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While I don't think there will be rail service from Spfld to Boston during our life times, I do think it would be a good idea. It's not Springfield so much as all the surrounding suburbs and, to the north, the city of Northampton. Then there's Amherst with all the students wanting to get back home to the Boston area. It would give WMass a much needed boost.
I used to have to take a Peter Pan bus to get from Amherst to the Boston area. A friend in Northampton had to drive to Boston at least once a week for her job. A lot more local people could take jobs that require them to be in Boston for a few days. It would improve the job situation in WMass if people had better access to the Boston area even if they worked locally a few days and then commuted to Boston the other days.
But we know the state is Boston centric and that's how it will remain. A Big Dig that many in the state have never even used or even seen. Trains that many never use. Maybe someday train service will be expanded out our way, in another generation or two!
While I don't think there will be rail service from Spfld to Boston during our life times, I do think it would be a good idea. It's not Springfield so much as all the surrounding suburbs and, to the north, the city of Northampton. Then there's Amherst with all the students wanting to get back home to the Boston area. It would give WMass a much needed boost.
But that's the other thing, no UMASS kid is going to travel all the way down to Springfield to ride the train to Boston. Not when there are already busses available right there and almost all have access to a vehicle or a ride with someone who does.
But that's the other thing, no UMASS kid is going to travel all the way down to Springfield to ride the train to Boston. Not when there are already busses available right there and almost all have access to a vehicle or a ride with someone who does.
It would make more sense to have rail in Northampton or at least have it connect from Northampton to Springfield. But Springfield is a dead city so I don't know who would want to go there. Buses to eastern MA were HORRIBLE. I wish we could have a rail system--lots of wishes, wish Springfield could come back someday but I don't see that happening. Northampton area is really the center of activity. People in Spfld suburbs like Longmeadow would use a train to Boston.
As it is, we never go to Boston because it's a major trip. Maybe to symphony or to a museum once in a while but jobs can't locate in WMass if the employees need to make contact with the Boston area. Few people want to get up that early and hit the Pike for two useless boring hours.
It would make more sense to have rail in Northampton or at least have it connect from Northampton to Springfield. But Springfield is a dead city so I don't know who would want to go there. Buses to eastern MA were HORRIBLE. I wish we could have a rail system--lots of wishes, wish Springfield could come back someday but I don't see that happening. Northampton area is really the center of activity. People in Spfld suburbs like Longmeadow would use a train to Boston.
As it is, we never go to Boston because it's a major trip. Maybe to symphony or to a museum once in a while but jobs can't locate in WMass if the employees need to make contact with the Boston area. Few people want to get up that early and hit the Pike for two useless boring hours.
I think that is the big problem here. Boston tends to see itself as the commercial center. Everyone works in Boston, and just sleeps anywhere else. When you read the objections to any new transportation projects, they usually start off with an argument about how few people commute to Boston for work from these places. That is the only perception a lot of people have of the rest of the state.
And unfortunately that is not going to change until the center of government moves out of the biggest city. Look, I love Boston, I used to work there myself. But I also know there is a lot more in this state Besides Boston, and that Boston isn't the only place people want or need to go. A good transportation system doesn't focus just on one endpoint but rather connects a whole bunch of in between points. Mass is a very linear state. There should be two major rail routes with regular connections. One along the north and one along the south. Not designed for a few super heavy loads in the morning and evening but spread throughout the day. Commuter rail works for commuters, but it only makes things worse for other people. Especially since it is now harder for out of state people to use the pike.
I think that is the big problem here. Boston tends to see itself as the commercial center. Everyone works in Boston, and just sleeps anywhere else. When you read the objections to any new transportation projects, they usually start off with an argument about how few people commute to Boston for work from these places. That is the only perception a lot of people have of the rest of the state.
And unfortunately that is not going to change until the center of government moves out of the biggest city. Look, I love Boston, I used to work there myself. But I also know there is a lot more in this state Besides Boston, and that Boston isn't the only place people want or need to go. A good transportation system doesn't focus just on one endpoint but rather connects a whole bunch of in between points. Mass is a very linear state. There should be two major rail routes with regular connections. One along the north and one along the south. Not designed for a few super heavy loads in the morning and evening but spread throughout the day. Commuter rail works for commuters, but it only makes things worse for other people. Especially since it is now harder for out of state people to use the pike.
It's actually easier than ever for out of state people to use the Pike.
Regardless, the demand for regular rail service between Springfield and Boston just isn't there. Even if it were, every podunk town between Worcester and Springfield would want a stop added along the way which would make the travel times excessively long.
It's actually easier than ever for out of state people to use the Pike.
Regardless, the demand for regular rail service between Springfield and Boston just isn't there. Even if it were, every podunk town between Worcester and Springfield would want a stop added along the way which would make the travel times excessively long.
Just Springfield or Northampton to Worcester then. Worcester should have more trains connecting to Boston.
You don't need all the little stops in between if people could drive to the station and leave their cars there.
The demand would be there if the rail existed. Businesses would be set up so that people in WMass could work locally part of the week and put in a few days in the Boston office the rest of the week. WMass, has a lot of talented, educated people with no place to work. So they move to the Boston area and get into the rat race with everyone else. And the Boston area continues to get more and more congested.
I think that is the big problem here. Boston tends to see itself as the commercial center. Everyone works in Boston, and just sleeps anywhere else. When you read the objections to any new transportation projects, they usually start off with an argument about how few people commute to Boston for work from these places. That is the only perception a lot of people have of the rest of the state.
