Bostonist: Commuter Rail: Bostonist Edition

Zach

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 17:22:23 -0500

That's kind of ridiculous... commuter rail ridership has been way up, and the system is in good repair and generally on time, friendly conductors... and it loses a very small amount of money compared to city transit! I've never needed it to regularly commute, but to visit friends in Providence, Worcester, and the suburbs, it's ridiculously great, and cheap. I mean, a system that's being fanatically expanded in all directions isn't exactly in need of "saving".

Kristine

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:04:20 -0500

I agree with Charlotte. I live a 5 minute walk from the West Newton Commuter Rail station. I work in Waltham so I don't have to commute to Boston...but I've NEVER used it, because the trains run far too infrequently. I go to Boston regularly but the commuter rail doesn't meet my needs. I wind up walking to or from the Woodland T stop which takes at least twenty minutes, and it's a slow rickety ride. I do have a car but I don't want to have to take it Downtown or to the Back Bay. I wish taking the Commuter Rail was a reasonable option. I'd love to be able to use the Commuter Rail at my own leisure...if I want to go Downtown on a Friday evening or a Saturday. When I first moved into my home in West Newton, I was thrilled that we lived so close to the Commuter Rail Station...little did I know that it's close to useless.

Charlotte

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 09:51:01 -0500

As someone who grew up blocks from Metro North in New York, I think commuter trains are, in principle, fantastic, and I might actually use the ones surrounding Boston if they departed more frequently than once every two hours. In order to get people to take the train, the MBTA needs to get over the hump and provide lots of service so that it's viable option. Here's how the connundrum of "to train or not to train" usually goes for me: "Well, I could take the train, but then I'd be either three hours early or 25 minutes late...screw it, I'll get a Zipcar." Incidentally, how about subsidizing that, Massachusetts?

Ted

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 09:38:13 -0500

I used to ride the commuter rail and I loved it. I had a relaxing ride, People are polite, and trains were on time about 90% of the time. I loved being able to read to and from work everyday. Now that I have to drive to work, I realize how good it was. The commuter rail should not only stay, it should be expanded.