Talk:Aquarium station (MBTA)/GA1

GA Review
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Reviewer: Truflip99 (talk · contribs) 16:14, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

Hello, I'll be starting this review. --Truflip99 (talk) 16:14, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

Lead

 * This might just be a preference thing, but I typically just do: Aquarium station is an underground rapid transit station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
 * ❌ There was an RFC at some point that established that "station" should be part of the bolded title.
 * It is adjacent to Long Wharf, which is used by two MBTA Boat lines. -- briefly state what Long Wharf is
 * ❌ Long Wharf is only related by geography and transfers; the wikilink should be sufficient.
 * The station has two side platforms serving the two tracks of the Blue Line and an arched ceiling. -- odd wording; I would rewrite this as "The station consists of two side platforms, two tracks, and an arched ceiling."
 * A pet peeve of mine is articles that say that a station consists of its platforms; in most cases (especially underground stations) the station consists of much more than that. I've copyedited the sentence.
 * With the platforms 50 feet (15 m) below street level, it is the second-deepest station on the MBTA system. -- worth stating which station is the deepest
 * Second paragraph, worth adding a topic sentence (introduction sentence) just stating that this station had predecessors
 * Only the elevated station was a predecessor. I've made some copyedits to clarify.
 * Unlike other early stations in Boston, which were built with cut-and-cover tunneling, most of Atlantic Avenue station was built as a large barrel vault. -- I'm confused whether Aquarium station's previous name was Atlantic Avenue station; need to establish this
 * ❌ That's established in the third paragraph.
 * The station was renamed Aquarium in 1967 as part of rebranding by the 1964-formed Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). -- "1964-formed" is needlessly stated, I think
 * ❌ I think it's useful to establish which part of the station's history was under the MBTA.
 * The station was fully closed from October 14, 2000 to October 29, 2001; major construction was completed in 2003. -- omit word
 * Since the renovation, the station has had water leakage issues—caused either by the construction or the Big Dig—and also occasionally floods during high tides and storm surges. -- add and omit word
 * I think that "also" is necessary to clarify that the high-tide flooding is unrelated to the water leakage.
 * I would split the sentence then as it still reads poorly. "Since the renovation, the station has had water leakage issues caused either by the construction or the Big Dig . It also occasionally floods during high tides and storm surges." I would even go as far as to omit the cause of the leakage as you shouldn't express doubt in your lead; that's best left in the body where you can explain why there is doubt and back it up with sources.
 * I think that "also" is necessary to clarify that the high-tide flooding is unrelated to the water leakage.
 * I would split the sentence then as it still reads poorly. "Since the renovation, the station has had water leakage issues caused either by the construction or the Big Dig . It also occasionally floods during high tides and storm surges." I would even go as far as to omit the cause of the leakage as you shouldn't express doubt in your lead; that's best left in the body where you can explain why there is doubt and back it up with sources.

end for now.
 * Thanks for taking the review! I've made some changes and added my responses above. Some of the reasons for the specific lede wording may make more sense in light of the prose. Pi.1415926535 (talk) 19:04, 27 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Absolutely! And thank YOU for taking all those great pics of the MAX system. I'll continue with the body shortly. --Truflip99 (talk) 19:32, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

More:

Station layout

 * Aquarium station is located under State Street at its intersection with Atlantic Avenue, near the edge of Boston Harbor. -- "its" is ambiguous here. Suggest rewording to "is located under the intersection of State Street and Atlantic Avenue..."
 * ❌ The existing wording is more clear that the station is aligned with State Street, and I don't think it's ambiguous.
 * The station has two side platforms, each long enough for six-car trains, serving the two tracks of the Blue Line. -- em dashes instead of commas
 * The Tip O'Neill Tunnel, which carries Interstate 93, passes over the center of the station and is supported by its roof. -- another ambig "its" --> "the stations"
 * ❌ Unlikely to be actually confusing.
 * The older eastern part of the platform level has an arched ceiling, which is widened to a triple vault in the newer western section. -- "which widens"
 * Two glass headhouses - one with escalators and stairs, the other with an elevator - provide access from the surface. -- em dashes
 * That mezzanine is accessed by a headhouse - which includes an elevator - on the south side of State Street, as well as a smaller entrance inside a building on the north side of the street. -- em dashes
 * MBTA Boat routes F2H and F4 terminate at Long Wharf, as do several Boston Harbor Islands ferry routes. -- I would precede this with "The station (additionally) provides a connection to... and to several Boston Harbor..." because the topic of the article should be kept on the station
 * That mezzanine is accessed by a headhouse - which includes an elevator - on the south side of State Street, as well as a smaller entrance inside a building on the north side of the street. -- em dashes
 * MBTA Boat routes F2H and F4 terminate at Long Wharf, as do several Boston Harbor Islands ferry routes. -- I would precede this with "The station (additionally) provides a connection to... and to several Boston Harbor..." because the topic of the article should be kept on the station
 * MBTA Boat routes F2H and F4 terminate at Long Wharf, as do several Boston Harbor Islands ferry routes. -- I would precede this with "The station (additionally) provides a connection to... and to several Boston Harbor..." because the topic of the article should be kept on the station
 * MBTA Boat routes F2H and F4 terminate at Long Wharf, as do several Boston Harbor Islands ferry routes. -- I would precede this with "The station (additionally) provides a connection to... and to several Boston Harbor..." because the topic of the article should be kept on the station

History

 * replace all aside dashes with em dashes with no spaces
 * ✅ (I think)

State Street station

 * -- paragraph checks out apart from the dash

Atlantic Avenue station

 * The station was constructed in two portions under separate contracts. -- "segments" would be a better word here
 * it housed the elevators and stairways to access the station plus the ticket booths. -- "plus" --> "as well as"
 * Construction of Atlantic Chambers began on December 5, 1901, and excavation was complete by May 29, 1903. -- this needs to be higher up, preceding any prose on the subject
 * ❌ The sequencing sentences should stay together
 * This air pressure was necessary to keep water from seeping into the tunnel; after the accident, Atlantic Avenue settled slightly above the tunnel. -- "had been necessary"
 * It was necessary to use additional dunnage to limit sagging of the elevated line above; even so, elevated operations were impacted from June 20 to October 7, 1903. -- "The use of dunnage became necessary to limit..."
 * ❌ That's some awkward wording.
 * The rough work of the station vault was completed on August 28, 1903, with the tilework finished on January 19, 1904 and the granolithic platforms on February 10. -- comma after 1904
 * The Paris Métro train fire in August 1903 led the BTC and BERy to desire emergency exits from stations with only a single headhouse. -- "for stations that only had"
 * ❌ Too wordy.
 * (The matter was not settled until a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in 1913.[17]) -- doesn't need to be in parenthesis
 * ❌ As an out-of-chronology aside, I think it should be.
 * The only intermediate stop was at Devonshire; Atlantic Avenue station was not yet complete. -- "had not yet been complete"
 * ❌ Why get rid of the parallel structure?
 * Atlantic Avenue and State Street stations had separate fare gates; a paper transfer was required to change lines. -- precede with "The"
 * ❌ As an out-of-chronology aside, I think it should be.
 * The only intermediate stop was at Devonshire; Atlantic Avenue station was not yet complete. -- "had not yet been complete"
 * ❌ Why get rid of the parallel structure?
 * Atlantic Avenue and State Street stations had separate fare gates; a paper transfer was required to change lines. -- precede with "The"

more later. --Truflip99 (talk) 22:09, 27 March 2020 (UTC)

