Category: irl

Oh god. So, a mysterious figure appeared in the distance, walking right towards me and about 5 others. Alright, let’s find out who it is. And it was…..woah, woah, WHAT?!

…MILES?! *I spit my tea out in shock*

Yeah, Miles himself, from Miles in Transit, ended up showing up, along with about 9 others. Now that there was a party of 16 for Miles’ first phase in riding every overhead-powered bus route in the country, how were we going to go about this? Well, the T happens to run short-turn Silver Line trips between Silver Line Way and South Station that only run on the section shared between the SL1, SL2, and SL3. Eventually, after waiting in the shade and introducing ourselves (and some tomfoolery), all 16 of us boarded the next SLW bus to South Station. Weirdly enough, only the middle door opened and I felt a little uneasy committing fare evasion. But is it really fare evasion if the driver is only bothered to open the middle door? Once we all settled into the back part of the bendy bus, we were off to the races.

Of course, being mildly rambunctious, we were all collectively probably every bus operator’s worst nightmare. Nevertheless, once we got to World Trade Center, all of four people got on. “FOUR PEOPLE?! THAT’S ALL THE RIDERSHIP!” someone yelled. As we progressed towards Courthouse, we started singing Sweet Caroline, to get the full MBTA experience. And boy, was it a good time. Soon enough, we made it to South Station, round of applause for the operator (presumably for putting up with all our shenanigans), and everything. From here, we all gathered for a group picture in front of the inbound platform and we’d all head up to the food court for lunch before Miles and Jackson had to run off to catch the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago.

The good: Short-run trip between the four innermost Silver Line stations (at least, the ones on the busway coming out of South Station)! On paper, this is supposed to alleviate any congestion on the SL1/2/3 during rush hour (I presume). However…

The bad: This route isn’t all that great with nerfed headways, especially given every SL1 I’ve seen is packed, and not so much the SL2 or SL3, and plus my trip was largely empty, save for Miles, Jackson, and co.

Nearby points of interest: Pretty much the waterfront district in its entirity, if you walk out of any given station. Downtown, if you leave South Station, as well as access to the Commuter Rail, Amtrak, and the Red Line and SL4.

Overall, on paper it’s not a terrible route. In fact, I’d argue it’s the best Silver Line route. Unfortunately, though, I’d limit this one to rush hour and special events only (of which neither conditions were true when I rode this). Plus, if you’re going between the three BRT stops along the shared section of the SL1/2/3, odds are you’re gonna be using whatever comes first heading inbound, and it probably won’t be this.

Rating: 7/10

Also, a post-publish edit: shoutouts to everyone who was there. Y’all legit are cool people, and to be real, I had a good time. And to Miles and Jackson, if you see this, best of luck on your cross-country trolleybus journey.

Alrighty, the last of the Silver Line stations for today! Let’s delve into it. The station? Silver Line Way.

Now, for one, there’s nothing really special about Silver Line Way, other than the fact it’s where the diesel-overhead transition happens. That is, if the bus is an old Neoplan. The Xcelsiors (diesel hybrids and BEBs) don’t need to switch over because they don’t have pantographs. The only other things immediately at the station are a turnaround point for the short-turn Silver Line runs and a parking lot.

Wait, what the? Who’s this walking towards me and the small gathering of people? Not the shadowy figure! Oh god, no, not like this. Please, anything but this. No, no, NOOOOOOOO!!!

TO BE CONTINUED…

The good: It’s right on the waterfront, near a major concert venue.

The bad: …there’s not much else of any major note in the area. Delays are also likely should the handoff between diesel and overhead fail.

Nearby points of interest: The aforementioned concert venue and the waterfront.

Transit connections:
Silver Line (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW)

Overall, it’s “meh.” If the bus is in the middle of the street, good luck if you need accessibility. The handoff works great if it goes well, but if it goes wrong, it goes REALLY wrong and can cause delays a plenty. But overall, I’d say it’s about average. It does suck if you’re here for 40 minutes in the searing heat, though.

Rating: 4.5/10

Alright, my first MBTA bus review! Let’s get into this route. So, what is it that I’m working with? I’ll be working with the 32 today.

So, once my friend and I got on the bus, it was off to the races. The route is largely straightforward, being a clean shot down Hyde Park Ave. to Wolcott Square, Readville. The neighborhoods the route went through, or at least the sections of which, were largely residential in nature. Many businesses lined Washington St. in the Jamaica Plains section of the route. However, once we entered Roslindale, it was a different story with it being largely residential. I wouldn’t even describe the neighborhood as bad, or Olneyville-level, by any stretch of the imagination. At least, not at face value. I’m not a native Bostonian, so I’m very much unaware as to where to and to not go (beyond the very obvious).

