Category: Public Transit

Alrighty, so now to Boston’s State Street! Yes, yes, I know, I did State Street before and it was pretty good for a secondary station. However, that was a CTrail station. This is one of the transfer stations in Boston. So, let’s get into it.

So, the Blue Line platform is about average, you’ve got some benches and wastebaskets. It’s also pretty well-lit! In terms of what’s further out from here, there’s not a lot, as you only have Government Center and Bowdoin. It’s also well-lit, so there’s that. And then, there’s the Orange Line. The Orange Line is a similar story to the Blue Line’s platform, however it’s a lot more dingy and less tile-ridden. Also, the transfer. IF YOU’RE GOING FROM EITHER BLUE LINE PLATFORM TO THE ORANGE LINE’S SOUTHBOUND PLATFORM, GOOD LUCK. YOU BETTER HAVE THE STAMINA OF A HORSE TO MAKE THE LONG TREK THROUGH THE TUNNELS FROM CONGRESS STREET TO THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. YOU KNOW YOU FUCKED UP MAJORLY IF YOU NEED A BENCH IN THE TUNNEL. And yes, the elevator smelled awful. Yeah. Anyways, the headhouses!

Oh yeah, the headhouses! Now, several of them are quite modern, as you’d expect given the fact this is downtown Boston. But, one of them in particular stands out – it IS the old state house! Yeah, who thought that was good? Either way, pretty cool they got a subway station entrance in the state house. Oh yeah, Citizens Bank once owned naming rights to the place, too. Bus connections also exist, but most of them are for express buses.

The good: It’s one of the major transfer points for subway lines! Did I mention the State House headhouse? Yeah, that’s cool despite the dinginess inside. The other headhouses are alright, too!

The bad: THAT DAMN TRANSFER. IT’S ABYSMAL. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING, DRINKING, SMOKING?! Also, no bus shelters for the bus connections. And, why didn’t they renovate the Orange Line platforms when they did the Blue Line’s in 2011?

Nearby points of interest: Faneuil Hall is the big one, along with shopping on Washington St.

Transit connections:
Orange Line
Blue Line
MBTA bus (4, 92, 93, 354)

Overall, it’s not too terrible a station. However, the transfer to the southbound platform pretty much kills it with how much a walk it is.

Rating: 6.5/10

So, here we go. The first of five transfer stations. First up batting is Government Center, aka Scollay Under. Let’s get into this, the first part of the 1 year anniversary special of this blog.

Approaching the station on foot, the headhouse is easily noticed, and I’ll have to admit it’s nice. It’s also new, as it was rebuilt in 2016. It’s also got countdown clocks inside for both the Blue and Green Lines. So, let’s go down the stairs into the station itself.

So, the Green Line platforms are alright, serviceable. You’ve got countdowns, seating, and even a Dunkin’!!!!! Also, LOTS of screeching! And, hey, it’s well-lit! YAY! Now, to transfer between lines is easy as well. Just walk down. As another tidbit with the Green Line, two branches terminate here, with a third terminating track for any shuttles that have this place as their southern terminus. So, let’s walk down.

So, after walking past the historical Scollay Under sign and, for some reason, giving Charlie a sandwich instead of a nickel, we go down to the Blue Line platform which is also VERY well lit. This station used to be the Blue Line’s terminus when Bowdoin had its 9-5 hours, and oftentimes still is used as such with no shuttle service if needed. However, that’s not necessary for now. It’s as you’d expect. Also, the elevator smelled funky. Yeah.

The good: It’s REALLY well lit! Also, I like how there’s natural lighting coming in from the station headhouse. Furthermore, the transfer is arguably among the easiest in the entire system, and it was among the last of the underground stations to be made accessible – AND, done well, at that.

The bad: Eh, there’s not too many benches around. I’d also point the lack of bus connections, but it’s not that big a dealbreaker.

Nearby points of interest: There’s shopping nearby! But, it’s mostly (as the name suggests) government stuff nearby including City Hall.

Transit connections:
Blue Line
Green Line (B, C, D, E)
MBTA bus (354)

Overall, this is probably the best of the transfer stations. Unfortunately, that means it’s probably downhill from here. At least one can dream, though, and go in optimistically!

Rating: 8/10

As an aside, might I recommend M.T.A.?

