Sermonette on T has a rider wondering

A call for peace, love, and understanding -- it wouldn't be unusual to hear one at your place of worship.

But Aaron of Boston says he recently heard a T worker lecture on the subject as he rode the Red Line to work. Twice.

Aaron said that between Kendall and Harvard, the train's uniformed attendant came into the car and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?"

Aaron said the crowd's attention was quickly drawn to the speaker. "Obviously, when an MBTA official comes into the train and gets everyone's attention, there's an immediate feeling of concern," he wrote.

But passengers were not asked to leave the train or prepare for a delay.

"The operator then went into a lengthy discourse regarding the violence in Boston and around the country and how we need to embrace one another and look to God to help us stem the surge in violence," Aaron wrote. "He went on for a few minutes, and after everyone's initial concern and silence, I heard whispers of 'Who is this guy?' and 'Isn't this strange?'

"Eventually, the man thanked the crowd, said 'God bless,' and went back into his cab. Everyone basically looked around like, 'Did that just happen?'

"While I appreciate the sentiment that we should all treat each other with respect and that violence is a terrible thing, I honestly don't want to be lectured by a train operator about the state of affairs in the world on the morning commute," Aaron wrote. "Doesn't the MBTA have some sort of policy about this?"

The T got Aaron's e-mail from us and began to investigate. Officials identified the train and the attendant, but the worker denied making such statements. We telephoned Aaron, who reasserted it was true.

Joe Pesaturo, spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, said the investigation will continue, and he is asking anyone else who experienced this to contact them.

So Phil of Arlington is on the Green Line, and some dunderhead trying to read a freebie and drink her coffee spilled the jolt juice all over the trolley floor and herself.

This being Boston, she cursed and walked away from the mess, even leaving the styrofoam cup behind.

"The whole car smelled like French vanilla, and a good-sized puddle lay in her seat and on the floor," Phil wrote. "What is the protocol for such an incident? Did she do the right thing? Should she have informed the driver? Tried to clean it up herself?"

It's a simple question with an angry answer.

First of all, dunderhead probably smelled like French vanilla all day, so that's punishment enough.

"It would have been good if she would have alerted someone in the station or the train," said Pesaturo. "That would be very greatly appreciated."

And then we talked to MBTA General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas, the Felix Unger of transit.

"Our customers through their fares pay for people to clean our trains and stations and buses, and I would love to describe some level of frustration on my part about people who complain about general litter on the floor," Grabauskas said. "Those are not MBTA employees throwing those on the floor. Shame on those people who ride our system and treat our buses and trains like they're trash receptacles.

"I would like to have the system be as relaxing and comfortable as possible," he said. "I would like it, but when you put the doughnut wrapper or the coffee cup on the seat next to you for the next customer to find, I think it's just plain rude."

Litter patrols? Grabauskas said no.

Banning the consumption of drinks or food on T property, as they do in Washington? Grabauskas said no.

The T tomorrow will announce an extra evening rush-hour train for commuter rail service between Fitchburg and Boston.

Starting next Monday, April 30, Fitchburg-bound commuters can take the current 5:30 p.m. departure from North Station to South Acton or a new 5:40 p.m. train, making all local stops and arriving in Fitchburg at 7:14 . Hundreds of additional seats will now be available during the evening rush hour. In addition, adjustments have been made to shorten the time between inbound trains leaving South Acton.

The T will also eliminate the 6:40 p.m. inbound trip from South Acton. Service between Boston and Fitchburg includes 13 round trips carrying approximately 7,000 customers daily.

Speaking of Fitchburg, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad will replace ties between West Cambridge and South Acton from now until June. Only one track is available between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. while the project is underway, but officials say they will try to minimize peak-period delays. . . . Write it down: Sunday, May 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Charles River Skatepark designer Zach Wormhoudt and others will be at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square to discuss the future shred shed under the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge. Questions can be addressed to Sona Desai at sd@thecharles.org.

Two lanes of Interstate 93 south approaching and going through downtown will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday.

I-93 south around Sullivan Square will be closed from 11:30 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday and from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday.

The Storrow Drive onramp to I-93 south will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday to Saturday.

The ramps from the Tobin Bridge and Rutherford Avenue-City Square to I-93 south and Storrow Drive will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

The Haymarket onramp to I-93 and the Callahan Tunnel will be closed from 11:30 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday.

Exit 20B (Massachusetts Turnpike west-Albany Street) off I-93 south will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Friday morning.

The Essex Street onramp to I-93 south will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday.

The Herald Street onramp to I-93 south will be closed from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Two to three lanes of I-93 north through downtown and Charlestown will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow to Saturday morning.

Exit 23 (Government Center) off I-93 north will be closed from 11:30 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

The Essex Street onramp to I-93 north will be closed from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

The turnpike east at Exit 24 (South Boston), leading to the Ted Williams Tunnel and Logan International Airport, will be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Thursday morning.

The ramp at Exit 24 B and C (I-93 north and south) off the turnpike east will be closed from 10 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday and from 10 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday. Access to Kneeland Street and South Station will remain open.

Access from South Boston to the turnpike east and Logan Airport will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Thursday morning.

A section of the turnpike east at Exit 25 (South Boston) will be closed from 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

The Frontage Road northbound onramp to the turnpike west will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Saturday morning.

Exit 20 (to the turnpike west) off I-93 north will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Saturday morning.

The onramp from Congress Street to I-93 in South Boston and Exit 24 (I-93) off the turnpike west will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday to Saturday morning.

The turnpike west in South Boston will be closed from 10 p.m. tomorrow to 5 a.m. Tuesday. The onramp to the turnpike west from D Street will also be closed.

The high-occupancy-vehicle lane from the turnpike west to South Station will be closed from 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Thursday morning.

The tunnel under Leverett Circle taking vehicles from Exit 26 off I-93 and the Sumner Tunnel to Storrow Drive will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday.

The Congress Street onramp to I-93 south and the turnpike west will be closed from 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to Friday morning.

Route 1A north near Logan Airport will be closed from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. tomorrow to Friday.

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