Evan Foss
@scribblesonnapkins.bsky.social
Engineer, Public Transit Enthusiast, Concerned Citizen.
Personally : Trying to improve public transit in MA
Professionally : +15 years designing mostly electronics for hearing research.
Mastodon : @scribblesonnapkins@mastodon.social
Personally : Trying to improve public transit in MA
Professionally : +15 years designing mostly electronics for hearing research.
Mastodon : @scribblesonnapkins@mastodon.social
So yes it did take from 2021 to now but it's important to understand that this is an example of how an integrated internal engineering team can do things quickly and as a side effect more cheaply too. So we should see this accelerate. Slide from the board presentation.
2/
2/
January 25, 2026 at 3:37 AM
So yes it did take from 2021 to now but it's important to understand that this is an example of how an integrated internal engineering team can do things quickly and as a side effect more cheaply too. So we should see this accelerate. Slide from the board presentation.
2/
2/
2021 vs 2026 @mbta.com
fixed the column I made famous with help from @mayahoman.bsky.social and @bostonglobe.com
It was featured in one of board presentations in a list of projects that was made possible in less time by the creation of an internal engineering team.
1/🧵
fixed the column I made famous with help from @mayahoman.bsky.social and @bostonglobe.com
It was featured in one of board presentations in a list of projects that was made possible in less time by the creation of an internal engineering team.
1/🧵
January 25, 2026 at 3:37 AM
2021 vs 2026 @mbta.com
fixed the column I made famous with help from @mayahoman.bsky.social and @bostonglobe.com
It was featured in one of board presentations in a list of projects that was made possible in less time by the creation of an internal engineering team.
1/🧵
fixed the column I made famous with help from @mayahoman.bsky.social and @bostonglobe.com
It was featured in one of board presentations in a list of projects that was made possible in less time by the creation of an internal engineering team.
1/🧵
Your's is cooler but mine won't wake anyone up in the middle of the night.
(from my 2nd desk at the old job, originally paired to a PDP)
(from my 2nd desk at the old job, originally paired to a PDP)
January 13, 2026 at 2:02 AM
Your's is cooler but mine won't wake anyone up in the middle of the night.
(from my 2nd desk at the old job, originally paired to a PDP)
(from my 2nd desk at the old job, originally paired to a PDP)
I found one of the cats posed here on his own.
I am unsure what I caught him doing but I have concerns.
Hopefully he can banish ICE & the whole republican party supporting them to another dimension.
I am unsure what I caught him doing but I have concerns.
Hopefully he can banish ICE & the whole republican party supporting them to another dimension.
January 10, 2026 at 12:11 AM
I found one of the cats posed here on his own.
I am unsure what I caught him doing but I have concerns.
Hopefully he can banish ICE & the whole republican party supporting them to another dimension.
I am unsure what I caught him doing but I have concerns.
Hopefully he can banish ICE & the whole republican party supporting them to another dimension.
Only on gentoo linux would updating the firmware flashing utility require you to rebuild inkscape and libreoffice.
(to be fair I guess I should have built the fw updating tools when I started and not after I setup everything else)
#gentoo #overcompiled
(to be fair I guess I should have built the fw updating tools when I started and not after I setup everything else)
#gentoo #overcompiled
January 3, 2026 at 3:17 AM
Only on gentoo linux would updating the firmware flashing utility require you to rebuild inkscape and libreoffice.
(to be fair I guess I should have built the fw updating tools when I started and not after I setup everything else)
#gentoo #overcompiled
(to be fair I guess I should have built the fw updating tools when I started and not after I setup everything else)
#gentoo #overcompiled
@mbta.com how many doors are #2 aka "differed maintenance" on your vehicles?
I am looking at
NTSB #RRD24FR017 Part 27 "MECHANICAL - MAINTENANCE RECORDS"
& all I can think of are all the times I have been on a train while the operator struggled to get the doors closed.
data.ntsb.gov/Docket/?NTSB...
I am looking at
NTSB #RRD24FR017 Part 27 "MECHANICAL - MAINTENANCE RECORDS"
& all I can think of are all the times I have been on a train while the operator struggled to get the doors closed.
data.ntsb.gov/Docket/?NTSB...
December 30, 2025 at 7:45 AM
@mbta.com how many doors are #2 aka "differed maintenance" on your vehicles?
I am looking at
NTSB #RRD24FR017 Part 27 "MECHANICAL - MAINTENANCE RECORDS"
& all I can think of are all the times I have been on a train while the operator struggled to get the doors closed.
data.ntsb.gov/Docket/?NTSB...
I am looking at
NTSB #RRD24FR017 Part 27 "MECHANICAL - MAINTENANCE RECORDS"
& all I can think of are all the times I have been on a train while the operator struggled to get the doors closed.
data.ntsb.gov/Docket/?NTSB...
Yes electronics industry I would like your least evil wire please.
December 28, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Yes electronics industry I would like your least evil wire please.
Admittedly the T is going to get 7 years of life out of the batteries but they will be needing a rebuild (really a replacement then). Keep in mind we don't have a recycling plan as yet.
These are from my next video on the subject.
These are from my next video on the subject.
December 18, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Admittedly the T is going to get 7 years of life out of the batteries but they will be needing a rebuild (really a replacement then). Keep in mind we don't have a recycling plan as yet.
These are from my next video on the subject.
These are from my next video on the subject.
Ok so to make a battery bus you basically just add a battery to a trolley bus. The part people miss is how inefficient it is to lug around that battery if you could have just had the overhead wires.
