Silver Line Thread/Tracker

[StefanW]

On my way into Harvard Sq. on a 66 bus tonight the radio was full of chatter about a breakdown. From what I could hear, a Silver Line unit had broken down inside the transitway and central control was directing other units to travel the wrong way through the tunnel to bypass the breakdown. I think the breakdown was at or near the Courthouse station. With two days to go, this doesn't bode well.

On a different note, I was surprised to hear the Silver Line (phase II at least) using the same radio channel as other busses. I'd have thought they would use the same channel as for trackless trolleys, which I'd think would be less crowded...

[jwhite07]

According to a post by Jonathan Belcher on ne.transportation, that breakdown in the Transitway tunnel was a drill.

The North Cambridge TT lines use the regular "North Side" Bus Operations radio channel. Silver Line uses the regular "South Side" bus channel.

[sery2831]

I undersatand the ceremony for the opening of the silver line will be held at the Court House stop in the AM no 12/17. I plan on being there

[pdxstreetcar]

They have finally posted a little more info about it on the website. There cant be many people at the opening tomorrow since there has been so little information about the project and the opening anywhere. The last globe article about it was at least 3 weeks ago.

[vanshnookenraggen]

Ya, there is very little info but they have updated the maps. I will be there, can't wait. Too bad the main lines don't open for another few weeks.
I also just read an article about how the state is trying to get MassPort to open the Logan branch before Dec. 31 so the state will live up to its Big Dig agreement.

[jwhite07]

Has anyone else noticed the schedules for the interim service between South Station and Silver Line Way? As little as two minute headways on weekdays and five minute headways ALL DAY on weekends?! Yup, that Silver Line Way is a hopping destination!!

Now I realize why they did it -- these frequencies will eventually be spread out over four different routes, and the T had to post bids and award operators enough jobs to represent full service. But in the meantime, there's sure going to be a lot of lonely operators driving empty TTs back and forth all day for a while.

[efin98]

Now I realize why they did it -- these frequencies will eventually be spread out over four different routes, and the T had to post bids and award operators enough jobs to represent full service.

T had to post the bids anyway, it's the reguarly scheduled pick. It was delayed to allow for the opening of service out to BMIP and City Point on the 31st.

But in the meantime, there's sure going to be a lot of lonely operators driving empty TTs back and forth all day for a while.

Lonely, but racking up alot of money thanks to the overtime pay...The service is overtime until the end of the pick on the 31st. Pretty good money, if you can get it

[jwhite07]

SL3 - what's it going to be?!

I noticed in the graphics accompanying this morning's Globe story regarding the changes to the routing of the Silver Line branch to City Point (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... ne?pg=full) that there is a discrepancy between what the Globe thinks the new routing will be and what the T map on the Silver Line web site shows.

The Globe graphic shows SL3 running down D Street to West First Street and then east along First Street to reach City Point, while the T map shows it running down Summer Street to L Street and onto East First Street near the old Edison power plant. Anyone know who's right?

I'm really puzzled and not a little dismayed to see that the routing of the Silver Line was changed, too. Broadway runs dead down the middle of the peninsula, so pretty much everyone in South Boston lives within a few blocks of Broadway. Shifting the Silver Line to First Street makes it completely useless to most of us... guess I'll be sticking to the 9 or the 11.

[FatNoah]

Did you notice the reason cited by the Globe for this?

"But some residents and business owners objected, fearing congestion that would curtail the local custom of double-parking"

Is that for real? Can this excuse be used elsewhere?

[FatNoah]

I can see the Courthouse station from my office, and for the last few minutes, buses have been stopping and letting people out, who are going down into the station. If I didn't have so much work to get done, I'd head over and check it out for myself.

[StefanW]

On the Channel 5 noon news coverage the on-scene reporter didn't quite get the plan of the remaining work... She said:

In the coming months you can get on a bus - say in the South End - get on the Silver Line and ride it all the way to your terminal at Logan airport.

"Coming months" - yeah, try 260 months (five years). Talk about over-optimistic media coverage!

[vanshnookenraggen]

I wonder what the T is trying to say here? It really is just a bus after all.

http://www.vanshnookenraggen.com/2004-1 ... G_0002.jpg (not for the 56kers)

More pictures here.
http://www.vanshnookenraggen.com/2004-12-17/

[jwhite07]

Took a spin around mid-afternoon. This was, by the way, my first *ever* ride on anything the MBTA calls "Silver Line".

My impressions:

South Station: Maybe it'll be nicer when they finish the decor, but I'm not impressed. Seems far more utilitarian than the other stations.

The tunnel and ride itself: Slow and bumpy. Is this the best that $600 million could do?

Courthouse: Ahhh... NOW I know where most of that $600 million went. This is perhaps the most gaudy subway station on the system. It's big, too! If you hate chrome, skip this one.

World Trade Center: Nice wave motif, but nothing to write home about.

On the surface: Long wait to cross D Street (haven't they heard of transit priority signals?). Once the bus cautiously crawled across D Street the speed picked up, so it was a neat little dash under the Manulife Building but an all too short ride beyond to the loop. I was very pleasantly surprised to encounter not only four or five ETBs lined up, but dual-modes 1103 and 1105 were there too (with poles down). When I was there, they were laying over ETBs on the lane closest to the shelter, and loading and unloading in the next lane over. I would think it'd be the other way around, but...

Passenger load was mostly T people wearing orange vests, a few transit buffs, and one or two simply curious folks. On the way out, there was a reporter riding, interviewing a passenger. On the way back, I ran into a guy I know but haven't seen in years. As it turns out he's been involved in this project. Must pick his brain someday!

A few hours later, I saw both 1103 and 1105 on Dorchester Avenue, passing by Andrew Station on their way back to Southampton garage.

[vanshnookenraggen]

Slow and bumpy indeed. I noticed the speed limit signs in the tunnels. If it was light rail I'm sure the trains would go faster.

On another note, why don't they string up some TT poles along some of the South Boston lines? I can understand the duel mode busses for the TW tunnle (which probably won't work) but I think that TT wires would be nice for Southie....I can't really think of a better argument at the moment.

ALSO, did anyone else notice that there are 4 sets of TT wires at Courthouse? Whats up with that? There isn't enough room to have 4 vehicles.
Here is what I mean:

P || || || || P

Key
P = Platform
|| Set of TT wires.

[CS]

Complete and utter flop indeed!
I rode it yesterday (as I was the only passenger) as I watch our taxes go to waste. I really hope they promote this thing so that it doesn't get cut because it is completely EMPTY - in broad day light on a Saturday afternoon.

Everything else was cool though