This is stupid.
The T is just now coming up with a computerized system to track employee absences?
Some people that read this may think that my comment reeks of conservative republican politics, but 2 fingers to you, my friends, you can't pigeonhole me into one ideology.
The problem is the unions. You can do no work, and someone will try to defend you so you keep your job. Why are they even unions anymore? The company I work for doesn't have one, and I get 5 sick days per year, and 10 vacation days. If I use them up, that's my problem.
21 days absent? Unless you have a short term disability, then that is insane.
From today's Boston Globe:
http://tinyurl.com/9fulw
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
A Diversion
I'm pretty much all about travel by train, but sometimes I have to fly somewhere, like Chicago, which you can read about in the previous post.
All I'd like to say about plane travel, no matter where you are coming from or going to, is that PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS.
The scenario:
You're in the gate area, waiting for your row, or group, to be called. What do you do? You SIT DOWN UNTIL YOUR GROUP IS CALLED. YOU DO NOT GET UP AND STAND IN A GIANT GROUP AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE GATE.
The wife and I were in group 3, and of course everyone got up and stood around, so that we couldn't tell where the line began to get on the plane.
Query to "up-talker" girls in front of me:
Me:"Are you in line?"
Her:"Uh, as much as anybody else is."
Me:"Are you even IN group 3?!"
Her:"No."
Me:"Then get out of the line. Jeez."
Then we get on the plane. It's packed, and people are standing in the aisle, as if they have no idea that there are people trying to get by them. The stewardess is announcing to NOT PUT YOUR JACKETS IN THE OVERHEAD BINS SO THAT BAGS CAN FIT THERE.
What are the people directly opposite me putting in the bin?
THEIR JACKETS.
When some people couldn't find an empty bin to place their bags, the stewardess went from bin to bin and asked who owned the jackets within. Who claimed a jacket?
NOBODY.
So the woman just chucked them on an empty seat.
Anyway, that's that.
All I'd like to say about plane travel, no matter where you are coming from or going to, is that PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS.
The scenario:
You're in the gate area, waiting for your row, or group, to be called. What do you do? You SIT DOWN UNTIL YOUR GROUP IS CALLED. YOU DO NOT GET UP AND STAND IN A GIANT GROUP AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE GATE.
The wife and I were in group 3, and of course everyone got up and stood around, so that we couldn't tell where the line began to get on the plane.
Query to "up-talker" girls in front of me:
Me:"Are you in line?"
Her:"Uh, as much as anybody else is."
Me:"Are you even IN group 3?!"
Her:"No."
Me:"Then get out of the line. Jeez."
Then we get on the plane. It's packed, and people are standing in the aisle, as if they have no idea that there are people trying to get by them. The stewardess is announcing to NOT PUT YOUR JACKETS IN THE OVERHEAD BINS SO THAT BAGS CAN FIT THERE.
What are the people directly opposite me putting in the bin?
THEIR JACKETS.
When some people couldn't find an empty bin to place their bags, the stewardess went from bin to bin and asked who owned the jackets within. Who claimed a jacket?
NOBODY.
So the woman just chucked them on an empty seat.
Anyway, that's that.
The Windy City
Went to Chicago last weekend. It is not actually the windiest city. The award goes to the Blue Hills area of Milton, MA, but I digress.
As you probably have heard, Chicago's transit is called the el, even though only a small portion of it is elevated.
Only had the chance to go on the Red Line, but it was ok. Nice stations, smaller trains than Boston, and certainly a bad map design. They try to use the real dimensions between stations, so that the downtown loop area needs to be on a seperate inset.
They should take a cue from London Transport and map a diagramatic map and get it all in one area.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Fiery!
If you've taken the Silver line to South Station, or even just read my last post, you'll know that sometimes a bus waits while others pass it to continue on.
Some go to Logan, so they are off the catenary or whatever.
Well last night a bus to SS was waiting for a Logan bus to pass it so the SS bus could pull over to the shelter and pick us up. But the Logan bus wouldn't move, and finally the SS bus pulled up, and then the Logan bus decided to pull up next to it, blocking the SS bus from pulling out, since the catenary was blocked by the diesel Logan bus.
