Green Line "Next Train" Signs: How They Work

Inside the MBTA Operations Control Center  (OCC)            Courtesy: MBTA

With last weeks unveiling of the MBTA's new "Next Train" signs for the Green Line, some of you might be wondering why does the Green Line still not have real time arrival data?

Map of AVI locations       Courtesy: MIT

Although these new "Next Train" signs are new to the Green Line, the technology that they run on has been around for the past two decades. AVI or automated vehicle indicators are how the Green Line is currently tracked by MBTA employees. 

Around the system there are a series of AVI readers embedded in the tracks. When a train passes over one of these readers it reports the trains location to the T's Operations Control Center (OCC) which is located at 45 High St in Boston. When a train passes a specific point it's number appears next to that AVI point on a large map at OCC. This means the T knows that a specific train is at or beyond that specific point. When it reaches the next reader it will disappear from the first point and appear on the next one.

Seems like the T should know where most Green Line trains are right? Unfortunately, it's not that easy. In the central subway, which runs between North Station and Copley Station, the AVI points are somewhat close to one another. When the trains go above ground however, the points are very far apart. All above ground routes are monitored by an actual human being. An MBTA inspector will post themselves at a certain stop along the line and monitor when trains are passing by.

    

Still a little confused? Here's an example: Lets say Green Line train 3651, which has a destination of Boston College, just passed the AVI point at Copley station. The T knows that the train is at or beyond Copley but it has not yet passed the next point which is at Kenmore Station. Once the that train passes Kenmore the next AVI point isn't until Chestnut Hill Ave. which is 16 stops from Kenmore. On average, that's about a 25 min ride over 3.5 miles. During that time central control has no visual on that train unless the inspector on the line physically reports its position. 

Overall, the T knows what train will be next (B,C,D,E) but they do not know the spacing between trains. Therefore no real time train data can be determined for the Green Line. These new "Next Train" signs are a big step for the Green Line but bigger and better things are coming. Back in January the MBTA announced that they would have real time tracking data for the Green Line by 2015. Since it's still over a year away, these "next train" signs will have to do for now. 

Riding The Patriots Train

For the past few years the MBTA has operated a "Football Train" that takes passengers from Boston down to Gillette Stadium for games. Once again, the T will be operating the train for the 2013-14 season.

The dedicated trains that travel to and from Patriots home games have become essential for fans looking to avoid traffic, high parking fees, and just the overall hassle of driving into Foxborough. According to the T, the current ridership for each game averages about 1,900, compared with about 1,630 in the 2006-2007 season and 1,500 in the 2002-2003 season.
This year the round trip ticket price is $15. Tickets can be purchased in advance for passengers departing from Boston at the MBCR ticket windows located at South Station, Back Bay and North Station and at Dedham Corp. Center Station on game days. For passengers departing from Rhode Island tickets will be sold exclusivly onboard the train. 

From Boston, passengers can board the trains at South Station, Back Bay, and Dedham Corp. station. From Rhode Island passengers can board at T.F. Green Airport, Providence, South Attleboro, Attleboro, and Mansfield stations. 

Things to remember:

• NO personal items may be left on the trains during the game.
• All personal items left on the train will be collected and discarded. 
• The NFL has a NEW Bag Policy 
• Trains depart Gillette Stadium Station 30 min after the game ends.

       **All trains depart Gillette Stadium Station exactly a half hour after the game ends. **

         

MBTA May Actually Extend to N.H.

In December of 2011 we posted a story about the history of plans to extend the MBTA's commuter rail system into the State of New Hampshire.

At the end of that post we talked about how the MBTA, NHDOT, Rockingham Planning Commission  and the towns of Plaistow and Atkinson New Hampshire were all working together to try and extend the MBTA's Haverhill Line to Plaistow. Ultimately the project was shot down by Atkinson residences in early 2012. As of last week however the plan seems to be making a comeback. 

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation says its studying alternatives for a possible extension and will be holding a public meeting on August 22nd to hear from area residents. 

When the plan was inroduced in 2011 the residents of Atkinson disliked the idea of having a layover facility in their backyard. In December of 2011, The Plaistow Area Transit Advisory Committee met for the first time in more than a decade to discuss the project. The meeting, which took place at the Atkinson Community Center, was attended by dozens of concerned Atkinson residents and local officials. The meeting eventually turned into a shouting match between residents as committee member Tim Moore tried to explain the facts of the project. According to The Eagle Tribune, the meeting got out of hand numerous times, with people shouting and interrupting each other.

Plaistow officials have been trying to bring commuter rail service to their area for years. They say that extending the commuter line would ease traffic on NH Route 125 and would help put Plaistow and the surrounding areas into metro Boston commerce. 

The first step in the project will be for the Town of Plaistow's Executive Council to pass a $658,316 feasibility study. The study will be done by HDR Engineering in Boston and will take about 18 months. The firm will do an environmental assessment of sites for a layover facility and a station platform. The study also would include estimates of the operating cost and forecast ridership.

Plaistow Town Manager Sean Fitzgerald says it is important for voters to realize the benefits of this project. “This project represents extraordinary opportunities to capitalize on existing infrastructure that would be unique to this rail project,” he said.

The public meeting will be held at Plaistow Town Hall (145 Main St) at 7pm on August 22nd.