MBTA : How good is Boston's regional service ?

[@toadscoper4575]

There’s been a huge push in the state of Massachusetts by politicians and advocacy groups to completely overhaul the commuter service into an electrified S-Bahn type system, a first for North America. Massachusetts is a very train and transit friendly state, so there’s actually been a lot of work done to restore abandoned lines and electrify current lines! While I hate the current state of the commuter rail, it does have a bright future ahead that is ACTUALLY moving forward haha!

[@thomasstambaugh5181]

Really? I see no evidence of that. Massachusetts is a very automobile and bus friendly state. The state spends MUCH more in highway and bus subsidies than in any rail transportation. The entire MBTA -- buses, subways and trains -- is funded ONLY by state sales tax revenues (a joke). The massive debts of the big dig were dumped onto the MBTA by the same Republican Charlie Baker who is now the governor. It appears to me that the state is doing all in its power to strangle the MBTA by refusing to fund it. I will be surprised if the MBTA still exists five years from now.

[@toadscoper4575]

@@thomasstambaugh5181 Every US state is automobile centric- Massachusetts just so happens to be “more” train friendly, with current projects such as south coast rail and the millions already dumped into regional feasibility studies and emu procurement studies. The commuter rail in its current form has been the state’s punching bag for decades, however, there is more of a political and public push to address regional rail as of recent due to the overwhelmingly tired and antiquated perception of the system

[@thomasstambaugh5181]

@@toadscoper4575 We can only hope that the legislature finds the courage to actually fund public transportation in the state. That will require raising taxes -- hopefully on the wealthy and very wealthy. It will also require a Democrat in the governor's office.

[@DAustinHorowitz]

I'd hardly say there has been a "huge" push, but there's at least discussion. But there's still a long way to go. That being said, as much as Baker isn't a strong advocate for anything (look up milquetoast and his picture is there in the dictionary entry), the MBTA is and has been so a**-backwards that killing it is probably the best thing that could ever happen for transit in the commonwealth. Remember, this is the same agency that wants to get rid of the few remaining trackless trolley routes in the name of sustainability! Although regarding funding, that's on the citizens as well--remember that the legislature did approve gas tax increases a few years ago, along with indexing them to inflation (admittedly, too little too late with the push towards electric vehicles), but even this small reform was voted down at the ballot box.

[@toadscoper4575]

@@DAustinHorowitz killing the MBTA- at least for commuter rail- isn’t out of the question, many advocacy groups are calling for a separate dedicated regional rail agency or commission to handle passenger rail

[@thefareplayer2254]

“Expensive, ugly, slightly comfy, yet still useful.”-you’re totally correct, coming from someone who’s rode the commuter rail in Boston his whole life.

[@reginaldc1016]

All facts.

[@terrytc1]

You should have tried the line to Worcester. I used to ride out of that station when I was in college in the early 1970's and the station was walled off and decrepit. The city later rebuilt it though there only a few trains a day. The MBTA has increased service recently and the Boston-Albany connection to the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago stops there. The station is stunning and worth a look.

[@Deltaexe190]

I LOVE Worcester station, stunning!

[@io2112]

I live in Boston proper and can still use the subway, so I rarely ride the commuter rail. MBAT does have a weekend pass for $10. You can use it on all lines and zones all weekend long (Saturday and Sunday), and it's unlimited. So, you can get off and on anywhere you like. I used it once to ride from South Station to Providence, Rhode Island and back. Yes, you can use the $10 pass to ride to another state 😁

[@herlescraft]

still almost 9$ for a 30km one way trip is way overpriced

[@gacj2010]

tHATS A BARGAIN

[@duncanmcauley7932]

It was too bad the weekend trains didn’t go to Wickford junction when I lived in that direction

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@@herlescraft no

[@notstarboard]

@@herlescraft The pricing feels expensive on some routes and cheap on others. The reason for that is that they tend to charge a lot from coming from outside the city into the heart of the city (and vice versa), even if you're not travelling very far. Take the Providence/Stoughton line for example, since it's long and I'm familiar with it. If you want to travel from Wickford Junction (Zone 10) to Route 128 (Zone 2), it only costs $6.75. That's a 50+ mile trip and takes 90 minutes. That said, if you want to ride from Route 128 to Ruggles (Zone 1A), which is only ~10 miles and 11 minutes past Route 128, the charge is $7. I frequently travel from Wickford or Providence to Route 128, so for me it's an awesome value. If I were a commuter living near 128 it'd feel pricey, though. Still worth it to get my car off the road.

[@thefareplayer2254]

You did it! You did it! The MBTA video! Thank you for riding the transit in my hometown!!!

[@psychicalbularyo]

I agree that the fare is quite expensive, but here's a tip: MBTA offers a $10 (8,80€) Weekend Pass which gives you unlimited rides on Saturdays and Sundays in any of their regional lines. This is great if you want to do some exploring outside Boston. Oh, and the line you took in this video gets crowded on weekends every October, mainly with tourists visiting Salem during Halloween season.

[@f40phproductions]

well if you were taking kids on the MBTA it wouldnt really be expensive

[@coreyhipps7483]

I lived in Waltham, MA and then moved away after a year of commuting on the MBTA between Waltham and Porter stops. The MBTA was so inconsistent (especially during the winter) that I could not rely on it to get me to work or get me home in a reliable manner. I moved so that can just ride the T, which is better. I'd be wary of taking any pride in Keolis when it comes to its MBTA operations. All of the commuters I regularly spoke to were not happy with the operational condition Keolis kept their trains in nor their sense of being on time, especially in the winter.

