Historical schedules

[dbperry]

Looking for archive of historical schedules. Not from 1880, just the last 10-15-20 years. Somebody must have saved all the pdf's and posted them...

[R36 Combine Coach]

Wayback Machine is a great source, particularly for 2000-present material.

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone:

What about MBTA Commuter Rail schedules from the 1960s through the 1990s which would be from the NH and
B&M days through the Amtrak years of operation?

I have some of these schedules put away someplace - being able to refer to these on line would be a interesting
historical archive on Boston Commuter Rail service because I cannot refer to what I do have that is in storage...

MACTRAXX

[Rockingham Racer]

Does anyone remember when the Western Route was down to one train inbound in the AM and one train outbound in the PM?

[octr202]

You mean, like the last few weeks?

Sorry, couldn't resist. And yes, I know it's actually three trains each rush hour right now.

[The EGE]

dberry: I have PDF copies of all but a few schedules dating back to 2003, and a few as far as 1999. Are you looking for any specific ones, or the whole collection?

[dbperry]

dberry: I have PDF copies of all but a few schedules dating back to 2003, and a few as far as 1999. Are you looking for any specific ones, or the whole collection?

Whole collection for Framingham / Worcester. I'd be glad to host / post them (or anything) on my website... (http://www.dbperry.net/index2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

[Gerry6309]

Does anyone remember when the Western Route was down to one train inbound in the AM and one train outbound in the PM?

There were eight or nine trips between Reading and North Station and one-half trip to/from Haverhill via the Wildcat. Nothing at all between Wilmington Jct and Reading

During the same period there was no service beyond South Acton, and 1/2 trip to/from Newburyport. 2 out of 3 trips on the Northern Main went to Woburn.

[The EGE]

dberry: I have PDF copies of all but a few schedules dating back to 2003, and a few as far as 1999. Are you looking for any specific ones, or the whole collection?

Whole collection for Framingham / Worcester. I'd be glad to host / post them (or anything) on my website... (http://www.dbperry.net/index2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

PM me your email address and I'll send you the lot. I have most everything post-2000, minus a few of the 2007-08 schedules.

[jbvb]

Between ETTs and paper timetables, I have fairly complete North Side/B&M coverage back to maybe 1970, then spotty back to the '50s. It would be a days' work to organize them, longer to scan them.

[dbperry]

Ok, it's up! Still a work in progress. Send me a PM to contact me with anything you want to add.

Dave

http://www.dbperry.net/MBTA/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dbperry]

Bump in case you haven't seen this.

http://www.dbperry.net/MBTA/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just updated with everything for 5/22/2017.

All lines are complete with everything from 2014 to now (including all the reduced service schedules of the winter of 2015). Framingham-Worcester goes back to 2000.

Still willing to add anything else that anyone can find.

Dave

[harshaw]

Dave,

this is really a great resource. maybe off topic but an example of why this is useful:

One of my (many) axes to grind with the Worcester line schedules is the 1:25 gap in the morning between 510 and 512. Why is this important? In my case if you can't get to the train at my stop in Westborough by 7:42, with the new train schedule you have to wait until 9:07. That's pretty outrageous for people who have kids or anything else to do in the morning. In fact, 512 is so late that it isn't even considered a rush hour train. Even more annoying is that 512 currently leaves from Worcester at 8:40 and they have moved it out ten minutes to 8:50 on the new schedule. (and yes, I know why, but it still sucks)

Now, looking back at the schedule from 2007, the gap is a much more sane 39 minutes. You could get a train at 7:54 or 8:33.

Schedule inequality is a thing, man. Let's go grab some pitchforks.

[leviramsey]

Heart to Hub is the cause of this, which means that only some action by legislators can make a change.

Conceivably, P552 could be moved to a 7:50 departure which would open a departure slot for a new P512 at 8:15 (Westborough at 8:32, Framingham at 8:56, BOS around 9:50; P590 might skip, say, the Newtons), but the question then becomes getting a set to Worcester for an 8-ish arrival, which effectively extends P587 to Worcester and takes P588 off the schedule, so there's no chance there. P507 could be truncated to terminate at Grafton at 8:18 with P512 departing Grafton at 8:33 (Westborough at 8:37, Framingham at 9:01, BOS around 9:55), but the resulting 2.5+ hour gap at Worcester would be a problem (and P512's current Worcester ridership may well exceed the moved-up P512's Grafton-Southborough ridership).

The least expensive, most politically viable change might be for the state to subsidize a morning Amtrak from Springfield which replaces P552: Dp Springfield 6:30, stop in Palmer (connecting bus from Amherst), leave Worcester at 7:50, and arrive at BOS around 9. Then you can get P505 into the layover by 7:45 or so and send that in as new P512 at 8:15. Fares for WOR-BBY/BOS would probably be $1 or $2 more than the MBTA fares (if the state can staff a ticket window at WOR, it could be charged as an upgrade for pass-holders). The Ashland-to-Grafton and Connecticut Valley legislative delegations would be on board with this, and CSX may settle for less than they'd demand for a full Inland schedule.

Alternatively a Fitchburg-or-greater upgrade of the Framingham-Worcester line to get 79mph speeds and improve train density might free up enough slots to allow for more shoulder service Grafton-Southborough.

[dbperry]

Added the "Extremely Reduced Schedules" to my schedule archive:

http://www.dbperry.net/MBTA/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dave