Railroad Forums 

  • Southcoast Rail

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1620311  by Traingeek3629
 
wicked wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 7:32 pm Phase II never gets built and riders have to suffer with substandard service.

If they were serious about Phase II, there would only be a temporary Middleborough station instead of abandoning the 25-year-old station that had transit-oriented development (including a couple of apartment complexes) pop up next to it.
I believe it. I always thought it was odd that they'd spend a billion on the whole Middleborough routing, then make it obsolete a few years later with faster and more direct service to Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford.
 #1620325  by The EGE
 
Fortunately, there won't be too much wasted if Phase 2 is built. Everything from East Taunton to FR and NB would be used just the same. The Middleborough Secondary track upgrades were needed anyway, and they'll be useful if we ever get NYC-Cape Cod service back.
 #1620346  by newpylong
 
johnpbarlow wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 5:26 pm Is scrapping of bus service bad sign for South Coast rail?
THE SOUTH COAST’S only bus link to Boston is shutting down next month because ridership is so low, which is raising questions about the viability of commuter rail service to the region that is scheduled to begin later this year or early next year.

DATTCO operates three-times-a-day bus service to Boston’s South Station and Copley Square from the communities of Fairhaven, New Bedford, Dartmouth, and Taunton. Return service runs four times a day. The company announced last week that it is shutting down the route on April 16 after several years of deficits.
Who wants to sit in a bus for hours on 93 though?
 #1620388  by wicked
 
newpylong wrote: Mon Apr 17, 2023 9:25 am Who wants to sit in a bus for hours on 93 though?
Who wants to sit stuck in Dorchester for an hour because there’s a disabled engine on the single track between Boston Street and Harrison Square? Or sit north of Braintree station because there’s a disabled engine south of Quincy Center?
 #1620417  by BandA
 
So now there are three projects where the feds and the army corps of engineers are in the way; Cape canal highway bridges replacement (without Massachusetts taking financial ownership), cape canal railroad bridge rail priority, and restoring double track through the Hockamock Swamp.
 #1620471  by wicked
 
That is not new. The ACoE has been in the way of all projects for 20-something years.
 #1620562  by BandA
 
And Massachusetts state government rolls over and abetts the army corps. There has to be some creative culverts and guided crossings that would prevent the endangered frogs and turtles and salamanders from becoming steel cut frog legs, soup and sushi.
 #1620684  by wicked
 
BandA wrote: Thu Apr 20, 2023 3:10 am And Massachusetts state government rolls over and abetts the army corps. There has to be some creative culverts and guided crossings that would prevent the endangered frogs and turtles and salamanders from becoming steel cut frog legs, soup and sushi.
Maybe because folks at MassDOT see South Coast Rail for the boondoggle it might be. The only reason it’s happening in its current form is so Charlie Baker could get South Coast votes.
 #1620772  by diburning
 
I wonder if this is subsidized like the cape service. I'll try to find out. Peter Pan actually uses a subfleet of buses just for cape service that were paid for by MassDOT (they have MassDOT logos on them as well). That subfleet has fewer seats for better legroom, and the buses are newer in general. I bet if the Taunton service is operated by this subfleet, then it's subsidized as well.
 #1620874  by CRail
 
The Anzuonis were in the same boat as the Picknellys opposing rail service and for obviously good (personally beneficial) reason. A head of state worth his stones would figure out a way to make a better suited system for the people of the commonwealth benefit also the private interests that have actually served the state well. Find a way to implement rail without alienating the bus services that rail service would make redundant. Buses can't possibly compete with well operated rail service, so come up with a scheme that helps them benefit. The Downeaster (NNEPRA) levied a partnership with Concord Coach so that, at one point, tickets were unilaterally cross-honored and any time the trains didn't run the company was called on to run buses. I don't think that relationship exists today.
 #1620887  by wicked
 
Outside of rush hours, the bus will be faster. And it’ll always be cheaper.

The train may not even be faster during rush hours, depending on traffic limitations between Boston and Braintree.
 #1620945  by MattW
 
The bus had three trips per day. How many will the train have? If it's significantly more, then I'd say that's why the bus has such low ridership.
  • 1
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 85