Commuter Rail Electrification

So since it's in the CIP that means that it is going to happen for certain, right?

No. The CIP is a notice of intent meant to entice the feds to fork over some dough. Some of the things listed in the CIP will likely be realized, but not most.

Though if this passes it will force the T to electrify:

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3559/BillHistory

Holy micromanagement, Batman! Does the local mandate law (unfunded mandates) apply to the MBTA & RTAs?

If enacted, probably require scrapping diesel and hybrid buses before they are worn out.

Not possible to implement in the aggressive timeline. No consideration of cost or supply chain obstacles. Not possible to raise or undercut bridges and rebuild stations in time to implement for Commuter Rail.

Will lead to elimination of some bus routes, possibly some Commuter Rail lines.

Will literally cost Billions!!

Stupid, stupid, stupid legislators.

Will literally cost Billions!!

All thrown into an endless pit.

Stupid, stupid, stupid legislators.

Agreed, these guys are completely deluded to think that they can force this to happen within such a short time span, they clearly have no clue how transportation infrastructure and logistics works and hence should not have the final say in what goes and what doesn't in this sector.

If they can get Biden and Buttigieg to fund it it might happen....but Massachusetts does not have the political pull that they used to have with Kennedy and Tip O'Neil and a couple more representatives than we have today.

And when Biden and Buttigieg don't give this any funding, how do they plan on funding and getting this ridiculous "plan" done by... 2035???
I assume that if (god forbid) this bill is signed into law and the MBTA fails to electrify one of the lines by its respective deadline (ex. Middleborough/Lakeville Line by 12/31/2027) Then the line would have to be shut down and kept without service until electrification is completed.

If this ever happens, I read from the cip that providence/stoughton and fairmount lines would be first to be electrified followed by the Newburyport/rock port line to Beverly. Everything else is unknown until they update.

Commuterrail1050 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 11:49 am If this ever happens, I read from the cip that providence/stoughton and fairmount lines would be first to be electrified followed by the Newburyport/rock port line to Beverly. Everything else is unknown until they update.

That only makes sense. MBTA gets the most bang for the buck being able to serve the most trains and passenger miles. But that require the most improvement to electrical substation capacity, some additional auto transformers, and high voltage cabling along support columns of the CAT.

It takes years just to do an environmental impact report. This is ridiculous.

Agree 2035 completely unrealistic. The problem of course will be installing the CAT poles. Anyone remember all the problems that Amtrak had getting pole supports into the ground for the New Haven - BOS electrification? Wasn't there a several years delay finishing up. First elecric service had to change tracks several times to get to BOS.

Converting Commuter Rail to rapid transit is not the subject of this thread, it is also not worthy of discussion as the model already failed in the '70s and there is no existing proposal or push for such.

Well, people were expected to and are now riding subway cars (BART) from San Francisco to San Jose, a distance of 40 odd miles which incidentally is about the same distance as Boston to Nashua.

Not sure why they ever even think of building this, especially when there is already a Commuter Rail link between the two cities, sounds pretty ridiculous to me.

Aren't all "diesel locomotives" actually electric traction at the wheels and with a few add ons, could run off catenary?

Technically, yes, but you would likely need a lot more than "a few add-ons" to transform them into pure Catenary-Electric Locomotives, and all that comes at a price that would probably be so high that it would just do better to buy brand new catenary-electrics off the market

mbrproductions wrote: ↑Mon Jun 13, 2022 8:38 am

Well, people were expected to and are now riding subway cars (BART) from San Francisco to San Jose, a distance of 40 odd miles which incidentally is about the same distance as Boston to Nashua.

Not sure why they ever even think of building this, especially when there is already a Commuter Rail link between the two cities, sounds pretty ridiculous to me.
*SNIP*

Off-topic, but I hope a quick reply will be ok. The goal of the San Jose BART extension isn't to connect San Francisco to San Jose, but Oakland, and the cities along that side of the bay.

Red Wing wrote: ↑Tue Jun 07, 2022 6:53 pm Though if this passes it will force the T to electrify:

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3559/BillHistory

Needham gets no love. Guess it will continue to putz along as a diesel service with rapid transit stop spacing and high density walk shed. Or does this mean they envision RT conversion, but haven't spelled it out legislatively yet?