Category: Massachusetts

So, we’ve done the SL2, SL4, and SL5, and the short-turns. All that remains are the SL1 and SL3. And hell, the SL1’s the only one I’ve never ridden as I’ve done the SL3 plenty of times. So, let’s look at this “BRT” route.

First off, before even boarding, at South Station, I noticed there were flight departures. Woah, I genuinely never noticed them before despite riding the Silver numerous times. But, that’s probably because I never ride the SL1. So, the bus pulls up, it’s crowded (highest ridership of the three Transitway routes!), and off to Logan Airport!

So, after running through the usual Transitway affair and express onto the Pike, we pull off onto what I think is the last exit, and right into the terminals. Get ready, because this might perplex a few people.

First stop was Terminal A. Nothing to note here, there’s at least signage here (and at all the stops). Terminals B’s two stops, and C’s stop were much of the same, as we weaved by every terminal. Terminal E, internationals, was also largely the same. People got on and off at each stop (predictably), with slightly longer dwell times than normal at each one due to loading luggage onto the racks. Yes, these Neoplans had luggage racks! After Terminal E, we were back onto the Pike and into the Transitway. You’ll ask, “where’s Terminal D?” Well, that doesn’t exactly “exist”, so to say.

The good: Well, if we look at the Silver Line as a rapid bus (e.g. same class as the R Line), then the SL1 is a pretty damn decent airport express bus. Sure, it’ll get clogged up on the Pike pretty easily, but for what it is, it stops curbside at the terminals, and runs express to the Transitway. Besides, unlike most other airport buses I’ve ridden to this point, it’s got luggage racks! The terminals are also your only officially free entryway into the subway system, too!

The bad: Unfortunately, it’s not true “rapid transit”. In fact, I’d argue the case for a people mover between the terminals, and some combination of Airport and South Station. Moreso, given that the Silver Line (and the SL1 mostly) is at the behest of mixed traffic beyond the Transitway.

Nearby points of interest: You’re not gonna get a lot in the way of points of interest at Logan. But you can change for the Red Line, Commuter Rail, Amtrak, and the other Silver Line routes at South Station!

Overall, it’s alright. As a normal or rapid bus route, it’s pretty good. But, as BRT, as the T advertises, it kinda sucks. But, hey, you can get into the subway for free! Neat! Hmmm, I wonder how many terminals one could touch before needing to leave fare control?

Rating: 5/10

So, we go from the end of the line to the middle of downtown Boston. Let’s look at Chinatown, shall we?

So, the platform is a little dark, but the signage is also shiny weirdly. But, hey, I’ll take it. Fare control is a little small as well, and there’s stairs and elevators up to Washington and Essex Streets. Yeah, not a lot to talk about with the mezzanine, but it’s your standard affair. The headhouses are also alright, with patterned fencing things. However, there’s one major issue: no free crossovers. Yeah, that’s a yikes. But hey, it’s likely you’ll encounter tourists here along with the SL4 and SL5 at street level! Except there’s no shelter or anything. Oh well! Apparently there’s also a pair of abandoned entrances, but I didn’t seem to find them on street level.

The good: Well, it’s in a tourist destination (Chinatown), although relative to others it’s not that big a place. But, still, Boston’s Chinatown is still a place worth checking out if you have the time.

The bad: No free crossovers?! WHY?! Also, the lackluster Silver Line stop. I couldn’t even tell at a quick glance due to the lack of signage or shelters!

Nearby points of interest: Well, you’ve got Chinatown! Alternatively, Boston Common is a stone’s throw away as is Boylston, along with a few theaters.

Transit connections:
Orange Line
Silver Line (SL4, SL5)
MBTA bus (11)

Overall, it’s not the best of stations. Yeah, I’m not sure what it is with downtown stations just overall being grade A trash seemingly, but this fits the bill. Hopefully that changes when I check out the transfer stations and Tufts Medical later down the road. Just maybe…

Rating: 4/10

Ah, Orient Heights. Yeah, this one wasn’t too terribly exciting either. But, it’s got something the other stations lack! Let’s look.

Of course, you have two platforms, with fare control lining the fencing on either side. It’s nothing much, but it gets the job done. And, hey, at least there’s a crossover within fare control! Neat…..except there’s a FENCE running down the bridge halfway! WHY?! At least, there’s a busway on the Bowdoin-bound side. And, hey, for foamers it’s nice since you have the Blue Line yard and you’re also in walking distance to the beach, if airplanes are your thing.

