4 ms·

Hah, I was about to respond roughly the same thing: Taking the rail into Boston is so impractical that it's easier to drive. FWIW: The T/Commuter Rail (apologi

Hah, I was about to respond roughly the same thing: Taking the rail into Boston is so impractical that it's easier to drive. FWIW: The T/Commuter Rail (apologies for blending the two) has more than 90% of US rail accidents. I noticed a ton of maintenance problems the last time I rode it (in 2021) and I don't know if/when I'll try it again.

ghaff 3y ago
I know there have been efforts to improve things but service was also cut back during the pandemic. (There are some express trains again.) I'll still take it preferentially for 9-5ish situations like one I'll have next week but it's not actually any faster in general (though I can sort of relax for most of the trip) and is totally unusable for going in for an evening play. And that's almost certainly a pretty good commuter rail system by large urban US standards. (Not as good as NYC of course.) So, to my original point, saying "don't drive" is essentially equivalent to saying stay out of the city in general.
- bedobi 3y ago
  Car skeptics are not saying “don’t drive” They’re saying “allow viable alternatives to driving”
  - ghaff 3y ago
    You wrote "Private automobiles do not belong in cities." I'm not sure what's ambiguous about that. Certainly if you tell me I don't belong someplace, I would take that literally.
- gwbas1c 3y ago
  > pretty good commuter rail system by large urban US standards I used to take the Caltrain from Palo Alto to San Francisco. The line from Kingston to Boston doesn't even compare. Caltrain: Tinted windows, comfortable seats. I'm comfortable using a laptop to check email while I ride to work. MA Commuter Rail: No tint on the windows, seats so bad I'm uncomfortable using a laptop. I wouldn't call MA commuter rail "Good" by US standards. It's treating MA residents like a captive audience, and then the politicians and leaders scratch their heads and wonder why we'd rather clog the freeway with luxury cars instead of taking the train.

ghaff 3y ago

I know there have been efforts to improve things but service was also cut back during the pandemic. (There are some express trains again.) I'll still take it preferentially for 9-5ish situations like one I'll have next week but it's not actually any faster in general (though I can sort of relax for most of the trip) and is totally unusable for going in for an evening play. And that's almost certainly a pretty good commuter rail system by large urban US standards. (Not as good as NYC of course.) So, to my original point, saying "don't drive" is essentially equivalent to saying stay out of the city in general.

bedobi 3y ago
Car skeptics are not saying “don’t drive” They’re saying “allow viable alternatives to driving”
- ghaff 3y ago
  You wrote "Private automobiles do not belong in cities." I'm not sure what's ambiguous about that. Certainly if you tell me I don't belong someplace, I would take that literally.
gwbas1c 3y ago
> pretty good commuter rail system by large urban US standards I used to take the Caltrain from Palo Alto to San Francisco. The line from Kingston to Boston doesn't even compare. Caltrain: Tinted windows, comfortable seats. I'm comfortable using a laptop to check email while I ride to work. MA Commuter Rail: No tint on the windows, seats so bad I'm uncomfortable using a laptop. I wouldn't call MA commuter rail "Good" by US standards. It's treating MA residents like a captive audience, and then the politicians and leaders scratch their heads and wonder why we'd rather clog the freeway with luxury cars instead of taking the train.