Talk:Silver Line (MBTA)/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: Retrolord (talk · contribs) 05:05, 25 July 2013 (UTC)

I will review. ★★King•Retrolord★★ 05:05, 25 July 2013 (UTC)

Significant amounts of the article's prose is without reference. To meet GA standards, references, and compliance with such policies as WP:OR and WP:VERIFIABILITY, these sections must be reference. Due to this, the article meets the quick fail criteria. Please renominate the article once you have dealt with the extensive referencing issues, thank you. ★★King•Retrolord★★ 03:14, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

The following is unreferenced:

"Two Silver Line services operate in a dedicated tunnel from South Station to Boston World Trade Center, and then in a reserved surface right-of-way for another two blocks farther east to Silver Line Way station, and then beyond there in mixed traffic: SL1 Logan Airport – South Station SL2 Design Center – South Station During rush hours, a few additional buses turn around at Silver Line Way and head back into the tunnel to augment the service between South Station and Silver Line Way. SL1 buses operate in a loop at Logan Airport and only serve the four terminal buildings, at the "arrivals" level. The Silver Line stops are at the curb on the "downstream" end of each terminal (in terms of traffic flow). Other free shuttle bus services connect the terminals and other airport destinations, including the Airport station on the Blue Line, hotels, rental cars, and the water taxi. A system of moving walkways connects Terminals A and E, the Hilton Hotel and the central parking area. See the Logan Airport article for lists of which airlines serve each terminal."

"Passengers traveling on SL1 and SL2 pay the standard MBTA subway fare: $2.00 when using a CharlieCard, $2.50 when using CharlieTickets or cash. Ticket vending machines that accept cash and credit cards are installed in the Logan Airport terminals and World Trade Center, Courthouse, and South Stations. A faregate-free and cost-free transfer to and from the Red Line is available at South Station for all SL1 and SL2 riders, but only CharlieCard users get free transfers to other bus lines and reduced fare on Express Bus. CharlieCard and CharlieTicket users, but not cash users also get a free transfer to SL4 service (at street level)."

"The Neoplan USA AN460LF dual-mode 60 foot articulated buses on these services are powered by overhead electrical wires from South Station to Silver Line Way, to avoid generating internal combustion fumes in the tunnel, and continue on thereafter on diesel power, which is converted to electrical power to run the same electric motors used when running on overhead power. These buses provide higher capacity than standard 40 foot buses; both the rear and center wheels are powered by electric motors, which permits these buses to continue operation even through snow. These buses are wheelchair ramp–equipped, using kneeling bus technology and a flip-out ramp. (See MBTA accessibility for more information.)"

"Two Silver Line services run between Dudley Square in Roxbury and downtown Boston along Washington Street in reserved bus lanes: SL4 Dudley Station-South Station SL5 Dudley Station-Downtown"

"Passengers can transfer to SL1 and SL2 buses at South Station; however, SL4 buses stop at a surface bus stop across the street from the station complex, whereas SL1 and SL2 buses stop at an underground stop within the station, so there is no direct transfer or capability for through service."

"During the day, compressed natural gas (CNG) powered 60-foot Neoplan USA and diesel-electric hybrid New Flyer articulated buses are used on the SL4 and SL5 services for greater capacity than that provided by standard buses. At night, when the passenger load is less and the greater engine noise of the articulated buses is deemed more objectionable, standard (40-foot, non-articulated) CNG powered buses are used. During snowstorms, standard buses and sometimes a few articulated dual-mode buses from lines SL1 and SL2 (see above) are also used, because the articulated buses normally used on lines SL4 and SL5 have drivetrains only from the engine to the rear wheels, and therefore do not work well on slippery roads (this is especially true for the Neoplan USA articulated buses, which are pulled from service even in case of light snow). The reverse substition is not allowed: for safety reasons, CNG vehicles are not allowed into the SL1/SL2 tunnel. As with SL1 and SL2, these buses are wheelchair ramp-equipped, using kneeling bus technology and a flip-out ramp. (See MBTA accessibility for more information.)"

