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  1. F

    General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

    They did...and then Baker's appointees immediately got so distracted by shiny things that they pivoted to the BEMU Great White Hype, and doing it ass-backwards by not electrifying the mainlines. So I'm not sure the fact that they studied world best practices is actually informing action and...
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    Regional Rail (RUR) & North-South Rail Link (NSRL)

    Yes, but more because of their service characteristics than the physical constraints. BEMU's work pretty well in worldwide adoption with un-electrified tails of frequent-service electrified mains, and light-service branches off frequent-service electrified mains. Hudson and Harlem Line diesel...
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    Regional Rail (RUR) & North-South Rail Link (NSRL)

    1) We already have 25 kV AC overhead on the Providence Line, the most common mainline rail electrification voltage in the world with standard parts available both lineside and vehicle-side. Why would we ever want to make things harder on ourselves by adopting something incompatible with that...
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    General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

    She took one look at her predecessors' BEMU fascination and said "Hold my beer." It's even worse than BEMU's because there isn't even lip-service at wiring up anything, along with many other downsides. Disadvantages of hydrogen on trains include: Stupidly expensive fuel. And limited market...
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    General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

    Please, do dump on Caltrain. They completely screwed the pooch on cost control with their consultants-managing-consultants-managing-consultants special, and the overall management of their modernization project (which also included a botched PTC implementation, a botched vehicle...
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    Other People's Rail: Amtrak, commuter rail, rapid transit news & views outside New England

    And it happens again. Adirondack service suspension starts anew on May 20, just in time for the official kickoff of summer. Another Amtrak-CN dispute over CN's horrible track conditions Rouses Point to St. Jean-sur-Richelieu with rumored 10 MPH speed restrictions planned for heat season. And...
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    General Boston Discussion

    Don't let this harsh on anybody's unhinged ideological bleating, but MassHighway's on it. . .
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    Fantasy T maps

    The NH Main property lines in Medford and Winchester average 80-120 ft. wide, so it can probably all be done within the property lines. The only tricky part would be Winchester Center station itself. GLXX would have to shift sides of the ROW from west to east to avoid the first freight sidings...
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    Other People's Rail: Amtrak, commuter rail, rapid transit news & views outside New England

    Hasn't been funded yet because they're focusing on the all-critical tunnel capacity first and the price tag for the station expansion is laughably high, but it's still planned. A lot of transit advocates want it turfed in favor of thru-running NJ Transit and Metro-North, but there are a lot of...
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    Green Line Reconfiguration

    It's nowhere near the tightest curve on the GL, and they've already ordered cars compatible with it.
  11. F

    Freight and General New England RR News

    They were Class 1/10 MPH.
  12. F

    Other People's Rail: Amtrak, commuter rail, rapid transit news & views outside New England

    No. It's strictly a Penn Station capacity expansion. The Penn Station South component of the project will add +7 platform tracks to the station.
  13. F

    Freight and General New England RR News

    Per RR.net. . . CSX is beginning testing of Class 3 speeds on the Worcester-Ayer route, capping off a furious year's worth of upgrades to the formerly embarassingly decrepit Pan Am main. That will allow 40 MPH freight and 60 MPH passenger service on the route, speeds not seen in over 60 years...
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    Portland Passenger Rail

    Per RR.net and confirmed by Amtrak employees... The Downeaster, after months of rumors and some blowback from NNEPRA, is formally swapping out Amfleet coaches for surplus Midwestern Horizon cars. The interior livery is very similar, but the Horizons have harsh commuter rail-style lighting, no...
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    Fantasy T maps

    Not anymore. The Woburn Branch had its property lines reverted back to abutters all points inside Town of Winchester, meaning the legalities of trying to string together anything here are extremely complex. It's also encroached on in a couple spots, and had some really bad grade crossing...
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    MBTA Commuter Rail (Operations, Keolis, & Short Term)

    Because of the diesel fumes, the fixture lenses at QC get quite grimy which makes the overall lighting quality pretty poor. The fixtures are original 1997 installation, with screw-in LED replacement bulbs that don't directionally focus the light that well. They'd be well-advised to replace the...
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    Green Line Reconfiguration

    Yes...full revenue service for 7 years between 6/10/1901 and 11/28/1908 while the Orange tunnel was being constructed. During that period trolleys from Public Gardens portal took the current/inner tracks at Boylston and looped at Park while trolleys from Haymarket portal took the inner tracks...
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    Green Line Reconfiguration

    The Tremont tunnel carried Orange Line El cars thru from Haymarket portal to Pleasant St. portal from 1901-1908, and those are quite a bit wider than even current LRV's let alone the PCC's. The last 2 batches of OL cars ran 111" wide, and it's unlikely that the first batch of El cars 120 years...
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    MBTA "Transformation" (Green Line, Red Line, & Orange Line Transformation Projects)

    Green Line specs are that platforms must have 6 feet of width between platform edge and obstructions (columns/fences, light posts, benches, signage, trash cans). I guess 9 ft. is appropriate if you're going to have bus-shelter type shelters with 4 posts, but the B-line ADA stations and Columbus...
  20. F

    General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

    The headway gaps are likely for fitting in freight slots, since the late-morning off-peak is when the Readville yard-stocker job runs on the Franklin Line, with somewhat variable departure times from Walpole (depending on how much work the train has to do in Walpole Yard). The return trip runs...

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