Woah, Broadway! Why does it seem like EVERY Red Line incident happens here??????

So, for one they clearly went happy with tiling here. Probably because they knew this station was cursed with every incident under the sun happening here: between trains demolishing the platform in derailments, someone having their armed ripped off and subsequently DYING, yeah… But hey, the platforms are nice, and there’s art! Going on up, the headhouses are nice with translucent glass, as well. Buses? Well, three buses stop at street level. No busway here!

The good: Well, it looks nice and is colorful! There’s also countdown clocks outside!

The bad: Eh, there’s not much for transit connections, and it’s not really dense or anything nearby.

Nearby points of interest: Railfans might be interested in Cabot Yard! You can also get a nice view of the skyline from by here. Aside from that, not much.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont, Braintree)
MBTA bus (9, 11, 47)

Overall, it’s a decent station. It’s among the lesser used stations around here, likely due to the lack of buses. But, being paranoid, I wouldn’t advise being here too long as seemingly every Red Line incident happens here.

Rating: 6/10

Alrighty, so we went from among the best Red Line stations to one of the dingiest. Dear god. Let’s look at the John F. Kennedy-University of Massachusetts Boston station on the Red Line, aka Columbia. Hopefully I-93 isn’t too loud here, like I-90 was in Newton!

So, getting off the Red Line, the platform setup is actually quite unusual here vs. most stations. You have an island platform…..and another one. So, if you’re coming from the street, the Commuter Rail, or a bus, how do you know what platform the Alewife train is coming to next? Well, that’s easy. The signs tell you!

The platforms themselves aren’t much to ring home about. Kinda dingy, but it’s expected given we’re under I-93 and most under-highway stations suffer this fate. Also, I can’t help but feel like the station’s falling apart with how much is peeling. Seriously, give this place a facelift!!!

So, the Commuter Rail platform opened in 2001 (later than all but the Greenbush and South Coast stations), and it’s as you’d expect: fully high-level. There’s also a departure board. Neat! The busway also has all of three connections for MBTA buses, plus various UMASS shuttles.

The good: It’s pretty damn close to UMASS Boston!

The bad: THIS PLACE IS LITERALLY FALLING APART, MAYBE ASIDE FROM THE COMMUTER RAIL PLATFORM! NO, NO, NO!!! THERE’S NO TENANT (unless they open later) FOR WHAT LOOKED TO BE A SHOP, THERE’S PEELING PAINT EVERYWHERE, THE STAIRS ARE RUSTING, SOMEONE COULD DIE HERE DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE!!! ALSO, FUCK YOU IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE ON THE WRONG PLATFORM FOR AN ALEWIFE TRAIN AND CAN’T MOVE QUICKLY!

Nearby points of interest: UMASS Boston and the JFK Library are the big ones!

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Middleborough, Kingston, Greenbush)
Red Line (Ashmont, Braintree)
MBTA bus (8, 16, 41)
Various shuttles

Overall, NO, JUST NO!!! IT’S SO DINGY AND IT’S FALLING APART, LITERALLY!!! PLEASE, GIVE IT A FACELIFT LIKE WOLLASTON!

Rating: 3.5/10

Alrighty! So, we’ve done all the other stops in Quincy …and, actually, all the other stops on the Braintree branch. Let’s see if Wollaston, the last holdout, is any better than the rest and I did save the best for last, shall we?

Now, why the HELL did it take me so long to get to Wollaston? Well, it’s easy, actually. Most of the time I’m down here, I’m with someone, and we simply had nothing to do with the area. However, let’s look at the station, with that crap out of the way. One exit has you exiting towards a sizable parking lot and Hancock Street, with residences nearby. Fortunately, the station is still somewhat walkable as you also have a pedestrian footpath heading towards Beale St. and various businesses in the area. On the other side, you have Newport Avenue. And, at the intersection of Newport and Beale is the station’s sole bus connection: the 211 to Quincy Center, North Quincy, and Squantum. At the station itself, you have a Pedal & Park, along with a headhouse that’s actually quite modern and nice, likely as it was rebuilt in 2019. Lastly, there’s a pedestrian bridge to the Red Line platforms from the parking lot.

