Double parking along the Silver Line is one thing, but to do so on the wrong side of the street...Of course, passengers had to board the bus in the street. Any idea where the Transit Police were?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Oh No You Didn't
Double parking along the Silver Line is one thing, but to do so on the wrong side of the street...Of course, passengers had to board the bus in the street. Any idea where the Transit Police were?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Route 111.6
Route 111.6 Haymarket Station - Washington Avenue @ Revere Beach ParkwayThis route variation only operates inbound trips to Haymarket during the morning rush hour. Outbound trips are rarely (if ever) operated. To keep two buses from bunching near Woodlawn, the official had this bus turn back at Revere Beach Parkway.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Final Ride
On December 26, I rode the final trip of Route 195. The route certainly went out in style, with record high ridership. The driver was a bit "camera shy", so I was only able to take one photo at the very end. But I'll make it up to you all with some Route 277 action shots.
I have decided to present my account as an "annotated load profile"...
Lemuel Shattuck Shelter: + 11 Passengers
I had arrived at the Shattuck Shelter at about 7:50AM. The clocks at Forest Hills were running ten minutes fast, and worried that I would miss the bus, I ran as fast I could to the Shattuck. Outside the shelter were a few people waiting for the 195. One man told me that when the first bus arrived (the Route 277 trip), the shelter staff told everyone that this would be the only bus today. Naturally, everyone grabbed their belongings and rushed out to catch it. A few minutes after I arrived, NABI #2069 pulled up to the stop and signed up "195 DOWNTOWN EXPRESS".
I informed the driver, much to his surprise, that he would be the last driver to ever operate the 195. Then we were off!
Blue Hill Avenue @ Ellington Street: + 1 Passenger
We actually stopped to pick up someone! And she used her LinkPass in the farebox! Often the farebox is shut off on the 195, as the only riders (aside from an occasional railfan) are homeless and would not have the money to pay the fare. The 195 also does not usually stop to pick up people on the street, as it runs express (via local streets) to Park Street Station.
Roxbury Crossing: - 1 Passenger
The passenger we picked up at Ellington Street went on her way.
Tremont Street @ Massachusetts Avenue: - 3 Passengers, + 2 Passengers
Several of the shelter patrons had appointments at the Boston Medical Center and changed here for the 1. We also picked up two people who found the 43 to be a little slow that morning.
Tremont Street @ West Concord Street: + 1 Passenger
Tremont Street @ West Brookline Street: + 1 Passenger
Tremont Street @ West Dedham Street: + 1 Passenger, - 1 Passenger
More Route 43 riders...
Tremont Street @ Arlington Street: + 1 Passenger, - 1 Passenger
Eliot Norton Park: - 1 Passenger
Park Plaza: + 1 Passenger, - 1 Passenger
State House: - 3 Passengers
Same as above...
Park Street Station: - 7 Passengers
The final stop, quite literally. We pulled up by the Park Street headhouses and everyone got off the bus. Citing the historical significance of this trip, I convinced the driver to let me take one picture. After this, he was off to Ashmont for some mid-morning 26's. And, alas, the 195 joined the other discontinued routes of ages past...
That last part was a bit dramatic, I know.
Total Passengers (Myself not included): 19 Passengers - An all time high!
I have decided to present my account as an "annotated load profile"...
Lemuel Shattuck Shelter: + 11 Passengers
I had arrived at the Shattuck Shelter at about 7:50AM. The clocks at Forest Hills were running ten minutes fast, and worried that I would miss the bus, I ran as fast I could to the Shattuck. Outside the shelter were a few people waiting for the 195. One man told me that when the first bus arrived (the Route 277 trip), the shelter staff told everyone that this would be the only bus today. Naturally, everyone grabbed their belongings and rushed out to catch it. A few minutes after I arrived, NABI #2069 pulled up to the stop and signed up "195 DOWNTOWN EXPRESS".
I informed the driver, much to his surprise, that he would be the last driver to ever operate the 195. Then we were off!
Blue Hill Avenue @ Ellington Street: + 1 Passenger
We actually stopped to pick up someone! And she used her LinkPass in the farebox! Often the farebox is shut off on the 195, as the only riders (aside from an occasional railfan) are homeless and would not have the money to pay the fare. The 195 also does not usually stop to pick up people on the street, as it runs express (via local streets) to Park Street Station.
Roxbury Crossing: - 1 Passenger
The passenger we picked up at Ellington Street went on her way.
Tremont Street @ Massachusetts Avenue: - 3 Passengers, + 2 Passengers
Several of the shelter patrons had appointments at the Boston Medical Center and changed here for the 1. We also picked up two people who found the 43 to be a little slow that morning.
Tremont Street @ West Concord Street: + 1 Passenger
Tremont Street @ West Brookline Street: + 1 Passenger
Tremont Street @ West Dedham Street: + 1 Passenger, - 1 Passenger
More Route 43 riders...
Tremont Street @ Arlington Street: + 1 Passenger, - 1 Passenger
Eliot Norton Park: - 1 Passenger
Park Plaza: + 1 Passenger, - 1 Passenger
State House: - 3 Passengers
Same as above...