The good: Well, it’s in the middle of a residential neighborhood, has a busway with a countdown clock, and (somehow missing it) a surprising amount of parking. Yeah, this is technically a park & ride!

The bad: The emergency exits. My friend almost went through one in attempt to find the crossover, for crying out loud! I mean, yeah, it’s not big, but it shouldn’t be that easy for an idiot to try going through the emergency exit!

Nearby points of interest: You have Orient Heights Beach! Yeah, I don’t know a lot about the area.

Transit connections:
Blue Line
MBTA bus (120, 712, 713)

Overall, it’s an alright station for what it is. Sure, it doesn’t have the glitz and glamor of Assembly or the ugly concrete hellscapeness of Oak Grove (wink wink), but it still stands out- wait, are those solar panels on the roof? Yeah, I’m not sure but look at satellite imagery makes it seem so.

Rating: 7.5/10

Ah, Cleveland Circle and Reservoir. They’re like two twins that absolutely CANNOT be separated under any circumstances. Let’s look at them.

First, Cleveland Circle. It’s pretty generic with not a lot to note. Benches exist, as do wastebins and, supposedly, a CharlieCard validator (but c’mon, who’s validating their fare???) Yeah, not a lot to note about this one. It’s got an on-foot transfer to Reservoir, though, by virtue of the two essentially being one and the same.

Alrighty, now to Reservoir. Reservoir’s a little more exciting. For one, you have fully sheltered platforms with benches. Supposedly, the inbound platform (towards Union Square) is also heated, but I didn’t try it out. There’s also a third platform which, I think, is used for short-turns and in the event the line past here is bustituted. I’m not sure though, so if anyone’s better-versed on this, please tell me if I’m right or not. Both stations also have a bus connection to the 51 to Forest Hills and the 86 to Sullivan and Union Squares, with Reservoir having the busway. Neat! Lastly, why the HELL is there a wheelchair lift if level boarding is a thing with the Type 8s and 9s?! I mean, I’m sure there’s a reason, but what reasonable operator’s gonna want to get out and crank a wheelchair lift all of 3 inches off the ground?!

The good: Well, they’re a decent transfer together, though you’ll have to let the operator know and, if they’re nice enough, will let you tap a transfer without paying on your CharlieCard. However, be prepared to pay twice. It’s also an alright foaming spot for the Green Line, as you have the Reservoir yard right there. Cleveland Circle also has the amenities one would expect, with a sheltered area and wastebins.

The bad: Cleveland Circle is kinda generic. Not a lot to note. Reservoir also feels kinda generic otherwise, but at least has the busway. Plus, there’s the fact equipment moves from the C branch have to use the street-running tracks on Chestnut Hill Avenue poses a danger to people, moreso if they’re unaware of their surroundings.

Nearby points of interest: You’ve got Boston College, as well as a few playgrounds and the namesake Chestnut Hill Reservoir!

Transit connections:
Green Line (D at Reservoir, C at Cleveland Circle)
MBTA bus (51, 86 at Reservoir)

Overall, they’re alright, but like, there’s just not a lot to them. I hate to say it, but there’s not a lot in the way of memorable stuff or any charm like Coolidge Corner. And, yes, since they’re essentially one station that operates as two in practice, I’m counting it as two for the purpose of scoring.

Rating:
6/10 for Reservoir
5/10 for Cleveland Circle

I did not know much about Coolidge Corner going into this entry, aside from that it seemed like a cool place. OH BOY, would this place pretty much change my opinion of Brookline from “meh, ’tis only suburbia” to “HOLY CRAP this is a decent place!” Now, let’s get into it.

Coolidge Corner, at the end of the day, is a street stop at the intersection of Beacon and Harvard Streets in Brookline. However, it does have a bit going for it vs. most other street stops. For one, you have a sizable old town-style shelters, with matching signage. Neat! Further along, you also have a singular bus connection, the 66 to Harvard or Nubian and…..FLIXBUS?! Yeah, I didn’t see any Flixbus buses, but I guess there’s an intercity bus connection.

Of course, I have a thing for historic European old town aesthetics, to which Coolidge Corner seems to fit quite well. Obviously, there’s better places, but this seems to be the best to my awareness before crossing into “tourist trap” territory. It’s also walkable! Like, GOD, the S.S. Pierce Building really adds to the vibes this area gives off!