The good: It’s in a residential neighborhood, and despite that has an ample amount of parking still (for those coming in from a bit further out). It’s also modern and among the newest stations on the MBTA, so there’s that. Also, bathrooms exist here and are PUBLIC!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!

The bad: I know they tried on this, but the geography of the station just doesn’t lend itself well to being walkable, given one side of Newport Ave. has a steep grade. Also, the bus stop could be placed a little better.

Nearby points of interest: If you’re into Asian cuisine, you’ll be happy to know Wollaston is a predominantly Asian neighborhood, and as such you’ll probably find some more authentic restaurants vs., say, Panda Express in your nearest mall or lifestyle center.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Braintree)
MBTA bus (211, at Newport & Beale)

Overall, this has got to be the best station on the Braintree branch, and that says a bit given most of the stations are 6s with a 7 mixed in. Unlike the others, it’s actually nice to look at AND isn’t dingy, and furthermore there’s actually BATHROOMS here too!

Rating: 8/10

Alrighty, so I guess this is the part where I finally talk about the B branch at-large! Well, let’s see…. the stations suck, but the routing and quality of the ride itself was good enough. Now, a quick disclaimer on this one, I rode it out to Boston College, but the return trip had me doing a mixture of both riding and walking. So, let’s get into it, shall we?

So, the start of the line is all the way in Boston College on the Brighton/Newton line. In fact, in terms of mere distance, this is the second-longest branch of the Green Line, with the D branch beating it out. The neighborhoods themselves seem to have a bit of some old-school energy, with the rowhouses lining Commonwealth Avenue. I’m not sure why, but I kinda dig them. Anyways, there’s not too much to note, however you’ve got the Chestnut Hill reservoir and a potential on-foot transfer to the C and D branches at Chestnut Hill Avenue. Did I mention the line’s hilly? It’s hilly, and you can catch shots of the train cresting Commonwealth Avenue at Washington Street.

Of course, Washington St., Harvard Ave., Boston College, and the five BU stops are the only accessible ones, so there’s that against the line. And, fortunately, as we crest down the hill, Packards Corner is the last inaccessible stop (well, maybe save for Blandford St.) and the last one that’s unreasonably narrow. Then, lastly, are the five BU-area stops, which I walked the entire length of. They’re all pretty basic, and the route is a straight shot and is likely the fastest this branch runs. With that, that’s the entire B branch down! WOOHOO!

The good: Well, it serves two major college campuses! It’s also lined with quite a bit in the way of shopping too, so there’s that. Also houses.

The bad: MOST OF THE DAMN STOPS ARE INACCESSIBLE!!!!!!!

Nearby points of interest: Primarily BC and BU. Also the Grand Junction if you’re a railfan.

Overall, this line could be decent if given more width. But, instead, we get a godly amount of CRAP and inaccessible stations. At least it’s sorta-fast where it’s doable???? Also, odds are good you can outrun the BU stops, or the 57 might be faster (which mirrors the A branch of years prior).

Rating: 4/10

Alrighty, so I’ve done every other station on the B branch, let’s now start looking at Boston College!

So, what’s special about Boston College? Absolutely nothing! No, seriously, nothing. You’ve got a Green Line maintenance facility here, and facilities for operators, but aside from that not a lot else. You’ve also got bus shelters for sheltering on rainy or snowy days, and a mini-high for level Type 7 boarding. One of the major downsides to here, though, is that trains can get stuck with traffic because they need to cross half of Commonwealth Avenue to reach the median. And, no, there’s no semblance of traffic priority for the Green Line here to my awareness.

The good: It’s on the Boston College campus! You’ve also got BlueBikes here, for those who need to go a little further out than what walking can do.

The bad: Eh, I find it weird how this is the only terminal without any semblance of bus connections, though to be fair Riverside only has peak-only bus connections. And no, I’m not counting the BC bus network for this one. Also, that mini-high looks worn. And, no heating in the shelters?!

Nearby points of interest: Boston College!

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)

Overall, it’s alright, however I’d hope for a little more out of a major Green Line terminal. Maybe I’m being too needy. However, one thing’s for sure, and it’s better than the vast majority of stations on the line.

Rating: 4/10

Alrighty, so now that we got the absolute worst of the worst on the MBTA out of the way, let’s look at some half-decent stations, shall we? Now, the BU-area stations. These stations, namely, are Babcock Street, Amory Street, BU Central, BU East, and Blandford Street. Buckle down, as I walked the entirity of this segment of the Green Line for these reviews.

