I partly agree with Kathleen Waterhouse’s commentary on MBTA E line service (“Out in the cold,” Feb. 12). The E line has for many years been slow and inefficient. One can look back to the 1979 Cauldron Yearbook to read an article complaining about the E Line and calling it the “most dilapidated branch in the entire Green Line.” To add to that the MBTA has consistently failed to inform passengers of breakdowns and delays, especially on the surface transit system. Some of her points and proposals do need clarification however.
The first point that caught my eye was adding more trains. The MBTA has already attempted this by introducing Breda “Type 8” trolleys a year or two ago to spruce up the number of green line cars available for service. However, they were entirely pulled out of service earlier last year because they derailed too many times and are now back in the research and experiment stage. Also an alert system has already been installed on the Red, Orange, and Blue Lines in which an announcer tells the passengers the station location of each oncoming train. Yet it is going to be hard to track down Green Line trolleys because of their large number and also because delays on the surface portion of the Green Line may be caused by external circumstances. The MBTA would have to obtain information for those and that takes time. Waterhouse’s overpass/tunnel between the dorms and main campus proposal sounds good too, but Northeastern should be responsible for that, not the MBTA.
Given the down economy and the MBTA’s own current financial problems, it is unlikely that we will see immediate improvements on the E Line anytime soon. Still, I do not entirely blame the MBTA for the poor service. Rather I blame the huge number of cars that run on Huntington Avenue instead. The E Line practically shares the road with automobiles and whatever traffic jam or car blocking the trolley from moving will put service to a halt. Instead of only criticizing the MBTA, we need to do some public outreach and urge for the reduction and limitation of cars on Huntington Avenue. This should free up the service on the E Line (as well as the B and C Lines) and students will not worry about getting run over when crossing between the Krentzman Quad and the dormitories as much.
Once the economy improves and the MBTA has money, perhaps it should do one other thing besides adding more trolleys: tear up Huntington Avenue and add an additional set of tracks. This will provide two tracks for local service and two for express service (just like New York City’s subway). That will definitely discourage automobile drivers from driving down Huntington Avenue.
– Jong Tommee is a senior
political science major.
