Feds to Investigate MBTA Safety

Red Wing wrote: ↑Thu Aug 04, 2022 2:59 pm I think that would be a hard sell right now since the publicized report from the FTA of all the safety issues the T was pushing down the road. And I think most of the public would take the FTA side right now.

They would. And they should. But it'd be consistent with the long-standing policy of excuse-making.

I think the Orange Line is being shut down because of the track, not the rolling stock nor the employees not being trained correctly.

I think management is worried about their jobs, also worried about getting dragged into court. If I was king some heads would already be on the chopping block.

Most of the bad areas mentioned as getting new signals & tracks are part of the Southwest Corridor or Haymarket, so amongst the newer track areas of the Orange Line...

The FTA's power is its pocket book. It is not a regulatory agency like the FRA.

CRail wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:40 am The FTA's power is its pocket book. It is not a regulatory agency like the FRA.

It has the power to take over safety oversight, per 2015 legislation that got passed. There they can order changes.

It has happened before with WMATA: https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations ... -authority

BandA wrote: ↑Thu Aug 04, 2022 4:14 pm

I think management is worried about their jobs, also worried about getting dragged into court. If I was king some heads would already be on the chopping block.

The state legislature should be the one's worried about their jobs, but they are never held accountable.

When is the last time you went through your state rep and senators voting records with a fine-tooth comb? Have you ever written to them and gotten a response? (I have never written to my state or federal reps/senators. I've barely spoken to town officials). We can vote them all out every two years, but we never do in Massachusetts.

My state senator William Brownsberger is VERY responsive, I approve of his voting record, and I've never not had an issue addressed by him, including issues involving the MBTA. He also has a mailing list and website where he explains every position that he takes, and also asks for constituent input on issues where there are major pros and cons.

From the Blue Line shut down last Friday. https://www.boston25news.com/news/local ... UTSFGO2PU/

It looks like a metal plate protecting the catenary under the recently renovated pedestrian bridge at Suffolk Downs fell.

https://www.mbta.com/projects/suffolk-d ... ian-bridge

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sat Aug 06, 2022 6:43 pm

CRail wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:40 am The FTA's power is its pocket book. It is not a regulatory agency like the FRA.

It has the power to take over safety oversight, per 2015 legislation that got passed. There they can order changes.

It has happened before with WMATA: https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations ... -authority

Carl Berkowitz seems to agree:
Watch: Rail safety expert says MBTA "very close" to federal takeover (WBZ-TV I-Team)

Adams_Umass_Boston wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 10:31 am From the Blue Line shut down last Friday. https://www.boston25news.com/news/local ... UTSFGO2PU/

It looks like a metal plate protecting the catenary under the recently renovated pedestrian bridge at Suffolk Downs fell.

https://www.mbta.com/projects/suffolk-d ... ian-bridge

It wasn't a good day for the MBTA.
Watch: MBTA has forgettable Friday with Blue, Green line incidents (WCVB)

Do they frown upon you doing some tunnel exploring if they make you get off in the tunnel? I wouldnt be too upset if that happened to me

Video from last week's Blue Line incident.

https://whdh.com/news/new-video-of-spar ... s-station/

Does anyone else think that video appears to show a pantograph extended to full height above the wire and slamming into the fiberglass guard?

One TV station kept saying fiberglass panel, another said metal panel. Excellent, detailed reporting.

diburning wrote:My state senator William Brownsberger is VERY responsive, I approve of his voting record, and I've never not had an issue addressed by him, including issues involving the MBTA. He also has a mailing list and website where he explains every position that he takes, and also asks for constituent input on issues where there are major pros and cons.

This sounds very much like my former state rep, Marc Draisen (Roslindale, W. Roxbury, Brookline, in the 90s). I spent a summer in his office and he had me do all kinds of research and legwork to be able to write good answers to constituents' letters and decide how to vote. I also always got specific answers from Sens. Kennedy and Kerry and Rep. Moakley; I think those offices even had somewhat apologetic versions of the answers for constituents who disagreed with the sen/rep. Since I moved to the Midwest, I've found the reps and senators less likely to respond specifically, especially current Indiana US senators, US representative, and state senator; my state rep is pretty good about answering. I don't know if that has anything to do with the different states, or with 25 years of time passing, or if it's just differences between the specific people.

BandA, you should write to your reps and senators and other officials when you've got something to say. Some will answer specifically; some will answer generically. Some will be influenced by your points. You always make pretty clear, concrete statements or suggestions. I often don't agree with you but I can usually see your point. I was always glad to get a letter like that in the office, especially if it directed me and the rep to a specific pending bill or asked us to look into a specific situation or problem in the district. (Once I spent days tracking down the owner of a property that appeared abandoned, back in the pre-internet world of huge books in the attic of the Suffolk County courthouse.) Much like the guy who prayed to win the lottery for years until finally God appeared to him and said to buy a ticket already, you'll never know how responsive they are until you write.