After a smoldering cable caused the Back Bay stretch of the Green Line to shut down for hours during Wednesday’s morning rush hour, forcing thousands of riders to wait for shuttle buses in the bitter cold, some officials are pointing to the transportation debacle as evidence that the MBTA needs the increased funding that would come with Governor Deval Patrick’s proposed tax hikes.
Service on the line was shut down from about 8 a.m. to shortly before 11 a.m. A smoldering cable, about the diameter of a paper coffee cup, had begun to fray with age. Single-digit temperatures put extra stress on the wiring, which began to smoke as the rubber insulation melted.
Comments
Sad this system is so so broken
Lucky me, I decided to take the Green Line today.
The T actually made out quite well with yesterdays problems:
The spectacular failure of the Green Line overshadowed the Red Line meltdown.
Once again the T dodged a bullet and no one was hurt.
As I write this the Red Line has begun to fail again this morning (7 AM with 2 disabled trains so far). This can't continue. As a regular T commuter I am willing to pay higher fares if the money is used to repair this decrepit system.
The T also needs to make better use what money it has. If the T could provide safe and dependable service to its current customers expansion projects such as the Green line extension would be a good idea. But unfortunately the T can’t do this. Putting people at risk to provide access for the people of Somerville to the Red AND Green Lines is foolish. The money needs to be spent on maintenance.
If the T is concerned that the idiots at the Conservation Law Foundation along with Somerville politicians will go to court to force construction they need to consider other future legal actions. If I am one of the commuters who is injured when the T's luck runs out I will sue for negligence. I am sure everyone else will also. The T can either fight against the CLF and politicians or injured riders in court. They will be going to court one way or the other.
6:45 train to Newburyport, last evening, made it 1 stop--to Chelsea.
lights and heat went out.
fares had already been collected, how timly for the MBTA.
expand nothing, no more useless 'bling',
It's pretty but doesn't function!! is what we have.
i know some components are "opld enough to vote", and should hasve been replaces ages ago.
electrical switches have a life span---get with it, damn you ignore reality too well.
Globe article said "some officials are pointing to the transportation debacle as evidence that the MBTA needs the increased funding that would come with Governor Deval Patrick’s proposed tax hikes." Once again, as Rahm Emmanuel stated "Never let a Tragedy Go to Waste". ..And of course the Globe isn't telling you the REAL reasons why Deval is insisting on tax hikes for all. It's to pay for the EXPLODING costs of the MA Health care for all. Deval wrote last August in the state's budget that health care spending has crowded out key public inmvestments"