Why is MBTA train so slow?

A new independent report commissioned by the MBTA found that insufficiently trained track staff and a lack of clear roles around maintenance contributed to a massive backlog of repairs that culminated in the end-to-end speed restrictions that affected the entire subway system in March.



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The problems lie with unclear responsibilities for the MBTA's maintenance workers who were also inadequately trained to do the job properly, according to the reports from Carlson Transport Consulting and the T's own safety department.

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T spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said the new slow zones, 11 on the Medford branch and 3 on the Union Square branch, are necessary after inspections this month found the rails are too close together at many spots. Operating trains at full speed on tracks that are too narrow risks derailment, track experts said.

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One of the limiting factors in a train's speed is the track itself. If the train goes faster around a curve than the track is designed for, it's going to derail. Changing a vehicle's speed is pretty easy but relaying a lot of track is not so easy. See this wiki article on high speed rail.

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Property rights. One of the most expensive parts of building new rail lines these days is securing land along a relatively straight path (you can't run trains at high speeds along too sharp a curve). The U.S. has strong property rights which makes securing land exceedingly expensive.

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The fastest train at the moment is the Acela Express which is usually about a 210-minute ride, providing the fastest possible ground transport between Boston and New York to this day. The bullet train from Boston to NYC proposes speeds of 225 miles per hour that would slash that commute in half to about 90 minutes!

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With 11 weekday daily boardings by a 2018 count, Silver Hill was the lowest-ridership station in the MBTA Commuter Rail system.

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The MBTA is a public entity owned and operated by the state. to file a lawsuit against the MBTA, you must file a letter of presentment within 2 years of the accident and your injuries per Mass.

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Yes it's safe. There will be lots of people getting on the train at north station with you after the game. And south station has a large well lit interior waiting area. Just make sure to check the train schedule so that you get there in plenty of time for the last train of the night.

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The MBTA's finances have been in trouble for many years. In 2004 the MBTA Advisory Board budget report warned that the “threat to the operating budget and to the long-term fiscal solvency of the Authority is the tremendous debt load that the MBTA currently bears.

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A major loss of fare revenue has caused the MBTA to become over-reliant on federal funds. Ridership has not returned to pre-pandemic levels (see figure 2). In 2020, ridership ground to a near-complete halt.

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Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) As a division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the MBTA provides subway, bus, Commuter Rail, ferry, and paratransit service to eastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island.

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The Glacier Express is the world's slowest train, taking more than eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18mph. Along the way, it passes over nearly 300 bridges, travels through 91 tunnels and takes in endless stunning Alpine views.

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The Acela is the Fastest Train in the USA The fastest train in North America is the Acela which hits 150 mph in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Amtrak is upgrading track in New Jersey for 160 mph.

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CLIMATEWIRE | The first U.S.-made high-speed bullet trains will start running as early as 2024 between Boston, New York and Washington, with the promise of cutting transportation emissions by attracting new rail passengers who now drive or fly.

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