" Station Routes Transit Time[9] Opened Transfers and notes Dudley Square SL4 and SL5 0 minutes July 20, 2002 1, 8, 14, 15, 19, 23, 25, 28, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 66, 170, and 171 bus lines Melnea Cass Boulevard SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 Lenox Street SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 Massachusetts Avenue SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 1 and CT1 (Not the same as Massachusetts Avenue station on Orange Line, 1/2 mile northwest) Worcester Square SL4 and SL5 Late 2002 Newton Street SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 Union Park Street SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 East Berkeley Street SL4 and SL5 10 to 12 minutes July 20, 2002 Herald Street SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 Tufts Medical Center SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 11, 43 and Orange Line Chinatown SL4 and SL5 July 20, 2002 11 and Orange Line (inbound buses only) Boylston SL5 July 20, 2002 43, 55 and Green Line (outbound buses only) Downtown Crossing SL5 16 to 21 minutes July 20, 2002 Orange Line and Red Line at Downtown Crossing; Green Line at Park Street South Station SL4 13 to 22 minutes Oct. 13, 2009 Silver Line SL1 (Logan Airport), SL2, Red Line, MBTA commuter rail, Amtrak, local and intercity buses"

"Proposals to build a new subway line under Washington Street or a new trolley line along Washington Street were deemed impractical, so the Orange Line was re-routed about 1/2 mile west onto the Southwest Corridor right-of-way, leaving many local residents without a rapid-transit option. BRT was chosen to provide this service, and the MBTA feels it meets the needs of the communities affected by the Orange Line relocation.[citation needed] The line started running July 20, 2002, replacing service provided by the 49 bus (which had existed as a feeder route before 1987).

A Silver Line trolley bus at Courthouse station. This 40' model was used in the early days of the service, but has since been transferred to Cambridge operations. The tunneled section extending east of South Station, known as Silver Line Phase II, was constructed in conjunction with Boston's Big Dig and was originally referred to as the South Boston Piers Transitway. Tunnel sections were fabricated in a nearby, World War II–era dry dock and floated into place. Phase II opened on Friday, December 17, 2004, with the first route (Silver Line Waterfront) running only to Silver Line Way, temporarily using new electric trolley buses borrowed from the trackless trolley routes that have their hub in Cambridge, as not enough dual-mode buses were available initially"

"For nearly five years after the opening of Silver Line Phase II, the two segments of the Silver Line were disconnected from one another. The MBTA wanted to connect the two via an underground tunnel, however the construction of this section, dubbed Silver Line Phase III, is no longer included in the region's long term plan due to funding concerns (see below for more details). A partial solution that did not require a new tunnel opened on October 13, 2009, after fast-track construction using federal stimulus money. The new route, SL4, covers much of the same ground as the proposed Phase III in a dedicated bus lane on the surface that terminates across Atlantic Avenue from South Station, allowing a somewhat circuitous pedestrian transfer between Phase I and Phase II. When SL4 began operation, the existing Silver Line Washington Street service was rebranded SL5."

"The Silver Line services are among the most high utilized and least costly bus routes in the MBTA system. Three of the services—SL1, SL5 and the South Station to Silver Line Way shuttle—are the only bus routes that show a net profit. The median net cost among the 173 MBTA bus routes in 2012 was $2.13 per passenger."

"Response to the plan was mixed. Some residents were in favor of the tunnel since it would allow a faster one-seat ride from the South End and Roxbury to downtown and the Waterfront, with a direct fare-controlled connection to three of the subway lines. Others objected to the placement of a portal on busy streets, while others were opposed to the plan as it would cement use of the bus-based Silver Line to replace the Washington Street Elevated instead of the subway line that was originally promised."

"As of 2013, unresolved funding difficulties in the overall Massachusetts transportation budget impede any major capital improvements to existing Silver Line facilities. The Silver Line's SL1 route from the World Trade Center stop to the Ted Williams Tunnel is considered by critics to be unnecessarily convoluted. Despite the fact that the Silver Line's portal is less than 100 yards (91 m) from the eventual entry ramp to the Williams Tunnel, the line must cross D Street at grade and proceed to the Silver Line Way stop to change over from overhead electric to diesel. This requires a loop back towards downtown on several surface streets before it can enter the tunnel, adding several minutes to the ride. The inbound route makes a stop above ground at the entrance to the World Trade Center stop, then proceeds eastwards to Silver Line Way, and then goes underground for a second stop at the World Trade Center. For some time after the Big Dig ceiling collapse in 2006, the SL1 temporarily used a closer entrance ramp normally reserved for the Massachusetts State Police. However, use of this shortcut was stopped after the affected sections of roadway were reopened for Silver Line use. "