Boston commuter rail lines need overhaul, advocates say, as transit agency tackles safety, financial issues
Electric, regional rail would be “an absolute game changer,” says a rail expert, but even 2020 cost estimates top $40 billion.
Dan Zukowski | Smart Cities Dive
Electric, regional rail would be “an absolute game changer,” says a rail expert, but even 2020 cost estimates top $40 billion.
Dan Zukowski | Smart Cities Dive
“The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority should convert its commuter rail system to a fully electrified, regional rail system, says a report issued June 1 by TransitMatters, a Boston-based group that advocates for improved public transportation in Massachusetts.
The MBTA serves eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island on 12 commuter lines, operating diesel-powered trains from two main stations in the city of Boston: North Station and South Station. The TransitMatters report argues that ‘these diesel locomotives are expensive to maintain and produce black carbon emissions that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and threaten public health.”’TransitMatters recommends replacing those trains with self-propelled electric trains, which it says will be faster and more reliable.
The report envisions regional rail as a system using electric-powered trains to provide ‘high all-day frequency, faster trip times, and cheaper fares’ than currently available. Trains would operate every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, within the heart of Boston, with 15-or-30-minute frequencies further from the urban core, better serving low-income and environmental justice communities.”
The Argument for Electrifying the Commuter Rail
One advocacy group says investing in electrifying the commuter rail could mean a faster, more reliable ride and a cleaner environment
Jeff Saperstone | NBC Boston
One advocacy group says investing in electrifying the commuter rail could mean a faster, more reliable ride and a cleaner environment
Jeff Saperstone | NBC Boston
“If you take the commuter rail, you know one delay can cause a ripple effect. Now, there’s a new push to speed up the trains and make them more reliable by going electric.
‘Having more options, having more trains more often would be great,’ said commuter Alex Mulcahy.
Jarred Johnson with the advocacy group TransitMatters said he wants to see the commuter rail move away from diesel and covert the trains to electric power.
‘Faster trains, far more reliable trains and that’s the biggest part,’ said Johnson. ‘We’re standing here in Roxbury. We’re standing here in an environmental justice community where they have higher asthma rates and you see that same thing across the system.’”
Report: Overhaul Needed to Fix Rail Travel to South Shore
By shifting from a commuter-focused model to a "regional rail" model, the MBTA's Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth and Middleborough/Lakeville lines could run trains every 30 minutes, shave 15 minutes off trips into Boston and make public transit a more realistic option for many, a new report suggests.
Colin A. Young | GBH
Colin A. Young | GBH
“By shifting from a commuter-focused model to a "regional rail" model, the MBTA's Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth and Middleborough/Lakeville lines could run trains every 30 minutes, shave 15 minutes off trips into Boston and make public transit a more realistic option for many, a new report suggests.
TransitMatters also said an investment of $630 million could electrify the Old Colony trunk line and its three branches to allow for speeds of up to 100 mph, double-track congested sections like a bottleneck between Dorchester and Braintree that causes scheduling issues, and make adjustments to track alignments at Quincy Center.
With those changes, the lines that have some of the lowest ridership and frequency levels could instead ‘provide frequent, affordable connections from the South Shore communities to Boston's job market and to each other, particularly Brockton and Plymouth,’ the nonprofit advocacy organization that regularly seeks improvements to the transportation system said in its report.”
MBTA Board Endorses Ambitious Slate of Upgrades For Commuter Rail System
After today's vote, TransitMatters, the transit advocacy group that has been advocating for frequent, all-day electrified rail service since publishing its "Regional Rail for Metropolitan Boston" report in 2018, issued a press release to applaud the board's decision.
Christian MilNeil | StreetsBlogMASS
Christian MilNeil | StreetsBlogMASS
“The MBTA Fiscal and Control Management Board has endorsed an aspirational vision to electrify the MBTA commuter rail network to provide all-day, rapid-transit-style service throughout eastern Massachusetts, with an initial phase focused on upgrading Boston's Fairmount Line, the Boston-Providence line, and the Rockport line through Chelsea, Revere and Lynn.
The vote caps off a year-long effort to study upgrades to the commuter rail system in the the MBTA's ‘Rail Vision’ planning process, which evaluated six alternatives for upgrading the region's commuter rail system.
As SteetsblogMASS reported previously, those six alternatives ranged widely in cost and ambition, from a $1.7 billion option that would add new some trains to the existing system, to a $29 billion ‘full transformation’ option that would run new electric trains every 15 minutes all day and build a new regional rail tunnel to connect North and South Stations.”
TransitMatters: South Station expansion unnecessary
Quicker train ‘turns’ would eliminate need for more tracks
Bruce Mohl | Commonwealth Magazine
Bruce Mohl | Commonwealth Magazine
“THE ADVOCACY GROUP TransitMatters says a number of relatively simple changes in commuter rail operations could increase the number of trains moving in and out of South Station and make a planned $2.5 billion expansion of the facility unnecessary.
South Station has 13 tracks that currently serve 20 trains per hour in and out. By increasing the speed of trains coming in and out of the station, dedicating specific tracks for specific train lines, and changing crews more swiftly, TransitMatters said in a report that train throughput could increase to at least 26 to 30 trains per hour in and out.
