Do they want to make sure people have something they can use as an impromptu putty knife in case they suddenly need to patch a small hole? (These cards work great for that.) Or maybe to slice and spread warm brie? Or perhaps to shim a table leg on a bumpy surface?

There's many uses for an old Charliecard but simply showing to a conductor shouldn't be one of them.

It's a different way of

By Rob on Sat, 10/14/2023 - 7:12pm.

It's a different way of saying it.
Some transit agencies (or news-station traffic reporting) would say "Charlie Cards being cross-honored on commuter rail Fairmount Line"

That still makes no sense

By BostonDog on Sat, 10/14/2023 - 7:47pm.

The conductors aren't electronically reading the cards, checking their validity, deducting fare, etc. It only needs to be a CharlieCard, not a monthly pass.

It's a free train ride, period. So why add this pointless stipulation about needing to have at some point obtained a CharlieCard except to maybe charge an unlucky person fare who forgot their card.

It's probably to extend the terms of service

By DotYourEyes on Mon, 10/16/2023 - 1:33pm.

e.g. honor the same rules and regulations. By ensuring individuals have a Charlie Card, it means they have agreed to the terms the MBTA puts on passengers.

Now with even less service! (on the rest of the line)

By redlinerider on Sat, 10/14/2023 - 12:25am.

You've got to love the fact that 'service between Alewife and Braintree will operate every 11 minutes on weekdays and 13 – 14 minutes on weekends.' Meaning that the T will take this opportunity to reduce weekday service on the rest of the Red Line, since, right now, typical headways are 9 minutes on weekdays. Not exactly a high standard to begin with.

Are the trains that would normally run to Ashmont being parked and the drivers given the week off? Wouldn't it make more sense to run them to JFK at least and turn them around there?

Are they also working on the track between Andrew and JFK

By Ron Newman on Sat, 10/14/2023 - 9:51am.

on the Ashmont branch? If so, that would make a crossover and turnaround at JFK impossible.

I'm just glad they didn't

By Don't Panic on Mon, 10/16/2023 - 1:48am.

I'm just glad they didn't schedule the surge during peak foliage time. The trolley ride from Ashmont to Mattapan or vice versa is quite the spectacle then.

Regardless of the scheduled times for the shuttle buses, that ride from Ashmont to JFK down Dorchester Avenue takes hella longer than the train ride ever did even with all the slow zones in place. Been there: Done that

Mattapan Line, part of Red Line shut for two weeks tomorrow

Comments

"free to CharlieCard holders"