[@keggycat]

I agree that the T is expensive and strictly utilitarian in looks. However, commuting to Boston by road is horrendous. The train is vastly preferable. It’s not as if you’re going to be on it for hours. We’ve been waiting for commuter rail in my part of the state for years, and it’s finally happening. I can’t wait.

[@williamkiely9523]

I have used N. Station hundreds of times and commuted between Winchester/ Woburn and Boston. I live in Florida now so I really enjoyed your video. Good memories. Boston is a great city to go play in.

[@BMMEC6000]

My home state! I see this train every day and couldn’t imagine my life with out it. They’re still holding onto some of there older units for my part of the line too!

[@truedarklander]

It's extremely expensive though right? Comparable services in my country cost from 1.45 to 2.45 depending on zone

[@BMMEC6000]

@@truedarklander I don’t know. I haven’t rode on one of their services for a long time. My dad rides the trains regularly though. It may be more expensive than it was but it costs less to ride the train to Boston than to drive there. With all this inflation nonsense.

[@yoshibear7526]

@@truedarklander Our service is $2.40 - $13.25 depending on zone. Its about half off if you get a monthly pass, which is worthwhile if you use the rail more often than 30 times a month (more than once daily, so for commuters who use it twice a day 5 times a week its worth it.) Its also exactly half off regardless of the amount of trips you take if you qualify for their discount programs (students, people on disability, seniors and people with low income...)

[@truedarklander]

@@yoshibear7526 how much is it a month? Here it is 40€ without any discounts for metropolitan transport and 30€ for municipal, and the most expensive trip you can do is 4.60€ (across a big river estuary) and it includes buses, metro and trams.

[@RDalton93]

Here’s a fun fact about the hsp 46. They weren’t built for winter. They were made to be desert runners hence the open intakes on the side of the locomotive. I’ve had engineers tell me that the pathway from the cab to the cars is sometimes filled with snow in the winter because of this.

[@nathantzhang]

I agree with your statement at the end, I've rode the MBTA many times and I find it much better than most other commuters I've been on, but opinions definitely differ

[@JasonBentrosnowqube]

If you're travelling on the MBTA commuter rail on the weekends, you can just buy the weekend pass, which unlocks every commuter rail line on both Saturday and Sunday. It's 10 dollars, and if you took the train back to Boston from Beverly, the weekend pass would have saved you some money.

[@mbrproductions160]

My local system! Thanks for reviewing it, I usually ride the subways here so riding the MBTA Commuter Rail is like a treat to me, I really love it!

[@AJ12-76]

The HSPOS is built by Motive Power Industries using garbage GE parts. I work for Keolis and these things spend more time down than our 40 year old F40PH locomotives

[@wolfbyte3171]

Greetings from Woburn (again! You passed by my station on the Downeaster vid). I do agree that the trains do appear pretty dingy are kinda cramped, but for me it's a case of "eh, it gets me there". When I visited Boston before moving here I would use the trains to go exploring around the area. The Newburyport line is definitely my fave- once you get past Beverly, you get to see the tidal marshes ^^ Although everything past West Gloucester is currently bus shuttle because of drawbridge replacement work. Hope you stop by again soon!

[@NotPeterGriffn]

I hope you enjoyed my hometown of Beverly MA! I used to commute that line for most of the 90’s. I wish it were more European by now, but it is nostalgic. Those double-deckers had a habit of derailing around tight turns btw. Thanks for taking the time to review!

[@someidiot4570]

I've used the worcester line a couple times to get into boston and I gotta say it's certainly better than being stuck in traffic for a couple hours then trying to find parking.

[@richardrichmarcleveque3607]

Does the train rails shake the hell out of people.? Lousy WI Fi service.

[@Deltaexe190]

@@richardrichmarcleveque3607 only really pulling out of Worcester but other then that, smooth sailing at 60-70 mph

[@sandrasoares9262]

Its alway a injoy to be able to see the train go to brockton or Boston and all over 😊 Thankyou for your time today And have a wonderful day 😊

[@orangefaygo1]

You missed out by not taking it to the terminus in Rockport. Absolutely beautiful seaside community. The commuter rail does a decent job considering the budget restraints from the state. America hasn't prioritized passenger rail travel in like 70 years or so. Also these inbound trains pre-pandemic were coming into Boston standing room only. They were packed with commuters.

[@itsnotme07]

Nice job finding the weirdest seats on the MBTA Commuter Rail system. Wow, never seen those...but also I've never used the Newburyport line. When I saw what you paid I thought...wow, really? That's a bit much. Unless it was good for round trip? I agree on the seats in those cars....ugly doesn't cut it. Maybe these seats are a Keolis thing? I haven't used the CR since 2004, when I went to a Patriots game in Foxboro...and before that was from Worcester to Boston a few times. Just some fact checking for you. The Boston Bruins own TD Garden, not the Boston Celtics, although the Celtics do play their games there. Let me know if you need a spellchecker for Massachusetts. LOL

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip. That purple livery looks amazing

[@ssrailvideos]

Awesome video! Cool to see my home system in little videos like this. Just an FYI the Hsp46 was build by MPI (Motive power Inc) with a GE gevo prime mover

[@MattMcIrvin]

The extremely radial nature of it, combined with the lack of a North-South rail link, means that it's overwhelmingly only useful if you are commuting to someplace relatively close to the hub station your line happens to connect to. For example, I live near the terminus of the Haverhill Line, but my last physical office was close to South Station. So to use the commuter rail to commute to work, I'd have to ride the full length of the Haverhill Line to North Station (quite a long ride in itself) and then transfer to a bus or subway for the remainder of the trip (or just walk across downtown Boston), which regardless of the mode would be another half hour or so. (The stations aren't even on the same subway line, though in my case there were Orange Line stations that were close enough.) It was actually more attractive for me to drive 15 minutes further away to a park-and-ride in Salem, NH and then take the semi-private Boston Express coach in, which went directly to the South Station bus depot.