Am I rambling?
Anyway, we all pile on the bus, and driver is cussing out the driver of the Logan bus for not moving quickly enough, and then blocking her in.
I think she may have been channeling some of my rage.
Cool.
Some go to Logan, so they are off the catenary or whatever.
Well last night a bus to SS was waiting for a Logan bus to pass it so the SS bus could pull over to the shelter and pick us up. But the Logan bus wouldn't move, and finally the SS bus pulled up, and then the Logan bus decided to pull up next to it, blocking the SS bus from pulling out, since the catenary was blocked by the diesel Logan bus.
Am I rambling?
Anyway, we all pile on the bus, and driver is cussing out the driver of the Logan bus for not moving quickly enough, and then blocking her in.
I think she may have been channeling some of my rage.
Cool.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Where Should I Start?
What is the problem with the Silver line? You get on the bus and it sits. Forever. How is this "rapid transit"?
Last night I got on a South Station bound bus, and it sat there for 10 - YES, Mr. Mac, T-E-N, minutes.
In that time 2 buses passed us, also bound for South Station. The driver must have know there would be other buses coming along, so why didn't he mention that, or why even let us on the bus?
What is the problem with the idiots at the Red/Orange interchange at Downtown Crossing? I change there every night, and invaribly there is a group of people standing right in front of the door while people try to get off the train. Yeah, this happens at other stops as well, but none as bad as this. Last night I tried to get off the train and had to stare down four 12 year old girls whose parents are so STUPID that they didn't tell them to get out of the way, and the parents were right there looking at me like I was the asshole.
Last night I got on a South Station bound bus, and it sat there for 10 - YES, Mr. Mac, T-E-N, minutes.
In that time 2 buses passed us, also bound for South Station. The driver must have know there would be other buses coming along, so why didn't he mention that, or why even let us on the bus?
What is the problem with the idiots at the Red/Orange interchange at Downtown Crossing? I change there every night, and invaribly there is a group of people standing right in front of the door while people try to get off the train. Yeah, this happens at other stops as well, but none as bad as this. Last night I tried to get off the train and had to stare down four 12 year old girls whose parents are so STUPID that they didn't tell them to get out of the way, and the parents were right there looking at me like I was the asshole.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Dwell On This
The Scene: Red line, northbound train
The Time: 18:00
The Problem: Dwell Time
As a daily Orange and Silver line rider, and a former daily Red line rider, I'm familiar with the differences between the lines.
Say what you will about the Orange line - old, dirty, etc., but the Red line has the longest dwell times. You know, how long it is between the stopping of the train at a station and when it leaves.
The Red line takes forever to leave the stations, with at least a 3 minute wait.
What used to be a 20 minute ride from South Station to Davis is now an extra 20 minutes with the longer dwell times.
The Time: 18:00
The Problem: Dwell Time
As a daily Orange and Silver line rider, and a former daily Red line rider, I'm familiar with the differences between the lines.
Say what you will about the Orange line - old, dirty, etc., but the Red line has the longest dwell times. You know, how long it is between the stopping of the train at a station and when it leaves.
The Red line takes forever to leave the stations, with at least a 3 minute wait.
What used to be a 20 minute ride from South Station to Davis is now an extra 20 minutes with the longer dwell times.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
(This Is) The Modern World
I was sort of excited to see the new Charlie Ticket/Card machines on the Blue line. Taking a cue from London Underground and installing a "touch-in-touch-out" ticket system is a good idea, especially for regular riders.
The test line is the Blue, presumably because it has the lowest ridership, and is good as a test.
Of course, the T can't do something without messing some part of it up (read: Silver Line), and what they messed up in this case is the design of the machines. When was this thing made, 1983? It looks like an ATM prototype. Check out the metal number buttons. Who uses mechanical buttons? Why make something with moving parts? Hey, MBTA, have you seen an ATM lately? How about a TOUCH SCREEN. Even with the physical design errors, they could've done a better job on the machine aesthetics. I especially like the "press 5 for audio" coupled with a dotted line to the number pad, and bland 'wintel' box color scheme.
Idiots.
