Re: PC: Putnam Div. & NYW&B //MBTA Old Colony

[JinFLL@xxxxxxx]

Now being a native of Middleboro and longtime railfan, I have to say that I
think they did a great job on the Old Colony Restoration.  From Middleboro to
S. Station, the average running time is almost 10 minutes better than Old
Colony or New Haven ever ran it.  AS for the parking situation, I feel that
the lot size is a good way of controlling the numbers of people getting on
trains.  ... what I mean by that ??  I'm saying that if the train were allowed
to be full when it left Middleboro (its terminus) it WOULD be full quite
often.  Thats not very fair to ALL the other stations down the line.  Since it
IS single tracked, and that not going to change soon, it is the MBTA's way of
having some control over numbers.  Those trains are full now!   However, they
COULD double-it at some point.  Most of the line was double tracked at one
time and the right-of-way is pretty intact.  

The biggest problem for Commuter Rail south of Boston is the Fall River/New
Bedford routing problems.   Of the three options (via Middleboro, via Easton,
and via Attleboro) the Easton option was decided on.  However two towns along
the line, Raynahm and Easton, haw vowed to tie it up in court as Cohasset and
Hingham have done. 

 Its really too bad because the other two options don't work.  The Attleboro
Line is far too long with far too many grade crossings and the Middleboro
Line, which as I spoke of above, is quite filled to capacity.  But I wonder if
they will refer to it as Old Colony.  It was actually Dighton and Somerset
RR.  

Pne more thing...  the Double-Deckers ARE running on the Plymouth line.  ...
and they SAY soon to Middleboro. 

Michael (aka JinFLL -AT- aol.com)