driver made his safety instructions interesting, and he gave us some interesting facts about the park on the ride back. Speaking of which, don’t use this bus if you’re not planning to spend the whole day at Universal. The first bus to go back to the hotels is at 6:45 PM, so plan to spend a while at the park.
The buses have comfortable seats, but they get extremely crowded. They also have TVs in them. On the way there, the TVs showed a commercial for the FlexTicket on a continuous loop. On the way back, it showed that live action Garfield movie, which was considerably more entertaining. Overall, the Super Star Shuttle is a great, easy way to get to Universal.
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| This picture was taken during the commercial. See the TV? |
I, of course, wanted to take a bus in Orlando. Preferably, I wanted to take the system that the locals use, the LYNX bus. A really nice woman at the hotel printed out schedules for us since we didn’t have a WiFi-equipped device. I noticed that one of them, the 42, was conveniently very close to our hotel and went to the airport! I managed to talk my mother into it (my father thought it was a good idea already), and we planned the trip.
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| It took a while to get the camera out, so the result is a shot that’s up close and personal. |
Since almost all of the LYNX routes run every hour on Sundays, we had to know exactly where to pick up the bus. My mother and I went on a scouting mission, when we found the first con of the system: poor signage. Here on the MBTA, the bus sign tells you the route, as well as its destination. On LYNX, however, it only tells you the route. My mother and I had to ask three people to find out which way the airport was! However, almost all of the LYNX stops I saw had shelters and the LYNX logo, a paw print.
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| I wanted to take a picture of the I-hop sign, but the LYNX sign got in the way! …Just kidding. |
While waiting at the bus stop, I noticed that all LYNX buses are different colors. I thought that was an interesting idea, and you can still tell it’s a LYNX because of the large logo on each bus. My father and I were trying to see if the buses have a system for their coloring, but we couldn’t figure it out. It was when the 42 pulled up that we realized another flaw in the system: exact fare only. It’s really annoying having to have exact change to get on the bus, and it slows things down, too. Couldn’t LYNX introduce an Automated Fare Collection system like we have to speed things up?
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| The 8 runs every half-hour on Sundays? Sign me up! |
I know I’m starting to sound like a LYNX hater, but that’s simply not true. The newer buses are very nice, with cushioned seats that are relatively comfortable. The 42 was a very interesting ride, plus it was practical for us! Along the route, there are stop announcements for major stops, but they’re kind of hard to hear. Anyway, we got on the 42 close to the start on International Drive. It was straightforward, running alongside the I-Ride Trolley (more on that later). International Drive is the main drag of that area, with numerous restaurants, stores, and theme parks along it. However, once the 42 turned off of International Drive, we were crossing a huge field. This is the interesting thing about Orlando, with plenty of things to do on one street, then nothing on the one next to it.
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| There weren’t many people on the bus…yet. |
The 42 gets crazy after that, making a bunch of weird turns. One of the highlights of the ride is going on a bridge over a train yard. For every-hour service, the bus was very crowded. All together, there were about 42 fare-payers (coincidentally), which makes me wonder if the Sunday headways are a bit too spaced out. There was a surprising amount of people going to the airport, where the bus pulled into a parking space and we all got out. It was very quick and easy, with my parents describing it as “the least stressful trip to the airport I’ve ever had.”
In the International Drive Resort Area, however, the LYNX is relatively overshadowed (at least for tourists) by the I-Ride Trolley. When my mother was telling me about how our hotel is served by it (this was before we knew about the Super Star Shuttle), I thought it was a light rail train, or perhaps a trackless trolley. What I wasn’t expecting was a bus with a really creepy face plastered onto it. I mean, seriously, this overly-detailed smile looks like one that belongs to a psychopath. It doesn’t help that the bus is branded as “the fun way” to get around. Is it supposed to make kids happy? Because it creeps me out.
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| Hey, I-Ride Trolley, I hear Thomas the Tank Engine is hiring. |
Nonetheless, despite not actually riding the I-Ride Trolley, it seems like a good deal. It runs every 20 minutes, every day (on the Red Line; the Green Line runs every 30 minutes), and it’s $1.50 over LYNX’s $2.00. It doesn’t serve all of the major theme parks (like Universal and Disney World), but it serves some major ones like SeaWorld. Overall, it seems like it’s a good way to get around if you’re staying in the International Drive Resort Area.
