Cape Flyer

[RenegadeMonster]

Do any pictures of the café car exist? I have never been able to find a picture of it and see how it differs from other MBTA Cars.

[leviramsey]

Are the engines really that unreliable? What's the mean time between failures?

The MBTA's locomotive fleet is the least reliable in the country by a pretty substantial distance. MDBF overall was last reported as around 8000 miles (LIRR's diesel fleet manages around 40,000 miles between failures and their EMUs run about 300,000 miles between failures), with the HSP46s improving that figure. So it's about 1% of Cape Flyer runs would expect to have a locomotive failure. However, because of the distance and the level of service (both frequency and also the $ paid by passengers) the effect of a CF failure far exceeds a failure just about anywhere on the rest of the system.

[GP40MC1118]

Friday's train out of Boston had 175 & 4 bikes.

D

[BandA]

Are the engines really that unreliable? What's the mean time between failures?

The MBTA's locomotive fleet is the least reliable in the country by a pretty substantial distance. MDBF overall was last reported as around 8000 miles (LIRR's diesel fleet manages around 40,000 miles between failures and their EMUs run about 300,000 miles between failures), with the HSP46s improving that figure. So it's about 1% of Cape Flyer runs would expect to have a locomotive failure. However, because of the distance and the level of service (both frequency and also the $ paid by passengers) the effect of a CF failure far exceeds a failure just about anywhere on the rest of the system.

If you have been reading the delays column you know that at least one engine breaks down most every day! And since they have an active roster of about 90, that's like driving your car and breaking down every three months.

[GP40MC1118]

Not to mention the all the other issues mechanically happening daily that don't end in a disabled or cancelled train!

D

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

Do any pictures of the café car exist? I have never been able to find a picture of it and see how it differs from other MBTA Cars.

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http://www.subwaynut.com/mbta/capeflyer/concession.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nothing fancy. They ripped the seats out of one end of a 200-series Pullman, same as they do with the bike car conversions. Only here instead of installing racks they put in the food service kiosk and some storage shelving. Other half of the car still has all its seats, and you can pass through the end doors by the kiosk all the same.

[RenegadeMonster]

Thanks,

The car looks nice. TV and looks like tables like the Double Deckers have?

I thought I read though that the MBTA had a vintage café car though in previous years. Is this true?

[GP40MC1118]

Saturday's train from Boston had 132 & 10 bikes. The return trip had 56 & 1 bike (from Hyannis)
Sunday's train from Boston had 61 & 7 bikes.

[diburning]

Here's mine from five years ago. Click to enlarge.

[GP40MC1118]

Friday's train had 214 and 6 bikes from Boston.

D

[GP40MC1118]

Saturday - Only 130 & 17 bikes out of Boston. 32 out Hyannis on the return.

Sunday - 61 & 10 bikes out of Boston.

[frigidlight]

Delayed post as I was waiting for my account to be approved! A few photos from the southbound Flyer on July 1. The train was standing room only with many people sitting on the floor of the Cafe car.

Line on the platform to get onto MBTA 9001.


Interior of the Cafe car. The TVs were playing Jaws.


North end of the train in the shadow of the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge. I got off here and took the CCRTA bus to Falmouth.

[GP40MC1118]

This weekend's counts started off good...

Friday - Boston 269 / 7 bikes
Saturday - Boston 162 / 31 Bikes
Sunday - Boston 61 / 8 bikes

[Noel Weaver]

Thank you for this. I have great memories of what used to be here, will it ever return? I sure hope it will.
Noel Weaver

[Rob3811]

July 3rd has 74 and no bikes out of Boston. 67 plus 8 bikes out of Hyannis on the return.
July 4th had 47 and 2 bikes out of Boston. The return trip had 314 & 13 bikes with 338 & 15 bikes into Boston.

D

I just wanted to weigh in on the number count for July 3rd from Hyannis back to Boston. I was on that train and there were at least 65 passengers in my car ( 520 ) alone as well as a lot more in all the other cars . 1529 was opened at BB to take even more. I'm wondering if this count is incorrect?