The good: It’s just got that historic old town energy going for it! Like, GOD, do I love it! It’s also quite wide and spacious for a street stop, with its staggered stop placement on either side of an S bend through Harvard Street. Also, the 66 and Flixbus stops here. There’s also plenty in the way of shopping.

The bad: No shelters for the 66 and Flixbus! Yeah, it’s minor, but there’s not a lot to complain about here.

Nearby points of interest: Mostly shopping. A friend was with me and dug around Brookline Books for at least 40 minutes. There’s also the S.S. Pierce building.

Transit connections:
Green Line (C)
MBTA bus (66)
Flixbus

Overall, I really like this station and it’s objectively probably best in class. Riding the rest of the C branch had nothing special for most other stations, same is true for the E branch, while the B branch just looks like a nightmare on Street View. I also just like the vibes the neighborhood gives off in general.

Rating: 10/10. Yeah, this one gets an ace.

Alrighty, the last of the GLX stations! A friend and I explored the station a little more than with Science Park. So, let’s look at it, shall we?

If I looked at the old Lechmere, I’d have given it a 5, maybe a 6, on the basis of how freakin’ dingy it was. However, the new Lechmere is NOT that. New Lechmere is quite bright, with a canopy covering the island platform, and nice-looking elevator shafts. There’s also a busway under the viaduct and a Pedal & Park somewhere. And yes, just like the other GLX stations, it’s the honor system. Ugh. But hey, at least the elevator doesn’t smell like urine! The busway also feels kinda dingy, despite being brand spankin’ new, as well.

The good: It’s in a decent spot! It’s also got a liberal amount of bus connections as well as two Green Line branches! From here, the two branches split off to Union Square and Medford. It’s also close to a few shopping centers and, if you’re willing to walk a little, the Bunker Hill Community College (though the Orange Line is better for that).

The bad: Really? Still no faregates. Also no heated areas or bathrooms. The busway feels mildly dingy despite being new.

Nearby points of interest: I’m not really familiar with the area, but a quick look on Google Maps shows Cambridgeside and Cambridge Crossing, as well as North Point Park (moreso if you’re a railfan).

Overall, it’s alright. Just, it suffers from the same pitfalls as the other GLX stations. Hell, if it weren’t for the lack of faregates, it’d probably be the best GLX station second to Medford.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D, E)
MBTA bus (69, 80, 87, 88)

Rating: 7.5/10

Alrighty, this entry is technically part 6 of the GLX saga, but unfortunately it had to be delayed a month due to just simply being waaaaaay too exhausted after Gilman Square and visiting East Somerville with Miles, Brooke, Jeremy, and the others. Either way, here’s the first of the final two parts to the GLX saga, 27 days after the fact.

Now, I know, it’s Science Park/West End (or Science Park Slash West End), but everyone just calls it Science Park. Of course, it’s elevated, which is always a treat. 😀

Anyways, you’ve got two elevated platforms which are rather plain and bogstandard. Stairs go down to the crossover area, and I’m pretty sure fare control is located just past the doors in said crossover area, but I didn’t have much time to check. I’ll also add, said doors and fare control is kinda tight in spacing. But, hey, at least up here you have the Charles River and a view of the North Station approach! In a sense, with how scenic it is, I’d consider this the Green Line’s Charles/MGH. If you’re foaming the Green, this is a quintessential spot, to paraphrase a friend’s opinion on here. Oh, as a fun aside, this is also the least-used fare-controlled Green Line station.

The good: It’s located near the Museum of Science – the station’s biggest draw! It’s also near some parks.

The bad: Just one problem – it’s in the middle of the intersection! Yeah, it suffers from Charles’ biggest issue, too. Good luck!

Nearby points of interest: Guess. Just guess.

Overall, this is an alright station. It doesn’t have the modern aesthetic that Charles has, but it’s still serviceable. Just uh, good luck crossing the street.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D, E)

Rating: 7/10

Alrighty, so now that I’ve covered the two stations on the Stoughton Branch, now it’s time to look at the line itself.

The line is a 4 mile branch coming off the Northeast Corridor mainline at Canton, Massachusetts. Among the places it stops at, aside from Canton Junction, are Canton Center and Stoughton. Service here is weekdays only, with hourly trains. Unfortunately, though, service is only that way because of the fact that the whole line is single-tracked. Also, every station has mini-high platforms, and the branch is also riddled with grade crossings, so bear that in mind. In terms of “how scenic is this?”, not very. If you’re into trees, you’d enjoy it.