[@lomaii2847]

⚡:SPEZIEL FÜR DICH "BEST.FURDICH.FUN" > SATISFY.BABY < tricks I do not know Megan: "Hotter" Hopi: "Sweeter" Joonie: "Cooler" Yoongi: "Butter So with toy and his tricks, do not read it to him that he writes well mamon there are only to laugh for a while and not be sad and stressed because of the hard life that is lived today. Köz karaş: '' Taŋ kaldım '' Erinder: '' Sezimdüü '' Jılmayuu: '' Tattuuraak '' Dene: '' Muzdak '' Jizn, kak krasivaya melodiya, tolko pesni pereputalis. Aç köz arstan Bul ukmuştuuday ısık kün bolçu, jana arstan abdan açka bolgon. Uyunan çıgıp, tigi jer-jerdi izdedi. Al kiçinekey koyondu wins taba algan. Al bir az oylonboy koyondu karmadı. '' Bul koyon menin kursagımdı toyguza albayt '' dep oylodu arstan. Arstan koyondu öltüröyün dep jatkanda, bir kiyik tigi tarapka çurkadı. Arstan aç köz bolup kaldı. Kiçine koyondu emes, çoŋ kiyikti jegen jakşı dep oylodu. # 垃圾 They are one of the best concerts, you can not go but just seeing them from the screen, I know it was surprising 💗❤💌💘

[@danjohnston9037]

Radial Nature Is Right They Took "Hub of The Universe" Too Literally ;)

[@MattMcIrvin]

@@danjohnston9037 Same with the subway network! There's no circumferential line and people have known there needs to be one for at least 100 years.

[@easternroutemainlinevideos6823]

Come back in the fall around October. The Newburyport line is beautiful around then

[@MervynPartin]

Excellent Review. My wife and I used MBTA Commuter Rail during a Boston vacation to visit first Salem (lovely city) and then Rockport (charming). Then, the service was run by Amtrak and used F40PH locos (my favourite). I am not sure about the coaches, but they were looking a bit worn inside. Nevertheless, an enjoyable ride and we did not find it expensive. Perhaps fares have risen quite a bit since we were there. Boston does have traffic congestion- we were advised of a local saying "Shall we walk or do we have the time to take a cab?", but public transport is excellent, so we used the "T" to get around everywhere except when we used Commuter Rail. I would say to anyone visiting Boston, don't rent a car, but use the "T" in the city and Commuter Rail to visit all the other places of interest further afield. PS. The people there were some of the most friendly and helpful that we have met anywhere. Love the place!

[@thomasstambaugh5181]

Sadly, the MBTA has had catastrophic reductions in service since you were here. The MBTA Commuter Rail contract with Amtrak ended in 2002. A sequence of Republican governors in the 1990s slashed funding so much that Amtrak walked away from the contract. The fact that the GOP held the White House at the time didn't help. The MBTA shut down altogether in the winter of 2015 because decades of "deferred" maintenance combined with massive staffing cuts meant that the MBTA literally could not operate. Rather than fix the problem, Charlie Baker (another Republican governor) smeared the MBTA management and imposed even more cuts. Public transport is no longer excellent in the Boston metro area. Commuter rail service to destinations like Rockport and Newburyport is MUCH reduced from when you were here.

[@woxyroxme]

If you are in Boston riding the trains is a must, the car drivers have a kill or be killed mentality, my uncle in Melrose always said he needed to install a gun turret on the roof of his car and that was in the 1970s. One time we were on our way to Maine from Ohio and my wife was driving and after being off the Mass pike for 2 minutes she pulled over and told me to take over because these crazies were “my people”

[@nand3576]

I commuted on North Station - Fitchburg line for 15 years. A better option than tense travel by car. Cars are really warm in winter. Once or twice I missed my stop - swinging car and tired workday made me to doze!

[@MiddleboroLakevilleRailfan]

Heck yes my home railroad! You should definitely return and try the MBTA’s CapeFlyer service!

[@wxairy]

It runs through Memorial Day and Labor Day only tho

[@dukctape]

I want to see a review of its unique lounge car

[@trainsareepiv]

Agreed because OLT

[@MiddleboroLakevilleRailfan]

Im taking it this year

[@kesschristopher]

I love the Kawasaki multilevel coaches. MARC has had those in service over twenty years now, even as they're going to be phased out for the Bombardier bilevel coaches (just like the ones NJ Transit runs) over the next few years (which I don't like). I like the seats on the MARC variant as those ones are covered with fabric and are very comfortable; the ones on the MBTA version don't look too comfortable. On the flip side, it's been a while since I've been on a train with those, but I don't remember ours having tables mid coach, a good touch if you're needing to work and have a longer commute (would be handy for a Perryville ---> DC run in our neck of the woods). Good little video.

