Commuter Rail to Rhode Island Discussion

So I take it that Amtrak does not run any double-decker equipment anywhere on the Northeast Corridor.

Thats right

a bit more info:

The commuter rail service will use the 3rd track/line between Providence and Wickford, but there will be high-speed switches and room for a 4th line to go through the Airport station.

mental757 wrote: 4) we should all remember that new MBCR service is unlikely to start anywhere with hourly service. If the schedule is decent, people will use it, tweaks can be made and hopefully service will increase.

I hope the new service provides useful connections to the airport, but I doubt that anything less than hourly service will be that useful for anyone without a lot of time on their hands.

I think you'll get more people using it than you expect. Remember, people can also adjust their plane flight times to fit the train schedule if they want.
Also, airport parking is pretty expensive; that's a powerful incentive to use the train, especially when you're going to be gone more than a couple of days. As a comparison, the new station at Milwaukee airport has service about 7 times a day each way, comparable to T.F. Green, and that is very well utilized.
Once the word gets out, people will start using it.

trainhq wrote:I think you'll get more people using it than you expect. Remember, people can also adjust their plane flight times to fit the train schedule if they want.

But that's not going to help when your plane arrives two hours late.

Also, airport parking is pretty expensive; that's a powerful incentive to use the train, especially when you're going to be gone more than a couple of days. As a comparison, the new station at Milwaukee airport has service about 7 times a day each way, comparable to T.F. Green, and that is very well utilized.
Once the word gets out, people will start using it.

I hope you're right, but I personally wouldn't risk getting stuck at the airport for several hours because a late flight caused me to miss the train. And a cab ride is likely to be a lot more expensive than parking, if your plane gets in after the last train.

I think the service will be fine for college students and retirees, but will be unacceptable for anyone traveling for business or who has limited vacation.

yes, but I also don;t think the train service, as it relates to airport use, is geared towards business travelers or families anyway...

since only 8 of the 15 trains between downtown Providence and Boston will continue to TFG Airport, one could take a RIPTA bus from the Airport to the Providence station (for only $1.25 and basically hourly service) to catch a train there that they might have missed at the airport.

It's not for everyone certainly, but I think it will do OK to start and grow over time.

I think you'll find that a lot of people in the Boston area, especially those who live on the south side, (yours truly included several years ago when I lived in Stoughton)
would be glad for any alternative to Logan. Even though the new Silver Line bus service makes it reasonable to go to Logan via South Station, it is still slow and crowded; when faced with the choice of a one-seat ride to T.F. Green or a two-seat to Logan, a lot of people will choose the former if they can.

again, this will be a big draw for those who are already comfortable using maas-transit. the other benefit is the non-airport commuter to Providence and points between there and Boston. Put both users together and I think the service will do well.

trainhq wrote:I think you'll find that a lot of people in the Boston area, especially those who live on the south side, (yours truly included several years ago when I lived in Stoughton)
would be glad for any alternative to Logan. Even though the new Silver Line bus service makes it reasonable to go to Logan via South Station, it is still slow and crowded; when faced with the choice of a one-seat ride to T.F. Green or a two-seat to Logan, a lot of people will choose the former if they can.

Agree with you 100% on the Silver Line. It's not uncommon for the trip from the platform in S. Station to the terminal to require 1/2 hour, which is unacceptably slow.

For people arriving by car, Logan access is much better post Big Dig.

I hope you're right about the success of this train service. I'm not trying to be negative, but I'm not sold on the idea yet either. Guess we should wait to see how it works out.

PROJO: "Airport train station revived"

http://www.projo.com/news/content/AIRPO ... da5a2.html

PBN: "R.I. DOT to get $5.4M for Wickford commuter rail"

http://www.pbn.com/stories/27470.html

PROJO: "U.S. to contribute $5.4 million for Wickford station"

http://www.projo.com/ri/northkingstown/ ... 90e2d.html

PROJO: "Train station construction to begin"

http://www.projo.com/business/content/B ... 4619c.html


Sun Chronicle: "Take train to TF Green? Option nearer"

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles ... /news7.txt

From another thread:

mental757 wrote:Narragansett Times: "Commuter rail in the works?"

http://www.narragansetttimes.com/content/view/75012/