How to solve Cape Cod's MAJOR traffic issue

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  • Опубліковано 19 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 97

  • @johnpallatto1896
    @johnpallatto1896 Рік тому +12

    I am a New England native and have visited Cape Cod many times over the years. I have experienced the traffic problems that are a regular feature of weekend and holiday travel to the Cape. It's getting progressively worse and becoming a weeklong issue. I think Cape Cod's rail lines should be preserved and expanded much like the MBTA system has restored abandoned lines along the bay coast and southern Massachusetts. But I have to wonder how many people who are addicted to using their cars to get to the cape will use the rails to get to their favorite cape destinations. I am not in favor of abandoning yet more cape rail lines and turning them into bike and walking trails.

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +3

      Thanks for watching! I think as long as the rail system is built correctly it would work. The rail would not be able to get rid of the car addicted folks but would certainly help the people who want alternatives.

    • @wyattleo2335
      @wyattleo2335 Рік тому +1

      I’m basically a Canadian I’m a big fanatic of trains, and what I’m thinking, is restoring abandon railroads

    • @ruffian2952
      @ruffian2952 10 місяців тому

      John, do not lose sight of the fact that the return of commuter rail is only because of Big Dig Remediation. Some people believe that Massachusetts brought this return out of the goodness of its heart. Nothing is further from the truth.

  • @albertvieira6635
    @albertvieira6635 9 місяців тому +2

    I totally agree with you expanding commuter rail two Woods Hole and and to Hyannis I would take a lot of cars off the road I'm all in favor of it and I will call the representative for my area as early as tomorrow I will voice my opinion to expand commuter rail two Woods Hole and the Hyannis thank you

  • @chuckgilly
    @chuckgilly Рік тому +12

    This video is worthy of must 'must-view' for politics concerned with considering the transportation problems of Cape Cod. I love this channel.

  • @rdg2124
    @rdg2124 Рік тому +7

    Great overview of the issues and obstacles. With over a $1 billion spent on South Coast Rail, one would think they could find some money for these upgrades?

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +1

      Thanks for watching! It’s crazy to think this no brainer hasn’t happened yet.

  • @oneparticularharbor144
    @oneparticularharbor144 Рік тому +6

    I was just down the Cape yesterday and yep- construction on the Bourne bridge had traffic backed up a couple miles both directions and there was a helluva lot of trucks in that backup . I was over in Cataumet and saw a lot of those signs backing the BRT- not seeing a lot of support the Falmouth line yet, probably because those folks aren’t immediately impacted by closing that line, and same arguments that led to the track removal down to town are being made. Hopefully cooler heads prevail and not only is the line saved but rail service expanded throughout. Reducing truck traffic not only reduces traffic significantly but reduces emissions dramatically. It’s hard to believe there is pushback on improving rail infrastructure and expanding services to include more extensive year round passenger service. The Southcoast project is a good example of how rail service can be re established without inconvenience to a lot of folks

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +2

      Thanks for watching!

    • @chuckgilly
      @chuckgilly Рік тому +3

      This project for rail upgrades is a no-brainer. The "Rails To Trails" group has a weak case vs. eminent domain.

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 Рік тому +2

      There shouldn’t be any rails taken up anywhere anymore. This 2023, not 1963. It’s an outdated argument.

  • @malcolmking752
    @malcolmking752 Рік тому +10

    great video, very comprehensive and well made overview of the issues

  • @sardu55
    @sardu55 11 місяців тому +1

    Great reporting. Would have loved it if you'd used some graphics, like maps and such, to give an idea of where and what the goals are. Maybe some sort of cost estimates. Thanks for the work on this important topic.

  • @jerrys9226
    @jerrys9226 Рік тому +9

    It’s baffling to me with resurgence of rail infrastructure in all of southeastern Massachusetts why the Cape is left out. It’s good that we have a pro-rail politician from Falmouth, Dylan Fernandes, who will put the powers that be to task to find out why. It’s my opinion that if that Cape Flyer was going to Falmouth ( much shorter run) than Hyannis to connect with the Steamship Authority, it would be enormously successful. Even if it connected to the Palmer ave lot just north of the current station. This was a well done video presentation! Just curious, are the Bourne bikeways people still at it?Seems to have quieted down.

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +3

      Thanks for watching! I totally agree a flyer to Falmouth would help if the tracks stayed. I haven’t heard much from the bike people but I’d say they’re still at it.

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 Рік тому +1

      @@SouthCoastRailVideos that’s what I figured. They’re not going to quit until they get a state official telling them “No”. Their signs have all mysteriously vanished in Falmouth except a few of the altered ones. 😂

    • @albertpisani3792
      @albertpisani3792 11 місяців тому +1

      ​@@SouthCoastRailVideosI have a feeling that the bike path people are going to attempt to browbeat Rep Fernandez into acquiescing to their wishes. Hopefully he will stand up to them.

