Southcoast Rail

MBTA3247 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 3:22 pm That has to be the total number of inbound and outbound trains, and would actually be a modest reduction from the current 29 trains. I very much doubt that they could squeeze another 23 trains (running in either direction) through the bottleneck between Braintree and BOS to allow for 26 round-trips.

These aren't additional trains, they are trains that would otherwise have terminated at Middleborough. So they won't be squeezing any additional trains through the single track bottle neck after the merge with the other OC lines. But the question remains, whether they are actually going to reduce from the 29. I'm not sure why they would do that, which makes me think the 26 might be an old number anyway. I don't think we'll really know until they publish an actual schedule.

I think there are currently 14-1/2 round trips on weekdays. You're adding on another hour from Middleboro, so you'll need more equipment to keep that service frequency.

Sounds like the off-peak service is pretty much going to be useless. Every three hours from each terminal? I get that single trackage limits the number of trains you can run through those bottlenecks, but they should've done some more thinking before going ahead with this "Phase I" nonsense.

It will be declared successful regardless of how few passengers use the service.

BandA wrote: ↑Sun Aug 13, 2023 6:22 pm It will be declared successful regardless of how few passengers use the service.

Nobody is using it now, because it doesn't exist. As time goes by, people who get sick of the ever increasing congestion on the highways will find it the train to Boston useful.

likely to be faster to drive to middleborough or a NEC station and ride from there than to drive to fall river or new bedford line stations. Most folks are aware that service hasn't started yet. 128/95 is like a brick wall of traffic, while stuff outside 495 is probably free-flowing (not too familiar with southcoast traffic conditions but I know they are better than to the west or to the north or around quincy!)

I would imagine that lots of passengers will use the service if they cut the subsidy for that bus currently operated by Peter Pan (previously operated by DATTCO)

BandA wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 12:53 pm likely to be faster to drive to middleborough or a NEC station and ride from there than to drive to fall river or new bedford line stations. Most folks are aware that service hasn't started yet. 128/95 is like a brick wall of traffic, while stuff outside 495 is probably free-flowing (not too familiar with southcoast traffic conditions but I know they are better than to the west or to the north or around quincy!)

24 is a mess from Avon on up most days, partly because of 128 and partly because more traffic is coming from the south coast.

Getting closer.

https://fallriverreporter.com/mbta-test ... n-decades/

mxdata wrote: ↑Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:33 am NB/FR service won't happen during my remaining lifetime.

I decided to begin reading this thread from the start.

Of course, this post was made years ago now.

Is mxdata still with us?

Getting farther: NewBedfordLight.org

New Bedford to Boston train delayed until summer of 2024

Passenger service to Boston from New Bedford is not expected to begin until next summer, about half a year later than prior forecasts, MBTA officials said Thursday.

During a wide-ranging presentation about the status of the highly anticipated South Coast Rail project, MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan told the agency’s board that “revenue service is expected to begin [in] summer of 2024.” A range of safety and certification steps need to be “satisfactorily and successfully completed” first, he said.

This reflects a delay of several months from what MBTA officials previously expected. At a ribbon-cutting for the expansion in December, former MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said riders should be able to begin riding South Coast Rail by the end of 2023.
...

No matter how well construction goes getting FRA approval is always a crap shoot. Look at the AX-2s approval.

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wicked wrote: ↑Fri Sep 22, 2023 7:38 am

mxdata wrote: ↑Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:33 am NB/FR service won't happen during my remaining lifetime.

I decided to begin reading this thread from the start.

Of course, this post was made years ago now.

Is mxdata still with us?

Still here, just barely, and still waiting. Based on recent announcements that old post could still prove true.

MXDATA

What a pleasant surprise!

Now people actually care about ticket prices and train speeds. https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/11/02/ne ... -rail-mbta

New Bedford emergency training exercise today with one of our sets down at the Whales Stop in New Bedford