The good: It regularly serves Stoughton outside the rush hour!

The bad: Trains are seemingly always delayed here for inexplicable reasons, and there’s a lot of grade crossings. It also doesn’t help that the entire line is single-tracked, and operates on weekdays only.

Nearby points of interest: Not much, aside from Canton and Stoughton.

Overall, here’s what I’d change. Hear me out:
Either double track the entire line to Stoughton (the space DOES exist!), and electrify it.

OR: we chuck a bunch of multiple units (diesel or electric? Your choice.) to operate as shuttles between Canton Junction and Stoughton, with rush-hour service using locomotives to South Station.

However, it turns out there ARE plans to electrify the line with the South Coast’s phase 2 extension, also including double tracking and station rebuilds. Thank GOD.

Rating: 4/10

Alrighty, so we finished Canton Center, now let’s look at the other station on this branch.

So, first off, the damn train spills over a couple of streets when letting people on and off! That means, as soon as a train leaves the siding where it lays over (remember, it can’t sit at the station otherwise it’ll block two streets for upwards of 30 minutes!), the bells ring and the gates come down. Furthermore, the low-level section of the platform is bisected by Wyman Street. At least there’s a few benches and a sheltered area – but not on the mini-high. WHY?! THAT’S LITERALLY THE ONLY AREA YOU CAN BOARD AT ON OFFPEAK HOURS! There’s also a station building, but there’s nothing inside. Or, rather, there is – just, nothing usable. But hey, at least unlike Canton Center (and Junction, for that matter) there’s actually a departure board!

The good: It’s in Stoughton’s town center! There’s also an abundance of parking, if that’s your thing

The bad: There’s no benches on the mini-high! WHY?! And, this is one of those “screw you” stations where, if you’re cutting it really close, you can be screwed over by the existence of the crossings. There’s also not much in the way of a station building, since it’s closed. The platforms are also bisected by Wyman Street. Yikes.

Nearby points of interest: Downtown Stoughton seems like a nice place!

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Stoughton Line)
BAT (14)

Overall, I’d delete the crossings and grade separate the whole thing if I could change the station. The building itself is nice, but those crossings are a problem, and even Stoughton’s officials find it a problem with a proposed rebuild in South Coast Phase 2. So, my proposal to that would be to grade separate the whole line.

Rating: 3/10

Alrighty, so today’s excursion was a trip up to Canton and down the Stoughton branch. And, as such, I’ll be taking a look at the two stations on this branch line. Meet: Canton Center.

So, Canton Center is the lesser-used of the two stations on the branch, clocking in at just under 500 daily riders. Actually, this is the least-used station on the line, aside from the South County Extension stations. As for parking, the amount is relatively anemic, as it’s located in Canton’s town center. There’s also a singular side platform with a mini-high……which isn’t sheltered. Yeah, that’s a major “screw you”. That grade crossing? Also a major “screw you”. The way it works, trains have to stop to pick people up/let them off outbound, INCH CLOSE TO THE CROSSING, STOP TO LET THE GATES COME DOWN AS THE ENGINEER IS BLASTING THE HORN, AND THEN GO FULL THROTTLE AFTER THE GATES COME DOWN. Yeah…

The good: Well, it’s a good enough “relief” station for those who don’t want to be on crowded northbound Providence trains! Sure, there’s no indoor waiting area, but odds are you’re probably going to be parking and riding here, which isn’t a big issue since the lot is small as-is. There’s also seating!

The bad: NO, NO, NO! WHY IS THE MINI-HIGH UNSHELTERED?! WHY THE GRADE CROSSING SITUATION?! WHY, HOW, WHY?! There’s not even any weekend service down here, aside from the MBTA’s 716! Never mind that, the fact you’d have to inch to the crossing to force it to come down. What is this, the Shore Line East at New London?!

Nearby points of interest: Well, Canton Center seems like a nice enough downtown area.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Stoughton)
MBTA bus (716)

Overall, just why? I guess if you want to avoid Providence trains, it’s good enough. But, like, double track and rebuild this damn place! Hell, the plan is for that to actually happen under Phase 2 of the South Coast extension.

Rating: 2.5/10