And unfortunately that is not going to change until the center of government moves out of the biggest city. Look, I love Boston, I used to work there myself. But I also know there is a lot more in this state Besides Boston, and that Boston isn't the only place people want or need to go. A good transportation system doesn't focus just on one endpoint but rather connects a whole bunch of in between points. Mass is a very linear state. There should be two major rail routes with regular connections. One along the north and one along the south. Not designed for a few super heavy loads in the morning and evening but spread throughout the day. Commuter rail works for commuters, but it only makes things worse for other people. Especially since it is now harder for out of state people to use the pike.
Sitting in Boston, Springfield is invisible. It's a completely failed city of 150,000. Beyond 6,000 Mass Mutual jobs, there's nothing beyond the jobs like hospitals, public sector jobs, and regulated monopoly jobs (phone, utilities, cable) that exist everywhere. Of the 20 worst public schools in the state, 11 of them are in Springfield and Holyoke. The only way you have any shot at reviving the city is to make it commutable to where the jobs are. There's a 10x multiplier for commuters with those "good" jobs. If you can get enough people doing it, you hit critical mass where employers can actually consider putting things locally. The I-495 belt housing costs are so crazy that you'd have people commuting the 90 miles to Back Bay station and South Station if it were express service that took less than an hour. The same is true for New Bedford and Fall River. If you put in local commuter rail service that takes 2+ hours, nobody is going to ride it.
In another 20 years, there's no reason why trains can't be autonomous. Once you knock out all the labor costs and electrify the track, you can run lots of small nonstop trains at frequent intervals.
It's actually easier than ever for out of state people to use the Pike.
Regardless, the demand for regular rail service between Springfield and Boston just isn't there. Even if it were, every podunk town between Worcester and Springfield would want a stop added along the way which would make the travel times excessively long.
A great example off the misunderstaning of the world outside of 128.
The pike is a is pain with the new billing system. Now you have all these bills coming in - they go to the car owner and not the driver, and nobody knows what the rates are. That is why so many people around here avoid it when they can. On top of that it totally screws up tourism now that tourist get zonked with high costs when they want to visit the rest of the state. But that is a different discussion.
I think you may be missing that there is a lot of stuff in between. Yes, some people will be going from Springfield to Boston. Heck I knew people who commuted from Montague and Greenfield to work in the city. I think you might find more would do the trip occasionally, in particular to use Logan, IF the schedule worked out unlike the trips to TF Green.
But you also have communities, and one other decent sized city, in between. People would commute from Springfield to Worcester and Metro West. People form Worcester would commute to Springfield, particularly if there was a decent shuttle to UMass. More likely, you would have people commuting from in between spots, like Palmer, to get to either one. And right now it would be a three train journey, but could eventually be fixed - from Metro West and Worcester, connect down through Springfield to New Haven, and then from there to NYC. I think the train would be best served continuing from Springfield down to BDL. Already people west of Worcester tend to look at Bradley as a preferred airport.
But like I said earlier - too much of the say in this state comes form those inside the 495 belt. And they think there is nothing outside of 495 except for old farm towns and slums. And so Boston projects tend to be thought of as serving so much more a need that nothing gets done. Maybe if they invested a little more in other places Springfield wouldn't be such a poor city.
The pike is a is pain with the new billing system. Now you have all these bills coming in - they go to the car owner and not the driver, and nobody knows what the rates are. That is why so many people around here avoid it when they can. On top of that it totally screws up tourism now that tourist get zonked with high costs when they want to visit the rest of the state. But that is a different discussion.
Actually the rates are posted on signs before and after every gantry.
A great example off the misunderstaning of the world outside of 128.
The pike is a is pain with the new billing system. Now you have all these bills coming in - they go to the car owner and not the driver, and nobody knows what the rates are. That is why so many people around here avoid it when they can. On top of that it totally screws up tourism now that tourist get zonked with high costs when they want to visit the rest of the state. But that is a different discussion.
I think you may be missing that there is a lot of stuff in between. Yes, some people will be going from Springfield to Boston. Heck I knew people who commuted from Montague and Greenfield to work in the city. I think you might find more would do the trip occasionally, in particular to use Logan, IF the schedule worked out unlike the trips to TF Green.
But you also have communities, and one other decent sized city, in between. People would commute from Springfield to Worcester and Metro West. People form Worcester would commute to Springfield, particularly if there was a decent shuttle to UMass. More likely, you would have people commuting from in between spots, like Palmer, to get to either one. And right now it would be a three train journey, but could eventually be fixed - from Metro West and Worcester, connect down through Springfield to New Haven, and then from there to NYC. I think the train would be best served continuing from Springfield down to BDL. Already people west of Worcester tend to look at Bradley as a preferred airport.
But like I said earlier - too much of the say in this state comes form those inside the 495 belt. And they think there is nothing outside of 495 except for old farm towns and slums. And so Boston projects tend to be thought of as serving so much more a need that nothing gets done. Maybe if they invested a little more in other places Springfield wouldn't be such a poor city.
Commute rail makes sense for high density regions where roads at peak times are at capacity. Is that the case from Springfield to Worcester? If not, buses are probably more efficient.
Are there employment opportunities in MetroWest that are easily accessible from rail? My impression most employment centers in that area were somewhat scattered and mostly accessible by car.
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