Hey bud, let's party!

Yesterday's C Line trip was almost worth it (almost) due to the lawyer-type standing next to me.  A 30-something, too-cool-for-school type, the dialogue started when he ran into a friend of his, who didn't seem to be particularly interested in talking to him.  Asked his friend if he was just "kickin' it," and proceeded to use every phrase that a teenager, or old guy trying to sound like a teenager would use.  Every sentence started, "Dude..." and went on to say wittier things.  If I'm ever in court and this guy is my lawyer, well, I'll just get started getting measured for jumpsuits.

Coming soon to a T near you: cell phone access everywhere!

Oh, good.  One more reason to complain about the T.  They are now setting up cell phone towers that will allow passengers to talk pretty much anywhere underground.  There will be no refuge from listening to the woman next to me give a long diatribe about her gynecologist appointment.  Yes, it will be useful for people who get stuck underground for three hours, which has been happening with increased frequency, but can't I be spared from The Really Important people who must talk, right here, right now?

Second day in a row: the C train boarded all the passengers at Coolidge Corner before telling everyone it would be an express.  Nice job, guys.

Seriously? 9/23/11

It just keeps getting worse.  C Line trains, which used to come every five minutes, are now coming every ten to fifteen in the morning and filling up after a few stops.  The commute time into the city at 7:30 is now almost as bad as the commute out of the city during rush hour.  We went express from Coolidge Corner to St. Mary's and man, did I feel bad for all of those people who watched us go by.

I tried something new yesterday, which was getting on at Haymarket, virtually guaranteeing me a seat, which I gave up two stops later for an older gentleman.  But we were packed and guys, there's only so far we can push together.  There must be a physics term for closing in on all the space we have between each other.

Express train: Thanks for the warning

On my way in today, we stopped at Coolidge Corner.  The passengers got on, paid and then we sat for a while.  It was at this point that the driver announced that the train was going express to St. Mary's.  Hmphf.  Doesn't exactly do much for the passengers who paid, does it.  Granted, many are on passes and the train behind us might let them on for free, depending on how rushed it is.  And I certainly don't blame the driver for this one, since they get the message at the last minute.

But if I were a paying passenger, I'd be pretty pissed that I paid my fare and then had to get off if I wasn't going to/past St. Mary's.

9/19/11: The delays continue...

I don't know what is going on in the morning, as the delays continue.  What used to be empty trains now look like afternoon trains as we are getting packed in due to trains coming every 15 minutes.  Effective train utilization?  Excellent.  But I don't think that is what is happening here.  There have been no warnings or announcements.  Something is just going wrong with the T in the morning.

On the plus side, the nice weather has allowed me to start walking halfway home in the afternoon.  Always a plus, and I just hop on at Kenmore.

9/15/11: Morning Sickness

The delays on the Green Line in the morning continue, and they are becoming intolerable.  Yesterday, I talked about switching my afternoon ride from the C to the D train and my satisfaction with that.  It's not so easy in the morning.  Until the last few weeks, the C train has been pretty reliable in the morning, coming every five minutes or so.  Total travel time was still shorter.

This morning, we hit a record waiting period closing in on 15 minutes.  In the afternoon, I have a few minutes to spare.  In the morning, I need to get to work on time.  I felt truly bad for the people between Washington Square and Coolidge Corner, since the train went express.  They just stood there and watched the train go by.  The whole system has gotten very sad.

9/14/11: My new relationship with the D-Line

When I first moved out west, the C-Line was the closest train to where I lived.  I didn't realize how close the D-Line was.

Like a first relationship, I jumped on the first thing I saw.  I put up with all the foibles of the C-Line, figuring that's the way things were.  Even when things were bad, I kept at it, figuring that they would improve.  Or maybe it was a fear of moving on.

The D-Line is the next relationship and is a little more permanent.  It's the relationship you move onto after you realize that the first one went sour.  Nothing is ever perfect, but I've learned my lesson from the first one.  There are fewer stops between stops.  No trains that kick me off because they are running express to somewhere that I'm not going.  And I almost always get a seat.

Thanks for the learning experience, C-Line.  Someday, I'll have fond memories of you.