Modifications/Platform raising

 * No issues

Fire and new headhouse

 * On January 28, 1949, a grease fire ignited by the acetylene torch of a welder removing one of the elevators exploded down the elevator shaft and onto the platforms. -- exploded --> spread
 * The fire occurred during the morning rush hour, with 300 passengers having just alighted from an eastbound train. -- wouldn't alight be more appropriate for a London tube article? (unless Boston dialect)
 * I'm not opposed to another word, but American English doesn't really have a good equivalent.
 * The fire was compared to the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire due to the intensity of burns. -- intensity of the burns
 * The fire sparked political debate into the safety record of the MTA (which had replaced the BERy in 1947), and which entity was to blame: the city owned the subway lines and stations within its borders, while the MTA operated them. -- for uniformity sake, should the colons be replaced with parentheses?
 * I don't think so - the parenthetical is an aside for context, while the ownership is the main topic.
 * What was the result of the politcal debate?
 * Nothing particular that I've seen; the sound and fury was probably more significant than the results
 * the then under-construction New England Aquarium, first proposed in 1962 and opened in 1969, would be only some 600 feet (180 m) from the existing station. -- a little wordy and off-topic; I would just go with "which opened in 1969, would only be"
 * Nothing particular that I've seen; the sound and fury was probably more significant than the results
 * the then under-construction New England Aquarium, first proposed in 1962 and opened in 1969, would be only some 600 feet (180 m) from the existing station. -- a little wordy and off-topic; I would just go with "which opened in 1969, would only be"

MBTA era

 * With its platforms some 50 feet (15 m) below street level, Aquarium was the deepest station on the MBTA until Porter station opened in 1984. -- Let me know if I'm missing something here, but this station was built in 1901. Was it not 50 feet below street level back then? Why is it mentioned only during the MBTA era that the station was the deepest station? Were there deeper station in Boston prior to this?
 * More or less - the 1924 platform project raised the platforms from approximately -53 feet to -50 feet. I stuck it there because there didn't seem to be a good place otherwise to put it.
 * This will be an issue for more stringent peer reviews or FAC, if you plan to do that in the future. I don't have an issue with it for GA, however. --Truflip99 (talk) 21:25, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
 * In 1988, the MBTA began a major project to lengthen Blue Line station platforms for use of six-car trains. -- "major renovation project"
 * The revised design called for a reinforced box structure, in which the new Central Artery tunnel would sit, on top of the station arch. -- "onto which the new Central Artery would sit"
 * ❌ My understanding is that the Central Artery Tunnel was constructed inside that box.
 * In 1996, the MBTA began construction of the renovation and platform lengthening project at Aquarium. -- omit
 * ❌ The project began years before - only construction began in 1996.
 * State was temporarily named "State - Aquarium" during the closure -- the State article says this was "State/Aquarium"
 * and a shuttle bus (route #650) was put in place between the two stations -- "ran between"; active > passive
 * and temporarily was the only entrance to the station -- "was temporarily"
 * The fare mezzanines on each end of the station have red slate floors, with aluminum panels covering the walls and ceilings. -- per parallel structure: "were fitted with red slate floors"
 * The lower part of the platform walls are covered by Currents (originally Untitled Wall[49]), a pair of 350-foot (110 m)-long black-and-white tile mosaics by Jun Kaneko, which were installed as part of the Arts on the Line program. -- also needs to be reworded for parallel structure
 * (originally Untitled Wall[49]) -- ref needs to be to the right of the parenthesis, I think; both styles are used in this article however, need to pick one
 * The fare mezzanines on each end of the station have red slate floors, with aluminum panels covering the walls and ceilings. -- per parallel structure: "were fitted with red slate floors"
 * The lower part of the platform walls are covered by Currents (originally Untitled Wall[49]), a pair of 350-foot (110 m)-long black-and-white tile mosaics by Jun Kaneko, which were installed as part of the Arts on the Line program. -- also needs to be reworded for parallel structure
 * (originally Untitled Wall[49]) -- ref needs to be to the right of the parenthesis, I think; both styles are used in this article however, need to pick one
 * The lower part of the platform walls are covered by Currents (originally Untitled Wall[49]), a pair of 350-foot (110 m)-long black-and-white tile mosaics by Jun Kaneko, which were installed as part of the Arts on the Line program. -- also needs to be reworded for parallel structure
 * (originally Untitled Wall[49]) -- ref needs to be to the right of the parenthesis, I think; both styles are used in this article however, need to pick one
 * (originally Untitled Wall[49]) -- ref needs to be to the right of the parenthesis, I think; both styles are used in this article however, need to pick one