[@lomaii2847]

⚡:SPEZIEL FÜR DICH "BEST.FURDICH.FUN" > SATISFY.BABY < tricks I do not know Megan: "Hotter" Hopi: "Sweeter" Joonie: "Cooler" Yoongi: "Butter So with toy and his tricks, do not read it to him that he writes well mamon there are only to laugh for a while and not be sad and stressed because of the hard life that is lived today. Köz karaş: '' Taŋ kaldım '' Erinder: '' Sezimdüü '' Jılmayuu: '' Tattuuraak '' Dene: '' Muzdak '' Jizn, kak krasivaya melodiya, tolko pesni pereputalis. Aç köz arstan Bul ukmuştuuday ısık kün bolçu, jana arstan abdan açka bolgon. Uyunan çıgıp, tigi jer-jerdi izdedi. Al kiçinekey koyondu wins taba algan. Al bir az oylonboy koyondu karmadı. '' Bul koyon menin kursagımdı toyguza albayt '' dep oylodu arstan. Arstan koyondu öltüröyün dep jatkanda, bir kiyik tigi tarapka çurkadı. Arstan aç köz bolup kaldı. Kiçine koyondu emes, çoŋ kiyikti jegen jakşı dep oylodu. # 垃圾 They are one of the best concerts, you can not go but just seeing them from the screen, I know it was surprising 💗❤💌💘

[@russellgxy2905]

Honestly I'm the opposite. Barring the fact I thought the Kawasaki cars were younger than the Multilevels, they're continued existence on MARC makes little sense to me. The MARC-III's have less doors, the seats aren't any better or worse than the IV's, lack seat outlets and are about a foot taller. Maybe it's because I'm a regular Penn Line user, but it frustrates me not knowing if I'll have a III or a IV on my train because one is so clearly more functional and user-friendly from my view. The height difference really irks me given the IV's are closer in line to MARC's most powerful locos, yet they just as usually run with the III's. Aerodynamics be damned for the NEC I guess? As for MBTA it shocked me and mildly concerned me learning that the only Bombardier cars they have are _single-level_. Like- am I missing something?? The Kawasaki's should at least have more outlets for this day and age

[@tehangrybird345]

It’s nice to finally get a review of my local railroad. However the comet coaches are actually BTC-3s. There similar but slightly different. A lot have been refurbished so they don’t have run down wood. Also there are power outlets on the Kawasaki coaches, there only at the tables though.

[@bahnspotterEU]

They are very clearly Comets in the video, not BTC-3s. The BTC-3 has much taller windows and square door frames, whereas the Comet has little angled corners at the upper end of the door frame. The BTC-3 also has a rounded roof, while the Comet roof is flat.

[@rolandemartial6170]

@@bahnspotterEU mbta does not run comets

[@DennyJr22]

They are overpriced on weekdays, but there is a $10 Weekend Pass that offers unlimited travel on all trains on any single weekend.

[@lovelyheiferdev]

They kick so much ass

[@traveller8867]

I've used the Commuter rail many, many times from Boston. I think it's fine and it sure beats having no rail.

[@bdtransit]

Yes! I've been waiting for this one! Great video!!

[@fredfrederickson]

I remember taking the commuter rail to Boston from Bridgewater for the parade the last time the Patriots won the Super Bowl and there had to be hundreds of people packed into single cars like sardines lol. There was barely any room to stand let alone sit or move around. The whole time I was worried what would happen if there was some type of emergency because there was no where for anyone to go because everyone was standing on top of each other. And then when we arrived at South Station there wasn’t any room there either massive crowds blocking all of the platforms and the entire station filled with people. I’ve never seen anything like it. Felt pretty unsafe but was a good time 😅

[@herlescraft]

downside of having lot's of seating, pretty good up to when people can find free seats, but it get's ugly really fast once they can't...

[@DAustinHorowitz]

To be fair, there will never be enough capacity in any transit system to handle events like this. You don't buy railcars to handle a once a year type of peak travel demand.

[@fredfrederickson]

@@DAustinHorowitz that is true south station itself was overwhelmed with people the entire system was wayyyy past it’s intended capacity

[@herlescraft]

@@DAustinHorowitz well I live in Italy and when there is a massive event that attract people from all over Europe the railway company does add capacity for it and the trains while cramped are never uncomfortably so. the presence of large open spaces with no seating does play a big role on this I believe

[@doncarlton4858]

I did the same thing for a Bruins parade the last time they won The Cup. Standing room only in the aisles and I bailed at Porter Square as North Station was a madhouse! Scary as f#@k! Had I known I would have stayed home!

[@charstransport]

Ive been waiting for this episode for months!!!

[@anthonywarrener1881]

I thoroughly enjoyed your video, and must say I like the MBTA services very much. The bi-level Kawasaki cars are more frequently found in train consists running from Boston South station. Incidentally the locomotive hauling your train was built by MPI of Boise Idaho, and has nothing to do with EMD ! The diesel motor is from General Electric too !

[@lewisblack3053]

I live on the North Shore and rode this line for 35 years to my job in Boston. They used to run old Budliners pulled by one old diesel engine. The budliner motors were used for coach lighting and so called climate control. The windows were so dirty and fogged you could not see the light of day, never mind see outdoors. The dimly lit and smelly coaches were air conditioned in the winter, heated in the summer, and jam packed full of people with standing room only at rush hour. I frequently rode in the open vestibule between the cars, which was the best place to be on the train. That way there, when the train broke down, I could get out and walk the rest of the way to Beverly Depot. These newer units in your video were introduced on the line in the late 1980s and were a dream come true for us commuters at the time.

[@yusofmohd1353]

I lived in Boston for 6yrs for undergrad & work afterwards & MBTA was my guardian angel 🙃. I'll definitely be back again soon, InsyaAllah. Go Sox!!!

