octr202 wrote:Based on 15-odd years occasional weekend Red Line experience (on the Alewife end), another consideration is that frankly they can use the six-car trains for a good chunk of Saturdays, if not even some times on Sundays. Don't know what the south end looks like, but the north end of the RL is pretty busy seven days a week. And when it's not packed to the gills, it's nice for folks to enjoy some of their trips at less than sardine-can conditions.
Disney Guy wrote:Six car (4 man) trains in 1962 in the McLernon era?
Which line(s) did they run on? I only recall seeing trains up to 4 cars back then. I didn't think that platforms were long enough for 6 car trains, even using older cars.
Gerry6309 wrote:BostonUrbEx wrote:caduceus wrote:IIRC, the reason they broke up the trains and ran two and four-car sets was due to the rules regarding door operators...it required more employees to run a six-car set, so during non-peak times they broke the trains up to save on payroll. When the rules changed they stopped the practice.
The second operator was only recently eliminated. Much later than they stopped breaking down sets into smaller ones.
The end of six-car four-man trains in about 1962, during the McLernon era. Four-car three-man trains persisted until the guard law was repealed. When six car trains were introduced on the Orange Line they had three man crews and were cut to four off-peak. This was also true when the Red Line got its first six-car trains ca. 1988. The second guards were eliminated and full time six-car operation was introduced in the 1990s.
One-man operation began on the Blue Line with four-car trains, and continued when six-car trains were introduced with the No. 5 cars. It spread slowly to the Orange Line and finally the Red Line. The four-car train became extinct with the retirement of the last No. 4 Blue Line cars in 2009.
BTW Two dead cars are allowed in a six car train, one in a four-car train but none in a two car set.
F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Disney Guy wrote:Six car (4 man) trains in 1962 in the McLernon era?
Which line(s) did they run on? I only recall seeing trains up to 4 cars back then. I didn't think that platforms were long enough for 6 car trains, even using older cars.
Orange went to 6 cars in 1987 after the SW Corridor opened and all stops Haymarket-Chinatown had platform lengthenings. Prior to that Washington St. El stations were only long enough for 4.
Red went to 6 cars in 1988 after a platform lengthening project at all the non-Alewife/non-Braintree extension stations, and upon delivery of the 01700 cars.
Blue went to 6 cars within the last 10 years after that platform lengthening project and arrival of the 0700's.
Pretty sure no service pattern on any line would've fit 6 cars prior to these dates.
Yellowspoon wrote:Everybody talks about the expense (man-hours & equipment wear) of breaking trains, but it's done all the time on the green line. I've seen one car trains on Sunday mornings on the C & E branches, but they're back to two car trains by mid-morning. If the green line can routinely break/assemble trains, why can't the other lines?
Arborwayfan wrote:Does anyone have a breakdown of the actual costs of operating a subway car, so that we can have a clearer idea how much money we're talking about here?
deathtopumpkins wrote:So apparently the T does still sometimes run short trains on the red line. First time I can remember seeing one in who knows how long, but I'm typing this standing in a 4-car Ashmont train.
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