As we went down Hyde Park Ave., it was sorta urban in nature with the buildings. Like, it’s not very urban, but I’d describe it in nature similar to North Main Street in Providence. It was largely the same things. At one point, we passed by Hyde Park’s Commuter Rail station, where Stoughton-bound trains stop, along with Franklin and Foxboro trains. Eventually, though, after going under a stone arch bridge, we made it to Wolcott Square and Readville Station.

The good: It’s a direct link between Wolcott Square, Readville Station, and the Orange Line via Forest Hills, going through Roslindale, Hyde Park, and the Forest Hills section of Jamaica Plain. It also gets some decent enough ridership, as far as I can tell, between my own trip being decently full. If Miles’ (of Miles in Transit) post on this route is to go by, this route happens to get slightly higher ridership than the R Line (in excess of 11000!) If anyone can double check this with the Blue Book (I can’t decipher it to save my life as I’m an idiot), please let me know.

The bad: Given the frequency, I’d imagine bunching up is bad with traffic. I mean, this route has R Line levels of frequency, being 10 minute headways. Which sounds nice until you realize it’s in mixed traffic.

Nearby points of interest: The Arbortorium at Forest Hills! There’s also Hyde Park and Readville Stations if you’re into railfanning. Also, the Orange Line’s southern terminus is at Forest Hills.

Overall, it’s not a bad route. It’s a clean shot from Forest Hills to Wolcott and Readville Station via Hyde Park Avenue. Could it be a little better in the frequency (i.e. being slightly less frequent to avoid bunching) department? Probably. But, it’s buses we’re talking. High frequency, higher than the R Line, is inevitably going to lead to bunching. It’s still not a bad route though.

Rating: 7.5/10

Ah, the southern terminus of the Orange Line, at the heart of Jamaica Plain. Oh, there’s also a Commuter Rail platform here, sweet! Let’s look at this station a little further.

So, the Orange Line platform is your standard Southwest Corridor affair. It’s primarily enclosed with concrete, though, unlike most of the other Southwest Corridor subway stops. It does tell you which platform the next inbound train is departing on, though, which is nice. Despite this, it still screams ’80s MBTA.

The station lobby itself is pretty nice. There’s an information booth at the center of the station, and the ceiling and roof is all glass, which lets in a lot of sunlight. Access to the Commuter Rail platform can also be had here.

Oh boy. Why did it feel like Back Bay again? Fortunately, because most trains express through here with only Needham line trains stopping (UPDATE 9/24/22: the MBTA has changed the schedule so that Franklin trains and a midday Providence train stop here), diesel fumes aren’t an issue unlike in Back Bay. The platform itself, however, was quite bare, aside from the odd cute railfan girl.

There’s two busways here, too. They’re either on the western or eastern side of the station, with a number of bus routes leaving here, such as the 32 to Wolcott and Readville. It felt a little dingy, but it wasn’t too unbearable as it was all outdoor otherwise.

The good: It gives the locals an intermodal transit center! The Orange Line to Downtown Crossing is about 20 minutes (once you’re on the train). The station is also in fare zone 1A, meaning that Commuter Rail fares are the same as the subway heading into South Station and Back Bay. Heading outbound, the rail line ends at Needham, although it costs $7 rather than $2.40.

The bad: Not much. It’s a little dingy, and the Orange Line platform is definitely showing its age, but aside from that I don’t have many complaints. The tunnel with the Needham line would be problematic if all trains stopped here, but fortunately that isn’t the case. Also, what’s with the last Providence train stopping here?

Nearby points of interest: Forest Hills, the neighborhood! There’s also the Arbortorium nearby, along with the Franklin Park Zoo. Maybe a cute sapphic couple.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Needham, limited Franklin, Foxboro, Providence)
Orange Line
MBTA bus (16, 21, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 34E, 35, 36, 37, 38,39, 40, 42, 50, 51)

Overall, it’s a nice station. Sure, the platform is dingy, and there’s not much in extra amenities, but you don’t always need that when you have local businesses nearby. The building itself is quite nice, and there’s several things to do nearby.

Rating: 7/10

Welcome to Quincy! Since I’m here reviewing MBTA stations, that means I have to go out to Quincy as well. Fortunately, Quincy Center has things to do unlike the next two stations down the line (Quincy Adams & Braintree). Now, let’s get into this.

For one, the poles at the Red Line platform is shiny. And, it’s a weird mix of being sorta underground but not really. Sometimes it can smell funky down here as well. But come on, we’re not here for just the Red Line platform. Up the stairs outside of fare control, we go!

