Southborough Wicked Local recently covered commuter woes on the Worcester-Framingham train line. According to the article, the line has suffered significant delays in comparison to other routes. But they gave hope for improvements starting July 1st.
It’s good timing for improvements, since the MBTA announced that fare hikes go into effect on that date. At least Southborough rail commuters should have only one thing to be disgruntled about.
SWL writes:
Rich Murphy, director of train operations for Keolis Commuter Services —the company that runs the system for the MBTA — said the Framingham and Worcester line is “100 percent” the worst performer. . .
On the Worcester line, Murphy said, construction has been the leading cause of delays in recent months, particularly when crews are at work during the middle of the day. That work will slow down come July 1, when crews suspend the tie replacement project until the fall.
Heat restrictions are also expected to be lifted on much of the line this summer; Murphy said about 95 percent of the track has either been replaced or “de-stressed” to ensure it can handle fast-moving passenger trains during hot weather.
Keolis will soon tackle another source of delays by laying down a second track near the New Balance headquarters in Allston, where it is preparing for the opening of the new Boston Landing station, slated for 2017. That stretch now has a single track, which creates a “pinch point” for trains on the Worcester line.
“Once all that’s done, and all of the upgrades, we should be rocking and rolling out there,” Murphy said. “We really will be in a great place.”
For the full story, click here.
(image by Susan Fitzgerald)
The Worcester lines has experienced significant delays for a decade! The trains are also so crowded at times you can’t get a seat. Or the heat doesn’t work. Or the air conditioning doesn’t work. There is always something. I drive into Boston now and the only thing I miss is being able to read on the train. I pay just about the same for monthly parking in Boston as I did for taking the commuter rail and parking at the station.
So incredibly wrong that the rates for the T are going up 6% to fund a bunch of bumbs on the state payroll, horrible service and inferior product. The water bill is going up +3%. Where do we go from here folks? No one is getting raises except the very wealthy. Nothing against the wealthy at all, God bless them as well. But the rest of us bumbs have to cut and cut and the state and the bumbs keep supplying inferior service and more bureaucracy.
Why Gov. Baker has not cleaned up the MBTA with multiple levels of hacks is beyond me other than the fact there is not a true Republican in the state.
My family member works with and around Baker. He can only do so much in a democrat state with so many democrats on state payrolls — government is too big dude — vote Trump.
Yeah – we hear this all the time and the very reason why The Donald beat all the other Republican wannabes. Maybe Gov. Baker should spend the summer studying how Reagan succeeded. Somebody is going to figure it out. Going along to get along is not a leadership virtue.