MBTA in a state of disrepair. (Boston, Somerville: purchase, income, cost)

[GeePee]

The sight of most of the old orange line trains should be an embarrassment to this city and state. Every time I visit my family in Europe i shake my head when i see the trains rolling though. they make us look like we are 100 years behind.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by GeePee

The sight of most of the old orange line trains should be an embarrassment to this city and state. Every time I visit my family in Europe i shake my head when i see the trains rolling though. they make us look like we are 100 years behind.

Honestly, 100 years old can be charming under the right circumstances. Just see the F-Line in San Francisco, the historic street cars in Lisbon, New Orleans, Istanbul, etc. or even the Mattapan High Speed Line. They're not the most comfortable or modern, but still effective at what they do and with a classic look/feel. They're the Fenway Park or Wrigley Field of transit. But those Orange Line trains are worse. Visibly decrepit, barely functional, dark, and dingy. The old Foxboro Stadium of trains. At least Foxboro Stadium was mercifully put down nearly 20 years ago, but we're still riding those old Orange Line trains (which debuted less than a decade after the now long-gone Foxboro Stadium). Super embarrassing.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I think at least 3 considering where we are in terms of the rollout. There's a single 6-car train right now. The original plan was to have 22 new 6-car trains running by 2022 and then an additional 20 new 6-car trains by 2025 to complete an entire fleet replacement. With a single car running right now and months between the introduction of new ones, I can't see the initial 132 cars (22 full trains) being online by 2025. Between factory delays, issues with manufacturing defects, federal and state probes into the manufacturer, COVID, supply chain disruption, etc. there's just no way we're going to see the gap narrow at all.

Typical.


I would be happy if they just got the current ones up to an acceptable speed. Both times I've ridden it recently, I swear I could run faster. All this after they replaced all the ties just a couple of years ago? What a joke. No wonder so many choose to drive instead.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by GeePee

The sight of most of the old orange line trains should be an embarrassment to this city and state. Every time I visit my family in Europe i shake my head when i see the trains rolling though. they make us look like we are 100 years behind.

yea its borderline scary how old and rusted some of the orange line cars are and how bad they've gotten in the last 10 years

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I think at least 3 considering where we are in terms of the rollout. There's a single 6-car train right now. The original plan was to have 22 new 6-car trains running by 2022 and then an additional 20 new 6-car trains by 2025 to complete an entire fleet replacement. With a single car running right now and months between the introduction of new ones, I can't see the initial 132 cars (22 full trains) being online by 2025. Between factory delays, issues with manufacturing defects, federal and state probes into the manufacturer, COVID, supply chain disruption, etc. there's just no way we're going to see the gap narrow at all.

yea I was being conservative- the MBTA is a near-complete disaster that still has too many apologists. Disrepair is appropriate terminology.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by GeePee

The sight of most of the old orange line trains should be an embarrassment to this city and state. Every time I visit my family in Europe i shake my head when i see the trains rolling though. they make us look like we are 100 years behind.

You can probably see some of the same exact cars if you watch an re-run of "St Elsewhere" which aired during the 80's. The only difference being they were on elevated track as it made its way through the South End.

[GeePee]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

You can probably see some of the same exact cars if you watch an re-run of "St Elsewhere" which aired during the 80's. The only difference being they were on elevated track as it made its way through the South End.

Thanks for the St. Elsewhere memory. I was more of a creature double feature kid. But my mom had this on loop in the kitchen.

[bostongymjunkie]

I partook in some Creature Feature here and there. I miss Dale Dorman!

[WestieWhitie]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

yea I was being conservative- the MBTA is a near-complete disaster that still has too many apologists. Disrepair is appropriate terminology.

That’s what happens when all of the money is spent on self-approved 160 hour weekly timecards and fat pensions resulting from the said time cards.

[Urban Peasant]

Sadly the MBTA would rather shut down and bustitute the entire Orange Line for long term if there are inadequate trains running rather than work every effort to get all of the new trains delivered.