[@douglasconnolly6357]

6:53 Hi there, as someone who rides the purple line (commuter rail) regularly, I would like to add that there are, in fact power outlets! I have used to charge my laptop and phone on multiple occasions. The thing is, the outlets are only located under the tables which are positioned in the middle of cars. The seats around those tables fill up fast during peak riding hours, so if I my devices are running out of battery, I make sure to board the train after the first boarding call is issued!

[@MicahTischler]

Having used the MBTA purple line quite a bit, I'd say your conclusion is generally right - ugly and overpriced, but useful. That said, I'm not sure I'd call it comfortable. Outside of the tiny seat pitch, a lot of the cars seem to have suspension issues, so (even at the very low speed they run at) you're getting shaken around pretty well.

[@gacj2010]

So 40 minutes in a commuter car and .. what do you want a lounger ??Wheuw

[@maxpowr90]

Overpriced and too infrequent. As they said, $8.75 one-way for 1 ticket which that doesn't include parking at the stop in the suburbs (which I assume OP did not pay for). If you don't get off and walk to one of the Boston CR stops, you have to then transfer to a subway or bus line, wasting more time. If you are not traveling solo, in terms of time and cost, you are still better off driving into Boston.

[@MichaelG_]

Don't want to be that guy but its not the "purple line", it's the Commuter Rail

[@michaelleighton6879]

A very apt comment. The same generation(s) of Bombardier cars are in service all over the country in one way or another and they all ride somewhat more flat-footed (clunkier, rougher, even noisier) than, say, Amfleet or the "M" series on Metro-North or the type(s) of doubledeckers on MBTA itself), but their interaction with MBTA trackage is exceptionally bone-rattling. I have never been able to figure out why.

[@MicahTischler]

@@MichaelG_ I grew up in the Boston area and for my entire life I've heard people referring to it as the Purple Line. The "[Color] Line" nomenclature is used across all of the MBTA (abbreviated as the "T")'s rail (and rail-esque (though BRT is a joke)) services. A quick web search for "purple line" with "mbta" will turn up a mountain of results. The T themselves sometimes use it as the short-form name for the service. Incidentally, the livery being very consistent (as Thibault commented) probably relates to this. Edit - corrected a typo: "The T"-> the "T"

[@amtrakfannec]

On every bi-level, there are outlets on the last row of seats, boarding area just beyond the vestibule, and at every table seat!

[@Andrewjg_89]

Awesome video. USA does have all kinds of trains. And Boston is a massive city.

[@doncarlton4858]

I rode "The North Side" into Boston from Leominster for many years. I'd rate service as bad to horrible. By the time you got to Boston it was standing room only most mornings. The one good thing is you aquire a group of travelers you ride with every day including conductors. When it snows or it's extremely cold long delays, breakdowns are the norm. The ride is rough and noisy. Seats are cramped but not too uncomfortable. But car parking in Boston is outrageously expensive and spots are rare so the train and subway are really your only alternative.

[@Zmrt457]

They’ve definetly improved the quality of the cars in my opinion. Coming from someone who’s been riding these trains since the early 2000s (2003-now) the single level cars used to be disgusting. The bathrooms (which I personally would never use) I will say after seeing this video they e really improved. You can kinda tell Keolis is either looking to do away with or replace the comet cars tho. The interior really is gross by todays standards. But hey. It gets you from point a to b!

[@nodak81]

My mother used to take the train to commute into Boston daily from the Providence area and maybe 1 out of 20 trips had no issues. The other 95% of the time there was some ridiculous problem. It's not just terrible maintenance that's the problem, it's stupid policies as well. I remember one time a person out on the platform hit their head. Nothing at all to do with the train, but they made the train sit there for over an hour while EMS and the cops dealt with the situation. Holding up hundreds of people on a train for something occurring out on the platform is the epitome of stupidity.

[@RoadCone411]

I'm not sure these train cars look and feel much different than other US suburban transit systems - Comet cars are Comet cars, right? It wouldn't be too hard to imagine the single level part of this train on the Long Island Railroad, Metro North or NJ Transit. Those systems do have other equipment but if you go to a non-electrified branch line like, say, the Danbury Branch of Metro North, you'll almost certainly be on a Comet car. No, they are not comfy or very aesthetically pleasing but they get the job done. As somebody who used to commute from Danbury to South Norwalk every day, I can attest to finding creative ways to sleep and be comfortable! Thanks for the video...you are really getting out into some interesting suburban transit areas!

[@klarastimelapses]

Inside it looks the same as good old polish EN57! Good video 👍

[@nand3576]

Delays on Fitchburg route was common specially after Acton. Only 2013 tracks were doubled

[@briandynamite7942]

Slight correction the hsp 46 was built by motive power inc. and use a General Electric prime mover.

[@nickmorgan1690]

I hope you got to enjoy some time in Beverly/Salem. Sorry the weather was crap..You'll have to come back when it's nice out. And you're not wrong, the tickets are wicked expensive. To go to the end of that line is about $20!! MON DIEU!! Hopefully the MBCR sees this, your reviews are always representative of the average rider, something I think that gets overlooked.

[@backbayproductions9508]

To me, the commuter rail gets a 6.5 out of 10. I used to use it for trainspotting between Wachusett and South Acton, but nowadays I use it for whenever I'm going out to Boston for public performances (started busking in July of last year). Riding it can be kinda long and it's definitely overpriced. If it wasn't so pricey and had more pros, I probably would give this a higher rating. If your a local who uses commuter rail, whether it be every now and then, sometimes, or daily, I suppose it's decent enough. It's useful but has quite a few issues that should have been fixed years ago. Until there is any signs of improvement, that's my personal take on it.

