MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) discussion

[railiner]

The only real problem with the Silver line is that if the Ted Williams Tunnel has a traffic jam, your bus is stuck in it.

I only took the SL2 route, from Boston’s Black Falcon cruise terminal to South Station, and that branch doesn’t use the Ted Williams tunnel, and only makes a few stops on surface streets.
I found its operation fascinating. The Neoplan Dual Mode articulated bus ran like any other bus on the street, with the operator collecting fares as passengers all boarded thru the front door.
When the bus pulled into the”Silver Line Way”, the HVAC blowers shut off, then the engine shut down, then the blowers started back up, and the bus quietly started forward, now powered by its trolley poles which had raised at the stop.
It then entered a gate-protected ramp down into a tunnel, and then made its remaining stops in subway-like stations . The driver opened all three doors for passenger entry and exit, as the stations used fare control access to the platforms.
Arriving at South Station gave free access to all connecting subway lined.

 

[BlackDiamond]

They have now phased out the SL operation via overhead wire. MBTA seems to have an aversion to trolley buses. They are instead going with the current fad of battery electric. How this will work out we will see. I think they are using CNG buses in the meantime.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

There's a reason I take the blue line to/from Logan....

Dumb question, but can you actually walk to the station? I.e. is there a pathway to the rental car center (which is walkable to two blue line stations)?

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

There's a reason I take the blue line to/from Logan....

Dumb question, but can you actually walk to the station? I.e. is there a pathway to the rental car center (which is walkable to two blue line stations)?

There is a pathway from the Airport MBTA Station to East Boston Stadium. You stay on that path past the tennis courts and parking lot under the highway ramp and then to the rental car center. It's a 5 to 10 minute walk.

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

There's a reason I take the blue line to/from Logan....

Dumb question, but can you actually walk to the station? I.e. is there a pathway to the rental car center (which is walkable to two blue line stations)?

I always take the free shuttle bus from the Airport MBTA station to the Airport terminals. There is a sidewalk on the service road across from the station that you can walk to Terminal E.