New CR Schedules Effective May 20

[sonicdoommario]

https://www.mbta.com/schedules/commuter-rail" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Can check them out on each line there.

Biggest change on the Providence line is train 838, the last inbound train from Providence. All stops become flag stops after Attleboro, so in theory, that train could be an express all the way from Attleboro. Other than that, some minor tweaks to the start of inbound trains, like 820 and 824.

[Commuterrail1050]

Why didn't they add a train between 821-823 and 823-825? There isn't any changes to the schedules other than what you noted.

[The EGE]

An interesting side note: the site now includes "Foxboro (Special Events)" as a line on equal footing with the other lines, albeit with no schedules available. I assume this is in preparation for the trial service planned to begin later this year.

[Trinnau]

That's been around for at least a year. All the football trains this last season were on it.

Why didn't they add a train between 821-823 and 823-825? There isn't any changes to the schedules other than what you noted.

Because there isn't any room to do so. The schedules for those trains are the way they are because it is the very absolute peak of the rush. The Providence/Stoughton service schedules are coordinated with the Franklin, Needham and Amtrak schedules in the same time. You also have to keep in mind that Amtrak runs about 1.5-2x faster than the MBTA on the line. There is basically a train every 30 minutes, but because of all the coordination between the schedules it ends up not being perfect.

Overall looks like a lot of minor adjustments.

[Rockingham Racer]

When the planned third track is added, all will be well.

[Trinnau]

There are already 3 tracks all the way to where the Franklin Line splits off - about 10 miles.

[Rockingham Racer]

Yes, I know. The plan -[from Amtrak] at some point was to take a third track down to at least Canton Jct. But I'm not sure that's still in the cards. Maybe someone else knows?

[RenegadeMonster]

Is the MBTA's website down? I can't seem to access it to see if there are any changes to the schedules that affect me.

All I keep getting is 502 Bad Gateway

[Trinnau]

Yes, I know. The plan -[from Amtrak] at some point was to take a third track down to at least Canton Jct. But I'm not sure that's still in the cards. Maybe someone else knows?

It is, but it won't change the capacity constraint out to Readville. Might allow MBTA to fix the oddities and makes things a little more clock-face though.

[jonnhrr]

The new Ruggles platform may help in the future as inbound trains won't have to cross over from track 1 to track 3 to make the stop. Not that many Providence/Stoughton trains stop at Ruggles currently.