The test line is the Blue, presumably because it has the lowest ridership, and is good as a test.
Of course, the T can't do something without messing some part of it up (read: Silver Line), and what they messed up in this case is the design of the machines. When was this thing made, 1983? It looks like an ATM prototype. Check out the metal number buttons. Who uses mechanical buttons? Why make something with moving parts? Hey, MBTA, have you seen an ATM lately? How about a TOUCH SCREEN. Even with the physical design errors, they could've done a better job on the machine aesthetics. I especially like the "press 5 for audio" coupled with a dotted line to the number pad, and bland 'wintel' box color scheme.
Idiots.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Not Sold Here
The Place: Downtown Crossing T Pass Office
The Sign: Weekly Pass Sign, with Breakdown of Weekly Pass Types
The Message: NOT SOLD HERE
The Format: Handwritten, in sharpie, of course, on the top and bottom of the sign.
If you don't sell weekly passes, then why have you got a sign advertising them in the first place?
Do you think that a fast food joint that is not "a participating location" would advertise the latest food promotion?
Also spotted on the back wall of the very modern wood-paneled office, a sign advertising the T's Work Pass Program.
The best part about that one, other than the horrible "cartoon" design, is the phone number that contains only 7 digits, making it at least, but probably far more than, SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD, as we added the 508 area code back in 1988, making it necessary to show the (617) in front of boston area phone numbers.
Progress.
The Sign: Weekly Pass Sign, with Breakdown of Weekly Pass Types
The Message: NOT SOLD HERE
The Format: Handwritten, in sharpie, of course, on the top and bottom of the sign.
If you don't sell weekly passes, then why have you got a sign advertising them in the first place?
Do you think that a fast food joint that is not "a participating location" would advertise the latest food promotion?
Also spotted on the back wall of the very modern wood-paneled office, a sign advertising the T's Work Pass Program.
The best part about that one, other than the horrible "cartoon" design, is the phone number that contains only 7 digits, making it at least, but probably far more than, SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD, as we added the 508 area code back in 1988, making it necessary to show the (617) in front of boston area phone numbers.
Progress.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
A Fox In The Henhouse!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/11/10/mbta_renews_contract_with_oft_criticized_elevator_maintenance_firm/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News
I'd like to say that I can't believe it, but, sadly enough, I can.
The MBTA had signed another 5 year contract with Kone.
Don't know who Kone is, you say?
Sure you do. Just look for the escalators and elevators that are out of order around the system, as there are many, and you'll see the yellow Kone barrier blocking them with a nice, handwritten sign with the dates for maintenance on it.
As of today, the T has 12 elevators or escalators out of service. Amazingly, the only lines without problems are the Silver line (which is good since the thing just opened) and the Green line (which is funny, since almost the entire line is at street level).
If you read my post on August 12 (http://transportavenger.blogspot.com/2005/08/but-they-promised.html)
you'll notice my rage with T upon hiring Bechtel to fix Red line tunnels.
What is with these people?
Bechtel sucks. Kone sucks. The T hires them both. Ergo, the T must suck as well, but you all knew that anyway.
I'd like to say that I can't believe it, but, sadly enough, I can.
The MBTA had signed another 5 year contract with Kone.
Don't know who Kone is, you say?
Sure you do. Just look for the escalators and elevators that are out of order around the system, as there are many, and you'll see the yellow Kone barrier blocking them with a nice, handwritten sign with the dates for maintenance on it.
As of today, the T has 12 elevators or escalators out of service. Amazingly, the only lines without problems are the Silver line (which is good since the thing just opened) and the Green line (which is funny, since almost the entire line is at street level).
If you read my post on August 12 (http://transportavenger.blogspot.com/2005/08/but-they-promised.html)
you'll notice my rage with T upon hiring Bechtel to fix Red line tunnels.
What is with these people?
Bechtel sucks. Kone sucks. The T hires them both. Ergo, the T must suck as well, but you all knew that anyway.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Is it Famous or Infamous?
Either way, I'm one of them, it seems.
While I wouldn't normally read the Boston Herald, I was informed of an article on people like me raging against the T, so I picked up a copy of today's paper.
