With service stopped on the Green Line in this morning’s bitter cold due to a smoldering cable in a tunnel, commuters at Copley Station were directed to hop on a steady stream of buses headed inbound and outbound, some displaying “GREEN LINE”’ on their electronic signs.

At both Arlington and Copley stations, buses arrived several times per minute, often stacked one behind another in traffic. Commuters rushed out, some breaking into a jog as they set foot on the pavement, and sped off for their destination. Few felt chatty about the delay to their commute.