Submitted by HRJafael t3_125wq46 in WorcesterMA
AceOfTheSwords t1_je6fuir wrote
Tired of seeing this marketed as primarily a boon to Worcester. It is another expansion of transit options accessible to Boston residents, like just about every transit expansion the state decides to embark on. We're just lucky we were in the way. It completes a route from Boston to NYC that is no longer dependent on Amtrak. The vast majority of passengers will ignore Worcester. The improvements to Union Station will have a bigger impact on us than this. It's fine they're doing it, I just wish the presentation were more honest.
When will we see north-south rail? I want to be able to catch a train conveniently from Worcester to Providence, Lowell, or Nashua.
Probably never, is when. Or at least, not until the state's approach to transit radically changes.
CGmoz t1_je6krpr wrote
It's still dependent on Amtrak, this proposal is for a new Amtrak line.
AceOfTheSwords t1_je6lly6 wrote
Ah, misread thinking it was a commuter rail extension. That doesn't change TOO much at the end of the day, except opening the possibility for insufficient frequency or tickets being priced out of usefulness.
HRJafael OP t1_je6s4e3 wrote
This is primarily my concern. This whole project is wholly reliant on Amtrak service. My concern would be for the future if the state decided to build the rail and Amtrak drops the service if the financials don't turn out as expected. I'm curious to see what the backup plan is should Amtrak service fail.
ht7baq23ut t1_je8mxk5 wrote
Uhhh, you weren’t in the way as much as the alignment was built through the city nearly 200 years ago.
> When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, New York City's advantageous water connection through the Hudson River threatened Boston's historical dominance as a trade center. Since the Berkshires made construction of a canal infeasible, Boston turned to the emerging railroad technology for a share of the freight to and from the Midwestern United States. The Boston and Worcester Railroad was chartered June 23, 1831 and construction began in August 1832. The line opened in sections: to West Newton on April 16, 1834; to Wellesley on July 3; to Ashland on September 20; to Westborough in November 1834; and the full length to Worcester on July 4, 1835. The original single-track line was doubled-tracked from Boston to Framingham in 1839, and on to Worcester by 1843. In 1843 the B&W introduced season passes to West Newton for $60, effectively introducing the concept of commuter rail.
This proposal looks like more of a restoration of cancelled pax service on existing alignments, not a newly constructed line.
AceOfTheSwords t1_jea8nuc wrote
I'm aware of the historical precedence for a route in that location. What I'm getting at is the primary beneficiary of restoring that track to more frequent passenger rail is Boston. This is because CT in the past few years established commuter service that extends from Springfield down to the beginning of Metro-North (heading into NYC). So a byproduct is more frequent service to NYC, which given Amtrak ticket costs is going to be the primary use. The secondary beneficiary is any stop west of Springfield. They will now get more than one train each way daily, which up to now had been an early afternoon train from Boston and a late afternoon train back to Boston, and had made it useless for commuters who live in those places.
Worcester being on that route is an afterthought in terms of the decisions being made now. It will also likely result in more people going from Worcester to NYC than people stopping beyond a transfer or return trip in Worcester for any reason. Which in itself isn't a bad thing - more access to NYC is nice - but it's not at all how this is being advertised.
While we're talking about making use of historical rail, if you want something that will surely benefit Worcester substantially, why doesn't anyone in state government talk about running passengers on the rail between Providence and Worcester? The answer is that Boston already has extensive service direct to Providence through Amtrak. We did have a start-up planning a private commuter rail service for a while (it evaporated with the pandemic), but that's about it.
Kpop2258 t1_je6l3c8 wrote
Would Have killed for a train to Lowell before my gf moved in with me
1upnate t1_je6rrgx wrote
A train from worcester to nashua? its really not fair to tease people with ideas of such amazing things :(
bb5199 t1_je7h2uq wrote
How many people would actually ride that? Not very many.
princess-smartypants t1_je7lalj wrote
As someone in Worcester with a kid at UMLowell, yes please.
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