[@roxxma]

In the 1990s, I lived in Burlington, Massachusetts and went to college in Salem and had no car. Many days I would be dropped off at the Commuter Rail station in nearby Woburn or Wilmington to take the train into North Station, cross the platform and then board the train to Salem Depot and then continue my way to Salem State College by foot (about 2KM/1.4 miles) or bus (MBTA train passes work on the buses and subways, etc). The Boston-Salem fare in the mid 90s was $3.25, and I only needed a monthly pass for the highest zone I used, so I could travel from Wilmington to Salem using the same pass (both stations were in the same zone). The MBTA Commuter Rail is utilitarian, but it does the job, and does it well, usually. Pity you didn't take it farther out, because the routes to both Rockport and Newburyport become quite scenic beyond Beverly. Part of the reason the train was so empty, besides being at the height of the pandemic and the rainy weather, is because it was an outbound train on a Saturday morning (December 5, 2020). The demand that time of day tends to be more for bringing passengers into the city, not out of it, so they're more or less equipment moves for the inbound services. As someone who occasionally takes outbound morning trains on the weekends though, it is well needed and useful service.

[@richharris9489]

Its a nice ride to rockport during the summer months

[@simonsv9449]

Fact: There isn’t a direct rail transit connection between North Station and South Station but there is the MBTA Orange Line subway from Back Bay, served by Amtrak, Framingham/Worcester Line, Needham Line, Franklin/Foxboro Line and Providence/Stoughton Line. There is also the MBTA Silver Line SL3 buses from South Station to Chelsea on the Newburyport/Rockport Line and the MBTA Red Line Subway from South Station to Porter on the Fitchburg Line.

[@kanchanananayakkara8959]

Another video that I have enjoyed..😍 I like the livery of the fleet but as you said interior looked so gloomy!

[@majayoung6780]

I’ve been waiting for 2 years for this to come out I live in Boston

[@nysubwaydude5634]

5:34 I been on the Metro North when I was a little kid in the early 2010s and rode only the bombardier m7 from NYC to White Plains and the seat looks different and has the similar seat design on modern train on other commuter rails when I see interior photos online I wish the Metro North,Long Island Railroad has similar seats to the mbta latest bilevel cars

[@jeff7597]

Some other fun bits about the MBTA from a MA resident along another North line... -The schedules were actually overhauled pretty drastically by Keolis at some point during the pandemic, to what they call a "regional rail" schedule. Not sure how other lines wound up but the one by me is now hourly in both directions on weekdays. While (on my local line at least) it was always a bidirectional system all day, it used to be far more rush hour focused schedule, with numerous inbound trains in the morning and outbound trains in the evening, and much longer periods between trains otherwise. I'm sure the switch caused headaches for a lot of commuters but IMO the new schedule is a step in the right direction, where instead of needing to know a schedule with many different times now you just need to know what minute a train comes each hour. -At the start of the last decade they bought a bunch of new bilevels from Hyundai Rotem (very similar to the older Kawasakis though). I know they came super late and had a LOT of teething issues but I guess they've finally got them to a fairly reliable state. Apparently they have a new order for 80 more on the way starting (scheduled) this fall, and "intend" to order another 100 to be delivered in 2024. If my very quick eyeball math is correct and the second order goes through, that would give the capacity to replace all of the older single level coaches. Even if they keep some for added capacity that would at least leave consists looking far more consistent. -Most (maybe all) of the Kawasakis have been getting overhauled to be much more in line with the Rotems. -The MBTA has four types of locomotives... the HSPs, two MP36s, a few F40 variants that are most-or-all being overhauled to -3Cs (identifiable by LED lights and a paint scheme similar to the HSPs), and freight GP40s renovated for passenger service in the 90s. Personally I look forward to the day they replace that freight garbage off the commuter rail. -There are some really neat projects that have been talked about a lot. A 'North-South Rail Link' tunnel creating new underground sections of North and South stations and possibly a wholly new Central station connecting to the Blue Line subway around Aquarium. Somewhat related to this (given you don't generally want Diesels in a big deep tunnel), Electrification of parts and eventually all of the commuter rail. Of course they could also just use dual-mode equipment, but ideally they'd just full commit instead of wasting time and money on stop-gap equipment. NSRL would be particularly interesting, both for unifying the network, and connecting the Downeaster to the Northeast Corridor (particularly with Amtrak's recent order for dual-mode Siemens trains). Unfortunately I'm sure not much need be said about how major rail infrastructure projects tend to go in the US. NSRL would be extra difficult given everyone in the city is going to remember how the last "big tunnel under Boston" project went for them. -A perhaps more attainable project that has been floated is splitting the Fairmount line out of the commuter rail to something closer to Rapid Transit, given it is rather short and all stations are within Boston. The Franklin line does sometimes send trains up its right of way to take pressure off the NEC, but I'm sure this could be worked around well enough.

[@johnfenlon458]

There are so CHAMPS! I love it! and Very transit friendly!🤟

[@sea80vicvan]

It does seem overpriced for what is just a basic commuter service. The wood paneling at 8:17 gives it that 1970's suburban rec room feeling. If MBTA would lower the price and use even slightly better carriages it would be more attractive, but as it is it's still a useful service.

[@doncarlton4858]

The MBTA has been under public scrutiny for decades after many scandals of waste, fraud and abuse. There are constant calls to raise fares as fares are heavily subsidized as it is.

