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Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1117800  by B&M 1227
 
http://www.wickedlocal.com/bourne/news/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... z2EgubUqs3
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority weekend train service from Boston’s South Station to Hyannis - via a stop in Buzzards Bay - will start May 24 and continue to Labor Day.

Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority Administrator Thomas Cahir said late Monday afternoon the return of passenger rail service to the Cape – after nearly a 25-year absence - will involve five weekend trips and possibly a sixth return trip to Boston on Monday morning.

Cahir told the Bourne Transportation Advisory Committee that Gov. Deval Patrick has approved passenger rail resumption, and a name for the restored service likely would be selected Wednesday.
 #1117871  by The EGE
 
Adams_Umass_Boston wrote:I wonder why nothing has been posted on the Mass.gov, MBTA, or Cape Code times yet?
Well, new service typically gets added to mbta.com about a week after it opens :)


Seriously, though, this appears to be a very good choice on the part of the MBTA - a relatively low-cost service that will attract ridership from some demographics that the MBTA doesn't normally reach.

The articles are unclear and in some cases contradictory, but appears these will be extensions of regular trains that make most stops to Middleboro/Lakeville, then stopping at Buzzards Bay and Hyannis. The Barnstable Patriot article also names Wareham and Sandwich or West Barnstable as stops.

The Friday '5:10' departure looks to be #021, the 5:12 to Middleboro. That would look to put visitors in Hyannis sometime around 8:00pm. The Sat/Sun departures from Boston looks to possibly be #1001/2001, the 8:40 departure. I'm guessing the return trips will be #1008/2008, which could depart Hyannis around 5:00pm for the 8:00 arrival in Boston.
 #1118013  by djlong
 
Three hours from South Station to Hyannis?

Thanks for the rollercoaster - spirits soaring when I saw the topic title and plummeting when I read almost 3 hours...

Yes, I know they said "not high speed" but I can drive from my house near Nashua NH to my mother-in-law's place in Orleans in less time. Not drive from Boston - drive FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE.

My wife's family owns a cottage in Wellfleet and sometimes she'll go down for a few days and I'd like to join her for the weekend without having to take a second car all the way. But three hours from Boston? (Plus the time it would take me to get TO Boston, probably leaving my car in the garage at Lowell or in the Alewife garage).

I was *SO* hoping.
 #1118035  by Arborwayfan
 
djlong, I think you misread. It says Friday trains will leave at 5:10, and Sat and Sun trains will leave at 8 am, but the way the paper wrote it sort of looked like it was saying leave at 5 and arrive at 8.

As to why the T is doing it instead of giving it to the railroad, maybe the T didn't want to let the RR run into South Station. Are there signal issues? Insurance issues? Maybe the railroad didn't want the risk. Or maybe these trains will also take local pax between the regular CR stops. One article implied they would be extensions of regular schedules. That would mean they only had to cover the cost of running from M/L to Hyannis, wherease the RR would have to cover the cost of the whole run since the T surely wouln't let they take local pax. I wonder how the fares will work? Will there be a lower fare for Buzzards Bay-Hyannis etc.? What about Boston to Wareham? Will those trips even be allowed?
 #1118053  by CRail
 
djlong wrote:Three hours from South Station to Hyannis? ... Yes, I know they said "not high speed" but I can drive from my house near Nashua NH to my mother-in-law's place in Orleans in less time. Not drive from Boston - drive FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Not on a Friday afternoon you couldn't. If I can sit in traffic for 3 hours or watch a movie on my computer for 3 hours while riding a vehicle you can move around in, I'll take the latter.

When the Wildcat Branch was reinstated for Passenger service the speed was I believe something like 15-20mph. It was later increased to 30, then to 40. Regardless of how long it takes to get to Hyannis, it's a service which didn't exist before and is therefor a step in the right direction. The line isn't going to go from abandoned to world class overnight.
 #1118061  by The EGE
 
saulblum wrote:
djlong wrote:Three hours from South Station to Hyannis?
Where did you read three hours?
The three hours was my estimate, as I don't know what track speeds are south of Middleboro. It's about 44 miles from Middleboro to Hyannis; I was assuming an average of 22mph over that stretch. If they can make the 35mph system average for expresses (poorer tracker but few stops) then the journey could be done in 2:15.

I'd appreciate knowledge from anyone who knows the rails.
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