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 10 місяців тому +1

      @@albertpisani3792 it was in last weeks Enterprise that he acquiesced and backed off his plan for commuter rail into Falmouth. So bike radicals got to him. I couldn’t even read the entire article it made me sick. The anti-rail Enterprise also said not to believe the numbers of trucks that would be taken off the road and that it was all a “ red herring “.

    • @albertpisani3792
      @albertpisani3792 10 місяців тому +1

      @@jerrys9226 that is so effed up! What I like to know is who is getting to these people. What are they afraid of? This will set a dangerous precedent. Similar to the Adirondack Scenic Railroad where the portion from Tupper Lake to Lake placid was seized for a bike path. There was a prominent shyster lawyer there who had major clout in Albany for that project. I wonder if the bikesters are hiring him or someone affiliated with him.

  • @louislamonte334
    @louislamonte334 Рік тому +6

    Excellent video! Very well thought-out, complete and comprehensive! Let's hope the powers-at-be will pay attention! Railroads could take huge amounts of truck traffic off the road. It's tragic that the railroads gave up on the LCL!

  • @CapeCodBoy79
    @CapeCodBoy79 Рік тому +11

    In the early 70's, lumber was regularly delivered to South Dennis by rail. Those tracks were turned into bike paths and the Bass River rail bridge replaced for bikes. I don't think rail can solve the bridge issues, but more rail will certainly help!

    • @wavesnbikes
      @wavesnbikes Рік тому +7

      Bring back lumber shipments by rail! Too many polluting and traffic generating trucks clogging our roads!

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +5

      Thanks for watching! Lumber should definitely be put back on the train where possible. Even if rail isn’t a one size fits all solution, it would certainly help.

  • @michaelmcginn1706
    @michaelmcginn1706 Рік тому +3

    Please bring back more rail traffic to the cape.This video was very helpful and interesting.🚆🚆🚆

  • @jeffreyalley5972
    @jeffreyalley5972 Рік тому +1

    It's so amazing that people worry so much about the t..if people went back in time one of our governor had a idea and vision and got shot down..it was a monorail down the median of the high way which wouldn't effect the cargo train lines..

  • @gdrriley420
    @gdrriley420 Рік тому +3

    Go right to 8+ RT a day. Have trains leave every 2 hours from 6am-8pm.
    Jointed rail at 60mph is fine. the bigger thing is no signaling system means a max of 60mph and likely a cap of 6RT a day without PTC.

  • @MarcelosalivaTRENESArg
    @MarcelosalivaTRENESArg Рік тому +1

    Nice video Excellent my friend Like 👍🏻 And Greeting 🙋🏻

  • @LunarEquity93
    @LunarEquity93 Рік тому +3

    Great video I have a question for you do you live nearby the Blue comet line there's also a abandoned railroad that slowly being restored going through Lakehurst New Jersey and more but it would definitely be awesome to see a lot more trains on the tracks

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +3

      New Jersey is several states away so I don’t live nearby. It would be neat to see though and I have been following that project for a while on Facebook.

    • @LunarEquity93
      @LunarEquity93 Рік тому +3

      @@SouthCoastRailVideos Okay I wasn't sure that's why I asked you that's pretty awesome you've been following up on it

  • @gregoryallen3974
    @gregoryallen3974 Рік тому +2

    Well done!

  • @firetruckstrainsicecreamtr4971
    @firetruckstrainsicecreamtr4971 3 місяці тому

    2:48 that’s Bourne fire department engine 121 and 123 do you still have the videos of those 2

  • @chrisbrown6945
    @chrisbrown6945 Рік тому +1

    I got the perfect solution. We own a Cottage in Eastham on Nauset Light. I leave my place at 1-2am and come home same time. ZOOOOM 65-70mph entire way. Problem solved!!!

  • @DrRichard33
    @DrRichard33 11 місяців тому +1

    Transportation in large cities always involves politicians, and they decide who gets the funding (money).

