Trolley problems got you down?

July 6, 2022 7:48 AM

Take a high-energy ride along the MBTA Green Line's new Union Square service, through the central subway and out the "E" Branch! How about a relaxing inbound trip through the woods along the "D" Branch? Or a magical journey through the snow on the "B" Branch or the Mattapan Trolley?

Youtube channel Kevin HLD posts high quality, forward facing videos of what it's like to ride in the front car on various transit systems. Each video is scored to music, features extensive annotations about local landmarks and history, and often includes recordings of the in-train announcements. Although Boston is very well represented (including a trip on the Silver Line bus and a walking tour of the spookiest MBTA station) the channel also features first person videos of transit systems around the world.

posted by RonButNotStupid (13 comments total)

high-energy

MBTA Green Line

extremely skeptical face

still miss it tho
posted by dismas at 7:50 AM on July 6, 2022 [10 favorites]

Oooohh-errr, I haven't ridden the T regularly in decades. I can't wait to take a peek at these.

Thanks, RonBNS!
posted by wenestvedt at 8:06 AM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

relaxing

Clearly not written by a regular MBTA rider...
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 8:14 AM on July 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Having sat in on a LOT of these meetings*, it is sweet, sweet victory to see that thing running. Big ups to a lot of advocacy groups, residents and city workers for get'n er done. Can't wait to see the other stops come on line soon.


*Granted, my time was but a blip on a trajectory that started in [checks notes] the late 60s?!
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:35 AM on July 6, 2022 [3 favorites]

Pfft, Back Bay isn't even close to the spookiest MBTA station. It's way too busy most of the time, for one thing. Now some of the ones way out at the ends of the lines, those aren't that busy during the day, and late at night, those can get spooky.
posted by mstokes650 at 9:55 AM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

Back Bay is the most Boston of all Boston train stations, because it has not one, but two Dunkin' Donuts.
posted by adamg at 10:45 AM on July 6, 2022 [9 favorites]

Wave hello to me as the train pulls into union square station, while I curse the MBTA for ruining my quality of life for the last 2ish years and onward into the future!
posted by youthenrage at 11:24 AM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

Awwww, I grew up about a block off the D-line - this is so fun to watch! Many memories of heading inbound to hang out in Harvard Square, Kenmore Square, Downtown Crossing.....
posted by tristeza at 3:08 PM on July 6, 2022

Lovely, and oddly soothing! Kind of dreamy. Probably not as fun at normal speed.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 3:22 PM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

To have a train system like this? What a nice place to live, Boston must be!
posted by Rash at 3:43 PM on July 6, 2022

::Looks longingly at the tantalizingly close to being finished Tufts GLX station::
posted by DiscourseMarker at 6:06 PM on July 6, 2022 [2 favorites]

Freshman year of college in Boston I tried rowing crew as a lark. The coach told everyone to run to the boathouse as a warm up. Oh, hell no: rowing is hard enough without being exhausted when you start. (The same coach had us run up every seat in Harvard's football stadium, and down every stair. It was small consolation when at least one teammate barfed over the railing onto the field.)

I tucked a couple of T tokens into my shoe and ran to Davis Square Station and rode two stops, then jogged the last couple of blocks. Same for the return trip. Jesus, rowing was hard: I quit before winter break.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:29 PM on July 6, 2022 [1 favorite]

Are any of the videos set to "M.T.A." by the Kingston Trio? :-)
posted by TimHare at 10:31 AM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]