So that’s it on my Orlando trip. If I ever go back, I might have a post on the proposed Tri-Rail extension to Orlando. But until then, it’s back to the good ol’ MBTA for me.
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| This is a different kind of transit in Orlando. |
83 (Rindge Ave – Central Square, Cambridge via Porter Square Station)
The 83‘s primary function is to sew together the parts of East and North Cambridge that other buses don’t serve. In that sense, it does its job well. The route is the opposite of straightforward, making a lot of crazy turns along the way. In Central Square, note that it leaves from Magazine Street, not the large shelter on Mass Ave. The first time I took this bus, I got lost trying to look for it. Also, the bus shelter at Magazine Street can sometimes attract some… questionable characters. Once, I was waiting there next to a woman creepily singing the ABC’s. When I took the 83 for the blog, there was a guy trash-talking the bus, then storming off when he almost got run over.
Anyway, there were 18 people on the bus leaving Central. The bus cuts across Mass Ave and goes onto Prospect Street immediately after leaving the bus stop. The stop after Central, Bishop Allen Drive, is also a big one, with 6 people getting on there. However, Harvard St, the next stop, saw three people getting off already. We were only three stops from Central Square! After crossing Broadway, there were voluntary standees on the bus. Calvin St, the stop after Inman Square, was surprisingly a major one, with 6 people getting off (a shout-out to my friend Calvin, by the way). The bus then goes straight on Beacon St for a while before making a turn onto Park St that narrowly misses the curb. On the short straightaway, it makes a sudden stop at the railroad tracks. Though it may seem annoying, it’s a good precaution in case a surprise train is coming.
After the railroad tracks, the bus turns again onto Somerville Ave. This is where it starts to slowly leak out its passengers, with one or two people getting off at each stop. Unfortunately, this is also where the traffic starts. The bus can get stuck for a while on this street. Two people got off at Porter, and then the bus turned onto Mass Ave to follow the 77 for a bit. At Rindge Ave, there’s a deadly traffic light. Lately, I’ve been lucky with it on the bus, but it can be torturous if you’re stuck at it. The portion on Rindge Ave up to Clifton Street is where most people get off. However, some actually get on to save what can be an awful walk in inclement weather. The bus passes the Peabody School/Rindge Ave Upper Campus where many students get off in the morning and on in the afternoon.
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| The 83 at its little terminus. |
From there, it goes a few more blocks, then ends at its terminus at Russell Field. For a while, I was wondering why it doesn’t go to Alewife, which is a block away. Then I realized that when going back to Central Square, it would have to go on Alewife Brook Parkway, go around a rotary, and then go back up Alewife Brook. It would be too convoluted, plus the bus would get stuck in a lot of traffic. Still, service to Alewife might be nice. Anyway, instead the bus ends at a funny little area by Russell Field. It originally had a nice bus shelter with orange glass. Over the years, however, the glass slowly disappeared (most likely by vandals) and now it’s just a frame with a bench. On most trips, the 83 pulls into the driveway-esque area, then struggles to turn around while avoiding the parked cars. However, sometimes the 83 will turn into another route with service from Alewife. On my ride, the 83 turned into the 62 to Bedford as it navigated the large traffic jam to Alewife.
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| A picture of much better quality – the 83 on Rindge Ave. |
Route: 83 (Rindge Ave – Central Square, Cambridge via Porter Square Station)
Ridership: Locals who aren’t served by the other buses in Cambridge, particularly Rindge Ave. Some people pretty much use the 83 as a Rindge Ave shuttle bus. Plenty of Peabody School/RAUC students use the bus, too. Interestingly, some people took this bus from beginning to almost-end (and 4 people got off at the terminus, which surprised me somewhat). The bus had 36 fare-payers in total for my ride, which is a pretty good amount for the hour before rush hour.