  • @buddycheck84
    @buddycheck84 Рік тому +1

    If considerable amounts of people decide to take the rail, it seems there would also need to be a proportional increase of car rental locations. Another consideration, having grown up as one of the countless families to invade the Cape, people should consider traveling outside the obvious logjam hours. Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

  • @SBrown-ov9lz
    @SBrown-ov9lz Рік тому +1

    A stress free vacation destination???
    I was born there and lived there until 2006. In 1964, as a child, I remember my friends and I screamed "tourist go home" while walking to Menhaunt Beach in East Falmouth! Too too many people decended onto Cape Cod from cities including New York, Connecticut, Boston and bringing with them their rude and selfish behaviors. The Cape and Islands in the 1960's were innocent calm and quiet back then. I visited the Cape recently and got in a traffic jam from Sandwich route 6a all the way to Orleans, bumper-to-bumper! I wanted to go to P town but frustrating, I jumped off to get on 6 mid cape to get back home in Connecticut.... disappointed! After finding my way at Orleans rotary and on to 6 north, the on ramp was bumper to bumper! I think it was 2 hours to the Sagamore Bridge, a Bourne Bridge exit wasn't looking any better. What stands out worst was the box van traveling off the cape probably back to Gloucester, or maybe New Bedford empty of their delivery of seafood, fish. It was dripping a lot of rotten seafood ice water that stunk and I had to wash my windshield constantly until we got to Sagamore, I escaped that hell and took the bridge I wouldn't be behind! That was the last time I visited my birth home! I'm 68 years old, I have not since ever want to go back there😢

  • @yoursweetheart85
    @yoursweetheart85 Рік тому +1

    Stupid question is that the same Masscostal train that goes through Taunton?

  • @SteveReyna-yi2fg
    @SteveReyna-yi2fg 11 місяців тому

    More Information on Railroads in State Maine and the progress in including Cape Cod, Maine.

  • @mrfingerlakes8735
    @mrfingerlakes8735 Рік тому +1

    Interesting

  • @scr2392
    @scr2392 11 місяців тому

    How old is the old jointed rail

  • @90mustanggt
    @90mustanggt Рік тому

    Ayeee that's my green flatbed @1:41

  • @martindenbleyker7352
    @martindenbleyker7352 4 місяці тому

    Interesting coincidence - I wrote a book “A Rail Of Two Cities” (Amazon) that covers this, published about the same time as this video.

  • @rardiehl2302
    @rardiehl2302 2 місяці тому

    Full time Rail Road daily and 365 year round.

  • @KG-xt4oq
    @KG-xt4oq Рік тому

    Is doing this construction work at night (8p-6a) not an option?

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +3

      It is 24hr work

    • @KG-xt4oq
      @KG-xt4oq Рік тому

      @@SouthCoastRailVideos Ah, ok...thanks for the reply...love your vids. I was stationed at Hanscom AFB 2003-2007; made a couple trips out on the Cape while I was there.

    • @ssrailvideos
      @ssrailvideos Рік тому +2

      It's bridge deck under the pavement, the construction work done in the daylight but the closer is 24hr because the deck concrete/rebar/pavement is ripped up

    • @KG-xt4oq
      @KG-xt4oq Рік тому

      @@ssrailvideos What?

  • @bradhamrick1267
    @bradhamrick1267 11 місяців тому

    Very Good Thing You Little Train😊❤😊❤😊❤😊😊😊😊❤❤

  • @bryanlosen3262
    @bryanlosen3262 Рік тому

    Also known for a large homosexual presence. Not that there's anything wrong with that. (Seinfeld)

  • @wavesnbikes
    @wavesnbikes Рік тому

    The Coast Guard should pay for a replacement 24/7/365 Bridge over the canal.
    The railroad was there before the canal, the USCG crippled the line to a bottleneck. I dont know how Old Colony Lines/New Haven tolerated this mediocre band aid solution.

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 Рік тому +3

      That’s why scheduled passenger trains have the right of way over shipping traffic because the railroad predated the canal.

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +4

      Thanks for watching! Hopefully this obstacle can be worked out.

    • @wavesnbikes
      @wavesnbikes Рік тому

      @@jerrys9226 but they gave chicken feed.. including the military base a lift Bridge? C'mon...

    • @ruffian2952
      @ruffian2952 10 місяців тому +1

      The Coast Guard had nothing at all to do with the construction of the Canal. It belongs to the Army Corps of Engineers. A small story, after the Neponset Draw burned, the Corps of Engineers wanted to give the New Haven a new bridge for free as a training exercise. The New Haven declined. Rumor had it the Draw was burned because the legislature had the MBTA in progress and commuter service was a shoo-in.

    • @ruffian2952
      @ruffian2952 10 місяців тому

      ​@@jerrys9226That's odd. I was in passenger service over the Shoreline and regularly got stopped for drawbridge openings in Connecticut and over the New York Connecting Railroad.

  • @Jan-hx9rw
    @Jan-hx9rw Рік тому

    Quickest solution is to build a new commercial truck only bridge, then replace each of the other two bridges. Much as I like rail, everything would need to be off-loaded onto trucks and transhipped. Knock down Otis, turn it into a container station, and give any truck company that designates tractors as cape-bound only a break on taxes in this misbegotten, business-hating state. At that point, rail freight has a real chance.

