MBTA Commuter Rail to run “Vax Express”

https://wcvb.com/article/vax-express-tr ... s/36701337

The Vax Express, run by CIC Health, will take over an MBTA Commuter Rail train creating a rolling vaccination site that will make stops at stations in disproportionately impacted communities with low vaccination rates.

The public can walk up without an appointment or book an appointment in advance.

The Vax Express will offer the two-dose Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 and up and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine for ages 18 and up.

A second round of vaccinations aboard the Vax Express will take place July 7 to 11 at the same locations. Dates and times have not been released.

June 16: Mattapan and Boston
Blue Hill Avenue Station on the Fairmount line, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
South Station, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

June 17: Worcester
Worcester’s Union Station on the Worcester line, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June 18: Lowell and Boston
Lowell Station on the Lowell line, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
North Station, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

June 19: Lawrence
Lawrence Station on the Haverhill line, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June 20: Fitchburg
Fitchburg Station on the Fitchburg line, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If the Vax Express was 15 minutes late serving all of the recipients, packing up all of the supplies and equipment, and getting all of the staff on board, could other trains operate around it so neither its next stop nor other train trips get cancelled?

There's no weekend service on the Fitchburg, Haverhill, and Lowell lines, so there's no potential for conflict there.
The Fairmount line is double tracked and there are multiple tracks in Worcester station.

Not entirely correct.

June 16 - Weds - MBTA will probably run around the train as suggested, then it's parked at South Station for the afternoon rush.
June 17 - Thurs - Despite many tracks passing Worcester station it only has 1 platform track. The MBTA is rebuilding the station platform to serve 2 tracks. However the current platform is actually about 1000ft long, just not all high-level. They can certainly double-berth the handful of mid-day trains and use a portable lift for any accessibility needs.
June 18 - Friday - Lowell platform has two tracks and only needs 1 mid-day for service so the train can hold the other track without issue. The it's at North Station for the afternoon rush.
June 19 - Saturday - No Haverhill service, so they can hold the platform track. Just a little wrinkle with the Downeaster and Pan Am still running but nothing that can't be worked around.
June 20 - Sunday - No Fitchburg service, can hold the station track without any interference.

The set is 1068-519-536-535-1528.

Is that the PTC test train?

Only all MBB set I have seen in years.

Though I did see one close to it in Salem a couple years back. 15xx - 6xx - 5xx - 5xx. Talk about lo capacity standing room only train.

Let me ask you this, would I have had posted it in this thread if it was the ptc extra? Why do you think the thread is named Vax express? That should be your hint that it is the vaccine train. You could even look it up on netransit and you would know that.

I know this is the Vax express train. I was just wondering if they were using the same train set that the use for the PTC extra.

Nope that’s a different set which is up north.