Longfellow Bridge Repairs: Red Line to be Disrupted

just run one shuttle Lechmere to Kendall, and another shuttle Charles to Kendall. If the weather is nice, it might be easier to walk. Are there crossovers at Kendall and Charles?

BandA wrote:Are there crossovers at Kendall and Charles?

The map here shows a universal crossover between Charles and Park Street, and a trailing crossover between Kendall and Central.

Correct. Here's a closeup of the track map from the 2009 Bluebook.

If the higher ups had any smarts they could run trains as far as those crossovers and switch tracks for the opposite run, and run buses between Kendall and MGH or Park st.

Mbta fan wrote:If the higher ups had any smarts they could run trains as far as those crossovers and switch tracks for the opposite run, and run buses between Kendall and MGH or Park st.

Isn't that exactly what they're doing?

I just came apon a video on youtube that was provided to show just what is going to happen and in what stages. It shows them creating the outbound then the inbound shoo fly tracks all with barriers to keep it isolated from pedestrians/automobiles. Much greater detail then the Globe picture.

"Longfellow Bridge Construction Animation" From youmovemass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQsyPClwVj8

The diagram in the newspaper is supposed to be simple, and would omit details such as fencing.

The fencing might be as simple as ugly orange mesh to keep people from wandering onto the tracks and at least hide most of the train from view of drivers.

A private vehicle will hit the ties of the track before hitting the train.

With a universal crossover north of Park St. they could use both tracks at Charles to change ends (double pronging) quite easily and keep that station open on the "closed" weekends.

Now if only they could transfer passengers between trains and shuttle buses at Charles.

AznSumtinSumtin wrote:

Mbta fan wrote:If the higher ups had any smarts they could run trains as far as those crossovers and switch tracks for the opposite run, and run buses between Kendall and MGH or Park st.

Isn't that exactly what they're doing?

Only on weekends the red line is off the bridge. Weekdays trains will run on of the tracks already there and a temporary track that's set up.

How is crossing trains and shuttling during peak periods better than running through service? I guess that's the reason those higher ups have their jobs and some of us here don't.

Does anyone know how they're going to handle the simultaneous Government Center shuttle with this? It's going to make for quite a mess, especially for going Blue to Red and vice versa. I'm wondering if the Red Line shuttle will stop at Bowdoin on the way to Park?

This is some pretty awful timing.

Can only hope the Orange Line shuttle is done by then. But they're supposed to be closing Oak Grove on occasion for platform reconstruction there. Unless that's been delayed until after this.

Bowdoin will really not have a play in this since the station is closed on the weekends, and the Red Line shuttle will operate on the weekends.

sery2831 wrote:Bowdoin will really not have a play in this since the station is closed on the weekends, and the Red Line shuttle will operate on the weekends.

I recall it being said at the hearing back a few months ago that during the GC closure, Bowdoin will be open at all times.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... story.html

Trains will still run through, but they will not stop at the station, which is a transfer point for the Green and Blue lines. A special bus route will stop at Government Center, Haymarket, and State stations. Bowdoin Station, normally closed on weekends and after 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, will be kept open on a trial basis on weekends, and will stay open later on weekdays.

I didn't want to to bring this off topic... But I can't see them using a shuttle if the trains cannot pass through Gov't Center during construction for the "normal hours" of Bowdoin Station. If trains can pass through, I can see them keeping Bowdoin open at all times. Just don't look for a full time shuttle replacement when this cannot happen.

Lets stick to the Red Line discussion here. Anymore about Bowdoin should be confined to the Gov't Center shut down thread.

CRail wrote:There will be a barrier, let's continue...

Likely to be a concrete jersey barrier with a high fence attached to it to keep tresspassers out

Advisory is posted for weekends of Aug 10 and 24. Trains start/end at Kendall and Park St.