Hey, there! Log in / Register
The view from China: Riding a new Orange Line train
By adamg on Sat, 05/19/2018 - 5:49pm
Xinhua, the Chinese news service, sent a crew along with state officials when they tried out an Orange Line train made up entirely of the new cars from China's CRRC. Assuming they don't melt or something during testing, we should see the first new Orange Line train in service by the end of the year.
Topics:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Those Wider Doors Will Make A H u g e Difference !
My favorite feature
I like that the seats are benches, not "seats" that aren't wide enough for people wearing winter coats.
Benches
Perfect to lie down on.
Totally Disagree
I like the cloth seats we have. You slide around on benches.
I partially agree
The cloth seats definitely define your space and keep you from sliding away, but plastic is easier to keep clean.
Plus, last year I learned a new word- moquette. I'll miss the Orange Line moquette.
cloth seats
fine in concept until you sit on one that someone has peed on.
I like this too! I can't wait
I like this too! I can't wait to see the new cars in service.
Benches
As an almost daily user of the Orange Line, I am beyond excited for the new cars to arrive. My only concern is the benches.
People sprawl and take up multiple seats as it is, but at least it is a little uncomfortable for them to deal with the raised edges of the seats and others could feel they had the right to take what was clearly a separate seat. What will it be like if there is little to no distinction between seats?
I saw on the mock-up that there are lines between the seats. Hopefully that will be enough to help. But will we all be sliding into a heap if the train stops fast? Again, they must have thought of that. And I’m glad to see the end of the fabric seats. I always wondered whether they were wet or masking anything. The old vinyl seats were easier to clean but they were subject to constant vandalism. The hard plastic seems to make the most sense even if it isn’t the most comfortable.
It seems like overall there must be fewer seats than the old cars. In addition to the wider doors (a very good thing), I noticed a large metal box near the driver’s compartment. I wonder how many seats have been lost altogether?
Despite these concerns, I can’t wait for the return of 4.5 minute headway. It can’t come soon enough!
ETA: I found a video tour on Boston.com: https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2018/05/15/video-step-inside-a-ne...
The guy doing the tour is a regular Orange Line commuter and reported the seats are definitely wider (he also said they were cold from the a/c and a little low in the back). I could see the seats are also clearly divided which I think is great. Between the wider seats, wider doors, additional equipment in the car, and space for wheelchairs and strollers, there is definitely a loss of seats but all for good reason. Hopefully having more frequent trains will ensure that everyone who needs a seat can get one. Overall, I think the cars look great!
They use benches in a lot of
They use benches in a lot of the cars in NYC. As an ex-newyorker I have to say I vastly prefer them. Instead of jamming more people than actually fit in the space, people take up what they need. I'm a very small person, and larger people will often sit next to me (I think b/c there is slightly more room than otherwise). And they often accidentally literally sit on me or squash me into a position where I can't put my back on the seat. As I said, accidentally...most people are apologetic and embarrassed. It's eliminates A) me getting sat on, and B) People feeling shitty about sitting on me, I don't like being sat on, but I also don't want people to feel bad about themselves b/c they god forbid wanted to sit down. Win Win.
Methodology
Not just wider doors - they wanted a wheelchair to be able to enter/exit if one of the door panels isn't working..
Thank You Deval Patrick, Thank You Bev Scott
Give credit where credit is due
Wait, no fake wood paneling?!
Wait, no fake wood paneling?!
Have those straps been Spidey
Have those straps been Spidey tested?
Puppy Approved
I wonder if its Puppy Approved yet...
Video Cameras on trains
Big Brother is watching you!
Safety and Security Cameras
Curious that this was the second thing out of Pollack's mouth. Apart from the occasional groper, is safety and security really that big of a problem on the Orange Line? I doubt regular T riders would think it is. But I wonder if this is more about pandering to a public perception of the T and its ridership, than really one of the most urgent upgrades to be addressed.
Cameras are not safety features
Cameras might help catch someone after the crime but they're unlikely to prevent it.
Panic buttons, more cops, bigger doors, etc are safety features. Cameras are not.
every 41/2 minutes at rush hour?
Having one or two sets in service by December isn’t making much of a difference. Also saying that the a train will come every 4 ½ minutes instead of every 6 at rush hours is pretty funny. Because anyone that rides now knows that 6 minute schedule is a joke. When I see them running, I will believe it. Still guessing there will be delays. My 2020 comment is sarcastic but may come true
6 minutes seems right, on average
During rush hours, I rarely have to wait more than 6 minutes. Of course, sometimes it is 3 or 4 minutes between trains, which means somewhere else on the line there's a 8 or 9 minute wait, which I do sometimes hit.
6 minutes
So if you walk into the station and the trains comes in 2 minutes 4 minutes and 12 minutes is that okay? it is often 2 in a row and then 10-12 minutes fro the next. sorry i don't consider that every 6 minutes
No
But that is a different issue.
All I can report is from taking the Orange Line of the roughly 8 times a week I take the Orange Line during typical rush hour times (7 to 9 AM, 4 to 6 PM) I usually wait no more than 6 minutes for a train, to the extent that a 7 minute wait seems annoying. Do I occasionally see 10 minutes on the board? Yes, but again, usually I'm not dealing with a wait that long. That you get the third of the three trains in your example is just bad luck on your part, or somehow I always have good luck.
Postscript
I got to Back Bay this afternoon just in time to hear the squeal of an outbound train and see that the next train was due in 7 minutes. After sighing, I remembered this. And yes, the train after that was in 10 minutes (ie 3 after the one I took.)
space for wheelchairs and strollers
I am so glad that the new cars feature built in space to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers, because with the current cars the default is for them to be be parked in front of the doors or in the aisle closest to the door. It makes it very challenging to get in or out of the train when it's full. I hope this new addition puts an end to that problem!