Through Newton, so far they've taken down the telegraph poles (assume they ran new signal wires, hope they planned for new systems...), painted the signal boxes, worked inside the signal boxes (presumably cut them over to MBTA dispatch), and fixed cracks in the 50 year old non-ada platforms. With only the boring purple boxes and no freight (except for the produce train?), the line is presently way, way underutilized. No timetable or announcements about redoing any of the platforms for ada compliance, except something about moving the Auburndale platform to the other side (but no timetable announced), which doesn't make much sense - where would they cross over?
No indication or hope that they will ever increase train frequency to the "inner" stations. In fact Newton gets more trains on weekends since they aren't skipped. Meanwhile Newton plans to sell off their Newtonville parking lot which will be sorely needed IF train schedule is ever increased and IF fares are ever equalized with green line and express service that travels the same (or more) distance or IF charlie cards are ever accepted. "T" or the city will eventually have to build an expensive garage over the pike sometime in the 2020s.
Back Bay should be priority for full high as soon as Yawkey is finished. Doesn't make sense to go from high to low to high to low. When the redid Back Bay in the 80's they put in full high platforms, then quickly ripped them out and said they were only "temporary" platforms. Sure looked permanent to me, Conrail or CSX must have complained.
Millions spent but zero return YET to passengers a year later, and negative return if you are one of the handfull of businesses in Boston that require freight. Hopefully next year we will see the improvements that haven't been announced.