Granted, in the print version, the writer used one of my smallest and not very good posts, made it seem that this blog was written by collective of "Silver Line riders", and highlighted a fellow rager instead of me (with a photo!), but at least I was in there.
You can see it HERE.
The best part of the article is the bit with the new T GM, saying that he wasn't impressed by our complaining, and that we should use the T's Write To The Top program to inform the T of problems. Well, Danny, how about I send you my ENTIRE BLOG? Oh, wait, that's right, YOUR email is NOT on the Write To The Top list.
I'll leave you with my customary last thought:
Idiots.
-TA
While I wouldn't normally read the Boston Herald, I was informed of an article on people like me raging against the T, so I picked up a copy of today's paper.
Granted, in the print version, the writer used one of my smallest and not very good posts, made it seem that this blog was written by collective of "Silver Line riders", and highlighted a fellow rager instead of me (with a photo!), but at least I was in there.
You can see it HERE.
The best part of the article is the bit with the new T GM, saying that he wasn't impressed by our complaining, and that we should use the T's Write To The Top program to inform the T of problems. Well, Danny, how about I send you my ENTIRE BLOG? Oh, wait, that's right, YOUR email is NOT on the Write To The Top list.
I'll leave you with my customary last thought:
Idiots.
-TA
Monday, October 31, 2005
Just Cinch It
At Oak Grove station, there are two sets of platforms, one for the Orange Line, and the other that is used once in awhile if the commuter rail uses that stop.
The doors at the bottom of the escalators leading to the Orange Line are made of wood with some type of coating, and are always broken.
Always.
They're look like shite, are either totally unusable, or a door handle is broken. On a side note, how does a metal handle get broken? There's always a T inspector on the platform, who is apparently not doing too much inspecting if someone can have enough time to break metal with their bare hands.
The doors to the rarely used commuter rail platform are in perfect shape, and are made of stainless steel and glass.
So one day I'm coming down the stairs, and I see two T workers fixing the door yet again.
So I asked them, "Why don't you guys just switch the doors from the unused platform to this platform instead of duct taping these doors up all the time?"
The response:
"Uhhhh. They told us this was better."
Uh-huh.
Idiots.
The doors at the bottom of the escalators leading to the Orange Line are made of wood with some type of coating, and are always broken.
Always.
They're look like shite, are either totally unusable, or a door handle is broken. On a side note, how does a metal handle get broken? There's always a T inspector on the platform, who is apparently not doing too much inspecting if someone can have enough time to break metal with their bare hands.
The doors to the rarely used commuter rail platform are in perfect shape, and are made of stainless steel and glass.
So one day I'm coming down the stairs, and I see two T workers fixing the door yet again.
So I asked them, "Why don't you guys just switch the doors from the unused platform to this platform instead of duct taping these doors up all the time?"
The response:
"Uhhhh. They told us this was better."
Uh-huh.
Idiots.
Here a Stop, There a Stop, Everywhere a Stop Stop Stop...Except....
On the bus line I sometimes use, there are stops approximately every 75 yards.
This is kind of ridiculous, especially when you consider the fact that once the bus leaves the main road, and turns onto the MBTA owned and badly maintained access road, there are NONE.
So in a 1 mile trip, there are 5 stops for the first quarter mile or so, and then none for the remaining 3/4's of a mile.
What is wrong with these people?
This is kind of ridiculous, especially when you consider the fact that once the bus leaves the main road, and turns onto the MBTA owned and badly maintained access road, there are NONE.
So in a 1 mile trip, there are 5 stops for the first quarter mile or so, and then none for the remaining 3/4's of a mile.
What is wrong with these people?
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Stop and Go. And Stop. And Go.
What's with the World Trade Center stop on the Silver Line?
The bus stops to drop off and pick up passengers, drives about 4 feet to a stop sign, stops, then proceeds up the ramp out of the tunnel.
This is isn't a normal tunnel portal, it's more like a huge open garage, and you can see from the station all the way to D street.
Why not make the standard drop off/pick up area at the point of the stop sign?
There's still about 15 feet of station at that point, so it's not like passengers would be walking on the ramp or anything.