Pros: It sews transit-starved neighborhoods together. The headways are good overall, running every 20 minutes during rush hours and every 30 minutes during off-peak times and Saturdays. Plus, those turns are fun if you’re not expecting them.
Cons: First of all, the headways are every 50 minutes on Sundays. Second, the 83’s crazy route makes a lot of left turns, meaning getting stuck at a lot of traffic lights. Third, Somerville Ave can get pretty hairy in terms of traffic, and trying to get onto Mass Ave from it is not fun. Fourth, the 83 side of Porter needs a bus shelter! I once had to wait for 15 minutes under pouring rain for a bus. Finally, service to Alewife would be nice, but it’s a relatively hard route to plan.
Nearby and Noteworthy: The bus goes by a nice, large playground that kids would like. Also, a place I forgot to mention in my Porter review (but that the 83 goes by) is Newtowne Grille, a good pizza joint that’s located near Davenport St.
Final Verdict: 6
I gave this bus a generous score because of its much-needed service. However, the left turns are awful (though this can’t be fixed) and the headways aren’t exactly optimum on Sundays. As for possible service to Alewife, I created a map that shows a possible route via Terminal Road and the Fresh Pond Mall. Unfortunately, the aforementioned traffic on Alewife Brook Parkway might not make this the best route.
Latest MBTA News: March 31 – April 1, shuttle buses will replace the Orange Line from Sullivan Square to Oak Grove starting at 9 PM. Regular service will resume the next morning. Also, the Silver Line SL1 and SL2 will be operating at street level from South Station to Silver Line Way due to work in the underground transitway. This will be happening today and tomorrow (March 27 – March 28) starting at 9 PM until the end of service, and on March 29 – March 30 from 9 PM on the 29th until 2 PM on the 30th. For connections, click here. Finally, on March 30 – March 31 and April 6 – April 7, shuttle buses will replace the Blue Line from Airport to Wonderland from start to end of service.
Transit Tales: That’s Just Gross!
My father and I got on the train at Downtown Crossing. It was crowded. He got a seat, I had to stand. Being packed in like sardines, I couldn’t really see much. I did hear, however, the sound of a liquid falling onto the floor. I assumed someone spilled a drink or something, so I didn’t take much note of it. When we arrived at the next station, I saw some parents rushing their kid out of the train, saying that he was sick. Again, I didn’t take much note of it. Eventually, the train cleared out and I got a seat. Looking over at one of the doors, I saw a big pile of lumpy, pale liquid. “Is that vomit?” I whispered to my father. “Ew, I think so,” he whispered back. “Let’s switch cars.” When the train arrived at the station, we made a mad rush for the doors to go to another car. Looking back, I saw some people just casually stepping over the vomit to get out (although with a grossed out expression). Others would stop and then go to another door. I was glad to get out, and let me just say that I sincerely feel sorry for the guy who had to clean that up.
Porter
Porter is a fun station. It’s the deepest in the system, meaning a 143-foot escalator ride. The escalator ride is great, with a mural of trains going down and a mural of birds going up. It can admittedly be kind of a scary ride, but it’s worth it. It’s also worth noting that at the bottom of the escalator, there are some bronze gloves. Finding gloves in the snow inspired artist Mags Harries to create this artwork. If you don’t want to take the escalator, you can also take the 199-step stairs next to the escalator. I’ve never tried it, since I’d imagine it’s kind of tiring, but it’s probably good exercise. In fact, it’s the longest staircase in Massachusetts! There are also elevators, but one of them is out of service until the summer. The reason the station is so deep (especially when compared to its neighboring stations, Davis and Harvard) is that it was cheaper to build the station in rock than in soft clay.
Outside the station, the first thing you notice is the kinetic sculpture outside. Called Gift of the Wind, it is three large red “wings” that spin around in response to the wind. It was created by Susumu Shingu. The station is a nice glass building, with doors leading to a smaller escalator leading to the big escalator. The station doesn’t have a busway, only a shelter on the 77 and 96 side of the station and nothing on the 83 side.