The lobby at Quincy Center is small but simple. You have CharlieCard machines, fare control going to the Red Line platforms, and bus schedules. There’s also an associate here if anyone needs assistance. There’s also a sandwich shop outside the station, along with a busway. The roofing used to be a parking lot, but it’s since been closed a long time ago.

After a quick trip to a nearby convenience store, I returned to the station and headed to the Commuter Rail platform. This…..has got to be among the most “out of the way” Commuter Rail platforms I’ve ever seen. To even get there, you have to go to the back of the station and go down a corridor. At least it’s open, unlike Back Bay.

The Commuter Rail platform is mostly dark, but at least there was seating in the open area. Plus, at least the train engines stop in the open area, unlike in Back Bay. This means, fortunately, diesel fumes aren’t a major issue! YAY! So, what trains DO stop here? Well, how about the Old Colony and Greenbush lines? I’ll also ask, why is it just a single track? Like, this feel kinda hackjobbed in at the last minute, if anything. How many people use this place, anyways? Oh, 773 as of 2018, and 7120 on the Red Line as of 2019. Nice.

The good: It’s an important link and largely straightforward (save for the Commuter Rail platform) intermodal hub! How about, a bus-subway, subway-CR, or bus-CR transfer? It’s also close to a few tourist attractions, like the Adams statue, the Adams house, and the church where they’re buried.

The bad: …why would you take the Commuter Rail from here to downtown, when the Red Line also stops here? One’s $2.40 and lets you use day/monthly CharlieCard passes, while the Commuter Rail is $6.50 (zone 1 fare) to fare zone 1A. Also, it can feel a little creepy and dingy at times. Still not as bad as Back Bay, though!

Nearby points of interest: Quincy Center! Plus, the places accessible by the various bus routes, the Red Line, the Kingston, Middleborough, and Greenbush Commuter Rail lines!

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Greenbush, Kingston, Middleborough)
Red Line (Braintree)
MBTA bus (210, 211, 215, 216, 217, 220, 222, 225, 230, 236, 238, 245)

Overall, it’s certainly not the worst. Questionable decisions can be made here, but maybe that’s fitting for Quincy, given that sometimes there’s some interesting people around. But, c’mon man, just use the Red Line or the bus to get into downtown from here instead.

Rating: 6.5/10

Readville Station. I’ve seen some interesting things about it, but what mostly got my eyes was the relatively unusual track configuration. What does this Commuter Rail station have in store? Let’s find out.

My friend and I took the 32 from Forest Hills to Wolcott Square, which was right outside the station. From here, it was quite evident that Readville was a wide open train station with four platforms. From west to east, they are the Franklin/Foxboro platform, the unused Providence/Stoughton platforms, and the Fairmount platform at the flyover track. In terms of amenities, it’s pretty barebones, but given the sizable parking lot they probably intend on this being a park & ride station. While there’s no bathrooms here, there are some businesses nearby, including a Dunkin’, which may or may not let you use the bathroom.

Now, for accessibility. The low platforms, at first glance, may scream “I AM NOT AN ACCESSIBLE STATION!!!”, and that’s technically true. However, unlike Westerly, there’s two major differences:
1. there’s ramps and bridges that aren’t in as bad shape as South Attleboro (because they used concrete instead of all metal) and
2. there’s a mini-high at each platform!

Now that I think of it, it feels kinda like a time capsule. Like, how long has it been since the Providence/Stoughton Line ended at Attleboro? Has to be before I was born, if anything (for context, I was born in ’01).

Now, most stations are straightforward and usually safe with getting to the platforms. However, the Franklin Line platform is a bit sketchy. Take a look.

Why they couldn’t put everything on the other side, is beyond me. But, whatever. At least it’s better than Back Bay’s ventilation issue. At least for railfanning, it’s also a pretty good spot. There’s the Acela and Regional for one. This station’s also the terminus of the Fairmount line and pretty much every Franklin/Foxboro train stops here, too. Providence/Stoughton trains also express through here unless a train evacuation is necessary for any reason (e.g. mechanical failiure)

The good: It’s a nice little train station. It serves as a decent park and ride lot as well, with access to two train lines (Franklin and Fairmount), and a third (Providence) and Amtrak service expressing through here. It’s also a good railfanning spot.

The bad: It’s a bit of a maze, and can be a “screw you” station at times, especially if you’re unfamiliar. Also, the fact it’s only mini-highs instead of full highs. Also, what’s with the Franklin Line crossing?

