2. d RAIL d Developer: Marcela Rodriguez Curation: Monika Wahi Creative Analytics: Xuan Yang

3. d RAIL d Developer: Marcela Rodriguez Curation: Monika Wahi Creative Analytics: Xuan Yang

4. Reverse Commuters on the MBCR The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail (MBCR) system is excellent, but not perfect. Reverse commuters get screwed in bad weather. Most stations are outdoors.

5. But don’t we already have an app for that? While apps have already been developed to track each train’s location, it is not possible to see where the train is if it is so late that it has not started on its route yet. It may be delayed on a previous route, but currently, this information is not retrievable on the app because that functionality has not been developed.

6. d RAIL d adds the functionality to track an actual train, called a “Consist Makeup”, through its journey through the day. Therefore, if the train is backed up a few routes, this will be evident.

7. Our Commuter Reverse commuter takes Framingham/Worcester Line from South Station to Natick and back every day. He works until 5:15 pm and likes to take the train that is scheduled to leave inbound from Natick at 5:45 pm Photo from U.S. Army/Public Domain

8. Framingham/Worcester Line Outbound originates at South Station Inbound may originate at Worcester Inbound may originate at Framingham Natick Station Direction Home

9. Scenario #1 - Ideal Commuter Wants to Know At 5:00 pm, Reverse Commuter wants to know if his inbound 5:45 pm train out of Natick seems to be on time. What Commuter Finds out The 5:45 pm at Natick originates in Worcester. The train used for this route comes into Worcester at 4:18 pm from South Station, so it can leave at 4:55 from Worcester to make it to Natick by 5:45 If the train really did get to Worcester at 4:18 pm and left at 4:55 pm, a query at 5:00 pm would work with current apps.

10. Scenario #2 – Messed Up Commuter Wants to Know At 5:00 pm, Reverse Commuter wants to know if his inbound 5:45 pm train out of Natick seems to be on time. What MCBR Knows The 5:45 pm at Natick originates in Worcester. At 5:00, query shows that train has not yet arrived at Worcester. Further, it left South Station 15 minutes late, at 3:00 pm instead of 2:45 pm. Current apps could NOT tell the user that the train in question left South Station 15 minutes late, at 3:00 pm.

11. Scenario #3 – Screwed Commuter Wants to Know At 5:00 pm, Reverse Commuter wants to know if his inbound 5:45 pm train out of Natick seems to be on time. What MCBR Knows The 5:45 pm at Natick originates in Worcester. At 5:00, query shows that train has not yet arrived at Worcester. Further, it left South Station over an hour late, at 4:00 pm instead of 2:45 pm. The Reverse Commuter sometimes takes the next train, at 6:25 pm. Is it possible this train could come earlier than what was supposed to be the 5:45 pm train?

12. Scenario #3 – Screwed Commuter Wants to Know At 5:00 pm, Reverse Commuter wants to know if his inbound 5:45 pm train out of Natick seems to be on time. What MCBR Knows The 5:45 pm at Natick originates in Worcester. At 5:00, query for the 6:25 pm route says the train slated for that actually left South Station at 4:25, but has not gotten to Framingham yet. It will turn around in Framingham and come back to Natick The Reverse Commuter might actually be able to pick up the 6:25 pm train faster than the delayed 5:45 pm train, since that train is only out of Framingham. dRAILd adds this functionality.