Public Transit – Page 28 – chelsea's corner

455 (Salem/Wonderland/Lynn Center)

Alrighty, we’re heading to the North Shore! Original plan called for my friend and I to ride the SL3 and a Newburyport/Rockport train to Salem, but shit timing ended up leading to a Blue Line transfer at Airport. Shittier timing led to a 30 minute wait for the 455 at Wonderland. Eventually the bus arrived, and after putting up with a loud bunch of about 10 teenagers, they quieted down boarding the bus. Thank GOD.

So, we pulled out of Wonderland’s busway and we made our way up to Revere Street. From here, we turned left, and picked up a few people. Fortunately, it wasn’t long until we went through a roundabout and on the Salem Turnpike, where the operator decided to hightail and floor it down Rte. 107 through the wetlands between Revere and Lynn.

So we floored it, passing some buildings on either side, but no stops as this was essentially a highway. Among these buildings were GE’s Riverworks plant which also housed a train station. Naturally, no deviation. Now that it was Western Avenue, people were getting on and off, primarily for local travel within Lynn. It was a bit dense, about as much as Revere, and to be honest this place could use a Blue Line extension with a stop or three. Of course, this route wouldn’t be complete without us going down Center and Market Streets, deviating into the Lynn Center busway. Yes, people got on here. No, noone transferred to the Commuter Rail which was expressing (station closed a day prior for repairs). Nevertheless, we pressed on through Lynn, as well as Swampscott, by following Union and Essex Streets.

Aw crap, the Woonsocket sphere of influence strikes again

Of course, after passing through Governor Charlie Baker’s hometown of Swampscott, the road became Loring Ave., which we still followed all the way into Salem. It was largely residential. Going into Salem, we passed Salem State University, and eventually houses started getting a bit more grandiose and historic-looking. We turned down Lafayette Street, and a couple of more turns brought us into the crowded downtown Salem. Yes, this was during peak tourism season. Fortunately, soon after, and after everyone got off the bus along Washington St., we made it to Salem Depot (aka Salem Station).

Run time? About an hour.

The good: Well, you can’t say it doesn’t serve a lot! Ridership seems to be primarily concentrated at Wonderland, Lynn, and downtown Salem for sure. Salem itself is pretty nice, both in the tourism regard and with its historical context (the witch trials and whatnot, even had an Arthur Miller play based on it). Even outside peak tourism season (October), during the summer it’s a nice place to walk around and whatnot.

The bad: The headways kinda suck though relative to the rest of the MBTA, being hourly. Vs. other RTAs it’d be alright, but this is the MBTA we’re talking. Then again, they also have subway lines running on upwards of 15-20 minute headways as of me writing this. But hey, maybe hourly isn’t as bad for Lynn and Salem as it seems at first glance, as the route does take around an hour from end to end.

Nearby points of interest: Wonderland has the Blue Line! You also have whatever there is in Lynn (sorry, I’m unfamiliar with the area), as well as Salem. I even went candlepin bowling at a nearby alley.

Overall, while I’d increase headways to half-hourly during the tourism season, maybe it isn’t as necessary as, say, half-hour headways on a Salem express. Hell, odds are most tourists are taking the train in if they’re going to take transit to/from Salem.

Rating: 7/10

Ruggles (Orange Line)

Finally, the last Providence Line station! And it’s also an Orange Line station! Man, is it nice to be back in the Southwest Corridor.

Alright, so the Orange Line platform is kinda underground (essentially, the building is an overpass), but it provides protection from rain. Oh yeah, the Orange Line opened up about half a month before writing this. Nevertheless, my friend and I went up to the main area.

So, the mezzanine was spacious and had a few businesses. Oh yeah, there’s a Dunkin’ as well. Going further, there’s a busway that can be found that’s spacious and there’s also a Dunkin’, along with CharlieCard machines.

Moving on to the Commuter Rail, the platform is depressing to a degree, being not the most aesthetically pleasing area. However, despite half the platform being closed off on one side, there’s still benches and wastebins along with countdown signs. The one for track 2 is on the side platform, while track 1/3’s is at Dunkin’.

As for train service, you’ll see Amtrak express, but pretty much every train passing will stop for the MBTA.

The good: It’s close to Northeastern University! It’s also got a number of bus routes, with it being the primary transit center for Roxbury. It’s also a short on-foot transfer away from the Green Line’s E branch, by way of Northeastern’s stop.

The bad: The platforms are just sad! Like, I get it’s the Southwest Corridor, but at least open the Commuter Rail platform a little more! Also, what’s with the station being mostly closed on Sundays, including Dunkin’? Just a nitpick.

