Yesterday there was a snow storm. Many people stayed home. Of course, I being the devoted worker walked through the snow to the train and rode into Porter Square. The train was on time! Not a typical thing, but a delightful change from normal.
Today, the weather dawned simply cool and cloudy. I got down to the train and boarded it about 5 minutes before scheduled departure. After 20 minutes I noticed the electronic message board changed from "All trains operating on or near schedule" to "The 410 has been cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience." Then the crew announced the train was going nowhere and another train was ready to board behind the stricken train.
So I head over to the replacement train. I get in to the first car. No heat. I go to the next car, heat. Good. Make myself comfy. Get out my book. The train gets going and things seem somewhat normal until we get to South Acton. There, the crew says everyone hoping to get off before Porter Square must get off here because the train will be going non-stop to Porter Square. A bunch of people get off and stand there on the platform. The train leaves. The train then stops at Lincoln, Brandeis, and Waverly (perhaps other stations too, I was very much into the book) before stopping at Porter.
OK, forgive my curiosity, but what happened to those people left at South Acton? One guy who always gets off at Lincoln was left there. He could have stayed on and gone one more stop. Why did they do this? Deliberate prevarication seems unlikely. But something went terribly wrong this morning amongst the decision makers for the commuter rail.
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