Loose Snake Halts Boston Subway at Noon

How would you feel, if you discovered a fellow train passenger had lost a snake on-board?

Loose snake makes mayhem in Massachusetts.

Penelope, a pet serpent belonging to a Boston subway passenger, slipped away shortly before noon on Thursday, January 6, 2011, aboard a "T" train in Beantown. The southbound subway train, operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), was stopped and parked at the JFK/Mass station.

Passengers were evacuated to the platform, as MBTA subway staffers investigated for several minutes. Boston subway dispatchers actually help up the Red Line train for at least four minutes.

MBTA subway officials, together with the errant reptile's owner, searched the train cars to no avail.

Passengers reboarded the Red Line train, which proceeded for five more stops - proceeding south through North Quincy, Wallaston, Quincy Center, and Quincy Adams before arriving at the terminus at Braintree, Massachusetts.

At Braintree, the end of the line, MBTA subway officials searched the entire subway train again, finding no evidence of Penelope, the missing snake, in any of the train's six cars. Subway officials said publicly that they were quite sure the Red Line "T" train was snake-free after their extensive search.

Although the snake's species or physical description has not been disclosed, the Massachusetts woman who owned it claimed the reptile was a non-venomous variety.

This was not the first time a snake's presence alarmed Boston Subway passengers.

Apparently, in August of 2010, a MBTA Green Line subway train was held up near Brookline Village station, after passengers complained about an uncontained snake on a train. A fellow passenger was displaying a snake, wrapped around his neck.

By the time local police arrived to size up the serpent situation on the summer subway ride, the man had already left the train, taking his seemingly affectionate reptile pet along with him.

Pets are expressly allowed on Boston's subway trains.

According to MBTA subway policies, passengers are allowed to take non-service pets on board during non-peak travel hours. The official MBTA subway pet policy reads as follows:

"During off-peak hours, non-service dogs are allowed at the discretion of T vehicle operators. Dogs must be properly leashed and are not allowed to annoy riders or take up a seat. For safety and convenience during rush hours, small domestic animals must be carried in lap-sized containers and out of the way of exits."

Still, Boston subway passengers have to wonder whether Penelope, the missing snake was trained to stay away from trolley exits or if she may still be hiding somewhere in one of those MBTA Red Line cars. Of course, if the missing snake should happen to hit the third rail, Boston subway passengers would likely hear an altogether different sort of hissing ....