The bus stops to drop off and pick up passengers, drives about 4 feet to a stop sign, stops, then proceeds up the ramp out of the tunnel.
This is isn't a normal tunnel portal, it's more like a huge open garage, and you can see from the station all the way to D street.
Why not make the standard drop off/pick up area at the point of the stop sign?
There's still about 15 feet of station at that point, so it's not like passengers would be walking on the ramp or anything.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Complacency
So I'm on the SL, going to the Courthouse stop.
I don't know if you've seen this particular stop, but it's pretty nice.
In fact, it's TOO NICE. The MBTA probably could've save a few million if this station wasn't so ornate.
I know, I know, I'm known for saying that MBTA architecture is of the Soviet style, but this is ridiculous.
The station is set on 2 levels.
You come in the headhouse, which is a nice glass and steel number, and into a cavernous concourse area. Really, it's like an airport in there. It's got to be 200 yards long, and is COMPLETELY EMPTY, save for the token booths and the turnstyles. Why bother with such a design if that's not even where people would wait for the bus? Anyway...
So I get off of the bus/train thing and go up to the concourse, where I notice that the turning barrier bit of one of the turnstyles is missing.
I walk through and go to the token taker to let her know.
Mind you, this station is about 6 months old, is rarely used, and shouldn't be breaking down already.
So I tell the woman about the broken turnstyle. The conversation went a bit like this:
TA: Hi. Did you know that there isn't a barrier on the turnstyle over there?
MBTA: Yeah. It's broken.
TA: I assumed that.
MBTA: I've actually got the piece right here.
TA: But who is stopping people from just walking through?
MBTA: Uhhh. Well, there are cameras.
Okey dokey.
I don't know if you've seen this particular stop, but it's pretty nice.
In fact, it's TOO NICE. The MBTA probably could've save a few million if this station wasn't so ornate.
I know, I know, I'm known for saying that MBTA architecture is of the Soviet style, but this is ridiculous.
The station is set on 2 levels.
You come in the headhouse, which is a nice glass and steel number, and into a cavernous concourse area. Really, it's like an airport in there. It's got to be 200 yards long, and is COMPLETELY EMPTY, save for the token booths and the turnstyles. Why bother with such a design if that's not even where people would wait for the bus? Anyway...
So I get off of the bus/train thing and go up to the concourse, where I notice that the turning barrier bit of one of the turnstyles is missing.
I walk through and go to the token taker to let her know.
Mind you, this station is about 6 months old, is rarely used, and shouldn't be breaking down already.
So I tell the woman about the broken turnstyle. The conversation went a bit like this:
TA: Hi. Did you know that there isn't a barrier on the turnstyle over there?
MBTA: Yeah. It's broken.
TA: I assumed that.
MBTA: I've actually got the piece right here.
TA: But who is stopping people from just walking through?
MBTA: Uhhh. Well, there are cameras.
Okey dokey.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Hells Bells
Really, now, how old are the Silver Line buses? 6 months? 8 months?
How does a brand new piece of equipment not work properly?
What I'm talking about, kids, is the damned bell on the bus.
First off, there shouldn't even BE a bell.
The SL is supposedly 'Bus Rapid Transit', or BRT, in T parlance. Wouldn't you think that means that it's supposed to work like the trains in the system, i.e., stop at all stops, regardless of the location?
More than once I've gotten on the SL going to South Station, and it's been packed.
No big deal, except that when that happens, they decide that there is no way anyone on the bus wants to get off BEFORE South Station.
How stupid is that?
So I wanted to get off at Courthouse, where I was meeting people, and the bus just sped through the station, no announcement that it was express, nothing.
As I saw that the bus was not slowing down, I repeatedly hit the "Stop" strip on the window frame next to me, but nothing happened.
Of course, that means I had to go to SS, up and around to get to the southbound side, and then wait for another bus, making me 20 minutes late.
How does a brand new piece of equipment not work properly?
What I'm talking about, kids, is the damned bell on the bus.
First off, there shouldn't even BE a bell.
The SL is supposedly 'Bus Rapid Transit', or BRT, in T parlance. Wouldn't you think that means that it's supposed to work like the trains in the system, i.e., stop at all stops, regardless of the location?
