by Steve Wagner
More good work on the Commuter Rail's Fitchburg line:
Got up late Monday morning (second full day of Daylight Savings Time). No chance to catch 6:36 train from Concord. Left home in Maynard at 7:30, having seen on T website that the #406 was running 20-30 minutes late. Guessed that I'd have a better chance to catch it at West Concord (though I'd have to pay $5 to park) than at Concord (free parking), and if I didn't I could wait for the next train in the depot restaurant. That was a good guess. Got coffee an', partly to get a $5 bill for parking board, caught train about 7:55. Big crowd. Numerous announcements from crew over intercom: mechanical problems at layover yard, all trains delayed, they got 5 car rather than 6 car set, apologies. [My guess is that switches were frozen.] When I got off at Porter I told conductor someone -- I didn't know if he was the one -- had done a good job with the announcements. His reply: "I'll tell him" -- so it was his colleague.
Many trains lately have had two conductors and/or assistant conductors instead of three. One has told me that a lot of them are taking classes for job.
Got up late Monday morning (second full day of Daylight Savings Time). No chance to catch 6:36 train from Concord. Left home in Maynard at 7:30, having seen on T website that the #406 was running 20-30 minutes late. Guessed that I'd have a better chance to catch it at West Concord (though I'd have to pay $5 to park) than at Concord (free parking), and if I didn't I could wait for the next train in the depot restaurant. That was a good guess. Got coffee an', partly to get a $5 bill for parking board, caught train about 7:55. Big crowd. Numerous announcements from crew over intercom: mechanical problems at layover yard, all trains delayed, they got 5 car rather than 6 car set, apologies. [My guess is that switches were frozen.] When I got off at Porter I told conductor someone -- I didn't know if he was the one -- had done a good job with the announcements. His reply: "I'll tell him" -- so it was his colleague.
Many trains lately have had two conductors and/or assistant conductors instead of three. One has told me that a lot of them are taking classes for job.