Nearby points of interest: Northeastern University is the big one! Nubian Square is also a little ways away.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Franklin, Foxboro, Needham, Providence, Stoughton)
Orange Line
MBTA bus (8, 9, 15, 19, 22, 23, 28, 29, 43, 44, 45, 47, CT2, CT3)

Overall, it’s a well-placed station. It can get a little cold during the winter (esp. if today is any indication), but it’s not that bad a station. But please, extend the Commuter Rail platform!

Rating: 7/10

Salem (MBTA)

Woah, what a wicked awesome town! Wait, is it? Oh crap, it’s Salem. Uh, uh, I can reassure the jury I’m not a witch at least. So, how good is th- and it’s a park & ride.

So after getting off the 455, we’re greeted by the busway. Of course, from the outset, there’s so much parking some’s even outside. Nevertheless, looking at the parking garage, it’s clear that unlike Wickford Junction, it’s actually well-utilized. Plus, there’s some MBTA logos slapped on it. Going inside, one can find a waiting area (which was kinda cold, today, likely because the air outside comes in) and a Pedal & Park. The platform is also fully high-level, which is nice on a line that’s mostly mini-highs. Except for River Works, we don’t talk about River Works. Oh yeah, there’s also a tunnel on one end going right through downtown.

Here comes the train! And yes, there were MBB coaches.

The good: Well, it’s centrally-ish located in Salem! And it’s open-air, unlike Back Bay. It’s also pretty much fully unobstructed unlike the Southwest Corridor. Plus, the amount of parking is good, unlike at Wickford since it’s actually utilized. In fact, this is the most-used station outside zone 1A!

The bad: Well, I guess the curve can lead to a gap between the platform and train. The stairs might also be annoying, but there’s an elevator if you need accessibility.

Nearby points of interest: Well, Salem! You’ve got all the wicked witchy tourist attractions around town that everyone comes here for!

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Newburyport, Rockport)
MBTA bus (435, 450, 451, 455, 456)

Overall, this is a pretty decent station. It’s just outside downtown Salem, doesn’t seem out of place due to being a little ways away (but still walking distance), and is in a walkable area. It’s wicked good for a park & ride, at that.

Rating: 8/10

645 (Madison/Clinton/Middletown)

Finally, the last of the 9 Town routes! Thank freakin’ God!

The route starts at the Middletown Terminal, deviating into the Middlesex CC, then down the expressway. Eventually, it turns off at Rte. 81, following it all the way to Clinton. Of course, you have the small town of Killingworth.

Moving on, once in Clinton, the route deviates into Clinton Crossing, over the interstate, and mirrors the 641 passing the train station. It ends at the Scranton Gazebo where one can transfer to the Shore Line East, CTtransit’s 201, and the 641.

The good: Hmm, I guess it’s a major link between Madison and Middletown, connecting the two together via transit.

The bad: Yet again, 2 hour headways. And there’s no weekend service. Yeah.

Nearby points of interest: Madison and Middletown. Killingworth isn’t the most interesting of towns either. Sorry! 🙁

Rating: 5/10

642 (Old Saybrook/Chester) & 644 (Middletown/Old Saybrook/Rte. 9)

Alrighty, I know, I know. Y’all can groan over me doing one of these kinds of entries again. But, I live by a 50/50 rule, where these kinds of entries can’t exceed 50%+1 of any given RTA. I’m technically not counting the Clinton Trolley as I’ve ridden enough of the routing via another route (the 641), so we’re within the 50% rule here. Let’s take a look at two very similar routes: the 642 to Chester and the 644 to Middletown (via Old Saybrook).

First timepoint after going express is the Essex park & ride. A bus shelter can be found here, however I’m not sure how many people actually use this as a park & ride for commuting, given the 644’s infrequency. The 642 also stops here. It’s here that the 642 runs local all the way up into Chester, sometimes with an on-request stop to Ivoryton. The 644 runs express, sometimes with an on-request deviation that involves crossing the Connecticut River. There’s also a transfer with the 645 at the end of the route, both at the Middletown terminal and Middlesex CC.

The good: Well, both routes serve a lot, and have deviations that make sense with on-request ones that should stay as such.

The bad: So, we’re back to 2 hour headways, weekdays only, eh? Well, I lied. The 642 runs on Saturdays. The 644? Nah, forget about it.

Nearby points of interest: Middlesex Community College, I guess, and Middletown. Chester doesn’t seem that interesting at first glance. Sorry!

