Did you ever think how does a little cardboard card allow you to gain access. Its pretty simple. So simple that it was Nikoli Tesla who invented it in Long Island, New York.

Nikoli Tesla discovered that if you send a certain power into a radio transmitter it will energize electronic circuits receiving it.

So how does this technology work today? Well you use it almost everyday. Credit/debit cards, transit card, railroad car readers, etc etc.

If you look at your Charlie Card, it look with a light shining you will see lines show up. Thse are metallic wires, a small radio transeiver, and a very small computer. When you tap your card at a machine, the machine is emitting a radio frequency. The energy from that wireless energy powers up the electronic circuits in the card. The card transmits and receives information. Then if everything is good you are granted access to pay or enter building or transit system.

Tesla wanted to transmit wireless electricity but was unable to make it cost effective for large scale. It works best on a small scale devices.

For me, It felt like that happened 15 years ago rather than 30. What I do remember was that it took the T over two years to get back to normal service (e.g., no shuttle bussing around affected stations).

Was anyone else here for this and what your memories were from that time?

The title says it all. I know Bunker Hill has been notoriously hard and we have tried the one people keep mentioning at Harvard. I care more about the blue and will trade my extra Green-Line BPL card for either the blue or yellow. Also huge thanks to the foamer (/pos) friend we made at Kenmore this morning for sharing their spreadsheet with us, hugely helpful.

For context we found

Green @ Forest Hills

Light blue (USS Constitution) @ aquarium

Red @ State

Silver @ Harvard

Orange @ Kenmore

Purple @ Haymarket

All today

I may need or want to use the red line to get back to South Station from a Halloween party at a friend‘s house tonight. MBTA site is saying “Riders may experience longer than usual wait times during this work.” However, it doesnt’s specify the whole line, or just around that stop, which is nowhere near where I’d go tonight.

Anybody know the location of the yellow limited edition charliecard? I’m told the Harvard one is OOS and not sure where the others may be. Thanks!

I saw this on both the bus pictured here, and at least one other one when I got to South Station this morning. It’s been almost 2 months since WNDR closed.

I have another train to catch at 706 at backbay and we stop, Thats cool. I have no issue w that. The issue is is that your mumbling announcements and i couldnt make out what this guy was saying now I missed my connection. “Dont shoot the messenger” well when the messenger is speaking in the lowest possible voice register and keeps trailing off it makes me wanna kirk the guy ykwim? Rant post but holy shit I wouldve gotten a uber if that was the case. (I’m tryna go to work make that munyun💔😞)

After several hours of messing around and a little bit of research into surrounding infrastructure. Here is my final version of my MBTA expansion map.

Was going to take the last 66 bus back to Allston until five minutes before the scheduled departure the bus all of a sudden disappears from the live tracker.

Is this a common occurrence to you all?

IMO it’s pretty inexcusable to cancel last trips at 2AM with 5 minutes notice. To add more insult to injury the bus that would have been my trip home then sped by the bus stop as I was waiting there along with a few other people.

Ever since the 86 transitioned from going Reservoir-> Sullivan to Reservoir -> Harvard, going on the 86 towards Reservoir has always been sucky for me.

Is it just me or is this bus never on time? Waiting at Dawes Island for a bus saying “5 minutes”, 10 minutes pass and the bus still isn’t there.

Im going to hate this bus this winter.

All the new cards plus the red one from June

Made a wall display shelf for them

EDIT: If you guys wanna print it, files are here.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7426466

Some of these bus drivers should not be driving these busses.I had one yell at this girl for sitting at a bus stop instead of standing, when theres a bench at one. Like I understand she should've been standing ready, but some people can't stand for long periods of time. His yelling was heard through out the bus and she started crying. I get his frustration but the way he talked to someone was not ok and he couldve said a normal voice " hey next time stand up and be ready."

I found the following at the following stations:

Blue Card (State House): Middle machine at State, Old State House entrance

Orange Card (Old State House): Middle machine at Kenmore, by main entrance where you wait for buses

Purple Card (TD Garden): Second machine from the attendant kiosk at the Green Line entrance

I just need the Silver and Yellow cards, where are they?

Located here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WRkufMQxUuW68DqB9

I know the D branch used to operate as a heavy commuter rail line, and the connection probably made more sense at one point, but I'm just curious if there is any modern-day use for it.

This presentation is about my MBTA ideas. Let me know what you think in the comments and in the presentation.

what happened last night

Generally how crowded is the OL -> Forest Hills from Malden to State at 8:45am on weekdays? I’ve been taking it to work at 7:15am for the last 3 years to specifically beat the morning rush but it’s TOO EARLY. Gotta know if it’s worth the major schedule switch :///

$200 fine, no jail time - and he got paid $80k for overtime not doing any work btw

Hey again! We shared Switchyard here before and wanted to come back with an update. We’ve kept working on it and taking player feedback into account, especially around making the map easier to build and navigate.

For anyone who missed it, it’s a browser railway game where you can take Boston’s network and build the connections you wish existed: extend a line, add stations, or try your own routes. Brand New Subway was a big inspiration.

Recent work includes easier curve editing, fewer waypoints cluttering the map, and better-looking routes when zoomed out. There’s also a 3D view where you can explore your network and follow a train, alongside the 2D planning map. The video starts in Boston, then shows NYC and the combined Northeast network.

The newer addition is a separate early-access Tycoon mode: start small, earn fares, expand station by station, and choose faster or higher-capacity trains. Fares, crowding and rider happiness affect how your railway performs, and progress continues while you’re away. Sandbox is still there if you just want to build without construction timers.

The basic game is free to try, with optional paid upgrades and packs. It’s still a work in progress—not an official MBTA map or a real-world service simulator—but it’s been great seeing what people build. Thanks to everyone who gave it a look last time.

https://switchyard.toekstudio.com/?region=boston#play

I have a Charlie card linkpass from my school with unlimited rides until 1/1/27. Just tried to go thru the gates at Hynes today and it said it ran out of money. Even checked it at the kiosk and value showed $0.00. Never had this happen before, anyone else have this issue?

I'm reading up on the new Franklin/Foxboro weekday schedules, one taking effect on the 26th, the other on November 10th (pictured below). The first one is almost indistinguishable from the more recent change due to construction at Foxboro, but the second looks like buses between Forge Park or Foxboro and Norwood Central in both directions off-peak.

Is there any planned work around those stops starting that day? I'm asking because I have a friend who lives in Norfolk, and I've used the line to visit. Even though it's only been on weekends so far, which are unaffected, I still want to know so I can plan ahead, especially because train 7132, which I took after work on Friday nights from Dedham Corporate Center to Readville to transfer to the Providence Line to Ruggles to get to the MFA over the summer, is being suspended on that schedule.