Water issues

 * (Leakage was noticed in the station even before its 1906 opening, albeit at a much smaller rate.)[14]:18) -- end parenthesis left opened
 * The location of the east headhouse near Boston Harbor has resulted in additional flooding during King tides and storm surges -- lower case "King"
 * On January 4, 2018, the station was flooded with ocean water associated with the surge from the January 2018 North American blizzard, closing "indefinitely" but ultimately reopening the next day. -- grammar
 * A nor'easter that March caused flooding that again closed the station. -- for how long?
 * These floods damaged elevators and escalators at the station, leaving them out of service for months. -- very abrupt; suggest preceding with "Previous floods have..."
 * ✅ Swapped sentences to clarify.
 * A nor'easter that March caused flooding that again closed the station. -- for how long?
 * These floods damaged elevators and escalators at the station, leaving them out of service for months. -- very abrupt; suggest preceding with "Previous floods have..."
 * ✅ Swapped sentences to clarify.
 * ✅ Swapped sentences to clarify.

Central Station proposal

 * It was originally proposed to run deep under the Central Artery, passing under Aquarium station at a depth of 130 feet (40 m). -- add variety; "deep beneath"
 * The 2003 Major Investment Study/Draft Environmental Impact Report -- conducted by whomst?
 * which would have 800-foot-long (240 m) platforms between State Street and Broad Street. -- split this into its own sentence; "If built, it would have..."
 * to the costs of construction. -- "to the total cost of construction."
 * however, the Congress Street alternatives would have their northern station under Haymarket Square—with a Blue Line connection at State station—rather than under the existing North Station. -- need to explain how this relates to Aquarium Station
 * to the costs of construction. -- "to the total cost of construction."
 * however, the Congress Street alternatives would have their northern station under Haymarket Square—with a Blue Line connection at State station—rather than under the existing North Station. -- need to explain how this relates to Aquarium Station
 * however, the Congress Street alternatives would have their northern station under Haymarket Square—with a Blue Line connection at State station—rather than under the existing North Station. -- need to explain how this relates to Aquarium Station
 * however, the Congress Street alternatives would have their northern station under Haymarket Square—with a Blue Line connection at State station—rather than under the existing North Station. -- need to explain how this relates to Aquarium Station

I'll look at refs next. --Truflip99 (talk) 20:06, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Thanks for your meticulous attention to detail! Pi.1415926535 (talk) 20:49, 29 March 2020 (UTC)

Refs

 * Recommend including access-date param for linked refs per WP:CITEWEB
 * [5] "System Map" -- access-date is definitely required as it seems to update often (last update March 15, 2020)\
 * [5] "System Map" -- access-date is definitely required as it seems to update often (last update March 15, 2020)\

Addendum: Forgot something -- will you not be covering service (frequencies, first and last train times, etc.) and ridership? --Truflip99 (talk) 21:44, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Not planning to, no. Service characteristics like those are for the article about the service, not the station, except in cases where it's relevant like part-time stations or skip-stop service. (I'll note that you've done a nice job of that on the MAX articles, especially compared to some egregious examples). There's nothing noteworthy about the ridership - it's neither super-high nor super-low - so it's in the infobox but I don't think it's needed in the prose. Pi.1415926535 (talk) 01:29, 30 March 2020 (UTC)
 * Gotcha. Yeah, not gonna lie I've been contemplating whether these sections should be retained on the MAX articles as they are a pain to update. Thanks! --Truflip99 (talk) 02:15, 30 March 2020 (UTC)

This is a very detailed,concise, and well-referenced article. Pictures are also great. Certainly meets GA. I'd be happy to pass it shortly. --Truflip99 (talk) 21:21, 29 March 2020 (UTC)