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| Gift of the Wind. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_of_the_Wind |
Inside the underground portion of the station, there’s a shop. When I went in, there were huge electronic signs advertising it, yet the shop was closed. Strangely, there are also public bathrooms, which are uncommon for an MBTA station. The Red Line platforms are stacked, inbound over outbound. The two levels are in their own little shells. The station also has some red pipes, which I assume are vents, but don’t quote me.
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| The long escalator. |
Porter Square also has Commuter Rail connections. In fact, the Commuter Rail was there before the Red Line, when the station was called Cambridge. The name was changed to Porter when the Red Line extension happened, since the Red Line has multiple stops in Cambridge. The Commuter Rail platform is below grade, and there are two ways to get to it. One is from the underground area before the big escalator. The other, more interesting route, is across the street from the station. There’s a little pedestrian walkway that feeds out from Mass Ave, goes over the tracks, and comes down onto the central Commuter Rail platform. It makes for an interesting walk. The platform itself starts out in the shade, but goes outside for most of it. The platform gets smaller and smaller, with few benches.
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| I figured my own picture was necessary, even if it isn’t that good. |
NOTE: I’m trying out an experimental format. Leave a comment to say what you think of it. I might revert back to the old one.
Station: Porter
Ridership: Locals and shoppers heading to the mall next to the station. It’s also close to parts of Lesley university, though it doesn’t have the throngs of students like Harvard station does.
Pros: It serves some important apartments and businesses along Mass Ave. Also, the station itself is really nice, with some top-notch artwork. Plus, the escalator ride alone is worth a look, as is the pedestrian walkway down to the Commuter Rail.
Cons: The Commuter Rail platform is a bit drab, without much shelter. The bus situation can also be annoying, with only a shelter (and that’s with only the 77 and 96).
Nearby and Noteworthy: The most prominent location is the Porter Square Shopping Center. This mall has such stores as:
- Porter Square Books, a great, independant bookstore
- Henry Bear’s Park, a toy store for the kiddies
- Michaels, an arts and crafts store my mother loves
Also, Sugar and Spice has some of the best Thai food ever, and WardMaps, the MBTA’s official store, is close by. There are many more places than the ones I listed, so don’t be afraid to explore.
Transit Tales: Memorable Train Quotes
When I say “train quotes,” I don’t mean the train is talking: I mean automated stop announcements. Anyone reading this blog has likely been on a train with automated stop announcements; it’s when there’s an automatic prerecorded speaker that says the names of the stops with a display screen. It’s a nice touch, and it’s much better than older trains, where the driver says the names of the stops. With those, the speakers are either too muffled to be understood (see the previous Transit Tales) or the driver doesn’t even bother to say the stop names. Based on that, the automated stop announcements are a welcome addition 95% of the time. However, they glitch on occasion. Here are some of the most memorable:
- On a Red Line ride towards Boston, the speaker kept saying “Next stop: Davis Square” even though we were nowhere near Davis Square.
- My friends were riding the Red Line, entering Porter Square. The speaker said, “Next stop: Quincy Adams” while the display said “Entering Harvard.”
- Riding a Green Line C train towards Cleveland Circle, the speaker said, “The destination of this train is: Cleveland Circle [BEEP!] Reservoir [BEEP!] Reservoir.”
Leave a comment if you experience a Memorable Train Quote, and I’ll compile them into another post when I get enough.
28 (Mattapan Station – Ruggles Station via Dudley Station)
The only reason I wanted to take the 28 is because I’m a sucker for articulated buses. The 28 uses them all the time, so that’s fine with me. The 28 is one of the 7 (!) buses connecting Mattapan and Ashmont stations to the Orange Line. It travels almost entirely on Blue Hill Ave and South St, then diverts onto Malcolm X Boulevard to Ruggles. It’s also a Key Bus Route, meaning it runs quite often.
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| The 28 at Ruggles. Though you can’t tell from this picture, the 28’s buses have a more curved profile, in line with the MBTA’s older RTS buses. |
On Sundays, the frequency is every 12 minutes. My father and I had to wait about that time at Ruggles station. Surprisingly, there were only about 5 people, including us, who boarded the 28 at Ruggles. I was surprised, since the route does use articulated buses. Speaking of articulated buses, the ones used on the 28 are absolutely beautiful. For one thing, they use LED’s (as my energy-efficient father noticed), and the lighting as a whole is perfect. Like on the SL5, the seats are cushioned, and it’s nice how there’s a second screen to tell you the stops in the back.