More than once I've gotten on the SL going to South Station, and it's been packed.
No big deal, except that when that happens, they decide that there is no way anyone on the bus wants to get off BEFORE South Station.
How stupid is that?
So I wanted to get off at Courthouse, where I was meeting people, and the bus just sped through the station, no announcement that it was express, nothing.
As I saw that the bus was not slowing down, I repeatedly hit the "Stop" strip on the window frame next to me, but nothing happened.
Of course, that means I had to go to SS, up and around to get to the southbound side, and then wait for another bus, making me 20 minutes late.
Friday, September 23, 2005
People Are Stupid
Got off the packed train last night around 6.45. When I say packed, I mean PACKED. I've never seen it that full that late in the commute.
I was on the last car, so I'd be closest to the doors to leave the station.
The platform has FOUR doors, set in 2 pairs.
The right pair leads primarily to the escalator, the left to the stairs.
As I said before, the train was packed, and there are FOUR doors to exit the platform area.
Of course, the idiots in front of me tried to squeeze through one of the two opened doors.
HELLO!
There are TWO MORE DOORS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO OPEN A DOOR?!?!
Idiots.
I was on the last car, so I'd be closest to the doors to leave the station.
The platform has FOUR doors, set in 2 pairs.
The right pair leads primarily to the escalator, the left to the stairs.
As I said before, the train was packed, and there are FOUR doors to exit the platform area.
Of course, the idiots in front of me tried to squeeze through one of the two opened doors.
HELLO!
There are TWO MORE DOORS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO OPEN A DOOR?!?!
Idiots.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Quality Control
Check out this sign at Oak Grove.
A few things:
1) There is also a bus stop out there, which is not noted on the sign.
2) There is also taxi pick-up, passenger drop-off and pick-up, and a bus stop on the opposite side of the station, but there is no sign telling you that.
But the best part is the fact that while making this very amateur looking sign, they apparently forgot to proof it.
What is "pick" meant to convey to us?
Guitar pick?
Afro pick?
Oscar pick?
Are the curbs there good for skateboarding, and you could do a nosepick grind?
I mean, what is on their minds?
As an aside, there is also a bus stop "sign" on that side of the station that is written very professionally in sharpie, but i forgot to get a photo.
A few things:
1) There is also a bus stop out there, which is not noted on the sign.
2) There is also taxi pick-up, passenger drop-off and pick-up, and a bus stop on the opposite side of the station, but there is no sign telling you that.
But the best part is the fact that while making this very amateur looking sign, they apparently forgot to proof it.
What is "pick" meant to convey to us?
Guitar pick?
Afro pick?
Oscar pick?
Are the curbs there good for skateboarding, and you could do a nosepick grind?
I mean, what is on their minds?
As an aside, there is also a bus stop "sign" on that side of the station that is written very professionally in sharpie, but i forgot to get a photo.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Victorious Once Again!
TA helped out his buddy Mr. Mac by sending his letter (see post below under Red Line Rudeness) to the GM and Red Line chiefs. I signed it with my name so Mr. Mac could remain anonymous. Now, I'm sure the T people cringe when an email with my domain shows up in the mailbox, but I'm happy to have gotten a very quick, positive response from a certain Ms. Shirkus. Carry on....
_____________________
Dear Mr. C,
Thank you for your email regarding Red Line service.
The behavior you describe is very disturbing, and completely
unacceptable. I am embarrassed by your encounter with this employee,
and offer my apologies for your mistreatment.
This mornings rush hour was adversely impacted by signal problems
between Park Street and Kendall. The signal system is designed to "fail
safe" when there is a problem, causing all trains in the area to stop.
When this occurs, trains must be manually blocked through the location
one at a time, at a restricted speed, maintaining safe braking distances
in the process. This unfortunately causes a residual "snowball" effect,
impacting a larger portion of the line.
I have taken the liberty of forwarding your email, along with this
response to the Red Line Superintendent's office for further review and
action. In the future if you witness a situation while onboard a
vehicle, please note the train number as it will assist us in our
investigation.
