Daily Archives: June 28, 2011

Shhh…Commuter Rail ‘Quiet Cars’ Go System-Wide

Published June 28, 2011

(rachel_pics/Flickr)

(rachel_pics/Flickr)

If you’re looking for that little moment of peace and quiet in your hectic day, just head over to…the T?

The MBTA opened “quiet cars” on all 13 commuter rail lines this morning. During rush hours on the car closest to the locomotive, passengers will be asked to keep conversations to a minimum or at library volume, according to Richard Davey, MBTA general manager.

The MBTA unveiled the “quiet car” during a pilot program that ran from January to April of this year. Now, it is expanding the program due to popular demand.

“We did a poll of customers on both the Fitchburg and Franklin lines, which is where we did our pilot program earlier this year,” Davey said. “Eighty-five, almost 90 percent came back and said it was a great program and we should seek to roll it out system-wide.”

Like a library, you won’t be able to use your cellphone on the “quiet cars.” No word yet, though, on whether there will be designated shushers or that one guy who insists on eating crunchy potato chips.

If the idea of a quiet car on the T doesn’t freak you out enough, you’ll also have to watch out for mimes.

“MBCR, our commuter rail contractor, came up with that clever marketing idea and they’ll have a couple of mimes out tonight just to let folks know that this, in fact, is being launched throughout the system,” Davey said.

What do you think, is this a great idea? How is it going? Get on the “quiet car” and tweet us your thoughts @WBUR…if you dare.

Tuesday Morning: Maybe You Did See ‘Whitey’

Published June 28, 2011

Dismissed as fantasies or mirages, some of the hundreds of James “Whitey” Bulger sightings that have been reported in the Boston-area since he skipped town ahead of an indictment in 1995 may have actually been real. According to court documents, the reputed former mob boss told investigators that he had visited Boston several times while on the lam to “take care of some unfinished business.”

Bulger’s girlfriend, Catherine Greig, hired high-profile defense attorney Kevin Reddington yesterday to represent her in court. Meanwhile, prosecutors and Bulger’s defense team continue to wrangle over whether the public should foot the bill for Bulger’s representation. Should the judge order him to, it may be difficult for Bulger to find a private practice lawyer because the case will be so difficult.

A young boy, perhaps as young as four-years-old, was shot and seriously wounded at a park in Dorchester last night. Police are looking for teens on motorized scooters that might be responsible.

Lawyers for Salvatore DiMasi are attempting to protect DiMasi’s pension payments after the former House speaker was convicted on corruption charges earlier this month.

You think your commute is bad? There could be a “traffic meltdown” on a congested stretch of Route 128 in the next 10-20 years, according to a local planning agency. Yikes.

In other commuting news, the T rolled out “quiet cars” on all 13 commuter rail lines yesterday. Passengers riding in the the cars located nearest the locomotive will be required to refrain from conversations above a whisper during peak commuting hours in an effort to bring “civility and sereneness” to the daily commute, according to MBTA General Manager Richard Davey.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino said that a threatened strike by the city’s unionized part-time bus drivers would hurt disabled kids the most.

What we’re following: We’ll continue to report on a Beacon Hill summit devoted to driving down health care costs, the Holyoke fire chief who allegedly prank-called his own fire station and new methods of evaluating local teachers.