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  • Cape Flyer

  • 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

 #1521267  by BandA
 
Arlington wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:22 pm
Safetee wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2019 7:40 pmopen up another station near barnstable or yarmouth
Yes, someplace where Kiss-and-Ride*, bikeways, and Transit could converge without a slog in/out of Hyannis.

A spot along Willow St. @ US-6 (Exit 7) would offer great connectivity (and make a fine park and ride too)

* my CF rides all required my host or a family member (staying longer as a guest than I could) to drive me to/from Dennis.
I like how they did Bourne on a shoestring, unlike any other MBTA project, (which this is semi-technically not since it is a CCRTA project). What's not to like is how long it took, but then all transportation projects in MA take too long.

I don't see anything official about considering a barnstable or yarmouth station, or anything they are planning for 2020. If too many people start using the Bourne Station then they will need barnstable/yarmouth to relieve the pressure :-D
 #1521346  by daybeers
 
BandA wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2019 8:37 pm So, an alternative would be, instead of repeating the Columbus Day pilot, do a pilot of Thursday service. I assume Thursday service is just as easy to set up as Friday service??
Agreed! Does the MBTA have the equipment though?
 #1521458  by BandA
 
They have the equipment on Friday. They should have the same equipment on Thursday, unless that leaves it out-of-position for Friday morning.
 #1521504  by Falmouth Secondary to Otis
 
Last update on Cohasset Narrows RR bridge reconstruction in Buzzards Bay,MA as I stopped by this morning. While the Bridge itself was finished for rail traffic on the main line in early May JF White Construction just finished up this past week with all the other aspects of the project such as repairing the bridge piers / refurbishing the siding & installing new cyclone fencing along the ROW to deter trespassing. Did notice some rail and or bridge work being done on the Canal RR bridge on the B-Bay side as contractors / equipment are staged next to the bridge.
 #1521647  by Falmouth Secondary to Otis
 
Corps of Engineers released the findings of it's study on the Canal bridges and recommended replacement of both spans. Looks like the Bourne station will probably have to be relocated to behind the Gallo Ice arena after all as the new proposed Bourne bridge is reported to be sited on the East side of the existing one, right where the station is. If it happens that east side area will be closed off for 2-3 years for construction, except for Rail & authorized access. We'll have to see if Cahir makes any comments about that.

https://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20191 ... -bridges/1
 #1521721  by Falmouth Secondary to Otis
 
daybeers wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:42 pm
BandA wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2019 8:37 pm So, an alternative would be, instead of repeating the Columbus Day pilot, do a pilot of Thursday service. I assume Thursday service is just as easy to set up as Friday service??
Agreed! Does the MBTA have the equipment though?
E-mailed Tom Cahir about expanding the Cape Flyer schedule to start on Thursday and replied that due too MBTA resources and funding restrictions we are limited in what we can accomplish. Went on to further say that the CCRTA will continue to talk with State officials on ways to improve service as it is evaluated after every weekend run. Any comments can be made on the Capeflyer survey below.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/surve ... ehlx/start
 #1521755  by BandA
 
Can a newborn Bourne station be set up before the construction starts? The Feds will be on the hook for 100% of any relocation & construction costs. A nice new station with all the 'fixins. Or is a temporary station needed?

Since they spent next to nothing on the existing station, Mr Cahir looks like a genius. And they can move the existing platform somewhere else, like Yarmouth.
 #1521788  by njtmnrrbuff
 
Having a station near where Willow St and Route 6 interchange would be great, especially for those people who are heading to the Outer Cape.
 #1522804  by MickD
 
West Barnstable already has high level platform..
and Cape Cod Central trains stop there, so why not the The Flyer..??
It would be much better access for patrons coming/going to
6A destinations on north side,and wouldn't really need any
further fiscal investment..
 #1522828  by njtmnrrbuff
 
That is true about W. Barnstable. Yes, the Cape Cod Central already stops there. The station isn't all that far from Route 6 and would serve as a great facility for people getting off the Cape Flyer who want to access the towns on the National Seashore. Being that the speeds of trains are very slow on the east of the Canal, passengers might end up getting to their destinations a little faster by having the Flyer stop at W. Barnstable depot since from there to the point where the tracks go underneath Rt. 6 near Willow Street, the trains are moving very slow. Plus where Willow and Rt. 6 interchange, it's close enough to Hyannis Station.
 #1533213  by Falmouth Secondary to Otis
 
Official ridership for Capeflyer FY2019 was 14,497 vs. 14,000 FY2018 listed on MassDOT's 2019 Tracker for the Rail and Transit division page 12. A 497 passenger increase for the entire season ? That's it ? You would think the increase was going to be much higher with all the media press on how the new Bourne stop was such a big success. Ridership isn't going to increase unless it's operation is expanded to start on Thursday to Monday for starters. Considering that summer traffic on both canal bridges average 131,583 vehicles per day, the present Capeflyer isn't doing much to address reducing traffic congestion with it's limited schedule.

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/20 ... 1569808899
 #1533222  by MickD
 
I use it during the summer and I can appreciate the expanded service
they have now on holiday weekends, but, Thursdays and Mondays
are not likely to be heavy travel days in either direction
here on The Cape ,as most weekly rentals here are Saturday to Saturday
and Boston weekend patronage is Friday from the 5:50 south to the
northbound at 6:40 0n Sunday evenings..One train a day on a weekday wouldn't do it in peak season
as both P&B & Peter Pan over more optional service...
The money would be better spent on service to Columbus Day now that's it
That much better established than the first season..The retiree touring the region and
college market from Boston is still fairly strong through Columbus Day..
Nothing much is ever going to be done down here to ease traffic congestion all that much,
no matter what the mode..Certainly not 2 new bridges..The time to address that was in the 80's when Route 25
was being expanded and The Cape Cod & Hyannisport was running to Braintree
 #1533230  by Rockingham Racer
 
Like any other route, more frequent service--at least one more train leaving Boston earlier--would probably help. A Thursday departure might help, too.
 #1533237  by MickD
 
Thursday I can see...I don't know about a Monday run...
 #1533247  by Backshophoss
 
With IP bankrupt,is the Mass Central/Cape Cod Central been effected and Cape Flyer been caught up in this bankruptcy?
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