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +1

      Ah yes I should’ve thought of that

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 Рік тому +3

      Why not just fill in the canal and people could have a free for all to drive wherever they want and have some LA style 6 lane freeways on the Cape? That should do the trick?

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +3

      If they filled the canal with all our trash then built roads over it that would solve two issues!

    • @sardu55
      @sardu55 11 місяців тому +1

      The people need to keep business greed in check. Mass at least is keeping them on their toes enough to keep the citizens in business. Business will always find a way to survive, usually at our expense, but us regular folks cannot and need to work together to advance our own best interests. Rail is certainly in the our best interests. The people can run the trains if they need to.

  • @BG-sl9lv
    @BG-sl9lv Рік тому

    I love trains but I have serious misgivings of the practicality of commuter rail causing frequent closing of the canal to boat traffic. An hourly train- or even once every 2 - seems out of the question. The rips in the canal are treacherous and makes idling of boats while waiting for the bridge to cycle a dangerous proposition since boats can only maintain navigation while underway. And since under maritime law boats have the right of way I don't see this as a solution.

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +2

      Trains crossed this bridge very frequently in the 50’s (and again in the 80’s) so it isn’t impossible. The rail doesn’t have to be that frequent either although it would be nice. There’s ways to make it work like scheduling windows for the boats or train. It isn’t necessarily easy but it can work if planned correctly. Last year one Friday was extremely busy so the bridge was put up and down like 9 times more or less.

    • @BG-sl9lv
      @BG-sl9lv Рік тому +1

      @@SouthCoastRailVideos It would be interesting to find old timetables. I think I remember hearing there was only 2 trips to Cape Cod daily one day and one night requiring 4 lowerings of the bridge. The next question would be what do train travelers do once they arrive ?. Cape tourism is pretty much car-centric.

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +2

      The passenger service was MUCH more active than that as recent as Summer 1988. There were three CCH round trips just to Falmouth daily, and more to Hyannis. On top of that freight as well as Amtrak’s Cape Codder came through so it was very busy. As for last mile travel the video goes onto explaining busing from the stations and transportation hubs. Just because it is car centric now doesn’t mean it has to be in the future. Things change and if these problems are going to be fixed then there will have to be change.

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 Рік тому +3

      The rule is passenger trains have the right of way over maritime traffic as long as it’s a scheduled train and it’s on time. That’s because the railroad was there before the canal. Freight traffic does not.

    • @BG-sl9lv
      @BG-sl9lv Рік тому

      @@SouthCoastRailVideos The thing is, the Cape travel and tourism (which is the major industry and economic engine) has been built around a car centric society and has been since the 1930s. The vast majority of accommodations are motels with most being located on major roads and miracle miles, as are most restaurants and shops. Maybe I'm unimaginative but I can't fathom the average family packing the kids (or themselves) on the train and then on a bus while schlepping luggage to the motel and then back on a bus to go eat and then back on a bus back to sleep then back on a bus for breakfast and then back on a bus to here or there from one quaint town to the next - everyday of their vacation. Can you? Thus I do not see trains solving the horrible traffic issues on cape.

  • @bobcosgrove3235
    @bobcosgrove3235 Рік тому

    Unless you run trains with car carriers commuter rail will not work. There is not a sufficient public transportation system for the tourists on the cape.

    • @wilfred8326
      @wilfred8326 Рік тому +1

      😂
      He is not speaking about options to commute TO Cape Cod for work, but OFF.
      He is speaking of increased Connections via more Trains + Stations (the stations will meet 🚌).
      The same for summer service.

    • @louislamonte334
      @louislamonte334 Рік тому +3

      Not true! Many, many commuter trains run without car carriers! In fact other than the Florida Auto-Train and some passenger trains in Europe I can't think of a single rail commuter service that has the need to haul commuter's cars as well. To me, that defeats the purpose of passenger rail in the first place. The idea is to get cars, and trucks OFF the roads!!

    • @SouthCoastRailVideos
      @SouthCoastRailVideos  Рік тому +3

      As the other replies said, the idea is to use cars less and have other connecting services meet the train. It is entirely possible to do this set up although it doesn’t 100% solve the issue. It would at least alleviate some traffic for commuters going off Cape.

    • @burlingtonfan7492
      @burlingtonfan7492 Рік тому +1

      if it’s a car carrier service, than it’s not a commuter service… commuter trains stop at most, or all, stations, the car carriers don’t

    • @jerrys9226
      @jerrys9226 Рік тому +4

      Why does commuter rail work everywhere else? And as far as connecting public transportation, what about the CCRT, Cape Cod regional transportation authority? They have buses all over the Cape.