Nearby points of interest: Not much. I mean, there’s a pizzeria nearby, along with the Fairmount layover yard (don’t trespass!).

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Franklin, Foxboro, Fairmount)
MBTA bus (32, 33)

Overall, for what it is, I’ve certainly seen worse. It’s not bad, but not too good either. Average, if anything. It’s still better than South Attleboro and the sorry state that station is in currently, though. Also, the arch bridge the Fairmount line goes over is kinda nice. There’s also a decent amount of parking, should anyone want to use it as a park and ride. 426 people use this station each day on average, as of 2018, which while it’s nothing to laugh at, is nowhere near the ridership numbers for stops like Forge Park or Norwood. For Fairmount trains, though, it’s among the most used stops outside of downtown.

Rating: 6/10

Oh, I guess I forgot to mention I’m not just doing RIPTA or RI-based reviews here! Whelp, here we go. First Commuter Rail line, and it’s the most accessible one for me. Let’s get into it.

I started my journey at Wickford Junction, bright and early. The ride to Boston South Station would be powered by a MPI HSP46 engine with a top speed of around 80 miles per hour. After boarding, and going to the backmost car, the train started moving. From there, and for the whole journey, the tracks largely follow the Northeast Corridor. The train went through North Kingstown and along Greenwich Bay in East Greenwich and Warwick at near-max speed. However, soon enough we started to slow down for the next stop.

We eventually came to a halt at T.F. Green and picked a handful of people up. From here, it was a mostly straight shot to Providence. After a few minutes, we started moving again and we largely went parallel to Jefferson Boulevard. It was also largely industrial in nature from here to Providence. However, Jefferson Boulevard turned towards the interstate and we were soon met by Wellington Avenue. The engineer honked the horn several times to alert the workers at the Park Ave. bridge of the oncoming train, and we passed some freight stuff. We then hooked a left, passed an Amazon facility, alerted more crews of our presence, and went through Olneyville. Soon enough, we went under the interstate and Providence Place Mall.

After dwelling for about 10 minutes, we departed from Providence Station. From here, we passed some businesses and apartments, the Pawtucket layover yard, and the Pawtucket train station that’s still being built (as of 5/12/22).

From here, we booked it parallel to the state line, and we passed South Attleboro with no regard because the station was closed. From here, it was largely not scenic as it was mostly trees with the occasional house. We’d pass Attleboro and its town center, and Mansfield, going over Chauncy Street. It would also be here that we split from the Foxboro special event line.

Now that we passed the Mansfield split, we went right towards the next pair of stations. Namely, they were Sharon, and Canton Junction, where the main line splits from the Stoughton branch. It was still largely the same from here.

We kept pressing on past Canton Junction, and eventually we reached a major park & ride. Namely, Route 128/Westwood. Not many people got on though, so after that we pressed into Boston proper.

We then entered the Southwest Corridor after trucking through some woodlands and now we were running parallel to the Orange Line. However, we still had one stop from here before downtown Boston, and two before South Station. Our first stop? Ruggles.

Not many people got on or off here, so we kept going. It was still much of the same, passing various Orange Line stops along the Southwest Corridor. Eventually, however, we reached Back Bay. This station is notorious for bad air quality and smelling like diesel fumes, and it was easy to tell. The smell permeated through the train car quite easily and made both my partner and I gag. A lot of people got off here, while not many got on. After a bit, we went down the final mile and made it to South Station, after two hours of riding.

The good: It links up Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts in a direct manner. It is also quite affordable relative to driving.

The bad: However, it takes a LONG time if you’re riding the whole route. My trip took two whole hours, while on the Northeast Regional and Acela it would’ve taken around 1 hour at most on the Regional (from KIN), and 40 minutes on the Acela (from PVD). Hell, even TO Providence, it’s still faster to pony up $2 for RIPTA’s bus route 66 – and THAT deviates twice! It’s also got some weirdness with fare zones vs. similarly-distanced stops on lines fully in Massachusetts. Why is Wachusett a zone 8 fare while T.F. Green, being about the same distance, a zone 9 fare?

Nearby points of interest: Well, you have the various towns along the route and whatever they offer. I can’t speak for between South Attleboro and Ruggles, but you have varying things like a Walmart in Wickford, T.F. Green at T.F. Green (duh), and downtown Providence.

Overall, it’s not that bad a route. However, it is annoying South Attleboro is closed (even if for legitimate reasons, as safety is no joke). Also, what’s with the mini-highs everywhere? One thing I’d change here, is to extend the line to Kingston/URI. But overall, not bad despite being the longest Commuter Rail route.
Rating: 8/10