Overall, I think these routes, on paper, just like the rest of 9 Town, could use a frequency buff. Like, even hourly would be more usable. Please, for what it’s worth, throw a second bus on these routes!

Rating: 6.5/10 (for both)

Union Station Shuttle

*gets out a can opener, starts opening a a CTtransit-branded can of worms*

Whelp, looks like I’ve started with the CTtransit routes. Please save me. Nevertheless, here’s the first route on this (very sizable, MBTA-sized, even) system: the free Union Station shuttle.

The quick journey starts at the Green, quickly turning down Temple Street. From here, as we pass through downtown New Haven, we passed a number of businesses and, well, the downtown, and taking another left, we progressed down George Street. There wasn’t much of anything interesting, and soon enough we were at State Street, turning, and eventually banging a U-ey, as soon as we made it to Union Station. Why a U-turn? Well, we had to face the station busway correctly.

The good: It’s a relatively frequent shuttle between downtown and Union Station! And, it’s free! For a station that’s relatively isolated and major, it’s an important link.

The bad: I guess the layovers can throw some people off. But, I’m more used to not being allowed on the bus during layovers, so I’ll forgive it.

Nearby points of interest: Not many. You have downtown New Haven and Union Station.

Overall, it’s a nice shuttle, and nicer that it’s free. I just don’t have much to say regarding it, but what else do you expect? Maybe it’s a good thing and a sign it does its job well.

Rating: 9.5/10

New Haven Union (Amtrak/CTrail/MNRR)

Here we are. We’re at the belly of the beast. We’ve done State Street, now to do THE station for New Haven. And now, an indepth look at Union Station. So, how unifying is Union Station?

Alrighty, so starting from the street, we have a view of the rail yard where pretty much everything conceivable (for the NEC, anyways) was laying over. Hartford Line trains with MBB coaches, GP40s, and P40DCs? Yep. Amfleets with a cab car, and an Amtrak P42DC? Why not! A Regional with an ACS64 boarding? Sure! And a bunch of M8s for the Shore Line East and the New Haven Line? Absolutely! And don’t forget the Acela! There’s also a large parking garage next to the station.

Now, the station itself. Out front, you have a busway where the CTtransit buses board. I think this is also where Greyhound and other intercity buses board as well, but I’m not fully sure. Nevertheless, it’s quite nice, with two entrances (and another one on either side of the station!). So, with that out of the way, let’s go right into this beast of a station.

Alrighty. So, upon entering, the departure board can be found, with a larger version blown up in the mezzanine. Speaking of which, the mezzanine is HUGE! You’ve got restrooms off to one side, stairs down to the platforms as well, and also an exit to the parking garage. The other side has brochures and access to (presumably employee?) parking. Further more, in the mezzanine itself, you have Amtrak and Metro-North ticket booths and a nonfunctional Quik-Trak machine. Yikes. There’s also a baggage check, a small convenience store, a Dunkin’, and Subway. Nice.

Now, the lower area. The platforms are all connected underground by a cool-looking tube, with stairs and elevators going up, along with signs indicating what’s boarding at what platform. There’s also an Amtrak office down here, Sbarro, and another Dunkin? Huh, weird that there’s two Dunkins here. At least there’s no diesel fumes like in Back Bay. I’ll also add that the elevator between the waiting area and lower mezzanine is a bit hidden, being behind a corner and a set of stairs.

And now, the platforms. There’s some seating, but you generally aren’t expected to wait here. There’s also, for whatever reason, vending machines on the platforms. Yeah, don’t ask. I’m not sure on the rationale either. But hey, unless someone stops you from being up here, it doesn’t seem like that awful a railfanning spot – aside from the lack of sheltering. Each platform also has electronic signage indicating departures.

NOW WE’RE TALKING! METRO-NORTH TERRITORY, YEAH BABY!

And with that, I’m pretty sure that’s everything that this beast has to offer.

The good: It’s pretty well utilized! I mean, second to South Station, I’m pretty sure it’s the second most-used Amtrak station in New England. The fact Metro-North and CTrail exists here also helps. Plus, you also have intercity buses that stop here, and generally it’s easy to get around. There’s also plenty of parking, if you’re the kind to bring your vehicle here.

The bad: Unfortunately though, it’s relatively isolated from downtown New Haven. That and the relative seclusion for the elevator to the tunnel from the lobby, are my main gripes.

Nearby points of interest: Pretty much all of New Haven, and places accessible by CTtransit! Also IKEA.

