No timetable for fixing problems on new Orange Line cars, T GM says

By adamg on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 3:00pm

Anaridis Rodriguez at WBZ reports the "uncommon noise" is coming from pads on the cars' "trucks," which hold the wheels. Not a safety issue, but important to address, the GM says.

Topics:

The T

Free tagging:

Orange Line

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Comments

I've led a lucky life

By Michael on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 3:06pm.

I'm glad I got to see a game in Tiger Stadium before they tore it down, I'm glad I got to see Tom Petty live before (sad sniffles), and I'm glad I happened to be on one of the shiny Orange Line cars during the nine total hours they were apparently in active service.

Just Drive

By TetOn on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 3:16pm.

Really is well past time for everyone with a car to start driving around every day, all day and completely gridlock this city until substantive changes are made to the funding, management, equipment, and state of repair of the T both as it stands today and how it will be funded in the future.

This is, apparently, the only method that might actually get the attention of the state government and, of course, all T management, none of whom actually use the system.

Interesting idea

By Kaz on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 4:45pm.

A "Drive-In" protest instead of a sit-in. Everyone drives meaningless miles around Beacon Hill before all the State House critters get to work one day. Just pack all the streets between Cambridge St and Beacon St from like 6A to 11A. They'd have to park elsewhere and walk up Beacon Hill or give up and go home.

The session starts on the first Wednesday in January or something like that, right?

Seems like as good a day as any.

more specific

By Parkwayne on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 5:16pm.

Just block Bennington and Revere Pkwy so you can't get in or out of Winthrop. Then maybe Deleo will start to notice.

The only issue

By lbb on Thu, 12/05/2019 - 9:52am.

Much of that funding would have to come from other parts of the state which receive no benefit from shiny new Orange Line trains.

What issue?

By Neal on Thu, 12/05/2019 - 1:25pm.

Much of that funding would have to come from other parts of the state which receive no benefit from shiny new Orange Line trains.

Using that argument, one can say most people in Greater Boston receive no benefit from Chapter 90 funds being distributed to the towns in the Pioneer Valley and Hilltowns of the western part of the state, which cover most expenses related to local road maintenance and construction. Most of the population doesn't receive much benefit from the state offering local aid to Nantucket, Mount Washington, Williamstown, or Rockport either.

We’re already there...

By iamblued on Thu, 12/05/2019 - 9:59am.

This is already happening. There’s maybe two hours a day where the city’s major roads intersections aren’t gridlocked between every light change.

We’re not quite LA in the 90’s...but good God, for a city of our size things are the worst they’ve ever been...and I lived through the Big Dig.

Duh

By BostonDog on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 4:24pm.

Real Boston residents know the drill: Watch new trains get delivered and then sit unused for at least a year while the state and the manufacturer argue who's to blame for why they suck.

Red vs Orange

By anon on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 4:41pm.

Do any of you transportation people know what if any are the differences between the new Red Line cars vs Orange Line? Thanks

Supposedly ...

By adamg on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 11:21pm.

The main differences are that the Red Line cars are a bit wider and have red accents instead of orange.

The fact that all the components are identical is one of the benefits the T pointed to when they signed a contract with CRRC - they should be cheaper to buy because we're buying in volume, it simplifies inventory management, etc., etc.

But I'm not expert, so somebody correct me!

Longer as well

By TomW on Thu, 12/05/2019 - 1:17pm.

The red line cars are a bit longer as well. I think that gives them room for four pairs of doors per car on the red line, as opposed to three pairs on the orange line. I think the reason for this is that the orange line tracks have some tighter corners than the red line does.

The red line's platforms are also a few inches higher than the orange line's. Therefore, the doors (and the floors) sit a bit higher on the red line cars than on the orange line cars.

Here are the full specs:
https://bc.mbta.com/business_center/bidding_solicitations/pdf/MBTA%20RO%...

Why the surprise at new Orange Line cars having quirks?

By O-FISH-L on Wed, 12/04/2019 - 6:15pm.

There are plenty of occasions to criticize the T but this isn't one of them. Any new machine, especially the first of its kind, will require regular downtime to address concerns as they arise. I thought the T mentioned early on that the cars would be periodically taken out of service during the "break-in" period. If the T didn't say that, they should have. I would expect the cars to be in/out of service frequently during the first year. Maybe less than a year with the new Red Line cars because most of the systems are the same. Yes, I realize there was testing prior to the cars going into revenue service but the heavy wear and tear of the daily grind is inimitable on a test rack. I'm happy the T took swift action to investigate the unusual noise and hope they continue to be vigilant while the cars are under warranty.