lots of delays on south lines/north lines

here is what is on the MBTA website transit updates:

# Framingham/Worcester Line Delays:

# Outbound Train #529 (6:05pm) is running 15 minutes late due to an equipment shortage.

Attleboro/Stoughton Line Delays:

# Outbound Train #819 (5:40pm) is running 10 - 15 minutes late due to a mechanical problem.

Old Colony Line Delays:

# Due to a signal problem near JFK/UMass station all trains may experience delays of 5 to 15 minutes.

Newburyport Line Delays:

# Outbound Train #183 (5:37pm) is running 15 to 20 minutes late due to an equipment shortage.

Haverhill Line Delays:

# Outbound Train #233 (5:52pm) is running 10 to 20 minutes late due to an equipment shortage.


equipment shortage, what happened? is there still close to 80 cars out of service or more now?

Yup. short three sets of equipment today and some folks want to run trains to the cape where each set could make only two turns a day under the best possible operating conditions. Just another day in fantasyland here in Massachusetts.

Why would there ever be an equipment shortage? Has MBCR lent or rented out any of its equipment?

Now as of this AM, we've got even more MBCR problems, with two trains being "nixed" aka cancelled. Here's what they say:

The MBTA Transit Updates wrote:Middleboro inbound delays

Inbound Train #006 (6:55am) is annulled
Beverly inbound delays

Inbound & Outbound train # 61 & 62 cancelled/ Readville delays

Readville Train # 747 717am inbound trip is cancelled

All other Commuter Rail service is on or near schedule.

Could be worse, such as driving thru the Big Dig, which I read has begun to fall apart. Very dangerous to one's healthy existence!

Question: would these "problems" exist if Amtrak were still running the show? Opinions, anyone?

And the 902 is out of service to for some reason, so the Readville Switcher is using a GP40.

Not only is the Readville swicher using a GP40, but since they dont have enough power to have 2, to go each way on the road. They have a control car and a loco to switch with!!! Last Thursday night they put the 1702 for a control car, I forget what the engine they had.

I still don't understand. Unless the MBCR has lent out or rented out equpiment, why would they have a shortage? There have been no wrecks in the past few months.

Ron Newman wrote:I still don't understand. Unless the MBCR has lent out or rented out equpiment, why would they have a shortage? There have been no wrecks in the past few months.

MBCR does't have any equipment to rent out. They are an operating company and do not MBTA rollingstock. If there is an equipment shortage, it's from maintenence backlog.

NealG wrote:

Ron Newman wrote:I still don't understand. Unless the MBCR has lent out or rented out equpiment, why would they have a shortage? There have been no wrecks in the past few months.

MBCR does't have any equipment to rent out. They are an operating company and do not MBTA rollingstock. If there is an equipment shortage, it's from maintenence backlog.

Precisely. Ride by BET (Boston Engine Terminal) in Somerville, and look at the "deadline" in front, in the rear, and on the side. I've heard there are 80+ coaches out-of-service, and untold engines. MBCR needs to pony up some overtime to cut through the backlog. (The other day, four of the six cars on my train had no A/C... and these were "in-service" coaches.)

In the absence of wrecks, what is causing these cars and engines to go out of service?

Diverging Route wrote:Precisely. Ride by BET (Boston Engine Terminal) in Somerville, and look at the "deadline" in front, in the rear, and on the side. I've heard there are 80+ coaches out-of-service, and untold engines. MBCR needs to pony up some overtime to cut through the backlog. (The other day, four of the six cars on my train had no A/C... and these were "in-service" coaches.)

I rode by there the other day and took a look down from I-93 and saw a whole bunch of coaches down for maintenance, including seeing Amtrak F40 316 which the T now owns, Like you say, I agree with you that they do need to pony up and get these cars going, since some of those cars as you mentioned have broken A/C, which is hot enough to melt ice cream...

Ron Newman wrote:In the absence of wrecks, what is causing these cars and engines to go out of service?

Mechanical failures? Things break...especially when its as old as some of the commuter rail equipment.

Also, the coach rebuild program has some cars tied up in that...

there are more delays tonight due to equipment shortages and weather related issues: 7:17pm 7/11/06

#

Needham Line:

# Outbound Train #627 (6:25pm) is running 10 to 15 minutes late due to a mechanical problem

Attleboro Stoughton Line:

# Outbound Train #923 (6:30pm) is running 15 minutes late due to an equipment shortage

Old Colony Line:

# Inbound Train #94 (6:45pm) is running 15 minutes late due to an equipment shortage

Lowell Line:

# Outbound Train #335 (6:25pm) is running 15 minutes late due to an equipment shortage
# Inbound Train #338 (7:25pm) is running 15 minutes late due to an equipment shortage

Rockport/Newburyport Line:

# Due to weather related signal problems all trains may experience delays of up to 15 minutes.
# Outbound Train #129 (5:00pm) is running 25 to 30 minutes late
# Outbound Train #131 (5:25pm) is running 20 to 25 minutes late
# Inbound Train #94 (6:45pm) is running 15 minutes late

Fitchburg Line:

# Outbound Train #429 (4:50pm) is running 10 to 15 minutes late due to signal problems.

Haverhill Line:

# Outbound Train #231 (5:15pm) is running 20 to 25 minutes late due to an earlier signal problems.
# Outbound Train #233 (5:52pm) is running 25 to 30 minutes late due to an earlier signal problems.
# Outbound Train #235 (6:15pm) is running 15 to 25 minutes late due to an earlier signal problems.

# Inbound Train #236 (4:30pm) is running 15 to 25 minutes late due to an earlier signal problems.

NealG wrote:If there is an equipment shortage, it's from maintenence backlog.

Correct. About 70 coaches, 25 locomotives, 3247, and I think 904 are out of service currently.