Why does the T (green line) have to standby at Kenmore Station going inbound into Boston?

Question

Specifically: B, C, D lines

Specifically the B, C, D lines. Sometimes they stop at Kenmore station for up to 2 or 3 minutes before moving.

If what Mike R said is true, then why does one train have to standby to allow another train BEHIND it to go first?

Answer 1

Well it's been a few years since I lived on the B line, but I'm pretty sure I know what you are asking, and I'm assuming they still are doing what they used to do.

Since several lines converage at Kenmore the magnificent and ever so well organized T (excuse me whilst I yank my tongue out of my cheek lol) they often will "organize" (same comment) the flow of the trains by making one available as they deem needed. For example, I recall times of FINALLY being on a train heading in town when it would stop at Kenmore, they would toss everyone off and tell us there is another train right there or right along (often not true). They then would turn that train around, most often making it an outbound B line train.

The theory being that they needed more trains and since there were so many converging at Kenmore and heading in town, they could stuff us in other trains and make more available the other directions.

The one other thing I remember is that sometimes we would have to wait for a train that was coming in on the other track (ie I would be on a B train, and it would stop and wait for a C or D train,). There are 2 inbound tracks at Kenmore that merge on to one as they head in town. Allegedly it is all programmed for safety and to make sure the trains don't collide making that merge. I never could understand why we had to wait since often the train hadn't even stopped at the station yet, and there would have been plenty of time to safely proceed, but we would always have to sit until that train moved along and enough time passed to safely continue per T standards lol. I'm thinking this may be what you were asking since that happened a lot.

Hope one of these answered your question correctly. And thanks for remind me of how grateful I am to be off the T lolol. I had forgotten about these fun things.

Answer 2

Standby? I'm not quite sure what you're asking.

To go inbound into Boston from Kenmore, you just hop on the first train that come by. B, C, and D all head inbound to at least Park Street, if not Gov't Center or beyond.


Edit:
Ok, thanks for the additional details.

You initially threw me off when you said they'd have to wait at the station, etc. Anyways, as others have said, because the multiple lines are converging, they have to have a certain amt of space (not a few minutes, more like x yards). They also sometimes sequence the trains so that they'll be able to turn the trains around at park st, Govt Center etc in a particular order to go back outbound.

You'll also sometimes "standby" while on route because of a faulty detector where trains suddenly have to wait for ghost trains becauce it thinks there are trains just in front of it.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Since Kenmore is where ALL the green lines meet they have more trains there, which causes back ups. Especially now, because they will issue more trains with the traffic for Red Sox games as well!

Answer 4

Track The T Green Line

Answer 5

All 3 lines are converging into one line at Kenmore - therefore there can be periods where mini-traffic jams occur. It's less of a hassle during off peak times, but that's basically why that happens.

Answer 6

Kenmore. The Fenway stop is a waste of time -- further away. finding Fenway from the Kenmore stop is easy. carry on with the followers, and extremely quickly you will see the mild stanchions.

Answer 7

Because the trains have to have some space between them, so when a train is standing by, it is because they have to wait for the train before it to move ahead for a couple minutes.