Fairmount Line Discussion

[Arlington]

Here are the current completion dates:
Newmarket: Jan 2013 (http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_pr ... p?id=14568)
Four Corners / Geneva: Sep 2012 (http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_pr ... p?id=14121)
Talbot Ave: Jan 2013 (http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/history/?id=14582)
Blue Hills (Design stage only)

WIll Four Corners get service when it opens (in just 10 months or will it have to wait for its siblings in Jan 2013?

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

Here are the current completion dates:
Newmarket: Jan 2013 (http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_pr ... p?id=14568)
Four Corners / Geneva: Sep 2012 (http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_pr ... p?id=14121)
Talbot Ave: Jan 2013 (http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/history/?id=14582)
Blue Hills (Design stage only)

WIll Four Corners get service when it opens (in just 10 months or will it have to wait for its siblings in Jan 2013?

I don't see why not. If the station's done, speeding through it for months is simply available revenue not being collected. Also times well enough with the normal release of new schedules to be worth going for, provided the station does indeed hit its completion date.


I know it's a separate funding appropriation, but I've seen absolutely nothing about them seeking money or schedule to raise the platforms at Fairmount and Readville (or do their preferred move of shifting Readville onto a separate 2-track island so Franklin express slots can use the existing platform without being constrained by turning trains). I would think having full level boarding and being able to use the automatic door coaches is a significant enough part of the "rapidness" of the transit that there'd be a little more urgency to finish that job at the 2 outer stations. But I've seen nothing for plans outside of some nebulous desire to eventually get around to it.

[rethcir]

If they put a station at Blue Hill Ave, I wonder if there'll be some provision for a far-distant connection to the Mattapan Line?

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

If they put a station at Blue Hill Ave, I wonder if there'll be some provision for a far-distant connection to the Mattapan Line?

Not in foreseeable future. The T, state, and Mayor were ramming through the 28X BRT line from Dudley with max vigor to serve that need, until it collapsed in a nasty neighborhood revolt over inadequate/passive-aggressive community outreach. Project withdrawn, nothing to replace it. Should've been a no-brainer, but they were so arrogant about disclosure it provoked a severe defensive reaction from residents.

With all the BRT lard that was supposed to go into that project, it certainly would be a lot cheaper to lay down 3 blocks/850 feet of street-running track, reduce Cummins Ave. to 2 lanes from Mattapan Sq. for shoulder transit/bike lane, and peel off at a Regis Rd. grade-separated loop to the south tip of the station on all that empty blighted industrial property. The power draw upgrades that are already an unfunded mandate on the 2016 cap improvement plan for the Ashmont branch + Codman Yard would serve the need for High Speed Line power independence (mainly to ensure future LRV operation) without requiring extra infrastructure for any extra running wires. Do limited runs past Mattapan Yard to the CR station, just enough to adequately serve the transfer. Total investment would be little different than the various proposals to extend the 71 TT south of Watertown Yard to Newton Corner.

Alas, even that much street-running is a bridge too far for the T and its pathological fear of mixed traffic. Can't see BRT getting another push, either. They've more or less washed their hands of the 28X plan, so unlikely there'll ever be anything but a slow-bus transfer here. It'll become an issue eventually, but short-term the Fairmount station's going to be a very nice shot in the arm for the neighborhood even at walking-distance transfer provided they can follow through on scaling up close to promised service levels.

[Charliemta]

I had the same idea about extending the Mattapan line up Cummings Hwy to the Fairmount Line. Cummings Hwy may be wide enough there to have a reservation in the middle for the tracks, to avoid the street-running taboo.

Here's the layout off my MBTA expansion plan map on Google maps: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204 ... 978c&msa=0

[Arlington]

State says that they're done with phase 1 of the Fairmont Line (rehab of the pre-existing stations, bridges and track), with Phase II (the sexy part with new stations) is about on the schedule we've discussed (late 2012 and early 2013)

http://transportation.blog.state.ma.us/ ... vance.html

[BostonUrbEx]

Here's an awesome timelapse of the replacement of the Woodrow Ave bridge on the Fairmount Line on the weekend of Nov 5-6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rQK4tekIgg

[The EGE]

Bought a one-day pass as a reward for finishing a few semester projects and got a chance to see some of the line today.

Uphams Corner looks real nice with the renovations, as do the bridges at Quincy St. and Columbia Rd.