Again, please accept my apologies for our failure to properly serve you
and if you have any questions or concerns regarding Red Line service,
please contact me at redline@mbta.com.
Sincerely,
Maureen Shirkus
Chief, Red Line Operations
45 High St. 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
_____________________
Dear Mr. C,
Thank you for your email regarding Red Line service.
The behavior you describe is very disturbing, and completely
unacceptable. I am embarrassed by your encounter with this employee,
and offer my apologies for your mistreatment.
This mornings rush hour was adversely impacted by signal problems
between Park Street and Kendall. The signal system is designed to "fail
safe" when there is a problem, causing all trains in the area to stop.
When this occurs, trains must be manually blocked through the location
one at a time, at a restricted speed, maintaining safe braking distances
in the process. This unfortunately causes a residual "snowball" effect,
impacting a larger portion of the line.
I have taken the liberty of forwarding your email, along with this
response to the Red Line Superintendent's office for further review and
action. In the future if you witness a situation while onboard a
vehicle, please note the train number as it will assist us in our
investigation.
Again, please accept my apologies for our failure to properly serve you
and if you have any questions or concerns regarding Red Line service,
please contact me at redline@mbta.com.
Sincerely,
Maureen Shirkus
Chief, Red Line Operations
45 High St. 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Red Line Rudeness
It seems that Mr. Mac had a BAD commute today, which shouldn't really be a surprise, right kids?
Here's his tale...
________________
I was on the Red Line today during 9:00AM rush hour, and it appears that the
T is not only completely incompetent (the train sat in the tunnel between
Charles and Park Street for quite a while with no A/C and no explanation of
the delay, only to repetitiously jerk to a start and then jerk to a stop
after about 10 feet of travel), but it appears that the T has also become
quite malicious. After the train finally pulled into Park Street, the doors
opened to let everyone off. Because the train was so packed with people by
virtue of the aforementioned delays, a good amount of people that did not
intend to get off of the train at Park Street had to get off of the train to
let people out. Once the Park Street destination riders were fully out of
the train, a significant amount of people were filing back into the now
relatively empty train along with people who had been waiting for the train
on the platform. Instead of letting people on the train, the conductor kept
closing and opening the doors in a chopping fashion, striking the passengers
entering the train with no warning. This went on for a full minute. I saw an
old woman get violently knocked in the head a few times while she was
trapped in the doorway- enough to disorient her, as well as some other
sturdier people get knocked off balance as they were trying to get on the
train. I expected, at the very least, to hear an announcement that the doors
would be closing and then re-opening, or that this train is out of service-
but no. The conductor kept saying "Use all of the cars, use all of the cars,
use all of the cars, use all of the cars" (?) in a mocking fashion as the
"chopping" was in full effect. What an absolute embarrassment.
Here's his tale...
________________
I was on the Red Line today during 9:00AM rush hour, and it appears that the
T is not only completely incompetent (the train sat in the tunnel between
Charles and Park Street for quite a while with no A/C and no explanation of
the delay, only to repetitiously jerk to a start and then jerk to a stop
after about 10 feet of travel), but it appears that the T has also become
quite malicious. After the train finally pulled into Park Street, the doors
opened to let everyone off. Because the train was so packed with people by
virtue of the aforementioned delays, a good amount of people that did not
intend to get off of the train at Park Street had to get off of the train to
let people out. Once the Park Street destination riders were fully out of
the train, a significant amount of people were filing back into the now
relatively empty train along with people who had been waiting for the train
on the platform. Instead of letting people on the train, the conductor kept
closing and opening the doors in a chopping fashion, striking the passengers
entering the train with no warning. This went on for a full minute. I saw an
old woman get violently knocked in the head a few times while she was
trapped in the doorway- enough to disorient her, as well as some other
sturdier people get knocked off balance as they were trying to get on the
train. I expected, at the very least, to hear an announcement that the doors
would be closing and then re-opening, or that this train is out of service-
but no. The conductor kept saying "Use all of the cars, use all of the cars,
use all of the cars, use all of the cars" (?) in a mocking fashion as the
"chopping" was in full effect. What an absolute embarrassment.
Monday, September 19, 2005
How Will the Hipsters Get to Lansdowne?
