Strange MBTA CR Train Consist

Monday afternoon's train #817, the 5:00pm from South Station to Providence was configured like no other I've seen:

NORTH-D-s-D-D-D-D-s-E-SOUTH

That is, a single (200-series) was positioned between the 1700-series control car and four doubles; a 500-series was positioned next to the engine as usual.

Not only was this an unusual configuration, but that made the train about 180 seats short (it's usually six doubles and two singles), and incredibly crowded.

That's the not the strangest I've seen. I have seen a "up & Down" consist where there were 3 singles and 3 or 4 doubles all mixed up.

That's also very common in MARC Maryland/DC trains, they have short 4 car consists on their Brunswick Line fleet, with a flat-doubledecker and 2 flats and different combos.

And MBCR is doing that here too, it appears.

There's at least one four-car consist back in action on the North Side. Yesterday it was on the 4:40 to Lowell; today the 6:55 to Haverhill. It has as one of its coaches the lone 600-series seen on the North Side -- 618.

Diverging Route wrote:There's at least one four-car consist back in action on the North Side. Yesterday it was on the 4:40 to Lowell; today the 6:55 to Haverhill. It has as one of its coaches the lone 600-series seen on the North Side -- 618.

This same Train did the 6:55 to Haverihill last night and tonight. WTF