Transit connections:
Amtrak (Acela, Northeast Regional, Vermonter, Valley Flyer)
CTrail (Hartford Line, Shore Line East)
Metro-North (New Haven Line)
CTtransit (265, 271, 272, 278, 950, Union Sta. shuttle)
Greyhound
Flixbus
Peter Pan

Overall, it’s a great station. The fact that one of the elevators is relatively isolated is annoying, but it’s not as bad as the bad geography. Now, maybe historically, the area was much better, but nowadays it just feels very isolated from the rest of New Haven.

Rating: 9/10

New Haven (State St.) (Amtrak/CTrail/MNRR)

Oh boy. So, before we can delve into the belly of the beast, let’s check out the mouth, so to speak. Is State St. a dud, a slam dunk, or somewhere in between? Let’s look.

Oh right, we’re at a Hartford Line station!

So, I visited this station first despite getting off the Union Station Shuttle at, well, Union Station. It’s about half a mile up the tracks from Union as well, and located much closer to downtown. It’s also a few blocks away from the New Haven Green, CTtransit’s New Haven hub, though some local and express buses do stop here. The entryway looks nice enough, with a departure board being located outside the station. Several more are also located inside. Weirdly enough, the platforms for tracks 4 & 6 have a separate entrance than track 1’s platform.

Near the stairs and elevators are vending machines for both CTrail (Hartford Line & Shore Line East) and Metro-North tickets. No bathrooms, however, are to be found here. On the platforms, one can find benches under canopies. Not much, but it gets the job done. As for ridership, most people generally are going to use Union Station rather than here, and as such it doesn’t exactly rank high for either Amtrak or Metro-North.

And the other way towards Union Station!

The good: It’s centrally located in downtown New Haven. Well, almost. Furthermore, you have a decent amount of local rail service, though most Amtrak trains just express right through without stopping. Which makes sense, since they all stop at Union Station, too.

The bad: Why couldn’t this station be Union?! Like, just why? And being in a major downtown, I would’ve expected at least a unisex bathroom or seats indoors. But again, it’s not too big a dealbreaker given the low ridership of the station. And why are there separate entrances for tracks 1 and 4/6?!

Nearby points of interest: Downtown New Haven, of course!

Transit connections:
Amtrak (Northeast Regional, Valley Flyer)
CTrail (Shore Line East, Hartford Line)
Metro-North (New Haven Line)
CTtransit (204, 206, 212, 223, 274, 278, 950)

Overall, for what it is, it’s a decent station. It’s got a bit to be desired, but in general it isn’t bad. The biggest change I’d make, personally, though, is to put the stairs and elevator to track 1 on the same bridge as tracks 4/6.

Rating: 7.5/10

Shore Line East

Originally called the Shore Line under the New Haven Railroad, the merger with Penn Central led to a rename to the Clamdigger, where it ran from New Haven to New London once each day. However, after aquiring the service, Amtrak would discontinue it briefly, then replace it in 1978 with the Beacon Hill. This line, extending all the way to Boston, would have intermediate stops at Branford, Madison, Old Saybrook, East Lyme, New London, Mystic, Westerly, Shannock (in Richmond), Kingston, Wickford Junction, and East Greenwich, and Providence, then going express to Route 128 and into South Station (remember, the Southwest Corridor was being built at this time, so all trains had to run through the Fairmount Line!). However, the service didn’t last too long, with service being discontinued at most of these stations.

Fortunately, most of the Connecticut stations have seen revived commuter service, with the Shore Line East being created in 1990 to address congestion concerns on the interstate. Initially it was supposed to run only during construction, but it proved more popular than expected and it stayed, despite criticism. The service initially ran from Old Saybrook to New Haven Union, with intermediate stops at Westbrook, Clinton, Madison, Guilford, and Branford, but two stops would be added in later, with a one stop extension to New London, and an infill station half a mile from New Haven Union on State Street. Through service also ran to Stamford during rush hour, however due to COVID-19, that’s not running. Most of these stations would also be renovated over time, adding a second platform and making them ADA compliant. Unfortunately, though, service between New London and Wickford Junction (with an MBTA connection) still doesn’t exist, but there have been proposals to turn Kingston into a union station, moreso after the South County Extension opened in 2012.

Alrighty, enough of the historical mumbo jumbo, let’s get started. First off, New London! So, the line uses Kawasaki EMUs (think of them like FRA certified subway cars), so we’ll be running on overhead power to New Haven. It’s reasonably fast, though it probably is responsible for some slowdowns on the mainline, likely due to a lack of third tracks. Fortunately, most of the stations are close or in town centers. However, I do hate Madison’s single platform setup. Just, why?

