/r/Boston I come to you with a strange request

Submitted by SirGeorgington t3_zx56we in boston

On Friday a friend and I will be attempting the T Challenge, which is going to all the stations (excluding the silver line because it's a fake line and doesn't count). As this is the first attempt since the GLX opened, it will (Arguably) be the new world record no matter what time we end up getting. The route starts at Wonderland at 5:45AM and ends at Braintree around 12:45PM. We're looking for someone who would be able to hold the master stopwatch and meet us at both ends. Please send me a PM if you can help or know someone who can, it would be greatly appreciated.

170

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Clamgravy t1_j1zfjci wrote

Do you need a cow costume?

203

Sayoria t1_j23dpr4 wrote

Cow costume is DLC only attainable at the Kenmore stop. It might take some time off of the clock but let's be honest. Is it really a victory if you aren't in a random guy's cow costume when the run ends?

2

BethNotElizabeth t1_j1z3w55 wrote

How interesting! Does “visit all stations” mean you have to actually step foot in the station, or can you remain on the train?

You guys should wear a go pro on your head and record your trips. The entertainment opportunities are truly endless if you’re going to be riding the T all day

151

willzyx01 t1_j1z54pc wrote

Will there be a marriage proposal at the end?

55

enyopax t1_j1zoloz wrote

Jed is that you?

47

coldsnap123 t1_j1yyzmj wrote

Just hold your own stopwatch.

36

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20fkag wrote

I'm not submitting it to Guinness WRs because fuck them, but I do want to comply with the standard rules to the best of my abilities, and this requires having an independent witness who is not doing the challenge hold a master stopwatch.

27

coldsnap123 t1_j20luqt wrote

Don’t drag someone else into this buffoonery. Use your own stopwatch.

−65

GalDebored t1_j22cbft wrote

If it's the right kind of buffoonery many people will enter into it willingly. And that's exactly as it should be!

7

Acceptable_Tourist_4 t1_j1z1afa wrote

I can’t help, sorry (5:45 lol), but this is intriguing! You really think you can do this in 7 hours? With the green lines? Are you going to post the route and/or your progress anywhere? I’d love to follow along, or at least see the results!

25

SirGeorgington OP t1_j1zxbn9 wrote

The times aren't accurate anymore, but I've talked about the route here. Because the Green Line branches (Mostly) parallel each other in a few places, you only need to double back on the D branch from Riverside, and a couple stops on the B, with this route.

11

wander_sleep_repeat t1_j20zd99 wrote

Idk if you're already set on your plan but you should totally just grab a bluebike from Medford/tufts greenline to Alewife in Arlington. You'd save a ton of time and there's bike docks at both stations.

6

Deeeeeeznutts t1_j21u19q wrote

If I’m reading this right, it seems like you miss kenmore sq. When do you plan on hitting that stop?

Edit: Nvm. B line Park to BC.

2

LoneSocialRetard t1_j20agqc wrote

I was thinking about doing that too, I'm impressed that you managed to route it 7 hours exactly, the lowest I could get theoretically was 7:20 starting in oak Grove and ending in wonderland

9

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20beeu wrote

You'll need to start or end at Braintree, that's basically non-negotiable. The other endpoint can either be Riverside or Wonderland.

9

LoneSocialRetard t1_j20bqhm wrote

Yeah that's the obvious choice but taking the commuter rail from jfk isn't that much time and getting anywhere from oak Grove takes forever. And the time between Riverside and Brookline village isn't that bad, the majority of the wait is in the central section in of the green line

3

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20e0nu wrote

I'm not a huge fan of the commuter rail idea to JFK because while yes, you are saving a bit of time, you end up just waiting at JFK for most of it. Compared to an optimal red line route you only end up saving a couple minutes as far as I can tell.

3

LoneSocialRetard t1_j20ms5m wrote

I just did your route out according to the timetables and am getting a extremely optimistic time of 7:19 assuming running everywhere and no delays or missed connections.

2

LoneSocialRetard t1_j20ejgl wrote

Fair enough, though it very much depends on the timetables and if you start later in the day you can get it to line up alright so the wait isn't long.

Also, I was wondering in general, is it considered cheating to use bluebikes between stations? There aren't any official rules, at least not publicly available.

Also I was taking the commentuter rail from jfk to Braintree, then all the way to alewife on the red line

1

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20f0ow wrote

There are fairly standard rules for all these types of challenges, (NY, London, etc), including Boston. Private transport is banned, so no bikes, cars, taxis, etc. Buses and your own 2 feet are permitted though.

>if you start later in the day

IMO you don't want to do that because the longer you wait to start the more chances the T has to get screwed up.

