Train 331 (one of the 2 potentially impacted trains):
Top: an MBB car promoting the South Shore Rail and MBTA Loco F40PH-3C 1075.
The locomotive could've encounter a similar damage to 1030 loco crash with a freight car in 2008. The car behind the locomotive could've been damage beyond repair, and the front of the locomotive could be significantly damaged or severely damaged depending on the impact if the accident happened (which luckily didn't). Taken June 14, 2023 by me.
If possible, needed to be sent back to the rebuilders and could be extensive.
Worse case if the locomotive could've been a total loss and MBTA/Keolis would be down 1 locomotive.
1989 Bombardier Cab Car CTC-1B 1630.
One of the rolling stock that would've been involved in a potential deadly accident. This train set only had 4 flat for Train 331 (6:10pm from North Station) Taken by me June 14, 2023.
What the end result of 1075 would've been if that accident happened (end result may be worse should it happen) MBTA F40PH-2C 1030 at Boston Engine Terminal following an accident in the Canton Area following a collision with a freight car awaiting to be repaired by MotivePower at Boise. This locomotive has been repaired is now at MotivePower again in Boise to be overhauled into F40PH-3C. Photo taken by Eric Shito circa 2008-2009. Photo Credit NErail. http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=134738
Train 332 (second of the 2 potentially impacted trains):
1989 Bombardier Cab Car CTC-1B 1638. If that cab car was impacted, that car would've been scrapped due to being wrecked beyond repair. The engineer would've most likely died. Thankfully (phew), as I said earlier the accident didn't happen. Taken June 6, 2023 by me.
Although MBTA Commuter Rail/Keolis has reached record ridership in May, with the new schedule being released there has been series of mechanical failures, short train sets unable to meet the needs of passengers, signal issues, understaffed trains, to some unexplainable delays such as a Lowell Line day of 10-20 mins with no explanation on a rush hour train happening earlier this week.
This unusual incident happened on Wednesday June 14, 2023 when a Lowell Train 331 heading out of North Station with a short set. The train set 1075-1630 only had 4 flats, a major concern for returning passengers just trying to head to work, or heading into Boston to enjoy their day off exploring the city. As the train left North Station, the train ran normal with the exception of the train being extremely crowded due to the number and type of cars the train had. Unfortunately after Wedgemere the trip became strange.
Upon approaching the I-95 overpass I was thinking there was a mechanical failure with the locomotive. I recorded the video thinking it was a mechanical failure as that would be the usual cause when it happened, as I remembered when a train arrived in the station back in June 2021 from another trip, only for the crew to enter the train immediately and have this assigned as the 331 train to Lowell only to break down at Anderson/Woburn before the set DOA south of Wilmington.
The train approached Anderson/Woburn normally. However when 331 approached Wilmington, the train was switched onto the inbound track without any notification from T-alerts via text and arrived on the inbound platform at Wilmington. Upon the strange arrival, a guy who was trying to board the train ran to the other platform.
When the train left Wilmington, the train ride turned into something out of a scene from the Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 or something out of a Thomas and Friends episode where the engine has it's brakes failed (ex. Thomas Puts the Brakes on or A Better View for Gordon). The strangest part of the train ride, the train set started going faster and faster reaching around 70 mph on the inbound track when another train Train 332, the 6:35pm out of Lowell was using the inbound track.
From my experience, following construction work between Lowell and Wilmington, trains on the Lowell line has been going slower than normal. For trains coming out of Lowell, they ran normal like clockwork. One passengers complained to me on Tuesday wondering why the trip from Wilmington to North Billerica was taking longer.
When I realized the train was on the inbound track I was thinking we were bracing for impact because I believed there was a 50% possibility that the two trainsets could collide severely and take numerous lives, including numerous passengers, some or most crew members. The engineer of the cab car could've died on impact with the engineer having to go to the hospital. This is when I have to prepare for the worst, because I said to myself "I don't want to die." I said that, because even though I was going through a lot, all the friends, family, co-workers old and new cared about me and if I wasn't there, some of them would've been lost.
The train slowed down and approached the solar farms and thank goodness we switched back onto the proper outbound track and the inbound train was able to proceed foreword with minor delays. The last minute switch I felt was due to switch/signal people's desperation to get the commuters back home, while putting the public including the engineer and the crew members in danger! However, nobody knew what actually happened with the train, since I have felt everybody was tired and just wanna get home. Enough said.
Upon concluding my investigation on my end, the cause of this was not due to the crew of Train 331 nor Train 332. This was due to the following:
signal issue between south of Anderson/Woburn and North Billerica
Last-minute decision which lead to majority of people confused as to what is going on, resulting in no announcements from T-alerts announcing a boarding change.
Desperation to get to Lowell on time and get home as a result of the slow zone on the outbound track between Wilmington and Lowell.
Almost 2 hours later, Train 335 was running slow between Wedgemere and North Billerica with 1056 and 1636. Train ran slow for much of the route according to one eyewitness but when I was tracking the train between the drive from home and arriving at North Billerica. I talked to some passengers and they were angry, one guy said the conductor made no announcements why the train were going slow.
For those on 331, 332, 335. At least some of those passengers are probably thinking they will never forget about this trip and hope MBTA and Keolis can get those issues address such as the signal issues between south of Anderson/Woburn and North Billerica, but the trend for Keolis is, the quality is going downhill rapidly and something needs to be done on the commuter rail along with the rest of the MBTA's issues.
Video: Train 335 finally arrives in North Billerica around 20 mins late following a signal issue between Wedgemere and North Billerica. Some passengers said the train ran slow for much of the route and the conductor made no announcements as to why it was running late.
It wasn't until the next day on June 15 that the main cause of that problem was the Lowell Line was single tracked between Wilmington and North Billerica on the Inbound track and single tracked again between Wedgemere and Anderson/Woburn, when the conductor told me that an outbound train earlier this morning was utilizing the inbound track and we had to wait for that train to pass before we could move onto our way into Boston. Keolis seemed to desperate to get commuters home and still provide customer service, but they should be keeping people posted on when boarding changes happen or delays but explain why other than saying "Train xxx/xxxx is running 5-10 mins late."
Passengers like me are sick and tired of this and we need an explanation on all trains why it is running late to provide good service, transit and customer combined to Keolis's passengers.
Yorumlar