More on bikes on trains

Alert Bottleneck reader Jim Martin left a comment earlier pointing to the fact that the Boston area has also been taking a proactive position on getting more bikes on its commuter trains.

He's right. And there's a photo at right showing what the cars look like. I just talked to Lydia Rivera, a spokeswoman with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and it's worth noting that they're still grappling with the bike issue, too.

As it turns out, the special bike cars are used only on the weekends and on two lines. The bike cars have proven particularly popular with passengers traveling from Boston to nearby beach towns. There are too many commuters during the week to accommodate the bike cars, she said.

I wrote about Caltrain (the Bay Area commuter rail service) dealing with its bike issues last week. They have special bike cars, but they're filling up and that has raised questions over whether the space should be used for passengers as ridership has increased.

I keep thinking there has to be a way for trains to offer space for both passengers and cyclists. It would probably be easier if investment in mass transit was not starved for years. If you've got a plan that works, the Bottleneck Blog has the space to run with it.

--Steve Hymon

Photo: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Comments

[bike commuter]

As people do in the NYC subway, have the bikes "standing up" with the front tire toward the ceiling--it takes up a lot less space and is just as easy to move around as having both wheels on the ground.

[Yu-Han]

Just get a folding bike and bring it onboard like a briefcase! Before I moved to LA, I saw several people using them on the commuter rail in Boston.

[Bart Reed]

Many Metrolink riders have cars parked at the Origin and Destination stations, as there may not be feeder bus service to or from the stations. The short answer to the bicycle dilemma is to have bikes in lockers at both stations. Not everyone can do that, but if some can, then it takes the capacity burden off of the rail line. Also, recently there was a photo feature on Dave, the Metrolink rider with the fold up bike. It is briefcase size when he folds it up and easy to take on the train.