Loudest subway station in Boston area? (Adams, Boylston: live, train, cars)

[jasonb885]

So far I'm finding Kendall Sq to be particularly ear shattering when trains arrive. I'd also nominate Downtown Crossing for orange. I find green stations to be less loud.

I don't remember the subway system in DC being quite so loud.

[bostonguy1960]

Not just Kendall, but Isn't Boylston Street green line station notorious with the curve causing a screeching noise?

Not on the green line much anymore, so can't comment if it's improved.

Do you notice the noise only when waiting in the Kendall station, or even when riding approaching trains or stopping at Kendall from a station in either direction?
.

[stanley-88888888]

harvard: in the 90's i remember they shutdown the old station but left the platform.
so whenever a train arrives it would make a screeching, banging, vibrating noise; the lights would flicker...

[bjimmy24]

Boylston is bad, Haymarket might be worse (green line part, not orange).

[lrfox]

^ the squealing at Boylston is brutal. I don't know that haymarket is worse, but it's not good either. Government Center actually took steps to quiet the sound and I think it's working pretty well so far.

[MAcapulco]

Originally Posted by lrfox

^ the squealing at Boylston is brutal. I don't know that haymarket is worse, but it's not good either. Government Center actually took steps to quiet the sound and I think it's working pretty well so far.

Is that Boylston or Park St?

I'm on that train every single day. (For now.)

[bohemka]

The squeal is at Boylston. It's famous. On a WGBH segment a few years ago, without giving him any clues, they played an audio clip of it for then transportation secretary Davey and he identified it immediately and explained that the wheelbase on the cars are just a tad too long for that curve and there's nothing they can do about it. As a result, most green line riders have the hearing range equivalent to that of '80s metalheads. Unless, of course, those riders were also '80s metalheads, in which case they cannot hear a dang thing. Fact.

[misterjimmy]

Oh, man, I used to LOVE that rail shriek in Boylston!! I grew up in Boston in the mid-70s.

Practically lived on the T. It was cheap entertainment, and fertile people-watching ground.

Thanks for the memories; now I want a steak-n-cheese, and to be able to listen to Top 40 music on WRKO!
"WOOOO-ooooh, it's the exciting Mike Adams on WRKO"

....or the Mighty Lunch Hour with Ken Shelton on "The ROCK of BOSTON....WBCN"

I could go on and on, but I'll stop now. Sorry! Thanks again for the reminder of something I forgot I miss.

[jasonb885]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Not just Kendall, but Isn't Boylston Street green line station notorious with the curve causing a screeching noise?

Not on the green line much anymore, so can't comment if it's improved.

Do you notice the noise only when waiting in the Kendall station, or even when riding approaching trains or stopping at Kendall from a station in either direction?
.

It's the sheer overwhelming sound of a training arriving or departing, going in either direction. The acoustics seem terrible.

Although a gentleman was playing classical on a violin in Downtown Crossing in a particular hallway and it sounded like a symphony.

[jasonb885]

Originally Posted by bohemka

The squeal is at Boylston. It's famous. On a WGBH segment a few years ago, without giving him any clues, they played an audio clip of it for then transportation secretary Davey and he identified it immediately and explained that the wheelbase on the cars are just a tad too long for that curve and there's nothing they can do about it. As a result, most green line riders have the hearing range equivalent to that of '80s metalheads. Unless, of course, those riders were also '80s metalheads, in which case they cannot hear a dang thing. Fact.

Wow.

I'm amazed people can listen to stuff with ear buds over the subway noise. I used to do that mowing lawns and my hearing is unsurprisingly notably damaged now. I wear earplugs on the subway usually now.