Today we've got quite a story. This is a guest column from E-lo.
_____________________
From Haymarket to Kenmore:
The ride on the Orange line to Haymarket was quite smooth, though I did almost punch an old man in the face for littering.
I had to switch to the Green, and Haymarket Station is retarded because you have to walk up and down about five flights of stairs to get to the track. I decided to ride to Haymarket, rather than switching at North Station, solely because I didn't want to wait on the platform with the littering old man. Yes, my OCD got me into a rut, but the point is: while I may be stupid for not just switching where it was easy, the T f'ed up.
---Note: the transfer to the Green at Haymarket is indeed the most retarded ever. Plus, when you get to what you THINK is the Green, it's really the Orange, going the opposite direction, and once you're on that platform, the signs to the Green stop.
For those of you interested in transfer between Orange and Green Inbound, switch at North Station, where both lines share a single platform---TA
In the span of 35 minutes about 4 trains came, and I'd say three were E's and the other was a C. I had a book, so I didn't mind waiting and holding out for a B but after the 4th train, I decided that I'd just jump on the next C or D that came through (I haven't been taking the T for too long, but up until now, the Green Line has never failed me. This trust, apparently, got me into trouble.)
Unfortunately, the next train had lost power and was being pushed from behind by another. These two pulled through and stopped at the red light, leaving just enough room for a C train to come out of the tunnel and open its doors. I'd say about 30 people got on that train, including several groups that were on their way to BC for the football game and had also been holding out for a B. Well, we stood around inside that train for about 10 minutes before they told us it was being taken out of service.
Behind this train, in the tunnel, was yet another train. FOUR TRAINS backed up in ONE STATION. And who knows what was going on west of us? Saturday night (and a Red Sox game) and the Green line was basically completely out of service? I waited around for another 10 minutes before spitting in the general direction of the train and running out of the station and into the rain. It was quite cinematic.
I'll take this opportunity to mention that Sovereign Bank's lone ATM near Faneuil Hall was playing with my head and my creepy taxi driver screwed me over. And now he knows where I live.
Thanks a lot MBTA!
_____________________
From Haymarket to Kenmore:
The ride on the Orange line to Haymarket was quite smooth, though I did almost punch an old man in the face for littering.
I had to switch to the Green, and Haymarket Station is retarded because you have to walk up and down about five flights of stairs to get to the track. I decided to ride to Haymarket, rather than switching at North Station, solely because I didn't want to wait on the platform with the littering old man. Yes, my OCD got me into a rut, but the point is: while I may be stupid for not just switching where it was easy, the T f'ed up.
---Note: the transfer to the Green at Haymarket is indeed the most retarded ever. Plus, when you get to what you THINK is the Green, it's really the Orange, going the opposite direction, and once you're on that platform, the signs to the Green stop.
For those of you interested in transfer between Orange and Green Inbound, switch at North Station, where both lines share a single platform---TA
In the span of 35 minutes about 4 trains came, and I'd say three were E's and the other was a C. I had a book, so I didn't mind waiting and holding out for a B but after the 4th train, I decided that I'd just jump on the next C or D that came through (I haven't been taking the T for too long, but up until now, the Green Line has never failed me. This trust, apparently, got me into trouble.)
Unfortunately, the next train had lost power and was being pushed from behind by another. These two pulled through and stopped at the red light, leaving just enough room for a C train to come out of the tunnel and open its doors. I'd say about 30 people got on that train, including several groups that were on their way to BC for the football game and had also been holding out for a B. Well, we stood around inside that train for about 10 minutes before they told us it was being taken out of service.
Behind this train, in the tunnel, was yet another train. FOUR TRAINS backed up in ONE STATION. And who knows what was going on west of us? Saturday night (and a Red Sox game) and the Green line was basically completely out of service? I waited around for another 10 minutes before spitting in the general direction of the train and running out of the station and into the rain. It was quite cinematic.
I'll take this opportunity to mention that Sovereign Bank's lone ATM near Faneuil Hall was playing with my head and my creepy taxi driver screwed me over. And now he knows where I live.
Thanks a lot MBTA!
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