MBTA to remove seats from Red Line cars (Big Red)

They're 01800's with the seats removed....nothing exciting.

mattl wrote:Has anyone ridden a Big Red train on the Red Line yet? I am curious to know if they are new trains, or simply retrofitted existing stock...

I was wondering if the red line train with no seats was still active, and if the MBTA ever released information on the trial?

For those not familiar with the train, a year ago almost all the seats were taken out of two red line cars for rush hour capacity increases.

I rarely ride the red line during rush hour, so I never got to see it.

Is it still active?


Story on the train:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaki ... perim.html
Here's another picture:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZyUoDA7KhQE/S ... d+line.jpg
and
http://www.universalhub.com/images/2008/bigredcar.jpg

I know that I rode on it a few months ago, but I forget the specific date. I believe its still active.

I think it is still active.

I saw it at Park St. not more than a month or two ago.

If only I could ride it again!

I saw it twice in December, or maybe it was November...

What I'm wondering is... does it really increase capacity? Was it worth it??

BostonUrbEx wrote:I saw it twice in December, or maybe it was November...

What I'm wondering is... does it really increase capacity? Was it worth it??

I'm glad to hear it's still around.

But yes, I would also like to see the results of the surveys they took. Do average riders like it? Has it helped at all? Do the cars fill up or are they ignored by riders who escape to other cars?

I saw one at North Quincy a couple of days ago. Have they started putting seats back into some of them or is this here to stay?

01802/01803 are the only pair that had it done. This pair is only used in rush hour service.

To my surprise, this trial was received very well by the riders. Having ridden one of these once or twice during rush hour (not by choice), I have to admit it does ease up the congestion quite a bit. The added standee room is pretty significant. Think about it, the RTSs have MUCH better standee room because of the 2 and 1 seating arrangement as opposed to that of the low floors' 2 by 2 seats (I know, another bus reference... deal with it! ). You can probably fit about 20 standees in the space taken up by 7 or 8 seats and without too much discomfort. The interior of the cars looks a lot bigger too. I don't think this concept is going to disappear, and although I don't particularly like it myself, it shouldn't go anywhere since it's actually gotten a pretty decent approval rating.

CRail you don't take much room up anyway so how can you feel crowded. Unlike me when I have a lot of space to fill.

Like I had said in a previous thread,

I think they should have a few green line 7's set up this way for Sox games. The could be crowed swallower.

Adams_Umass_Boston wrote:Like I had said in a previous thread,

I think they should have a few green line 7's set up this way for Sox games. The could be crowed swallower.

I said exactly the same thing on a YouTube vid of Big Red. It should be named "The Green Monster"! It'd be so fitting.

LOL, that sounds funny!

I remember being on the Type 7's back in the day, when people would stuff themselves in like it was a clown car! They need to try the same thing on the green line like they did with Big Red