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| It’s so beautiful! |
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| Another 28 bus at Ruggles, in a picture taken over 18 months since this post was first published. |
Latest MBTA News: On March 17, 19, 20, 21, and 24, the Orange Line will operate shuttle buses between Sullivan Square and Oak Grove. Also, “T”rivia night is March 28. Think you’ve got what it takes? Click here.
Transit Tales: The Snail Train to Snailsville
Getting from Harvard to Alewife should normally take about 5 minutes. But today, that trip took 20 (for the record, I wanted to take the bus being the transit-obsessed person I am, but it was my friend Calvin’s turn to pick the transit method). We ended up getting a train in the 01500’s series, the oldest fleet on the Red Line. It was fine from Harvard to Porter, but then the train started going 2 miles an hour to Davis. It took forever to arrive there. When we did, the train was just sitting there with its doors open. We waited for a couple minutes, and then the driver came over the speaker. Being an old train, all we could hear was some muffled gibberish, so we still had no idea what was going on. Finally, the doors closed, and we started moving again. At the point before Alewife when the trains sometimes switch tracks, we stopped again. At first, it seemed like we were waiting for a train to leave the station, but then, looking out the window, I saw we were in the middle of switching tracks. Then the lights turned off in the train. “We’re in the middle of the two tracks,” I said to Calvin. “If a train comes now, we’re going to die,” I jokingly remarked. “Great place to stop the train,” he replied. Finally, the lights came on and the train started moving again (at 2 miles an hour, of course), and we pulled into Alewife. MBTA, you’ve got some explaining to do.
Lechmere
UPDATE 5/24/2020: With the station in this form now closed, check out this retrospective!
Lechmere is a station on its last legs. Once the Green Line West Medford extension is up and running, Lechmere will have been relocated and redesigned. Because of this, you can understand how the MBTA seems to be purposely neglecting the station. The tracks to Lechmere are over a hundred years old (but the station itself wasn’t built until 1922 – the area was used for track connections with streetcars before), which explains why the area seems so dated. The station has peeling paint, a couple of billboard frames with nothing on them, and a dank busway.
But don’t think that Lechmere is all bad: the best part is the ride to it. The Green Line is above ground at Lechmere, and it makes for one of the best views on the system. Leaving Lechmere, the tracks turn a little while ascending until the train is elevated next to Monsignor O’Brien Highway. Buildings give way to a fantastic view of the Zakim Bridge. The train dips back below ground after Science Park, but it makes for a great 45 seconds.
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| The view from the train. |
Back to the station itself: as I said before, it’s not exactly pleasant to look at. Despite not being aesthetically pleasing, it does have one quality: the fare gates. With most above ground Green Line stations, you have to board from the front of the train to pay fares. It makes times at each station annoyingly long, and you just want the darn train to start moving. At Lechmere, though, there are fare gates, making much less waiting time. Sure, it doesn’t help the fact that waiting for a train in the winter can be torture, but it makes it much faster to get onto the train, into the warmth.
The Lechmere busway, on the other hand, has no qualities. Half of it is in a dark, dingy tunnel, and the other half of it is outside with no shelter. No matter where you wait, it will still be the same temperature, so don’t think the tunnel will protect you from that. Lechmere is only served by 4 MBTA buses (plus the EZ ride shuttle), though they all have decent schedules. The 80, 87, and 88 serve Somerville and Arlington, while the 69 serves East Cambridge.
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| The clouds really enhance the dinginess. |
Right now, being the closest station to East Cambridge and parts of Somerville, people use it. But how will the West Medford extension affect the ridership? Will it still be used as much as it is now? Only time will tell. But the current station is a piece of history. Go see it while you have the chance, if not for the station, then for the ride.