[@codfish1113]

Having taken the Commuter Rail out of T.F. Green Airport (RI) several times to visit Boston, I can definitely say it’s ugly and expensive (though still miles cheaper than the N.E. Regional, and more accessible at that!), comfort was okay even though space wasn’t plentiful. Would still use over the N.E. Regional or Acela though ($12.75 vs. $50 one way)

[@ctoonfly]

I live in a town along the Fitchburg line, the train station is around 0.5 mile from my house. The fee structure on mbta commuter rail is kind of strange. If you buy monthly pass, the price is quite reasonable, and a lot of companies provide additional allowance on it. If you take the rain out of zone 1 going outbound, the price is also very attractive. But if you jump on/off the train from zone 1 stations (basically to/from the city core) without a pass, it is quite expensive.

[@garymcknight7588]

I take the Fitchburg line. I have off and on for 40 years. The Fitchburg line runs from Boston to Wachusett(Fitchburg/Westminster line) and is approx 55 miles long. The entire trip costs $11.75, one way. It might be less on the weekends

[@hirampriggott1689]

I've done Boston to Haverhill, Boston to Providence, and Boston to Weston. For MBTA trains, That's about it. It works and is reasonably on time but they're not as esthetically nice as other commuter trains in the northeast USA. I have a fondness for the multilevels in New Jersey, they have decent comfortable seats. I'm a New Englander from Rhode Island but these days I live on the Erie Lackawanna Main Line in New Jersey that connects me into Manhattan. I'm no fan of the Comets either. They are very 1970's

[@noahyetman4004]

I'm from Boston, if the car your in (double decker at least) doesn't have an outlet, then it has wifi. If it has wifi, then no outlet!

[@khairulannuar9889]

May I know what kind of camera did you use to record this video thanks

[@jtjameson]

Greetings from Swampscott, you passed through on your way to Beverly!

[@kristinamateo4389]

The train may have been built in 05 but looks exactly like ones I used to tAke in 95 no difference

[@Fenix-MU]

Keolis: the company that manage to operate frequent trains in Europe but can’t operate a frequent commute rail in North America

[@airgamer1403]

I love this system! my favorite Commuter Rail!

[@bobmmann3917]

The dismal weather was a perfect match to the dismal passenger experience. Although MBTA has a very extensive service it does little to make the trains attractive or welcoming, unless you like the 1970's utilitarian style.

[@lomaii2847]

⚡:SPEZIEL FÜR DICH "BEST.FURDICH.FUN" > SATISFY.BABY < tricks I do not know Megan: "Hotter" Hopi: "Sweeter" Joonie: "Cooler" Yoongi: "Butter So with toy and his tricks, do not read it to him that he writes well mamon there are only to laugh for a while and not be sad and stressed because of the hard life that is lived today. Köz karaş: '' Taŋ kaldım '' Erinder: '' Sezimdüü '' Jılmayuu: '' Tattuuraak '' Dene: '' Muzdak '' Jizn, kak krasivaya melodiya, tolko pesni pereputalis. Aç köz arstan Bul ukmuştuuday ısık kün bolçu, jana arstan abdan açka bolgon. Uyunan çıgıp, tigi jer-jerdi izdedi. Al kiçinekey koyondu wins taba algan. Al bir az oylonboy koyondu karmadı. '' Bul koyon menin kursagımdı toyguza albayt '' dep oylodu arstan. Arstan koyondu öltüröyün dep jatkanda, bir kiyik tigi tarapka çurkadı. Arstan aç köz bolup kaldı. Kiçine koyondu emes, çoŋ kiyikti jegen jakşı dep oylodu. # 垃圾 They are one of the best concerts, you can not go but just seeing them from the screen, I know it was surprising 💗❤💌💘

[@hughmaxwell8143]

The line to Rhode Island is a great deal, saves lots of traffic agro. Great way to get to Logan, Except it doesn’t run on weekends . So not many people use it.

[@coolhrv]

Nice video, have you had a chance to try the various Boston subways?

[@Neville60001]

He never rides subways.

[@Wearespurstv]

Yes! New video don't forget always reject the currency exchange screen at ATMS when traveling! You can still get your money!

[@lyl3645]

Commuter rail is the savior for commuters in light of MBTA slow zone restrictions in recent years. It has delays/breakdowns sometimes, but it’s more reliable than the T. It’s also too expensive for zone 1, especially for commuters who are already paying for the T pass (to switch to bus or T).

[@RailfanningMaryland]

Awesome video!

[@VedavyasMunugoor]

Personally, while I have never used the MBTA commuter rail, I have used the local service (green, red, orange, blue lines) and it's... alright. It's actually technically one of the best in America, but that says more about the low quality of American public transport than anything about the MBTA.

[@lomaii2847]

⚡:SPEZIEL FÜR DICH "BEST.FURDICH.FUN" > SATISFY.BABY < tricks I do not know Megan: "Hotter" Hopi: "Sweeter" Joonie: "Cooler" Yoongi: "Butter So with toy and his tricks, do not read it to him that he writes well mamon there are only to laugh for a while and not be sad and stressed because of the hard life that is lived today. Köz karaş: '' Taŋ kaldım '' Erinder: '' Sezimdüü '' Jılmayuu: '' Tattuuraak '' Dene: '' Muzdak '' Jizn, kak krasivaya melodiya, tolko pesni pereputalis. Aç köz arstan Bul ukmuştuuday ısık kün bolçu, jana arstan abdan açka bolgon. Uyunan çıgıp, tigi jer-jerdi izdedi. Al kiçinekey koyondu wins taba algan. Al bir az oylonboy koyondu karmadı. '' Bul koyon menin kursagımdı toyguza albayt '' dep oylodu arstan. Arstan koyondu öltüröyün dep jatkanda, bir kiyik tigi tarapka çurkadı. Arstan aç köz bolup kaldı. Kiçine koyondu emes, çoŋ kiyikti jegen jakşı dep oylodu. # 垃圾 They are one of the best concerts, you can not go but just seeing them from the screen, I know it was surprising 💗❤💌💘

[@Neville60001]

Have you ridden any European or Asian public transit systems to compare this, Vedavyas?

