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No, these Silver Line buses aren't drag racing
By adamg on Thu, 02/20/2014 - 5:50pm
Although that would be something to see. Ben Rey captured the scene at World Trade Center around 5:10 p.m., when an inbound bus kicked the bucket and another inbound bus was forced to squeeze around it to keep the Silver Line from becoming a Red Line on rubber.
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Comments
MBTA RACING -THE STRAIGHT DOPE-
The real reason the MBTA shuts down around 1AM is to allow for nightly races between equipment operators. Why do you think every line is double tracked? Why do you think all the fare machines print tickets and give gold coins as change? THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS REALLY A GIANT UNDERGROUND RACING TOURNAMENT!
It's why the equipment is always burning out on the AM commute. The trains and buses have been racing all night for cold hard cash! The rails and busways are worn down from all the high speed action too.
Why do you think the system is so deeply in debt? Paying out winnings to MIT whiz kids that figured out how to game the statistics of the best operators!
BEST KEPT SECRET IN BOSTON!
The bus rodeo is the only hint the general public is allowed to see that these activities take place EVERY NIGHT!
It's true. It's super fun,
It's true. It's super fun, too.
Questions abound
So the second bus ran diesel (and wrong-way) into the tunnel? Then crossed over the center-line in the station? Someone qualified had to put the poles up to the wire (station isn't designed for an easy pole-raising)? Also, looks like the first bus broke down blocking D Street?
If the Silver Line was actually guided (see: Australian BRT busways where buses can go 70 MPH without even steering) in the tunnel, then theoretically, could the second bus have just pushed the first bus along?
At least the MBTA actually made it so that you can run a bus in the "wrong" side of tunnel without slamming into a gate or a pillar raising out of the ground or something.
Aren't all drivers qualified
Aren't all drivers qualified to raise the poles anywhere along the line?
Cambridge trackless trolley drivers sure need to know how to get the poles back on the wires when they come off.
Hmm, probably so
For some reason I figured Silver Line would be different, as there are designated spots for automated pole raising. But the 71/72/73 never *have* to raise their poles (theoretically), unless something happens, yet all drivers are trained to do so. So I suppose it would make sense that Silver Line drivers are held to the same requirement.
Great thing about the
Silver Line busses is that they are so dirty you can't see out the windows. It brings an aura of mystery travel to each ride.