red line slowdown at harvard square?

[lentower.livejournal.com]

hi!

does anyone know why the red line has been slowing down so much long before entering and long after leaving the harvard square station? both inbound and outbound?

is it temporary or permanent?

it's adding several minutes to my trips and is way beyond being annoying.

thanks either way!

best -len

Comments

[ron_newman]

you mean north of Harvard? South of Harvard it has to crawl along because it's making a tight 90-degree turn.

[lentower.livejournal.com]

both.

outbound, it has been slowing down a lot earlier for the tight right angle turn at the south end of the platform then it did a month plus ago.

inbound, it is waiting a lot longer to speed up once the last car clears that turn.

thanx -len

[znhoward.livejournal.com]

A long time ago I heard an as-of-yet unsubstantiated rumor that Harvard actually pays the T to move more slowly through certain sections of track abutting the station. This in addition to the 90-degree turn issue. There is a sharp turn right out of the tunnel towards Porter, but the trains never seem to slow coming inbound from Porter, so I'm not sure what's going on with outbound lethargy.

I'll ask someone on my home commute, maybe.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

The turn on the inbound side of Harvard is much, much tighter than the turn into and out of Davis. For ~69ft long train, it's actually an insanely tight turn, but there's nothing you can do the way Harvard Sq. is arranged. I think the speed restriction is 6mph -- it's been a while since I was up to date on all that info. It's entirely possible that speed limits were issued for vibration and noise issues, although I'd be doubtful about Harvard paying. It would be possible.

[lentower.livejournal.com]

The have always slowed down outbound, coming into this turn.

But for the last several weeks, they have started the slowdown much sooner and much further from the turn and the station, as I mentioned when I started this thread.

thanks -len

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

Please see my previous post farther down in the thread reagrding reasons why a slow order might be issued. Again, the most likely reason would be ongoing construction or track work. I can't tell you how long it will last. It could be over this afternoon. It could be weeks. It could be months.

[inahandbasket]

just to mess with your head.

[komos.livejournal.com]

I vote conspiracy.

[prosicated.livejournal.com]

Actually, my mystic gave me the real answer: it's the collective ill-will of T riders taking toward the fare-hiking MBTA.

We are like the buzzzing of flies to him.

[komos.livejournal.com]

So, they're cleaning pink goo off the tracks before the train can go by?

Re: We are like the buzzzing of flies to him.

[prosicated.livejournal.com]

Exactly. The Scourge of Carpathia has moved to Harvard Square.

Re: We are like the buzzzing of flies to him.

[komos.livejournal.com]

You live in the BEST TOWN EVAR!

Re: We are like the buzzzing of flies to him.

[spatch]

WINSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

mooninites

#

[komos.livejournal.com]

In our post-9/11 world, minutes-long T delays are no laughing matter.

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

Yes. Everything has changed.

[cemeterygates.livejournal.com]

I have noticed this phenomenon also. I am guessing it has something to do with the cold weather's affect on some aspect of the mechanics, but I'm not an engineer so I'm not sure what that would be.

[lentower.livejournal.com]

Interesting thought.

But this is the first time this has happened for any duration.

And I've been riding the Red Line Extension, since it opened.

thanks -len

[shellaby.livejournal.com]

It's always done that. Sometimes it's a little slower, but it's always slow. I think it's the rusty rails and the curve that the rails make to get into the station.

[greenbeats.livejournal.com]

Do you mean stopping or just slowing?

Because I've definitely experienced one too many instances lately of the T stopping for an indeterminate amount of time right outside of Harvard Square (coming from Park Street). It's really obnoxious.

[lentower.livejournal.com]

Hi,

There have been a few stops outbound just before Harvard Station.

But I've mostly noticed the slow down and then creep into and out of the station in both directions.

best -len

[damsel-ophelia.livejournal.com]

I've noticed it lately as well, although I have almost always noticed it coming in from Central Square.

[simplicitynow.livejournal.com]

There is a speed restriction in place, I believe. The conductor announced this once as we were approaching harvard last week or the week before. I'm not sure the reason for it.

[trtls.livejournal.com]

Monday I sat in the front car of a train and could see into the tunnel before us. Just before entering Harvard Station, there were men working in the tunnel, like right on the tracks. I don't know why they are doing this during busy times (or when trains are running at all!) but they were there. No idea what they were doing or if that's the slow down, though.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

Slow Orders (SOs) are occasionally issued. I believe the most likely cause for an SO is track work or construction. The red line uses ATO, so you can't see any signalling to indicate the need for a slower speed, if there even is one (red over yellow??? you'd have to ask an expert). There were several periods, three to five years back, where an outbound train had to progress slowly while approaching Davis.