Medford Branch of the Green Line is open! (Boston, New Bedford: neighborhoods, university)

[OyCrumbler]

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/...line-extension

Five new stations serviced by the Green Line E branch in Medford and Somerville including Tufts University which follows shortly after the D branch extension to Union Square that opened earlier this year.

I do think it would make sense to at least where the West Medford Commuter Rail station is so that at some point they can act as an express / local service pair and so that people can embark/disembark from there to E branch stops rather than North Station which would open up a bit of capacity.

One thing I don't quite understand is why neither B nor C branch extend out to do turnarounds at North Station since that was obviously used for turnarounds in the recent past, but at least B branch has been brought up to Government Center from its prior Park Street Station terminus.

[lrfox]

I haven't ridden it yet, but I've heard multiple reports that between Lechmere and Tufts/Medford, drivers are only stopping if passengers are waiting on the platform or if a passenger on the train pushes the "Request a stop" button. There's nothing (at least that I can see) on the T's website indicating that this is the case, nor were announcements made. Again, this is just what I've heard, but it wouldn't surprise me. The fare validation process sounds like it's overcomplicated too.

On the bright side, it's about 15 minutes between Lechmere and the end of the line. That's less than half of what the trip used to be on the bus and better than driving under most circumstances. A major improvement. And the early wrinkles should get better as time goes on too.

[wanderer34]

As a transit enthusiast, this is yet another notch on Boston's and MA's feathered hat! As somebody who grew up in Brooklyn, the subway has always shaped my outlook on how mass transit is highly important for a city and a state and while Boston doesn't have the best mass transit system in America (honors go to NY & DC), it's one of the best and on par with Chicago, SF, and even Miami which is also looking to expand it's own mass transit system.

And as a former Philadelphian, you'd have to pull teeth just to see a mass transit extension, any extension, but all Philly can muster is study after study, just to see Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley grow, but I guess that the city and state are uninterested in mass transit, and one can wonder why Philadelphia and PA haven't grown and it's more than just building skyscrapers, attracting companies, and retaining industries, but the mass transit systems are an indicator to the health of the city and the state as well as the local economy and right now, Boston, although it's similar to NY & Philly, is one of the healthiest and one of the most financially stable cities right now because of the expansive mass transit system in Greater Boston.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

Boston, although it's similar to NY & Philly, is one of the healthiest and one of the most financially stable cities right now because of the expansive mass transit system in Greater Boston.

First I ever heard of this. You been here lately, like for real? If you're at all impressed by this transit system, I have a few bridges to sell you.

[wanderer34]

Originally Posted by massnative71

First I ever heard of this. You been here lately, like for real? If you're at all impressed by this transit system, I have a few bridges to sell you.

I understand that Boston's subway system is the oldest system in North America, even older than NY's subway system by a few years, but I believe that the reason why Boston is one of the best has a lot to do with the coverage, in other words, being able to go to different parts of the city as well as the Greater Boston suburbs minus NH. You can check my other thread about the South Coast Rail connecting Fall River and New Bedford. (https://www.city-data.com/forum/mass...ford-fall.html)

I've heard of the Orange Line derailment and the lady who died after the stairwell fell down causing her death, but if you think Boston has one of the worst mass transit systems in the country, you should try living in Philadelphia and compare that city's mass transit system to Boston's. If I had a choice between choosing Boston's and Philadelphia's mass transit system, Boston's wins hands down due to the connectivity and coverage of different towns and the bus system works for Boston. It's better than what I've experienced in Philadelphia.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

I understand that Boston's subway system is the oldest system in North America, even older than NY's subway system by a few years, but I believe that the reason why Boston is one of the best has a lot to do with the coverage, in other words, being able to go to different parts of the city as well as the Greater Boston suburbs minus NH. You can check my other thread about the South Coast Rail connecting Fall River and New Bedford. (https://www.city-data.com/forum/mass...ford-fall.html)

I've heard of the Orange Line derailment and the lady who died after the stairwell fell down causing her death, but if you think Boston has one of the worst mass transit systems in the country, you should try living in Philadelphia and compare that city's mass transit system to Boston's. If I had a choice between choosing Boston's and Philadelphia's mass transit system, Boston's wins hands down due to the connectivity and coverage of different towns and the bus system works for Boston. It's better than what I've experienced in Philadelphia.

Yea, Boston's transit system has its issues and with the wealth that MA and the Boston area has, the system and how MBTA has been running it is disappointing compared to cities in other developed countries. However, compared to just about every US city out there save for a handful, Boston's transit system is great. I do think that having this Green Line tunnel through this central core would be better utilized if the other side of it also had a matching number of branches, but for now it's good that densely populated Somerville has these options. It makes me wonder how that'll change the way people interact with and travel to different neighborhoods for work, fun, or to visit friends and family.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I haven't ridden it yet, but I've heard multiple reports that between Lechmere and Tufts/Medford, drivers are only stopping if passengers are waiting on the platform or if a passenger on the train pushes the "Request a stop" button. There's nothing (at least that I can see) on the T's website indicating that this is the case, nor were announcements made. Again, this is just what I've heard, but it wouldn't surprise me. The fare validation process sounds like it's overcomplicated too.

On the bright side, it's about 15 minutes between Lechmere and the end of the line. That's less than half of what the trip used to be on the bus and better than driving under most circumstances. A major improvement. And the early wrinkles should get better as time goes on too.

Oh, running these as flag stops is weird. Is this just temporary?

[masssachoicetts]

Why do MBTA Employees put cones (Orange cones) on the tracks at Science Museum stop in between frequencies?

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Oh, running these as flag stops is weird. Is this just temporary?

No idea. I haven't ridden yet so I'm not sure if that's what's actually happening. It's just what I've heard from several people who have ridden it.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by massnative71

First I ever heard of this. You been here lately, like for real? If you're at all impressed by this transit system, I have a few bridges to sell you.

In fairness, as critical and often frustrated as I am with the T, the fact that we have an urban train system and that it's relatively safe (in terms of crime), does put Boston in rarified air nationally. There are systems I like more (e.g. Twin Cities light rail) but they're nowhere near as expansive in their coverage.