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Re: F40PH-3C overhaul program

 by diburning ¦  Tue Feb 27, 2024 10:34 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: F40PH-3C overhaul program ¦  Replies: 1014 ¦  Views: 209529

Metrolink are ordering 12 x Tier 4 which will result in T2 MP36s being disposed of. There are other MP36 operators like Metra who might have designs on them, and it is a few years away at best either way. Isn't there some California law that says that if they replace older locomotives with new T4 c...

Re: MBTA's Max Speed?

 by diburning ¦  Tue Jan 09, 2024 10:16 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: MBTA's Max Speed? ¦  Replies: 26 ¦  Views: 3465

The FRA has various standards for track infrastructure and maintenance. Maintenance costs for the standard beyond Class 4 (80mph) probably has diminishing returns, especially for commuter railroads with frequent stops. The only reason why the corridor is maintained to Class 7 (Class 8 in Mansfield) ...

Re: F40PH-3C overhaul program

 by diburning ¦  Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:48 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: F40PH-3C overhaul program ¦  Replies: 1014 ¦  Views: 209529

The two MP36s were black sheep as they had their own maintenance needs compared to the rest of the fleet, and at the time, the MBTA wanted more but couldn't get any (there were none on the secondary market, and MPI couldn't build any more as they were not EPA Tier 3 compliant). MP40s were an option ...

Re: Budd RDC 6213 on the move

 by diburning ¦  Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:36 am ¦  Forum: Budd Company ¦  Topic: Budd RDC 6213 on the move ¦  Replies: 8 ¦  Views: 1019

The MBTA's official reporting mark for interchange is MBTX. The various reporting marks you see were applied prior to MBTX becoming officially registered, and the various equipment with the older lettering was never relettered as they do not get interchanged. If you look hard enough, some equipment ...

Re: Wanted: photos of old wooden escalators

 by diburning ¦  Fri Nov 10, 2023 1:28 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Wanted: photos of old wooden escalators ¦  Replies: 26 ¦  Views: 4730

Yes. On the London tube, their escalators operate at a higher speed than ours (if you step on at walking speed, it's fine. If you stop at the threshold, look, and step on, you may lose your balance), and because of that, there's 5+ steps worth of landing on each side. Escalators have improved over t...

Re: Fairmount Line Discussion

 by diburning ¦  Sat Oct 28, 2023 4:11 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Fairmount Line Discussion ¦  Replies: 486 ¦  Views: 172377

As for Readville, if it is indeed a clearance route (which I question because the sides of the bridge don't appear to offer much more clearance than the platform edge, but satellite maps don't have sufficient resolution to be able to tell for sure), then they can build a full length high level platf...

Re: Unusual rail alignment

 by diburning ¦  Fri Oct 27, 2023 12:01 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Unusual rail alignment ¦  Replies: 5 ¦  Views: 989

Those exist to center the wheels over the two rails to minimize the odds of the flanges from picking the joints. The wheels can deviate side to side (or else the wheels wouldn't make it around curves) Conversely, If you ever ride a commuter train at speed over a switch, you'll feel the train jolt in...

Re: Green Line Extension Lechmere to Medford

 by diburning ¦  Mon Oct 23, 2023 3:11 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Green Line Extension Lechmere to Medford ¦  Replies: 1355 ¦  Views: 431755

In the Boston Globe article, GM Eng says that the fix will involve removing the tie plates, filling in the holes with dowels, and reinstalling the tie plates in the correct positions. An unconfirmed source told me that the rails are 55.5" in gauge, which is half an inch out of tolerance, and an...

Re: Fairmount Line Discussion

 by diburning ¦  Tue Oct 17, 2023 9:13 pm ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Fairmount Line Discussion ¦  Replies: 486 ¦  Views: 172377

Readville is a looong way out from South Station for still being inside Boston--about as far out as Winchester and Waltham are from North Station. Just because in greater Boston all rail transit that's on the national rail network consists of fairly infrequent diesel push-pull trains using a mix of...

Re: Worcester Service to Boston "Heart to Hub"

 by diburning ¦  Mon Oct 09, 2023 6:31 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Worcester Service to Boston "Heart to Hub" ¦  Replies: 18 ¦  Views: 2151

I'm of the opinion that center platforms at the existing three Newton stations are not practical. Replacing Mass Pike bridges would cost more than the extra elevators required for side platforms. I'm sure full-high platforms would be required, with platform heaters to melt snow and full awning cove...

Re: Track Next to Convention Center

 by diburning ¦  Mon Oct 09, 2023 6:18 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Track Next to Convention Center ¦  Replies: 11 ¦  Views: 1089

So that Boston Railway Terminal Alco S3 #0409 that was over by the BCEC that was owned by George Marsh (before the City of Boston illegally scrapped it in November of 2013) was never in service in the area?

Re: Worcester Service to Boston "Heart to Hub"

 by diburning ¦  Tue Oct 03, 2023 10:44 pm ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Worcester Service to Boston "Heart to Hub" ¦  Replies: 18 ¦  Views: 2151

Newtonville can probably be fixed by putting in a center platform, and moving the southernmost track to where the platform is now. The bridge piers are in the way, but Newtonville's platform is excessively long, and a Boston Landing sized platform would totally fit with plenty of space for the track...

Re: Worcester Service to Boston "Heart to Hub"

 by diburning ¦  Fri Sep 29, 2023 3:03 pm ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Worcester Service to Boston "Heart to Hub" ¦  Replies: 18 ¦  Views: 2151

The article is a little misleading. It's not an adjustment to the express schedule, it's a replacement by a regular local schedule. My understanding is that ridership on the express has been anemic at best, so it makes sense to try to attract some more riders by switching to a local service pattern...

Re: Airport to downtown

 by diburning ¦  Fri Aug 18, 2023 5:34 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Airport to downtown ¦  Replies: 37 ¦  Views: 3593

diburning - B Line splitting trains just before Lake Street? I can't understand that one. Maybe some kind of operational restriction against coupled trains running through the yard or around the loop? Do they re-couple them into trains at the loading platform heading inbound or somewhere else? No o...

Re: Southcoast Rail

 by diburning ¦  Wed Aug 16, 2023 7:54 am ¦  Forum: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) ¦  Topic: Southcoast Rail ¦  Replies: 1272 ¦  Views: 341795

I would imagine that lots of passengers will use the service if they cut the subsidy for that bus currently operated by Peter Pan (previously operated by DATTCO)

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