Alrighty, so these all are pretty much copy-paste, hence the 5-in-1 deal of a review. They all have shelters, wastebaskets, benches(!!!), and even countdown clocks and announcements. DAMN!!! The other stops make these look like Back Bay copy-pastes in comparison! Now, there’s also not much, and these are the last stops of the B branch before the central mainline at Kenmore. Oh yeah, the 57 runs down here too. Neat.

The good: There’s shelters, benches, and a countdown clock! Yay, the bare basics are here!!! WOOHOO!!!!! They also serve the areas in/around BU!

The bad: Eh, vs. the other stations not a lot is wrong here. I guess my biggest complaint is Blandford’s inaccessibility, and the mini-high at BU Central. That’s a weird thing. Also, good luck with crossing US-20.

Nearby points of interest: BU is the big one. If you’re a railfan, you can also easily reach the Grand Junction from these stops as well. I’d recommend Amory St. in particular, for the CP3.3 switch

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)
MBTA bus (57)

Overall, yeah these are relatively great stations. However, in the grand scheme of the MBTA, they’re average at best. Yeah, sorry but not sorry.

Rating: 5/10

Alrighty, so we’ve basically scraped the bottom of the toilet bowl for the B branch, surely it’s only uphill from there, right? Well……

So, since Washington St. & Harvard Ave. are essentially copy-pasted, I’m doing both as one entry. What sets them apart from the other stinkers? Well, you got a tactile safety strip, wheelchair lifts, and shelters with trashbins. Woah!!! Still, no benches!

The good: There’s shelters and wastebins! Neat!

The bad: The damn platforms are STILL very narrow! Also, no benches!

Nearby points of interest: Same shopping on Commonwealth Avenue as from the other stops.

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)
MBTA bus (65 @ Washington St., 66 @ Harvard Ave.)

Overall, these stations are STILL awful! But, they’re marginally better!!!

Rating: 1.5/10

Alrighty, so since most of these stations are similar enough in appearance, let’s take a look at them all, gauntlet style! So, which stops will be touched on here? To answer that, we have: South St., Chestnut Hill Ave., Chiswick Rd., Sutherland Rd., Warren St., Allston St., Griggs St.-Long Ave., and Packards Corner. Our standard layout is a measly yellow line on pavement barely deep enough to acommodate ONE person. Uh oh, that’s not good! The only thing that could be worse is if they WERE the grade crossings.

These platforms are so thin, it feels like it could easily graze a fat man! And, I say that, as a fat man! Yeah, that’s not exactly a good testament to how small the platforms are. Hell, even a more slender person would have trouble! Step too close forward and you’re trespassing. Too far back, and you’ll be struck by the traffic on Commonwealth Avenue! Yeah, that’s a good sign of things! And if you need accessibility, FUCK YOU! These platforms are so small they can’t even accommodate a wheelchair ramp even if they were level! They’re probably too small for a wheelchair, period!

The good: Nah.

The bad: EVERYTHING! THESE STATIONS SHOULD NOT EXIST! WHY, HOW, WHY?! THESE ARE SOME MAJOR STINKERS! NOT EVEN NEWTONVILLE HAVE SUCH SORRY PLATFORMS, AND THAT STATION GOT A 1!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK HAPPENED?!

Okay, hear me out: Why don’t we neuter Commonwealth Ave to two lanes, with a narrower side street (why do these exist?!) on each side, so we can widen the Green Line’s reservation and, gasp, give the stations actual amenities?! Woah, shocking idea!

Nearby points of interest: The Chestnut Hill reservoir seems like a nice place to chill. There’s also a few interesting businesses lining Commonwealth Avenue, and US-20 splits off at Packards Corner.

Overall, NO. JUST, NO!!! I GENUINELY THOUGHT NEWTONVILLE WAS DOGSHIT WHEN I WROTE THAT REVIEW, I REALLY DID. BUT NOPE, SEEMS LIKE WE SCRAPED THE BOTTOM OF THE TOILET BOWL ON THIS ONE!!!!!

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)
MBTA bus (various, at various points. Too lazy to name.)

Rating: 0.5/10