Cape Flyer

[Dick H]

This service is good news. However, it will likely either make or break future,
more frequent , service, such as daily summer service and even year round
commuter service in the future.

If the service is well patronized, it will give incentives to expand the service
down the road. On the other hand, if it carries few riders, hope for expanded
service will likely go by the board.

The Downeaster service will celebrate it's eleventh birthday on Friday. When
it began, no one knew for sure how it would go over. It set a new record of
528,000 passengers in the last fiscal year. Let's hope CapeFlyer gets off to a
great start in its first summer of operation.

[Red Wing]

Reading all the newspaper articles a couple of observations. This is being tacked onto an existing train making all the normal local stops to Middleborough. Does the Patriots train stop at every station between South Station to Foxboro (this would seem to be the closest type of service the T currently offers). How will the ticketing work on this? A normal MBTA ticket then a separate ticket to the Cape and does this equal the about $30 that the papers are saying the fare will be? Or is the $30 for just the Cape part of the trip?

And now fantasy land of splitting the train at the bridge and other part going all the way to the docks in Woods Hole. Insert unicorns and dreams here.

[BenH]

Here's a link to the 54-page consultants report on this service that was prepared last year:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/116840547/PHA ... il-Service

The report is very detailed and provides a lot of information on how exactly this service will most likely be offered.

It would be a shame if they ran "express" from Buzzards Bay to/from Hyannis. Stopping in Sandwich and West Barnstable would reduce the traffic congestion in Hyannis when a train full of a few hundred people arrives in Hyannis.

Ben

[artman]

Here's a link to the 54-page consultants report on this service that was prepared last year:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/116840547/PHA ... il-Service

The report is very detailed and provides a lot of information on how exactly this service will most likely be offered.

It would be a shame if they ran "express" from Buzzards Bay to/from Hyannis. Stopping in Sandwich and West Barnstable would reduce the traffic congestion in Hyannis when a train full of a few hundred people arrives in Hyannis.

Ben

Indeed - full of stuff for train geeks (myself includeD)

[Arborwayfan]

Yes, they should stop at Sandwich and/or West Barnstable. Why go right through and have people have to go back, after all. And at 30mph they are not losing a that much time by stopping, not like they're slowing down from 60 or 70 mph. Are there any hotels, inns or B&Bs within walking distance of either station? (It's a long time since I was there.) Is there a pleasant bike route between any two of those stations, so that someone could get off at one station, ride around, and get on at the next one to go back?

[sery2831]

I think the other stops will come in time if this is successful. Making all the stops, and the slow speeds will make it more unattractive to the bus.

[highgreen215]

I have a problem in pulling up the consultant's report, but does it say, specifically, that Wareham will be one of the stops?

[The EGE]

I have a problem in pulling up the consultant's report, but does it say, specifically, that Wareham will be one of the stops?

Wareham is listed as a possible stop.

Anyone who is having trouble with the scribd link, PM me your email address and I'll send you the PDF.

[Red Wing]

On the Globes Roads and Rails blog:

"How's it going to work? Don't expect the Acela or anything like that. Cahir says that three cars will attach onto outgoing Middleborough/Lakeville trains out of South Station. At the end of the line, those cars would then break off and continue to the Cape. The trains will make stops in Wareham, Buzzards Bay and one other stop (either Sandwich or Barnstable) before making it to Hyannis."

http://www.boston.com/community/blogs/r ... iling.html

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

I have a problem in pulling up the consultant's report, but does it say, specifically, that Wareham will be one of the stops?

Wareham is listed as a possible stop.

Anyone who is having trouble with the scribd link, PM me your email address and I'll send you the PDF.

Wareham station: http://www.flickr.com/photos/54690684@N ... otostream/ . Located here: http://goo.gl/maps/H2rmc.

The historic building is maintained as a public restroom. No ADA mini-highs at this one. Buzzards Bay, Sandwich, West Barnstable, and Hyannis all do have them leftover from the Cape Codder.

[MBTA3247]

On the Globes Roads and Rails blog:

"How's it going to work? Don't expect the Acela or anything like that. Cahir says that three cars will attach onto outgoing Middleborough/Lakeville trains out of South Station. At the end of the line, those cars would then break off and continue to the Cape. The trains will make stops in Wareham, Buzzards Bay and one other stop (either Sandwich or Barnstable) before making it to Hyannis."

http://www.boston.com/community/blogs/r ... iling.html

How are they going to make that work? They'd either have to run a trainset "backwards" (with the locomotive facing South Station), or the extra cars would have to be pulled back to the CSX yard at Middleboro and wait while the regular train returns north. It would be easier and faster to do a cross-platform transfer at Middleboro either way.

[KEN PATRICK]

'transportation planner' cahir 's comments are obtuse relative to operations. attach 3 cars to an existing train? behind the power or at the end? what do you do with the 'unused' cars? what will push/pull the empties to where? do they 'hang around' waiting for the northbound. at a minimum some additional power is needed. this move will take at least 30 minutes each way at middleboro . 'no additional expense'? nonsense. i estimate the layover costs to be $4k ( prior post) per train at hyannis. cheaper to run the entire train to hyannis rather than car sort at middleboro. actually cheaper to give free bus passes to those who have no cars. for taxpayers, the best solution is the 'southside connector'. ken patrick.

[highgreen215]

Funny how so many people think this Wareham station is "historic". It's just a well designed set of restrooms with a railroad awning to protect travelers. Notice there is no operator's bay window. It was built during the Dukakis' administration years in anticipation of resumed rail service.

This "new" station somewhat resembles the original which was torn down by the New Haven in, probably, the 1960s and replaced by a ugly cinderblock shelter. The original was a typical brick depot with waiting room, mail/express/baggage room, operator's bay with telegraph and long awnings. Marked on the bricks outside were the water levels of the 1938 and previous hurricanes. At the time it was torn down, I think the passing siding, remnant of the original double trackage, and the semaphore, were still there. I'm sure someone out there has a good photo of the handsome original Wareham depot.

[The EGE]

As requested:





Via Gary LaPointe's site

He states the original Wareham station was torn down in 1965.

[malbojah]

And now fantasy land of splitting the train at the bridge and other part going all the way to the docks in Woods Hole. Insert unicorns and dreams here.

They pulled up the tracks about 5 years ago and replaced it with a paved bikeway