MBTA Orange Line Train Shuttle - Kudos.

MBTA deserves a compliment. With Orange line delays lately, and the uproar about weather and maintenance, it was a pleasant surprise to have the MBTA doing a very sane thing using train shuttles between Wellington and Oak Grove. The one track shuttle is a great idea...

- Only one track has to be kept running.
- Switches need less operation.
- Signals can be minimized (one train just goes back and forth).

There were minor delays. There was some confusion. Though the confusion seemed unwarranted and somewhat frivolous from the ridership. Riders standing in the door at Malden asking "does this train go to Boston?" seemed almost comical. The anonymous answers "Eventually." and "Just get on, its frigid out there!" seemed very appropriate. The only real confusion was at Wellington with announcements saying to get on for Oak Grove on the "South" side (aka Inbound or Boston-bound track, or the Westside track, or the track farthest from the busways, or the track nearest the MBTA Orange Line repair shops).

The delay from train change at Wellington seemed to be mostly due to holding for the outbound shuttle to fill. Always a somewhat dubious decision (rather then setting a schedule), but is nonetheless understandable.