South Station basement.

I've heard rumors of there at one point being an old loop, station and bowling ally in the basement of the train station.

How accurate is this and how much of it still exists today?

The rumors are true, from what I've read/seen in pictures. I believe it was supposed to be some sort of suburban loop/station pending electrification, but the first and only train to use the lower level was steam powered and the smoke/fumes apparently drove everyone out. In later years I believe it was converted to a bowling alley and I've also read it was used for either storage, offices, parking, or all of the above. Not sure how much of it exists, but some of the loop was excavated during South Station's 1980s restoration.

You may want to search the MBTA forums here.

Yes, there was a loop that was never used in regular service, the waiting room for the loop platform became a bowling alley that lasted through the 1960s, and all remaining traces of both disappeared during the 1980s reconstruction. About all that remains of the original South Station these days is about one-third of the original facade and some interiors walls, although the place looks an awful lot better than it did fifty years ago. As Mr. Jay suggests, this has been discussed in detail on Railroad Net, so do a forum search.

Here's a recent thread on SS over on the MBTA forum. Some old diagrams/info on the lower level via the boston.com article:
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 5&t=121669" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The presence of a body attributed to "The Giggler"(Kenneth Harrison) down there, a child, didn't exactly put the place on the Freedom Trail. Here's Celebrate Boston's account;

http://www.celebrateboston.com/crime/gi ... killer.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

theseaandalifesaver wrote:I've heard rumors of there at one point being an old loop, station and bowling ally in the basement of the train station.

How accurate is this and how much of it still exists today?

Dude... You asked nearly the same question in 2006! Came up first in a Google search for "boston south station lower level"

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 65&t=85288" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also this:

http://iridethet.blogspot.com/2011/08/h ... ation.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-

2006 was a long time ago!

A little off-topic, but I understand that much, if not all, of the abandoned Rochester, NY subway system is still fully intact underground. I don't know why its use was discontinued. I'll have to check it out.

theseaandalifesaver wrote:2006 was a long time ago!

You are forgiven. Just having a little fun

-otto-

trainsinmaine wrote:A little off-topic, but I understand that much, if not all, of the abandoned Rochester, NY subway system is still fully intact underground. I don't know why its use was discontinued. I'll have to check it out.

Completely off topic - Different state, different operator, different circumstances. You're comparing a grade-separated rapid transit trolley system to the lower level of a big city railroad terminal.

http://www.railroad.net/articles/railfa ... /index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:

trainsinmaine wrote:A little off-topic, but I understand that much, if not all, of the abandoned Rochester, NY subway system is still fully intact underground. I don't know why its use was discontinued. I'll have to check it out.

Completely off topic - Different state, different operator, different circumstances. You're comparing a grade-separated rapid transit trolley system to the lower level of a big city railroad terminal.

http://www.railroad.net/articles/railfa ... /index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-

WAIT!
It IS related! The Red Line's "South Station" station's lobby is NOW in the space that used to be the loop tunnel.
I can't remember the exact layout, but I believe part of one wall is either original or in the same spot as the original tunnle wall.
Of course, the actual Red Line platforms are well below all this.

Cosmo wrote:WAIT!
It IS related! The Red Line's "South Station" station's lobby is NOW in the space that used to be the loop tunnel.
I can't remember the exact layout, but I believe part of one wall is either original or in the same spot as the original tunnle wall.
Of course, the actual Red Line platforms are well below all this.

No you're totally right. Makes sense to me. As long as we're going down that path, I heard there's a trolley subway in Cincinnati that they never finished. Has stations and everything with no track in them. I bet somehow this is related to Boston. It must be.

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:

Cosmo wrote:WAIT!
It IS related! The Red Line's "South Station" station's lobby is NOW in the space that used to be the loop tunnel.
I can't remember the exact layout, but I believe part of one wall is either original or in the same spot as the original tunnle wall.
Of course, the actual Red Line platforms are well below all this.

No you're totally right. Makes sense to me. As long as we're going down that path, I heard there's a trolley subway in Cincinnati that they never finished. Has stations and everything with no track in them. I bet somehow this is related to Boston. It must be.

-otto-

Of course it is.

The Boston baseball team is the Red Sox
The Cincinnati baseball team is the Reds, formerly the "Red Legs", due to the red socks that they wore.

More connections - Cincinnati is the oldest major league baseball franchise, while Fenway Park is the oldest major league ballpark. Definitely on to something here.

Ocala Mike wrote:More connections - Cincinnati is the oldest major league baseball franchise, while Fenway Park is the oldest major league ballpark. Definitely on to something here.

And in Cincinnati, they serve "chili" which is really Greek spaghetti sauce... This sauce is the basis for a Rochester "Garbage Plate"... and all the Boston teams play like garbage, so THERE'S DEFINITELY A CONNECTION.

>ducks and covers<

-otto-