The line begins in New London, at the waterfront-centered Union Station. That’s gonna be a common theme with the line, with it hugging the ocean, and MAN is it scenic! So, upon boarding after the train crawls over the grade crossing, we started crawling out and picking up speed. After about 20 minutes or so, our first stop is Old Saybrook, another Amtrak station.

Of course, since the train was too large for the platform (another common theme), not all the doors are usable for boarding and alighting. After a bit, we were off to the races to the stations served exclusively by the Shore Line East. First up, Westbrook!

Now, between here and Old Saybrook, a track change had taken place. This is because of how Madison’s scheduling works and the fact it’s single-tracked in practice due to a single side platform. Just, why? Nevertheless, this station isn’t exactly the most-used. Next!

Clinton was more-used, and is much better located than Westbrook. Being near the town center, there’s actually a reason to stop here during offpeak hours. Plus, there’s a CVS!

Madison. This station brings the whole line down. Why didn’t they add a second platform during the last rebuild?! What were they thinking?! Fortunately, there’s plans (currently unfunded, though) to install a second platform, which should make it much better than what it currently is. Next!

In case you forgot, this is still the Northeast Corridor. And DAMN is it scenic!

I’m also not big on this station, likely because I was here for 2 hours. Nevertheless, it’s not a favorite. Certainly, it’s too decrepit for my liking, which it shouldn’t be because it was rebuilt well after South Attleboro.

A P40DC hauling Mafersa coaches in reverse?!

Branford is next, and it’s pretty decent again. After bending around the tracks a bit, we finally made it. And wouldn’t you believe it, it too is in the town center! Neat. And yes, it was scenic entering the town.

Oh yeah, freight traffic runs down these tracks too.

Finally, after going through a tunnel under the interstate and over another bridge, we enter State Street and Union Station, the end of the line. Not much here. State St. is in downtown, while Union Station is a little ways away.

The good: It’s scenic! Also, it’s electrified and fast! Plus, several stations stop at town centers along the line, which is always nice. And, pretty much every station is a park & ride.

The bad: Well, the headways. Hourly in peak directions, and 2 hours during weekends and off-peak? Yeah, no thanks. Also, I think they overbuilt the parking.

Nearby points of interest: New Haven, New London, and points in between! There’s also connections to Amtrak and Metro-North on either end.

Overall, this has got to be the most scenic rail line I’ve ever ridden. Likely also MORE scenic than the Rockport Line on the MBTA. Like, if you said “let’s go to New Haven”, the segment of the NEC that this line runs down would be enough for me to say “absolutely”. However, the headways are dogcrap and I still think the stations should at least be triple-tracked. Also, what’s with track 6 being unelectrified in New London?

Rating: 7/10 (but a 10/10 for the scenery!!!)

Branford (CTrail)

Finally, the last Shore Line East (-exclusive) station! And wouldn’t ya believe it, it’s actually pretty decent!

Whelp, we’re about 10 miles out from Union Station, and the last Shore Line East-exclusive station. Now, getting off the platform, it’s definitely a stark contrast to Guilford, again. And, it actually seems like it was cleaned recently! Neat. Of course, you have the usual benches and wastebins. Parking is found exclusively on the eastbound side, while the westbound side has a kiss & ride dropoff area. The town center also happens to be a short walk north. On top of that, this station’s probably the most used SLE-exclusive station as well, as a number of people got on when I alighted the train, at midday. Neat! Maybe it’s also because outside New Haven, Branford’s the most populated town along the line. Only one nitpick: The parking area floods (supposedly). That’s um, not good.

The good: It’s a well-used station in a modestly-sized town! I mean, I’m sure there’s a reason the lot is so huge, but I feel like most ridership is likely local in nature and most don’t drive. Oh yeah, CTtransit stops here at rush hour, too. It’s also pretty close to the town center, being a quarter-mile south.

The bad: The parking lot floods?! And, maybe it’s overbuilt. Despite it being well-used, I get the feeling most walk or transfer from CTtransit.

Nearby points of interest: Branford seems like an alright enough town, however nothing immediately jumps out.

Transit connections:
CTrail (Shore Line East)
CTtransit (204, rush hour only)

Overall, this is probably the best station on the Shore Line East that isn’t shared with Amtrak (or the Hartford Line, or MNRR). It’s in a town center essentially and it gets decent ridership. However, I can’t help but think that it’s overbuilt with regards to parking, though. I’m sure, however, there’s times where the lot is filled up.

Rating: 7.5/10