Fitchburg Line Platfourms not ADA Compliant

I was told and have noticed that there are a number of platforms on MBTA purple line that have no Handicapped ramps. Makes it tough to get heavy luggage on and off the trains. Why has not some ADA Lawyer sued MBTA to make them compliant?

most likely it is because there is no money for the MBTA to make all stations w/ ramps

The T is far from being fully accessable -- and commuter rail probably has the longest way to go. Even on the subway side, only the Orange Line is fully accessable, and the Green Line probably won't be fully compliant for decades.

As I understand it - and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - ADA as it pertains to transportation (outlined in 49CFR Part 37) requires accessibility for all new construction or substantial renovation, and further for certain "key stations" on existing systems.

It does not necessarily require that every station, like for example the "station" at Hastings (which is not much more than stopping the train on a grade crossing) must be made accessible. What it does require, however, is that at least one car on each train be fully accessible, and that if the station a disabled individual desires to get to is not accessible, there is some form of alternate accessible transportation (such as The Ride or whatever) that the individual can use instead.

Is there not at least a mini-high platform at Fitchburg? It has been at least a year since I was there, and it wasn't to watch trains.

every station on the

Attleboro/providence line has a wheelchair ramp, except Sharon
the Old Colony lines are high levels
I don't know how the Worcester line is with ramps, but do most of the station have a high level platform?

octr202 wrote:The T is far from being fully accessable -- and commuter rail probably has the longest way to go. Even on the subway side, only the Orange Line is fully accessable, and the Green Line probably won't be fully compliant for decades.

Not even the Orange Line............unless they have completed the elevator @ Malden Center. And I am assuming that Community College is still not fixed yet. Let me know if I am wrong, haven't been there in a while.

Worcester Union Depot has high leval platforms and even a way to access the B&M tracks in the back

I go to school at bhcc and the elavator has been installed but it isn't working yet.Does anybody know if there going to restore the outside track since all big dig work is complete?

Porter Sq wrote:I go to school at bhcc and the elavator has been installed but it isn't working yet.Does anybody know if there going to restore the outside track since all big dig work is complete?

Never. There's no third rail and it serves no purpose at all to the T.

There is a high level platform at Fitchburg, built when the station was relocated off the main line to a separate stub track several years ago. While it is not a full length high level platform, it is longer than the short "mini-high" platforms that are common at other accessible stations -- it's at least a couple of carlengths long. I think the high level platform at Worcester is a similar length, maybe a bit longer, but it's not full length either.

Many Framingham/Worcerster platforms are the same:

Newtonville
West Newton
Auburndale
Wellesly Farms
Wellesly Hills
Wellesly Square
Natick

Porter Sq wrote:
I go to school at bhcc and the elavator has been installed but it isn't working yet.Does anybody know if there going to restore the outside track since all big dig work is complete?

efin98 wrote:
Never. There's no third rail and it serves no purpose at all to the T

Well the T is upgrading that outside track, including a lot of new ties. And the track seems to be no longer out of service at sullivan heading inbound. So I would be guessing that it will return to service in the near future.

The high level platform at Fitchburg can only spot the first door on the first car behind the engine. (the first single in conductor talk) If anything else gets spotted there, someone is in trouble!

Shows you how long it it's been since I've been up to Fitchburg... I thought the high-level was a bit longer than that.

And yes, it is a very bad thing to be "qualified beyond the bunter".