[@Tyaqx]

Great job MBTA having a map from 2011 in one of your two main stations.

[@dalekling7303]

So cool to see Commuter trains in Boston. Can't wait for one in Michigan.

[@matthewhall1062]

This isn't new. Boston has had commuter rail since the 19th century. It's not coming to Michigan.

[@dalekling7303]

@@matthewhall1062 I know it is not new. I just said its cool thats all

[@nomadicgarg3763]

Hey according to you which is best high speed train in Europe in term of comfort and services??

[@trevorderper5050]

I like the comet cars overall but the interiors do bother me(especially the seats) but you should really try AMT EXO in Montreal(do the candiac line) you should have a look on the AMT comets also because they have way different interiors than the rest.

[@Neville60001]

I'd also like to see him try out *GO* ( *Government* of *Ontario* ) Transit/Metrolinx here in Toronto, Ontario.

[@jslasher1]

I believe the planned extensions to New Bedford and Fall River in 2023 will benefit commuters immensely.

[@MassachusettsTrainVideos1136]

How the heck did you find an HSP at north station when I was there I only saw GP40MC's and F40PH-2C's

[@EmeraldCrimsonShadowPeach2K5]

Hey, Thibault! I'm glad to see you did MBTA! I live in New York, and I've never been to Boston. I hope to go there one day, so I'm learning more about the MBTA from videos by other KZbinrs such as Retired Railfan. Anyways, I have a few suggestions for you. Have you done SEPTA yet? If so, when will the video be uploaded? Also, if you ever get to do NJ Transit again, you should try the Gladstone Branch. They use the Arrow III EMUs. Anyways, have a great day!

[@Deltaexe190]

Repeat after me, septa, is, bad.

[@EmeraldCrimsonShadowPeach2K5]

@@Deltaexe190 What do you mean SEPTA is bad?

[@utahrailfan1946]

The UTA FrontRunner has a matched paint scheme across all cars and locomotives as well.

[@Bbq7272]

My two faves were salt lake and Albuquerque Santa Ge

[@Adelaide_Transit]

That's such a high fare to travel 30km, I pay $1.05 AUD (0.76 USD) to travel 100km where I live in Australia. I wouldn't use a rail service that charges the kinds of fares the MBTA does for a one way trip. $12 AUD (8.75 USD) is just an insane price for PT. And those multi-level railcars actually have pretty low capacity. For example a driving car alone on a 3 car A-city 4000 class train has capacity for 180 people, And it's single decked.

[@yellowlinerailfanningprodu5804]

Love this video!!

[@paulwest8185]

The north side typically gets the neglected equipment. South side especially worcester line gets a lot of the bi level cars with some getting 6+ in one train. Plus, the bi level cars do have outlets you just have to look to find them since they’re not in every seat. But those single level cars no matter where you go are gross.

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@LadyShmady]

From top to bottom, they treat paying passengers like the enemy while catering to the subsidized inner city line who often ride for free. Then they'll turn around and blame delays on passengers too. Tremendous staff issues. Don't expect full staff before long weekends or holidays - they've all called out sick. But they've plenty of staff to harass you for your ticket before you're even allowed to walk down the platform to the train. Not on the inner city line though of course. No one is refusing to allow them to board a train without first showing their ticket.

[@MR-kt2zv]

I remember those days when droves of useless MBTA staff would literally gate-keep before passengers were allowed platform access. Now they're adding fare-gates to North Station which is long overdue. Gets rid of those pesky hobos that bum around for a dollar. All bathrooms should be fare-walled too. How many times have I gone into a T for a quick pee when there were bums drying their clothes or bodies in the dryers. Uhm, I'll be walking out, thanks

[@mollari2261]

MBTA Commuter Rail: Where it's 1970 and it always will be.

[@crimsonash6626]

I like the wood panel aesthetic, but you are right in that the interior is quite dated.

[@MrStark-up6fi]

I waited for this moment

[@balpalBCTtralin]

The cars do have outlets if you look hard enough, and also why go to Beverly unless you're hungry for good eats

[@tellitlikeitis6149]

M-F rush hour would be a more accurate presentation, not off hour/weekend. I take this line and for the price the service should be better and there are many delays.

[@keystonetuscanred4921]

At least it beats the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority regional rail amenities primarily talking about the lack of restrooms. If you are in the Delaware Valley you will find out. 😐

[@laurenm6511]

I love this channel but why would you ever do a video on the T? really? Did you run out of trains?

[@TheWolfHowling]

Thanks for the review. I'm actually planning to take that exact route in July from Boston up to Salam for the day, assuming that Omicron doesn't torpedo my holiday. As to your commentary on the price, personally as an outsider looking in, I don't think it's that bad. Yeah, the train costs more then the bus to Salem [ $8.50🚍vs $16🚊 RT] but the bus is scheduleded to take almost twice as long then the train [ 55min🚍vs 30mins🚊]. Plus, the bus likely going to be more cramped then the train and possibly be delayed in traffic.

[@bradfordtownley9363]

Rolling stock is pretty meh, but you should have seen it in the 80's and earlier when they used Pullman units from the 50's and 40's!