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| We were waiting for the driver to get back from his smoke, so I took this picture from the train. |
Station: Lechmere
Rating (1-10): 6
Ridership: People who live in East Cambridge and Somerville, since it’s the closest station to those areas. Also, shoppers visiting the Cambridgeside Galleria.
Pros: The fare gates. I applaud the MBTA on shortening a long wait time. But the best part is the ride. If you’re from out of town, the Lechmere ride is more than worth a look.
Cons: The station is just so… dated. Paint is chipping everywhere, the busway is a mess, the billboard frames are ugly and pointless… still, though, with the MBTA’s budget problems and the West Medford extension just around the corner, a big renovation isn’t necessary. Also, it’s a bit annoying how only the E Line serves the station. Why is it only served by one line?
Nearby and Noteworthy: As I mentioned before, the Cambridgeside Galleria is a good mall. Also, though many people use Science Park to get to the Museum of Science (go figure), Lechmere is only a little farther from the museum, plus you get a great ride to boot.
Latest MBTA News: There are Orange Line shuttle buses this weekend from Sullivan Square to Oak Grove… you know the drill.
Fare Heights and Service Cuts on the Way – Again
As we all know, the MBTA is in serious debt. As we also know, fares rose 25% last year. Well, the fares are rising again – this time by 33%, on top of the fare raise from last year! There are actually two options: the 33% fare raise, or a smaller fare increase with large service cuts.
A 33% fare raise would generate $130 million for the MBTA. Unfortunately, it would be a significant difference: a bus ride would be $2 over the current $1.50, and taking the train would cost $2.60 over $2.00 now (and that’s with a CharlieCard!) However, this would reduce ridership by about 8% (go figure).
The other option is a smaller fare increase, but with service cuts. Some options for this are:
- The elimination of the 30 least used buses in the system, as well as the 6 buses in the 700s (buses operated by other companies)
- The cancellation of weekend T service (!)
- The cancellation of weekday T service after 11 PM
- The elimination of Commuter Rail service on weekends
According to the senior director of strategic initiatives and performance at the MBTA, Charles Planck, the most cost-effective service cut is eliminating bus routes, since the MBTA would actually lose money from fares with the other options.
The MBTA is also considering raising parking costs, putting more ads around the system, and cutting senior and student discounts. Other possibilities are cutting back service of the RIDE (a service for people with disabilities) and getting rid of vehicles on its fleet.
Which of the options do you think the MBTA should choose? Or do you have an entirely different solution? Leave your comments below!
Bay State Model Railroad Museum
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| A lot of care has been put into the set pieces. |
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| A great rendition of Roslindale Village. |
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| Though it doesn’t move like the other trains, this is an accurate model of the Amtrak Acela. |
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| The trolley models feature realistic wires above. |
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| The models feature cars and people, too! |
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| Normally, people can control the track switches, but during the open houses, the employees try to avoid crashes. |
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| Most of the trains also make noises. It can get loud in there! |
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| One of the towns in the museum. They’re all based on real places. |
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| “AUGH! Who’s this giant man?” |
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| There are many different tracks in the museum. |
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| This is only part of the complicated map of the tracks! |
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| A model Commuter Rail locomotive… |
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| …Compared to the real one! |
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| …compared to the real one! |
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| Old-school Boeing LRV Green Line car… |
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| …compared to the real one! |
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| A model PCC car… |
1 (Harvard/Holyoke Gate – Dudley Station via Mass Ave)
About a year ago, my father and I were at Dudley Station. We needed a bus to get home, and we ultimately ended up taking the 66 (which also goes to Harvard, but with a much wilder route). I was interested in the 1, and my father and I were back at Dudley a few months later. But that time, we took the SL4 (why we took it over the SL5 remains a mystery) to South Station. A couple more months later, my father needed a bus from Harvard to the Boston Medical Center, and I suggested he take the 1. When he got back, he was raving about how amazing the 1 is. At this point, I didn’t want to take the 1 – I needed to.
