As anyone who lives in or near a major city knows, taking public transport is your best option when you know that there’s going to be traffic, nonexistent parking, or both. So when my friend, my sister, and I decided to go to Salem during its busiest weekend of the year (the one before Halloween), we decided that taking the commuter rail into the historic town was our best bet. We would avoid getting stuck in traffic, and wouldn’t need to worry about finding parking! But alas, Massachusetts isn’t exactly known for its great public transportation system, and the T let us down drastically.
My friend and I planned to drive up to Beverly, MA (where my sister attends college), then take the commuter rail the one-stop from Beverly Depot to Salem. It’s at most a 10-minute train ride, allegedly. But of course, a short trip can quickly turn into a long one when the train fails to show up at all. I wasn’t about to lose my mind over a five or even ten-minute delay, but after 15 minutes we decided that it just wasn’t worth it.
I should point out that the late train wasn’t the only thing that went wrong that day. My friend, who was already battling the common cold, had tragically neglected to dress for the weather. So she stood outside in the 50-degree weather for 15 minutes without so much as a sweater on, and my sister and I became convinced that she would die of hypothermia if we didn’t get her inside. I also made the trek up north with the knowledge that I had to work the following morning, meaning that I had to ensure I got home at a reasonable hour. At some point, it just didn’t make sense to wait hours for a train to Salem only to spend 45 minutes there. So, essentially, the T ruined my Halloween.
Now, the evening wasn’t a total wash–we found a hole-in-the-wall cafe near the train station which was great (if you ever find yourself in Beverly, the food at Castle Board Game Cafe is really good)–but it wasn’t exactly Halloween-y. Let’s just say that we have since resolved to visit Salem in the springtime, when it won’t be as busy and when we may be able to actually find parking.