Pilings are in place at Newmarket; nothing yet at Blue Hills, and I didn't get to Talbot. But Four Corners / Geneva has a lot of work done, although no one was working at 2:50 pm on this weekday. Ramps are mostly in place at Geneva Street; the inbound platform appears to be complete and the canopy is going up. It looks like the platform space was moved slightly go that it doesn't go over Geneva Ave. From my view it ended about 100 feet inbound of the road.

[jonnhrr]

Too bad the T has such a phobia about new street running light rail.

Imagine a new F Dudley - GC via Washington/Dover/Tremont St replacing the SL, with a branch down Seaver St. and Blue Hill Ave. to Mattapan (essentially a restoration of the old Egleston - Mattapan car line which ran partially on a center reservation. But I don't expect to see it in my lifetime.

Jon

[Arborwayfan]

Mattapan trolley connection to a station at the commuter rail station could be single track or gauntlet track for the three or four short blocks from Mattapan Sta to the CR station, if that would let it fit in the median. For that short distance with typical Mattapan headways it would probably not be much trouble. (?) The bigger problem would be crossing the intersection of Blue Hill Ave, Cummins Hwy, and all those other streets, unless it was by signal preference and everything else just went red when the trolley needed it.

On the other hand, how many people would ever want a Mattapan trolley-CR transfer?, paying two fares and so on. if you were at Mattapan and wanted CR, you'd have walked, driven, or taken the bus to CR station in the first place. If you were at Ashmont headed downtown, you'd take the Red Line. If you were at Ashmont headed to Uphams Corner, wouldn't a bus be quicker? If you were at Capen Street headed to Uphams Corner, you'd be pretty unusual. If you were anywhere along Mattapan line headed for Fairmount or someplace south on CR, you'd also be pretty unusual, at least relative to the cost of the connection. How many people transfer from D to C at Cleveland Circle, where it's a short walk and wouldn't cost a regular rider with a pass anything? Is Coolidge Corner much closer to Brookline Village than the Fairmount line is to the Red line at it's furthest point?

[HenryAlan]

I had the same idea about extending the Mattapan line up Cummings Hwy to the Fairmount Line. Cummings Hwy may be wide enough there to have a reservation in the middle for the tracks, to avoid the street-running taboo.

Here's the layout off my MBTA expansion plan map on Google maps: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=204 ... 978c&msa=0

I think Blue Hill Ave. is a better candidate for any extensionof the Mattapan line. It is much wider than Cummins Highway, and definitely has room for a reservation. The other plus factor on using Blue Hill, is that it lines up with potential extension to serve the entire Blue Hill corridor. Phase one just makes the turn on to Blue Hill, extends a short distance to meet the Fairmont line station. Phase two extends all the way to Franklin Park, phase 3 cuts over to Dudley via Warren St. This last part is a harder argument, because some sections would have to be street running, but the connectivity available at Dudley is significant enough to demand that the service reach that far. Ultimately, it could then either travel downtown as a replacement to Silver Line service, or it could cut over to an Orange line terminus/transfer point via Malcom X Blvd. or Melnea Cass.

Extending on Cummins probably kills the opportunity for Blue Hill light rail.

[jbvb]

In the early '80s, I lived in JP and worked near Rt. 128; depending on when I got out the door, I'd either take the El downtown and board at South Station, or El to FOrest Hills, then bus 32 to Cleary Sq. and board at Fairmount. Now Ruggles would be an alternative, but there are reverse commuters in that quadrant of the city, and there would be more if the service was better.

[Charliemta]

I'm in Austin TX this week, and they have a great looking DMU line:

[Teamdriver]

I'm in Austin TX this week, and they have a great looking DMU line:

Funky looking trestle ! How many of those DMU's do they run in a train?

[jonnhrr]

I know it's a separate funding appropriation, but I've seen absolutely nothing about them seeking money or schedule to raise the platforms at Fairmount and Readville (or do their preferred move of shifting Readville onto a separate 2-track island so Franklin express slots can use the existing platform without being constrained by turning trains). I would think having full level boarding and being able to use the automatic door coaches is a significant enough part of the "rapidness" of the transit that there'd be a little more urgency to finish that job at the 2 outer stations. But I've seen nothing for plans outside of some nebulous desire to eventually get around to it.

Where would that Readville 2 track island be built?

Jon