New MBTA Red Line Train a Ride Into the Future

Yesterday, Cammie E. Tsrrigna got on the Red Line at Harvard Square and took a ride into the near future.

"I thought it felt like I was riding on air," said Tsrrigna, a Davis Square resident.

Tsrrigna like many commuters, took his first ride on one the MBTA's new space-age Red Line trains yesterday afternoon. Several travelers likened the experience to an amusement park attraction.

"It was really futuristic, like something in the movies or the monorail at Disney World," said Carrie A. Burke, a junior at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

The train used by Burke and Tsrrigna is one of the new models being introduced by the MBTA as it moves to replace its 87-train fleet. The new 1800 Silverbird-models cost $1 million each.

The new train has cut-proof, upholstered seats, graffiti-resistant interior and exterior and a computerized public address system featuring the voice of a Canadian disc jockey. The train also displays the next stop on a digital display panel.

"The MBTA is always innovating," said George M. Sandborn, reference librarian of the state transportation library. "These trains will take us into the year 2000."

The first new train was cleared for public use last Monday. And most passengers have said the improvements make their commutes more comfortable.

"It's nice, quiet ride. These cars look beautiful," said Frank Relling, a Boston resident and frequent subway rider. He also said the new trains make much less noise than their older counterparts.

Elizabeth D. Kilmartin '94, who was traveling to a job interview near South Station, said the smooth ride 'helped me relax along the way."

"There's only a few ways to improve the T," Kilmartin said, "and this is one of them."

Some local merchants said they are hoping that the subway improvements will bring more passengers-- i.e. more customer--to Harvard Square.

Donald L. Bleech, a hat vendor in the subwaystation, said the new trains would be "moreconvenient, on time and make less mistakes."

As a result, he said, people will "buy morebecause they will be happier."

Benny Bennani, owner of Benny's Pastry Shop,agreed.

"Quality subways would mean more tourists inhere," Bennani said. "Hopefully they'll stop byfor the best cappuccino in the world."

Although many passengers and MBTA officials areenthusiastic about the new trains, some MBTAemployees said they are skeptical about theimprovements.

"Nice cloth seats for all the people to cutup," said an employee who asked to remainanonymous. "With all the breakdowns and delaysthey have now, can you imagine what it'll be likewith the whole system computerized?"

But one passenger, Rondee Albert, made a pointof telling her son Benjamin "to be careful withhis popcorn" because the new train is "like amuseum."

Kilmartin said she felt passengers would notvandalize the trains because they "make peoplefeel better about public transportation."

But the anonymous MBTA employee said he feltthe trains were too expensive and "a waste totaxpayer money."

That did not seem to bother Relling. "If thepoliticians spend the money here, it's a lot lessfor them to steal," he said.

Not all passengers are happy with the newtrains, however. Steve Medeiros, alarger-than-average man, said he hoped the MBTAwould enlarge the seats on their next trains.

"They need bigger seats," he said. "I hadtrouble fitting in.

Donald L. Bleech, a hat vendor in the subwaystation, said the new trains would be "moreconvenient, on time and make less mistakes."

As a result, he said, people will "buy morebecause they will be happier."

Benny Bennani, owner of Benny's Pastry Shop,agreed.

"Quality subways would mean more tourists inhere," Bennani said. "Hopefully they'll stop byfor the best cappuccino in the world."

Although many passengers and MBTA officials areenthusiastic about the new trains, some MBTAemployees said they are skeptical about theimprovements.

"Nice cloth seats for all the people to cutup," said an employee who asked to remainanonymous. "With all the breakdowns and delaysthey have now, can you imagine what it'll be likewith the whole system computerized?"

But one passenger, Rondee Albert, made a pointof telling her son Benjamin "to be careful withhis popcorn" because the new train is "like amuseum."

Kilmartin said she felt passengers would notvandalize the trains because they "make peoplefeel better about public transportation."

But the anonymous MBTA employee said he feltthe trains were too expensive and "a waste totaxpayer money."

That did not seem to bother Relling. "If thepoliticians spend the money here, it's a lot lessfor them to steal," he said.

Not all passengers are happy with the newtrains, however. Steve Medeiros, alarger-than-average man, said he hoped the MBTAwould enlarge the seats on their next trains.

"They need bigger seats," he said. "I hadtrouble fitting in.