Rapid Transit DMU Lines for the MBTA - A Modest Proposal

Another thing about the Red Line extension, Harvard would not allow the T to dig under its property. That makes any new tunnels in the area harder to build if Harvard says no again.

But if it was a tunnel to Allston would they reconsider?

vanshnookenraggen wrote:Another thing about the Red Line extension, Harvard would not allow the T to dig under its property.

I haven't heard any statement to that effect this time around... but interesting that occurred with the Red Line. Was any rationale given at the time?

Anyway, Harvard is in dire need of a transport option to Allston - their shuttle bus service is more universally ridiculed than the SL Washington St (ok maybe not that far!), and would certainly not be capable of integrating the two sides of the Charles in any worthwhile way.

Question is if a tunnel goes from Allston to Harvard, would Harvard allow it to be extended further in that direction towards Inman and Union - a direction which would take a tunnel most likely right under Harvard Yard?

Why couldn't most of the MBTA be switched to "light rail" status in its entirety? Is there a way freight can be limited so it only runs on MBTA tracks "after hours", and would this be able to fall within FRA guidelines? Definately 1/2hrly service on all lines is the way to go on the MBTA if it wants to massively increase ridership and add many more stations inside 128 - but this isn't going to happen with the current ridiculously overweight freight locomotive and big steel cars setup. Every other country in the world manages it, and most have a lower rail fatality rate - so why this one needs to have such arcane rules really is beyond me.

Me thinks you are a bit confused....
The MBTA system exists in 3 entities:
There's the rapid transit rail division, with the 4 main colors, Red, Green, Blue, and Orange. All 4 run in the subway, with the Red line being standard width and wieght, but the Orange, and Blue being narrow width heavy gauge, and the Green being light rail. Aside from width, my understanding is that the actual rail placement (distnace between the two rails) is the same for all. Also, note that the Blue, Orange and Red, operate on 3rd rail power within the subway, and The Orange and Red lines with 3rd rail power full time. The Green and the Blue use catanery outdoors, and the Green uses Catanery full time.
The second is the bus division, which is essentailly the Yellow and Silver Lines.
The third entity that you are being confused with is Commuter rail, which is regular rail service similar to Amtrak, but that it's regional. We were not talking about Commuter rail, rather, rapid transit, and I don't think any but a couple of lines even have any outlets for frieght service, other than maybe the Green line at Riverside. So, using the rapid transit lines for frieght wouldn't make any sense.

stevefoley wrote:Why couldn't most of the MBTA be switched to "light rail" status in its entirety? Is there a way freight can be limited so it only runs on MBTA tracks "after hours", and would this be able to fall within FRA guidelines? Definately 1/2hrly service on all lines is the way to go on the MBTA if it wants to massively increase ridership and add many more stations inside 128 - but this isn't going to happen with the current ridiculously overweight freight locomotive and big steel cars setup. Every other country in the world manages it, and most have a lower rail fatality rate - so why this one needs to have such arcane rules really is beyond me.

There's a lot more interaction with other railroad than you think. On the northside, the Fitchburg, Lowell, and Haverhill lines all share trackage in some part with Guilford's freight main. There's also freight service on the Lowell Line (GRS's access to Boston) and the eastern route up to Salem, and the occasional local service on the Fitchburg.

On the southside, one giant moot point is South Station, since its shared with Amtrak, you can't run light rail in there. Also, in addition to Amtrak and CSXT on the Attleboro Line, CSXT on the Worcester Line, there's also local CSX freight on Stoughton, Middleboro, and Franklin lines, the Dorchester Branch (Fairmont), and the Bay Colony uses the end of the Needham Branch to reach Newton Upper Falls.

All in all, while it might not always look it, the commuter rail system is for too integrated with other railroads to consider isolating it fromt he FRA controlled national rail system.