- The Red Line at Harvard and Central
- The B, C, and D branches of the Green Line at Hynes Convention Center (or Auditorium, as my father calls it by its old name)
- The E branch of the Green Line at Symphony
- The Orange Line at Massachusetts Avenue
- The Silver Line at Massachusetts Avenue, Melnea Cass Boulevard, and Dudley
Because of all these connections, the 1 is a Key Bus Route, meaning it runs about every 10 minutes on weekdays. My father and I were waiting for about that time at what we thought was Holyoke Gate. When the bus came with 12 people on it, though, we realized we were waiting one stop ahead. It didn’t matter that much, though, and we got on with two other people.
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| Here comes the 1! |
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| The view from the MIT Bridge. Too bad that car got in the way. |
SL5 (Dudley Station – Downtown Crossing at Temple Place via Washington St)
To understand why we even have a Silver Line, you need to know the history behind it. When they first built the Orange Line in 1901, it was elevated over Washington Street (the EL, as it was called). For 86 years, it provided speedy transportation over the busy thoroughfare. However, it was quite dingy at street level with a huge structure right overhead. Also, the EL was showing its age, so this prompted the MBTA to tear it down. They relocated the Orange Line to the Southwest corridor, originally to be a highway. Though the Southwest Corridor was mostly only a few blocks west of Washington Street, replacement service was needed. The MBTA compensated with the 49 bus, which in theory provided frequent service along Washington Street. However, the 49 was slow going, getting caught in traffic and stopping at every other street. The 49 was scrapped, and in 2002, the Silver Line entered service.
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| The old EL From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Line_(MBTA) |
The Silver Line is Bus Rapid Transit, meaning it…
- gets its own dedicated bus lane
- has more spaced out stops
- has higher-quality stations than regular buses
- uses articulated buses
This should make the Silver Line the ideal replacement, right? Wrong.
My father and I were on a transit extravaganza of sorts. Arriving at Dudley on the 1, we were originally just going to take the same bus back to the Green Line, where we had to go. But upon arriving, we saw the SL5 heading for Downtown Crossing. We decided we’d take that and get off at Boylston. Getting on, we immediately noticed how nice the bus was. It was a long articulated bus with cushioned seats, and it just felt sort of new. The Silver Line also has some really nice stops. They’re large shelters with silver signs (indicating the Silver Line) and even “next bus” countdown clocks. The bus travels reasonably fast… for a stretch.
When the bus gets to Chinatown is when you notice some flaws. The streets turn narrow, the bus lane is gone, and you’re forced to contend with city traffic. Our bus was barely moving, and it took forever to get to Downtown Crossing. Also, the nice stops from Washington Street are gone; as far as I could see, there aren’t even shelters once you get downtown. Finally, the bus turned off Washington Street and went onto Temple Place, a much smaller side street. This is where everybody got off, but since I know that the SL5 goes to Boylston heading back to Dudley, my father and I stayed on while the bus driver helped a man in a wheelchair off the bus. As the driver started to move the bus, though, there was a loud noise. Noticing us, the driver said, “Out of service!” Getting off, we saw that the wheelchair ramp had hit a pole or something and was really busted up. Guess we had to walk to the Green Line.
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| These articulated buses are looooong… |
Route: SL5 (Dudley Station – Downtown Crossing at Temple Place via Washington St)
Rating (1-10): 5
Ridership: The people who used to take the Orange Line EL; locals. It surprised me, though, that there were only about 10 people on such a long bus. However, the buses going the other way seemed crowded.
Pros: The buses and stations are nice, and the bus travels pretty quickly for a lot of the route. Plus, Washington Street looks a lot nicer without a huge EL over it.
Cons: Is this a good replacement for the Orange Line? No. At least not downtown. Being stuck in traffic is not the same as soaring over the street. Also, I’m wondering why the MBTA didn’t bring it all the way down to Forest Hills.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Downtown Crossing has a nice pedestrian walkway with stores including a Macy’s and a GameStop. Also, the SL5 (and its South Station cousin, the SL4) serves the theater district, where I like to go with my theater-obsessed parents.
Latest MBTA News: The MBTA put up signs around the system talking about Red Line shuttle buses this weekend between Harvard and Alewife… however, it doesn’t say this on the MBTA website. Expect anything on your commute.