Wild Cat Branch

Out of Curiosity, Does anyone know why the WildCat branch is not illustrated on MBCR system maps? It has been used for some time and over the past decade or so, it has enhanced service on the Haverhill line. The Foxboro Connector is shown for the south side, with less service than the Wild Cat Branch. Can anyone shed some light on this.

Because there are no stops on the Wildcat.

jrc520 wrote:Because there are no stops on the Wildcat.

Even thouhh there are no stops, shouldn't it be illustrated?

I'm sure it would just confuse the customers... Metro-North has a whole other division (the Beacon Line) that does not show up on public maps because there are no public stops on it, etc.

=otto=

So where is this branch?

It's after Wilmington and it merges with the Andover Line just around Lawrence. Also, Amtrak's DE trains use it all the time, and I've been on the Wildcat Shortcut via Amtrak's DE.

Robert Paniagua wrote:It's after Wilmington and it merges with the Andover Line just around Lawrence.

Partly correct. It's a branch that connects the Lowell Line and the Reading/Haverhill Line. It runs between Wilmington station on the Lowell line, and Wilmington Jct. on the Haverhill Line, which is between N. Wilmington and Lowell Jct.

what's with that giant user picture? please shrink it or remove it.

The Irony is that its from his own page, an anti-leech .htaccess (or something similiar)

Otto Vondrak wrote:I'm sure it would just confuse the customers... Metro-North has a whole other division (the Beacon Line) that does not show up on public maps because there are no public stops on it, etc.

=otto=

I guess I can see your point, but I thought because is used regularly and there are many passengers who accidently get on trains thinking they are going to Lowell or to Reading, this might ease confusion a bit.

Well, passengers need to listen the staiton announcement and actually look at the printed schedules. Mistakes happen. I've had Amtrak
Downeaster passengers get on a T commuter train by accident. Duh..

d

Yeah, sorry about that.

I wonder if the T would ever think of doing something like having LCD Screens put in the side of the newer Cars they have delivered. Rather than modify the existing fleet, they could put LCD screens every few feet or car legth in the plactforms, so thier will be know questions of where the train is heading. I know that their are the TV monitors with the track assignments, but their sorta small and if your in a rush it's hard to look at them

GP40MC 1116 wrote:I wonder if the T would ever think of doing something like having LCD Screens put in the side of the newer Cars they have delivered. Rather than modify the existing fleet, they could put LCD screens every few feet or car legth in the plactforms, so thier will be know questions of where the train is heading. I know that their are the TV monitors with the track assignments, but their sorta small and if your in a rush it's hard to look at them

It has been said by the MBTA that when the North Station waiting room in expanded and renovated, new departure boards will be installed that list all stops made by each train, much like you would see at Penn Station (LIRR) or Grand Central Terminal (MNRR)

South Station has those boards by each track door, but they don't seem to be used.