p504 and p508 Problems Today

Today's p504 was canceled. (this is the express train from Framingham that departs at approx. 6:50).

I took the p508 from Grafton. Normally, we have 8 double decker cars. This morning, we had 3 double decker cars and 3 single cars ... so you knew it was going to be a packed, long commute. We arrived to Back Bay at 8:21 (scheduled arrival time 8:17) and South Station at 8:30 (scheduled arrival time 8:23).

Seems there have been some issues this week with trains getting canceled or arriving late. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

P502 Problems Today

It seems like the MBTA had it's share of problems today, in addition to a Green Line derailment today, the commuter rail also had its share of issues. Grafton Train Rider shared the following with me today:

"The p502 broke down just after Wellesley Square this morning. The conductor did a great job keeping us informed. The p504 connected up with us and pushed us in. My door-to-door commute from Grafton to Cambridge was 2 hours 45 minutes. My company has audits this week beginning at 8 AM, but fortunately, I was able to arrange coverage.

On another note, I noticed 2 bulldozers and a portable toilet at the alleged Weston Commuter Rail station under construction (according to Google maps). I still have not been able to validate what this construction is, though."

Thanks to Grafton Train Rider for today's updates ... I did not take the train today as I had after work commitments for which I needed my car, so it look s like I missed the bad morning commutes.

I also have not been able to verify any information about the new stop in Weston. I sent an email to the MBTA and MBCR but have not heard anything back yet.

My Windy Tuesday Commute Update

Wow, it's quite windy out today. I feel like I could just stand on the street, but still be buffeted about by the wind. I will say that at least it's warmer today than it was yesterday, so it's not so bad.

This morning, the p508 arrived to South Station at 8:20. Took the Silver Line (which was packed) to the Seaport area and was at my desk by 8:34.

All seems to be quiet on the MBTA news front ...

A New Monday Morning Commute

My office moved locations over the weekend to the Seaport area, so my Monday morning commute was slightly different ... the train arrived at Back Bay at 8:13, but as opposed to getting off and takign the Orange Line, I stayed on ... we arrived at South Station at 8:22, then I took the Silver Line to my office and got here by 8:32.

Sweet. I quite like the Silver Line, it zips you over to this area, whereas the walk would be between 15-20 mintues from South Station. When the weather is really, really nice, I'll do that, but for now, the Silver Line suits me just fine.

I checked The Grafton News this past weekend for news about the commuter rail break-ins, but I didn't see anything specific mentioned. I also did not notice a MBTA cop this morning ... I'll keep my eyes and ears open for parking lot goings-on.

Rail Summit Feedback on National Train Day

Today is Amtrak's National Train Day. Al Roker is the official spokesperson, so the Today show was airing clips of Al reporting from a rail concourse somewhere.

Yesterday was the Rail Summit in Worcester. The Telegram & Gazette noted that Lt. Governor Tim Murray said that CSX is "indifferent" to public needs. Here's the article from today's T&G:

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray said yesterday that railroad company CSX Corp. is blocking the expansion of commuter rail service to the city, and he reproached CSX for neglecting the public interest.

At a railroad summit at the DCU Center, Mr. Murray used harsh terms to
describe the current stalemate between CSX and the state. The policies CSX is
proposing, he said, are “absurd.”

“Despite CSX’s apparent indifference to the public interest, we are not
dissuaded in our effort to expand rail to Worcester and other parts of the
state,” he told a packed conference room, including CSX representatives sitting
in the front row.

The expansion of commuter rail service to Worcester has been discussed
for years, but has not moved beyond talks, largely because of a dispute over
liability. CSX, which owns the track from Framingham to Worcester, insists on
maintaining the existing no-fault liability policy if the state purchases the
track.

The 22.8-mile section from Framingham to Worcester is one of the few
pieces of railroad used by passenger trains that is not owned and controlled by
the state. Mr. Murray and other politicians say acquiring the right-of-way on
that track is the best way to expand commuter service and spur economic growth,
but if the state buys the track, liability should be determined by who is at
fault in an accident. Otherwise, politicians say, taxpayers could end up footing
the bill for CSX’s negligence.

“No-fault is a deal breaker,” Mr. Murray, the former Worcester mayor,
said yesterday. He has voiced that point before, but not in such blunt terms
at a well-attended public event. CSX representatives yesterday agreed that
they are not willing to budge on the liability policy but said the relocation of
CSX’s 80-acre rail yard in Allston is the bigger obstacle to expanding commuter
rail service.

Lisa A. Mancini, CSX’s vice president of strategic infrastructure
initiatives, said CSX supports passenger service, but under certain conditions.

Asked about Mr. Murray’s comments, Ms. Mancini said, “I was a little
surprised at the tone.”

She said CSX is trying to avoid a situation such as the aftermath of a recent train accident in Canton that injured more than 100 people, where “everybody’s suing everybody else.” Audience members, including Mayor Konstantina B. Lukes and District 2 City Councilor Philip P. Palmieri, pelted Ms. Mancini with questions about the standoff in negotiations.

Ms. Mancini said CSX is always ready to sit down and negotiate, but a
solution could be a long way off.

“I wasn’t expecting to negotiate this in this public forum today,” she
said.

Mr. Murray and state transportation officials said it’s possible to add
seven passenger trains — four outbound and three inbound — on the
Framingham-Worcester line right now.

“The schedule can accommodate more trains,” said Thomas S. Cahir, deputy secretary for transportation programs at the state’s Executive Office of Transportation, in an interview. “There’s no question in my mind they can do
that now.”

But Ms. Mancini said adding trains to the Worcester line now is not feasible without significant infrastructure improvements. Adding trains would cause problems to existing freight and passenger service, she said.

