2014 Discussion for Commuter Rail Delays

Electrical fire today at West Newton messed up the signals on the Worcester line. Looking at 10-30 minute delays for all trains until they get it fixed.

octr202 wrote:Sounds like a can't win day on the Eastern. Right now Keolis is tweeting that due to fire department activity, #124's passengers are being bused to Beverly to connect to an inbound train.

Newburyport trains were running fine, but some Rockport trains were bussed, and others were as much as 90 minutes late.

Today was a terrible day to commute on the train.

271/272 (the 4:49 PM Reading turn) became a casualty of the Eastern mess, I suspect, as it was canceled yesterday. 215 (5:15 express) had to run local to accommodate. Looked mobbed, so I elected to wait for 217 as the 20 minute gap between trains was likely to shrink considerably.

Car on crossing vs. train in West Acton, per WCVB:
http://www.wcvb.com/news/injury-reporte ... n/28324760

Based on where the car is, I'm going to guess the train was nearly stopped (a WB train has well over a mile to see so they have a chance to try to stop, an EB not so much). Once again, for the thinking impaired, "Don't stop on the tracks for traffic." People do that all the time there. The picture appears to be facing West on Rte. 111, so I'm going to guess this was an inbound train.

The train hit the car where the tracks -- only one in use at present -- cross Massachusetts Avenue, which is Route 111, not Route 110, in West Acton, between Windsor and Spruce Streets. I was inside one of the closest buildings to the scene at the time.

Looks like a disables freight is gumming up the works on the Worcester line this morning to the tune of 20-40 minute delays. Anyone know which train was disabled and where is conked out?

I got on the 516 at Westborough which was about 45 minutes late. Conductor told me freight was disabled after Southborough and they (not sure which train) waited for about 45 minutes to "go around" on other track. Hence, 516 was delayed out of Worcester.
At least, it hadn't started raining yet.

It was Train No.426

D

On 9/30, the 3pm departure for Haverhill first waited about 10 min. between Wakefield and Reading for a late inbound to clear Ash St. Then, after our Lawrence station stop, we took the (effectively unsignaled, so restricted speed) westerly track toward Bradford at Frost. We met a westbound Pan Am freight while still in North Andover, then ground to a halt for another 10 minutes at the west switch of the Bradford layover yard. When the inbound Downeaster had finally cleared, the conductor hand-threw the crossover and we proceeded to Bradford on the easterly track. 30 min. late at Haverhill.

Major delay on the Providence line last night: "Providence/Stoughton Line Train 821 (6:10 pm from South Station) delayed due to mechanical problem. Update 90-110 minute delay. Last updated: Oct 01 2014 08:38 PM."

Train 821 died at Mansfield. I was on the train behind it, Train 823 (6:50 pm from South Station), which was able to creep into Mansfield station enough so that passengers could exit from the front two coaches. Fortuately I get off at Mansfield anyway. When I walked down the platform it looked like they were connecting 823 to 821 so it could push 821 to Providence. Those new engines can't come soon enough!

Frode wrote:Major delay on the Providence line last night: "Providence/Stoughton Line Train 821 (6:10 pm from South Station) delayed due to mechanical problem. Update 90-110 minute delay. Last updated: Oct 01 2014 08:38 PM."

Train 821 died at Mansfield. I was on the train behind it, Train 823 (6:50 pm from South Station), which was able to creep into Mansfield station enough so that passengers could exit from the front two coaches. Fortuately I get off at Mansfield anyway. When I walked down the platform it looked like they were connecting 823 to 821 so it could push 821 to Providence. Those new engines can't come soon enough!

thankfully you were done in Mansfield, because apparently 823 developed troubles of its own!

And another Providence line meltdown this morning.

I'm currently sitting at Sharon on 806, 40 minutes late. Last I checked there are 9 T-Alerts for Providence/Stoughton. I think we just got passed by 808 ok the outbound track.

Conductor blames Amtrak, citing "signal problems".

So far 15 T-Alerts for "Amtrak signal problems" on the NEC this morning. Here's the latest:

Providence/Stoughton Line Train 842 (7:26 am from Mansfield) delayed 30-45 minutes today due to an Amtrak signal problem

808 did board on the outbound track at Mansfield this morning. 810 was back on the normal inbound track.

Based on my emails, the "signal problem" actually started yesterday, but after the morning rush, so it impacted fewer people (it seems to be primarily affecting inbound runs).

BlueFreak wrote:808 did board on the outbound track at Mansfield this morning. 810 was back on the normal inbound track.

Based on my emails, the "signal problem" actually started yesterday, but after the morning rush, so it impacted fewer people (it seems to be primarily affecting inbound runs).

My train's conductor said this was the third day in a row #806 has been significantly late due to Amtrak signal problems.