This ignores that @MBTA is buying the kind that use a diesel heater. 🧵
This ignores that @MBTA is buying the kind that use a diesel heater. 🧵
December 18, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Ok so to make a battery bus you basically just add a battery to a trolley bus. The part people miss is how inefficient it is to lug around that battery if you could have just had the overhead wires.
This ignores that @MBTA is buying the kind that use a diesel heater. 🧵
This ignores that @MBTA is buying the kind that use a diesel heater. 🧵
Service Manuals forever
December 15, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Service Manuals forever
An answer to the spousal question why do you need so many of these?
HP35665A forever!
HP35665A forever!
December 15, 2025 at 5:09 AM
An answer to the spousal question why do you need so many of these?
HP35665A forever!
HP35665A forever!
Wampus says "Hi"
December 3, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Wampus says "Hi"
November 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I have 3 sets of diagonal cutters:
1. I want to cut a lot of copper leads and my wrist health is important
2. I need diagonal cutters, hope this is copper
3. Get the f#$& out of my way what ever you are made of. These are rated for steel and piano wire
Tonight I am cutting coaxial cable so it's #3
1. I want to cut a lot of copper leads and my wrist health is important
2. I need diagonal cutters, hope this is copper
3. Get the f#$& out of my way what ever you are made of. These are rated for steel and piano wire
Tonight I am cutting coaxial cable so it's #3
November 6, 2025 at 5:23 AM
I have 3 sets of diagonal cutters:
1. I want to cut a lot of copper leads and my wrist health is important
2. I need diagonal cutters, hope this is copper
3. Get the f#$& out of my way what ever you are made of. These are rated for steel and piano wire
Tonight I am cutting coaxial cable so it's #3
1. I want to cut a lot of copper leads and my wrist health is important
2. I need diagonal cutters, hope this is copper
3. Get the f#$& out of my way what ever you are made of. These are rated for steel and piano wire
Tonight I am cutting coaxial cable so it's #3
You didn't see the low income person fare evading.
November 3, 2025 at 2:31 AM
You didn't see the low income person fare evading.
Other transit systems have hardware for cleaning rails but the T and the commuter rail lag behind on that.
October 30, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Other transit systems have hardware for cleaning rails but the T and the commuter rail lag behind on that.
Stop me if you have heard this one before.
x.com/scribblesonn...
x.com/scribblesonn...
October 23, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Stop me if you have heard this one before.
x.com/scribblesonn...
x.com/scribblesonn...
I hope people see this slide Monica Tibbits Nutt's legacy. Income Eligible Reduced Fare approved applications going exponential when the T realized they could have people on the housing and food assistance auto-enrolled.
October 16, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I hope people see this slide Monica Tibbits Nutt's legacy. Income Eligible Reduced Fare approved applications going exponential when the T realized they could have people on the housing and food assistance auto-enrolled.
It was announced today that Monica Tibbits Nutt is stepping down from being secretary of transportation. In my time trying improve things I have met 3 sitting state sec. of transportation and 2 retired. MTN moved a mountain to get the low income fare on the T passed.
Thank you.
Thank you.
October 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM
It was announced today that Monica Tibbits Nutt is stepping down from being secretary of transportation. In my time trying improve things I have met 3 sitting state sec. of transportation and 2 retired. MTN moved a mountain to get the low income fare on the T passed.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I was helping clean out a shop offered this bottle of cleaner. I was frankly terrified to hold it. This is basically a hazmat hand grenade.
1,1,1 trichloroethane
1,1,1 trichloroethane
October 11, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I was helping clean out a shop offered this bottle of cleaner. I was frankly terrified to hold it. This is basically a hazmat hand grenade.
1,1,1 trichloroethane
1,1,1 trichloroethane
Wait the batteries in the battery buses from New Flyer have DRM in them?! Once again can we please all agree the @mbta.com shouldn't be buying these.
"You wouldn't steal a 3 ton battery from a transit bus..."
@evangreer.bsky.social , @eff.org, @fightforthefuture.org
"You wouldn't steal a 3 ton battery from a transit bus..."
@evangreer.bsky.social , @eff.org, @fightforthefuture.org
October 9, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Wait the batteries in the battery buses from New Flyer have DRM in them?! Once again can we please all agree the @mbta.com shouldn't be buying these.
"You wouldn't steal a 3 ton battery from a transit bus..."
@evangreer.bsky.social , @eff.org, @fightforthefuture.org
"You wouldn't steal a 3 ton battery from a transit bus..."
@evangreer.bsky.social , @eff.org, @fightforthefuture.org
No offense to the poster but I am tired of Ironman being the image of great engineers
0. I didn't need a near death experience to suddenly grow a sense of morality
1. Didn't inherit billions
2. I have enough sense to know you can't make peace by making yourself a 1 off weapon system
0. I didn't need a near death experience to suddenly grow a sense of morality
1. Didn't inherit billions
2. I have enough sense to know you can't make peace by making yourself a 1 off weapon system
September 28, 2025 at 6:27 AM
No offense to the poster but I am tired of Ironman being the image of great engineers
0. I didn't need a near death experience to suddenly grow a sense of morality
1. Didn't inherit billions
2. I have enough sense to know you can't make peace by making yourself a 1 off weapon system
0. I didn't need a near death experience to suddenly grow a sense of morality
1. Didn't inherit billions
2. I have enough sense to know you can't make peace by making yourself a 1 off weapon system
Following RFK Jr.'s broken logic we can improve air quality in Grand Rapids by increasing associate professor salaries.
September 24, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Following RFK Jr.'s broken logic we can improve air quality in Grand Rapids by increasing associate professor salaries.