During her presentation, Ms. Mancini said CSX anticipates increased freight traffic over the next several years and is developing a long-term plan to accommodate that increase. One locomotive can carry the load of roughly 250 tractor-trailers, she said, and trains burn gas much more efficiently than trucks do.

John D. Ray, director of railroad operations for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, said the MBTA is focused on expanding commuter service to Worcester.

“Passenger demand on this line is expected to increase more than 50 percent between 2003 and 2010”— and that projection came before gas prices skyrocketed to more than $3.50 a gallon, Mr. Ray said.

Representatives from CSX and the Executive Office of Transportation
began negotiating more than two years ago. Both sides agree some progress has
been made; for example, in February the MBTA rolled out a new schedule that
allows more travel time for commuter trains on the Worcester line.

U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, and former Gov. Michael S.
Dukakis also spoke at yesterday’s forum.

“The debate we’re having is not freight rail versus commuter rail,” Mr.
McGovern said. “We want both. We need both to coexist.”

Wow - that's amazing that the passenger growth of the Worcester line was targeted at 50% - a target made before the increase in gas prices.

The Worcester Business Journal also published an article about yesterday's summit, as did The Metro West Daily News.

Friday Commute and Updates from the Worcester Train Summit

TGIF! I think I say this every Friday, but I'm always glad when the weekend rolls around.

I've noticed an increased presence of MBTA police officers at the Grafton train station this past week. I'm sure the NECN story combined with the complaints of Grafton commuters have helped to ramp up patrolling of the parking lot. I hope it continues!

My morning commute was right on time. We left Grafton at 7:09 and got to Back Bay about 1 hour and 2 minutes later, for an 8:11 arrival time. I got out at Back Bay and took the Orange Line over to my office and was at my desk by 8:27. I hope the same holds true when I switch up my commute on Monday (commuter rail to South Station to the Silver Line to my new office).

As I have mentioned in the past, the Worcester Train Summit is going on this morning. We're going to be posting links throughout the day to live blogging provided by Daily Worcesteria as soon as updates become available.

Have a great weekend!

Free Vitamin Water Day at South Station

What a treat!! They were handing out free bottles of Vitamin Water today outside South Station.

I only have one more morning commute to my current office location. My office is moving over the weekend. I will no longer be getting off at Back Bay Station and taking the Orange Line to work. Or disembarking at South Station to walk to my office. Now I'll be taking the commuter rail in all the way to South Station and then relying on the Silver Line to get to my office. This should be interesting.

I will miss the buzz of walking outside at South Station, not to mention getting freebies from the people who hand out stuff.

My P508 train arrived at Back Bay around 8:13 a.m. and South Station at 8:21 a.m.

Saw another article about more people taking the commuter rail as an alternative to paying higher gas prices. Unlike yesterday's article from The Salem News, this article contains quotes from commuters who believe the commuter rail is a cost-effective alternative to driving into Boston.

Commuter Rail Summit Tomorrow

As mentioned on Monday, there will be a public summit tomorrow at the DCU Center in Worcester addressing the state of commuter rail service in Massachusetts. I believe the people behind Daily Worcesteria may be live blogging from the conference.

Unfortunately, for work-related reasons, neither Train Rider or I can make it to tomorrow's summit. Yesterday's Telegram & Gazette published an article about the summit. Here are the highlights:

Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray, the city’s former mayor, will introduce the public forum. Speakers will include former Gov. Michael S. Dukakis; U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester; Thomas Cahir, deputy secretary for transportation programs for the state Executive Office of Transportation; Maurice J. O’Connell, vice president of public affairs for CSX Corp.; and Jody Ray, director of railroad operations for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Other elected officials and transit advocates are expected to attend. The summit will be held from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Friday. It is open to the public.

Mr. Murray, a longtime proponent of expanding commuter rail service, who occasionally rides the train from Worcester to Boston, said the summit is an opportunity to explain what has been done to improve commuter service and what challenges lie ahead.

“I want to make sure people are aware of how hard we’ve been working on various fronts,” he said. “This is an important priority of this administration.”

The expansion of commuter rail service to Worcester has been discussed for many years, but has not moved beyond talks. Among the challenges to expanding rail service is a disagreement over liability that has become a hot political issue. CSX Corp., the national railroad company which owns the track from Framingham to Worcester, insists on maintaining the existing no-fault liability policy if CSX sells the track to the state. Lawmakers and transportation officials refuse to sign on to such a policy.

Mr. Murray described rail transportation in Massachusetts as a checkerboard, with the ownership and control of tracks varying from one line to the next.

Yesterday Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s office authorized the Executive Office of Transportation to conduct a study to boost freight transportation in Massachusetts. The $1 million study, expected to be completed in 15 months, will be the first rail master plan in nearly 20 years.

“It benefits the state, and it benefits (CSX) as well,” Mr. Murray said. “What we need is a real public-private partnership.”

Last week, the MBTA approved spending $15 million to improve tracks and signaling on the Fitchburg commuter rail line. This is the first installment in a $150 million upgrade on the Fitchburg line, expected to be complete by 2010, which will allow trains to travel faster.

Does anyone find it weird that no one from the MBCR appears to be on the public speaking schedule? If MBCR operates the commuter rails for the MBTA, shouldn't a representative be included in the program?

The summit is a great idea. Too bad it is on a work day. I wonder if more people would attend if something like this was scheduled for an evening or on a weekend?

Grafton MBTA Station Break-Ins Featured on NECN

Yesteday NECN ran a report on the break-ins at the Grafton MBTA commuter rail station. As a Grafton Commuter noted in a comment yesterday, The Grafton News is supposed to be writing an article about the break-ins and the Charter Cable channel also aired a report. Unfortunately, Grafton Commuter's car was broken into.