Interesting Consist Discussion for the North Side

When train 160 was pulling in Salem this morning I thought it was the PTC Test train at first glance as it was approaching.

1513-360-506-521

3 MBBs and a 3XX. Standing room only. I don't think I have ever seen more than 2 MBB's in a set before on the North Side, and that was over the summer on a 4 car set of flats as well.

It looks like at least two of the 5xx cars from the PTC test train have ended up in sets this week on the North Side.

Did they break apart the test train / finish testing or did they just need the cars this week?

Most of the Northside PTC consist is stored in the so-called "Cut Yard" at BET (off the Fitchburg Route mainline near Swift)

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The 10-22-2018 400 had MassDOT 1056 (w) and 1119 for power.

There's a VLC (very low capacity) set on T5 at BON now: four flats, including two MBB 500s.

I was on that this morning with Train 160. Standing Room Only.

This set has been circulating the North Side for over a month now. The conductors called the consist a "spare".

Thank god 1513 is no longer the control cab. The set was 1513-360-506-521 back on September 18th.

Was on a very interesting set this morning on my ride in from Salem. 3 control cars and 4 double deckers in this consist.

1827-844-1802-1633-633-914-2000

It had 5 double deckers, one was swapped out for 633, it was put together for the Salem Halloween trains. I'm surprised it still exists.

This set is still roaming the north side tonight minus 1633 which has been removed.

Not really an “interesting consist” but an interesting move on the Fitchburg line: at 1030 today, 1404 was waiting at Wachusett on the station track for its 1050 departure when a deahead(?) eb MBTA consist presumably coming from Westminster layover yard passed it on Pan Am track 2 headed east.

There's been equipment swaps out of Westminster for mechanical issues almost every weekend. I'm guessing this was yet another one.

The 12-31-2018 402 had the 1806, 2 flats, another bi, and MassDOT 1056.

I saw 1713 leading a set into North Station this morning.

Looks like we have a rare visitor on the North Side at the moment.

There is also currently a 6 car consist roaming the north side that has 3x double Deckers. I believe it has been roaming for a couple weeks now.

18XX-9XX-Flat-Flat-8XX-Flat

1514 was on train 119 tonight.

While a 15XX is a rare site on the North Side, something else was up with this train set.

No passengers were allowed to ride on 1514 making our 6 car train set essentially a 5 car set with over crowding. The head conductor apologized for the over crowding over the PA and also apologized for passengers not being able to raid on 1514. He said "They don't want us to allow any passengers to ride on it because it's full of computer equipment".

Looking up 1514 on http://www.transithistory.org/roster/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; it's listed as PTC-Test. I'm assuming the issue isn't the computer equipment because that's all in the cab, but rather the car it self might not be suitable for passengers?

Also, 1514 was on the inservice train that was part of the collision / derailment near South Station last week.