Patriots Day Discussion (was:Marathon Question)

I'm planning on attending the upcoming Boston Marathon on April 19. I will be taking a train (either Amtrak or MBTA) into South Station. I need to know what train(s) to take from South Station to the race finish line somewhere on Boyleston Street. I know nothing about Boston, so make your reply rather detailed. Thanks.

Welcome to Boston! Early is the key, day before is best.

From South Station you take a Red Line train bound for Alewife, the inbound direction, try to get the next to last car. Get off the Red Line train at Park St Station. It is a two station ride.

At Park St look for the stairs that go up to the Green Line platforms that are bound for Boston College (B), Cleavland Circle (C), Riverside (D). If you get the next to last car on the Red Line it should put you in the just about right spot.

The finish line is at Copley Station on the Green Line but it will be closed so you have to get off one stop before which is Arlington St or one stop after which is Hynes Convention Center. Take any of these Green Line trains Boston College (B), Cleavland Circle (C) or Riverside (D) to either of those stops.

Did I say early is the key? Beside the marathon there is a Red Sox game at 11 AM which added more people to the system. Not sure how crowded Copley will be or if it is a no-go zone. When I go to see the marathon I usual setup at the corner of Hereford and Boylston St. that would be the Hynes Convention Center stop. It the last corner that the marathoners take on the way to the finish line.

I keep forgetting it I said, early is the key? If you want to be up front to see the marathoners and avoid the sausage cars. Hopefully you will be making a weekend of it so you can dub around the area and get the lay of the land. Pick up a Charlie Card, its the hard card, at South Station. Here is the link for fare info:

http://www.mbta.com/fares_and_passes/

and for general MBTA info:

http://www.mbta.com/

When I go in for it I usually shoot for being there by 9 AM but I have several places I hang out at in that area. This year I will be on or just coming off the DL so I will be taking it in on the TV. Oh, I forgot after a certain point in time it will be impossible to cross from one side of Boylston St to the other.

JoeD

Much easier to get off your train at Back Bay Station, which is only a couple of blocks from the finish line. When you're done watching racers come over the finish line (some take 12 hours to finish!), go for a ride on the T before your return trip.

The Collector at Court St wrote:Much easier to get off your train at Back Bay Station, which is only a couple of blocks from the finish line. When you're done watching racers come over the finish line (some take 12 hours to finish!), go for a ride on the T before your return trip.

I agree, I think it would be easier since the Green Line will likely be packed seeing as it's a work day and that alone is bad, there's a marathon, there's a Red Sox game.


If you're taking Amtrak from New York to Boston, you could get off right at Back Bay station which is one stop before South Station.

Walking directions:

http://www.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s ... 2&t=h&z=17

Easy enough, you just make sure you're coming out the main entrance to Dartmouth Street and turn right (north) and you're there in 2 minutes.

Also, good viewing spots go quickly, so base your scheduling around that. If you've done something like this before, my apologies, but if not, I'd also suggest using the on-line Weather Channel the day before for Boston forecasts. It's been rainy, sunny, hot, or cold, sometimes all in a very brief time-period, and having the right gear can make viewing the Marathon seem less like experiencing your own personal marathon. There's no reserving spots, so any need for a pit stop (and the porta-potties can have long lines and become pits quite quickly) will probably mean you've lost your location, so don't come in fully hydrated, especially if your drinks have been caffeine-based.

Best way to get a good viewing spot is to volunteer for the BAA at the marathon. I get a great view of the finish line and a nifty adidas jacket to boot.

Well if were on the topic of the marathon, is framingham the only place on the route where there is an active grade crossing? I would love see csx send a 100 car train down the framingham-mansfield line in the middle of the race .

danib62 wrote:Best way to get a good viewing spot is to volunteer for the BAA at the marathon. I get a great view of the finish line and a nifty adidas jacket to boot.

That is not easy to do. I was lucky to be one of the chosen ones to volunteer last year and got the jacket. (I was a mile marker guard) Many people want to volunteer so theres a wait list.

Triker wrote:Well if were on the topic of the marathon, is framingham the only place on the route where there is an active grade crossing? I would love see csx send a 100 car train down the framingham-mansfield line in the middle of the race .

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24246

Depends on what/when you want to volunteer. If you're a medical professional of some kind, like yours truly (EMT), it's fairly easy. If not start out by volunteering a few years on the sunday before raceday and once you build up a few years of service they'll be more likely to give you your top choice. Also apply on time (mid feb is usually the deadline)! The other trick to either join a volunteer group or start one of your own. They'll be more likely to assign you where you want to be if it's a large group. This will be my fourth marathon as a volunteer (second on medical).

Anyways that's enough off topic banter for now.

From MBTA.com:

Framingham/Worcester Line
Unscheduled Stops at Yawkey
Patriots Day

To accommodate passengers coming in to Boston for the 11:00 AM start of the Red Sox game and to watch the Boston Marathon on Monday April 19th, the following Worcester Line trains will make unscheduled stops at Yawkey Station:

INBOUND – Yawkey Station

P512 ~ approximately 8:57 AM – From Worcester
P514 ~ approximately 9:24 AM – From Framingham
P516 ~ approximately 9:49 AM – From Worcester

OUTBOUND – Yawkey Station

P515 ~ approximately 1:11 PM – To Framingham
P517 ~ approximately 2:49 PM – To Worcester
P519 ~ approximately 4:16 PM – To Worcester

Well they're not exactly unscheduled anymore now are they?

Hmm...this should make my commute interesting...

Triker wrote:Well if were on the topic of the marathon, is framingham the only place on the route where there is an active grade crossing? I would love see csx send a 100 car train down the framingham-mansfield line in the middle of the race .

Certainly the train schedules and the marathon should have been coordinated well in advance, although flagpersons along the track 3/4 mile from the grade crossing should allow the train enough time and distance to stop.

Also while we're on the subject of the marathon...

Isn't patriots day the only day that the Hynes green line stop has the entrance across Mass Ave near the pike open? Always good to see that nice brick entrance used, and still think it's funny there's a couple of charliecard turnstiles installed there that have a .3% utilization rate.