‘South Station expansion is completely unnecessary. The billions of dollars [saved] can pay for an electric fleet,’ said Josh Fairchild, the president of TransitMatters, which is known for its pro-transit advocacy and the willingness to dig into the nitty gritty of transportation.”
Transit advocates call for electrified 'regional rail' for Worcester
To mitigate the impact of the construction, the report proposes immediate changes that Jarred Johnson, chief operating officer of TransitMatters, called a “regional rail lite.”
Cyrus Moulton | Telegram & Gazette
Cyrus Moulton | Telegram & Gazette
“Anticipating a decade of traffic delays during the reconstruction of a key portion of the Massachusetts Turnpike, a new report proposes the Worcester commuter rail line be converted to electrified, frequent, subway-like service to ease traffic jams and prove the concept of regional rail.
‘The need for frequent and reliable transit and rail mobility along this corridor is urgent,’ said the report, ‘Regional Rail Proof of Concept: How Modern Operating Practice Adds Capacity to the Current Commuter Rail Network,’ by transportation advocacy nonprofit TransitMatters. ‘The MBTA should immediately increase off-peak frequency, and invest money in electrification and new rolling stock to commence high-quality Regional Rail operations as soon as possible.’
The nonprofit group estimates the cost of the Worcester line at $500 million. It proposes paying for this - and the conversion to a full regional rail system - by reallocating money from the $2 billion to $3 billion proposed expansion of South Station.”
State Senate backs study on electrification of T rail system
The state Senate is backing activists’ efforts to electrify the MBTA’s commuter rail system.
Adam Vaccaro | The Boston Globe
Adam Vaccaro | The Boston Globe
“The state Senate is backing activists’ efforts to electrify the MBTA’s commuter rail system.
A proposal in the next fiscal year’s draft budget released by the chamber last Thursday would require transportation officials to study transitioning two MBTA lines—the Providence and Fairmount services—from diesel to electric power and report on the proposal by next March. The T would need to present a plan for running electric service on those two lines by September 2022.
The advocacy group TransitMatters unveiled a plan in February to electrify the system, starting with these two lines, as part of a plan to run more frequent commuter rail service throughout the day. The office of Senate President Harriette Chandler, who pushed for the language to be included in the budget, said it is directly based on TransitMatters’s ‘regional rail’ proposal.”
Report: More frequent trips needed on Fairmount Line
The Fairmount Line is primed to be on the front end of a major commuter rail improvement, according to a new, in-depth report that advocates for an improved “regional rail” network.
Jennifer Smith | Dorchester Reporter
Jennifer Smith | Dorchester Reporter
“The Fairmount Line is primed to be on the front end of a major commuter rail improvement, according to a new, in-depth report that advocates for an improved “regional rail” network. The sweeping report by the non-profit TransitMatters calls for a long-term overhaul to the regional system, with electrified rail, raised platforms, faster service, and other changes that would cost billions of dollars.
As laid out in the report, alterations to the statewide commuter rail network would bring the Fairmount line up to a nearly subway style standard of service, focusing on weekday peak travel times. TransitMatters wants station arrivals every 30 minutes in the suburbs and 15 in denser neighborhoods, like Dorchester and Mattapan.
The network should be electrified and the current trains replaced with self-propelled electric vehicles called electric multiple units, or EMUs, the report recommends. Raised station platforms would let people board level to the train, fare adjustments and transfers connectivity between the commuter rail, subways, and bus system would encourage broader use of the MBTA system.
And the first step should be transitioning the Fairmount Line, the report said.”
Advocates Push For All-Electric Commuter Rail
A new report recommends that the state move away from the rush-hour and diesel engine Commuter Rail system and embrace more frequent electric trains on the aging system.
Mike Deehan | GBH
Mike Deehan | GBH
“A new report recommends that the state move away from the rush-hour and diesel engine Commuter Rail system and embrace more frequent electric trains on the aging system.
The advocacy group TransitMatters estimates it will cost taxpayers as much as $9 billion to convert the Commuter Rail to electric trains and build a tunnel to link North and South Stations.
’The old idea of only accommodating rush hour commuters using a highly inefficient, inaccessible and dirty equipment that harms our environment must give way to the future,’ said TransitMatters' Marc Ebuña.”
Pollack: T scrapping Auburndale station design
Agency was accused of rebuilding station in worst possible way
Bruce Mohl | CommonWealth Magazine
Bruce Mohl | CommonWealth Magazine
“TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY STEPHANIE POLLACK said on Monday that the MBTA is scrapping its design for a new Auburndale commuter rail station in response to concerns that the proposal might negatively affect the overall operation of the entire Framingham/Worcester Line.
The transportation advocacy group TransitMatters initially raised concerns about the proposed design in February, saying the MBTA’s approach could cause service disruptions for all users of the line. TransitMatters accused the T of rebuilding the station ‘in the worst possible way.’
The Auburndale station, located on the Framingham/Worcester Line adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike, currently features one low-level platform on the south side of the tracks. The existing platform requires passengers to climb steps to board a train, making the station inaccessible to people with disabilities.”