10

LoneSocialRetard t1_j20f7n3 wrote

I would argue that bike sharing constitutes public transit, but alright.

8

Id_Solomon t1_j20fmba wrote

>excluding the silver line because it's a fake line and doesn't count

No argument here!

8

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20fqie wrote

Some guy thought there was and accused me of being racist, so clearly there is?

5

thenshefell t1_j1yi5lt wrote

Maybe a taskrabbit?

7

SirGeorgington OP t1_j1yiphb wrote

Unfortunately for me (But quite reasonably for them) people on Taskrabbit aren't available at 5:45 in the morning.

30

turch_malone t1_j1zv7wx wrote

Why can’t you just subtract the time you start from the time you end? Wouldn't that be more accurate?

5

yourenotagolfer t1_j209iku wrote

As any physics student could tell you, the blazing speeds at which the T travels would cause time dialation.

30

_Karagoez_ t1_j20p7ac wrote

As someone who did this in NYC, I won’t be able to help but I wish you luck

5

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20pkor wrote

That takes real effort. That's what, 21 hours or something?

6

_Karagoez_ t1_j20pu4f wrote

I wish, we got derailed (pun intended) but stuck through cuz nobody had done it since the new stations opened, took 34 hours on a rainy January night

11

Itburns138 t1_j2001fq wrote

I think you should actually have to step foot on each station for this to count, and not just ride the train.

Still cool, though.

4

omgvector t1_j1ywev7 wrote

what is the T challenge

2

SirGeorgington OP t1_j1ywnfp wrote

Visit all the T stations in the fastest time possible.

10

EnvironmentalCable69 t1_j20leh3 wrote

Why not just hit up nick dalton he does youtube videos on the t and could make a pretty good one on your record

2

geek_m0m t1_j216vpg wrote

How did it go????

2

SirGeorgington OP t1_j21mdb4 wrote

I will tell you on Friday when I do it.

3

geek_m0m t1_j21w2xk wrote

Sorry, I do NOT know what day it is; it’s been a long week.

4

DarthMosasaur t1_j1z0yq6 wrote

There's a novel called Tunnel Vision about a guy doing this on the London Tube, and it's pretty good

1

transferStudent2018 t1_j21pe6i wrote

I’m not in Boston anymore but this sounds awesome and I now have a new bucket list item. OP, any resources you can link me to so I can read more about this sort of thing? And good luck!

1

SirGeorgington OP t1_j21rhwj wrote

The London Tube Challenge is better documented, but the rules are mostly the same.

1

Nut-j0b t1_j229xw4 wrote

Happy to buy you each a beer if you recommend a pub to meet after

1

MightBusiness7231 t1_j240f5p wrote

If you put it on Youtube, I will help you. My son is obsessed with the T and would like it.

1

Sky02139 t1_j2aylmd wrote

How did it go OP??

1

SirGeorgington OP t1_j2ce9uh wrote

Didn't get the WR, took about 8.5 hours. Got extremely unlucky and barely missed trains at Oak Grove, Union Sq, Park St, Cleveland Circle, Heath St, and Mattapan. The other transfers went beautifully though, no in between.

3

Sky02139 t1_j2dnutg wrote

Agh bummer. Well done attempting it though!

1

kory282 t1_j1zxye7 wrote

Get a fucking job good lord

−33

SirGeorgington OP t1_j1zzcc2 wrote

I'm a student back for Christmas, I'm allowed to have fun

24

kory282 t1_j203cdk wrote

Tough way to define fun but to each their own. Best of luck with the T

−16

michael_scarn_21 t1_j1ykkj3 wrote

I love how there can be a "world record" for a Boston specific thing lol. Nobody outside of Boston gives a fuck. It's like the "world series".

−39

ScarletOK t1_j1yxk92 wrote

It might not be your thing, but there are transit-obsessed people all over the place who live for this stuff.

31

arch_llama t1_j1zfvtj wrote

>Nobody outside of Boston gives a fuck

You underestimate the level of obsession in the international train enthusiast community.

21

[deleted] t1_j1z4szh wrote

[removed]

−49

coldsnap123 t1_j1z9cd6 wrote

As a person of color, I too discount the Silver Line as a real line. Now what are you going to do? Hmmmm?

30

SirGeorgington OP t1_j20emuz wrote

Replying here since the other guy deleted his bad take, I do care about the people of color that rely on the silver line, and that's why Washington St should be closed to cars, and the Green Line should be extended along it (With signal priority, obviously) from Boylston to Dudley and even Mattapan.

3

coldsnap123 t1_j20lnyi wrote

Dumb take, we own cars as well. Go be someone else’s savior.

−1