Park Street Station: - 7 Passengers
The final stop, quite literally. We pulled up by the Park Street headhouses and everyone got off the bus. Citing the historical significance of this trip, I convinced the driver to let me take one picture. After this, he was off to Ashmont for some mid-morning 26's. And, alas, the 195 joined the other discontinued routes of ages past...
That last part was a bit dramatic, I know.
Total Passengers (Myself not included): 19 Passengers - An all time high!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
One Year Later...
No Free Transfer is now a year old! Here's for another year of exciting transit news!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The 195 Says Goodbye
After over twenty years, Route 195 is being discontinued. Chances are you have never heard of the 195. Many operators (including ones from its own garage!) have not either. The route makes one inbound trip from the Shattuck Shelter (on the edge of Franklin Park) to Park Street Station each day at 8:05AM. I plan to ride the final trip this week and will have some photos.
The Winter 2009 Rating
The MBTA will issue new schedules this coming Saturday (December 27). Be sure to pick up the green ones from the station or your driver. See the MBTA website for details.
Failure, Thy Name Is Route 111
Snow & Ice: 100 Points
Route 111: -50 Points
After the series of storms that hit the region this past weekend, I would expect surface transit to be a little slow. Maybe even some moderate delays (10-15 minutes). But the 111 seems to have had some trouble bouncing back.
It all began Monday morning. The AM Peak had just ended and I had a few errands to do. During the AM Base, there are about five buses on the line. Whenever I catch the 111 at this time, I can count on having ample seating to choose from. Today was a little different...
0732 arrived at my stop, packed to the gills. I managed to squeeze on and find a spot near the driver. He informed me that some buses had been pulled off the line and/or broke down. He was really feeling the crunch. En route to Boston, we were drop-off only. Well, we tried to be at least. At Fourth Street, the driver announced that he had room for only one more person.
Naturally, seven people attempted to board.
We made it into Haymarket at last. The TransitMaster was running so late that it reset itself. They tend to do that, it seems, when they are running over 35 minutes late.
0732 was forced to deadhead back to Woodlawn. The driver wanted to make sure that there was at least one bus in Chelsea.
The PM Peak, frankly, was not much better:
The Lynn operators had to exit the station carefully,
lest they strike someone waiting for the 111 in the busway.
The berth at Haymarket was overflowing with people. Perhaps 50-75 cold souls waited for the 111. The bus on the right was a 111, but was pulling back to Charlestown Garage. Several more followed suit, much to the dismay of the waiting passengers. Fed up, they "surrounded" a bus (0686 I believe) about to pullback, with hopes of forcing the driver to do another trip. Two more buses were roped in as well.
The Angry Masses. Oh the humanity!
The bus in the above photograph held off on opening its doors. A second bus pulled in behind it and felt the brunt of the crowd. That driver had to kick several people off, just so passengers were not pressed against the windshield. I boarded 0686 (Central made the operator do some overtime), which was not too crowded (about twenty passengers). When I reached my stop, the TransitMaster proudly proclaimed that the bus was 22 minutes behind schedule. A mere 22 minutes!
I believe I will be taking the Commuter Rail into town from now on. Those locomotives seem able to power through just about anything.
Route 111: -50 Points
After the series of storms that hit the region this past weekend, I would expect surface transit to be a little slow. Maybe even some moderate delays (10-15 minutes). But the 111 seems to have had some trouble bouncing back.
It all began Monday morning. The AM Peak had just ended and I had a few errands to do. During the AM Base, there are about five buses on the line. Whenever I catch the 111 at this time, I can count on having ample seating to choose from. Today was a little different...
0732 arrived at my stop, packed to the gills. I managed to squeeze on and find a spot near the driver. He informed me that some buses had been pulled off the line and/or broke down. He was really feeling the crunch. En route to Boston, we were drop-off only. Well, we tried to be at least. At Fourth Street, the driver announced that he had room for only one more person.
Naturally, seven people attempted to board.
We made it into Haymarket at last. The TransitMaster was running so late that it reset itself. They tend to do that, it seems, when they are running over 35 minutes late.
0732 was forced to deadhead back to Woodlawn. The driver wanted to make sure that there was at least one bus in Chelsea.
The PM Peak, frankly, was not much better:
The Lynn operators had to exit the station carefully,lest they strike someone waiting for the 111 in the busway.
The berth at Haymarket was overflowing with people. Perhaps 50-75 cold souls waited for the 111. The bus on the right was a 111, but was pulling back to Charlestown Garage. Several more followed suit, much to the dismay of the waiting passengers. Fed up, they "surrounded" a bus (0686 I believe) about to pullback, with hopes of forcing the driver to do another trip. Two more buses were roped in as well.
The Angry Masses. Oh the humanity!The bus in the above photograph held off on opening its doors. A second bus pulled in behind it and felt the brunt of the crowd. That driver had to kick several people off, just so passengers were not pressed against the windshield. I boarded 0686 (Central made the operator do some overtime), which was not too crowded (about twenty passengers). When I reached my stop, the TransitMaster proudly proclaimed that the bus was 22 minutes behind schedule. A mere 22 minutes!
I believe I will be taking the Commuter Rail into town from now on. Those locomotives seem able to power through just about anything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
