The Type 8 Discussion to End All Discussions(Type 8 tracker)

Does anyone know when the T will start putting Type 8's on the E Line? I know they don't have that many in service but I would asume they would at leat test some out first.

or maybe not even then. lechemere will have to be rebuilt. then you can, but they seem to have issue with the loop there now. I too would like to see them, but then again, they don't need the salt from the roads ...

I think someone previously said that it's only 85lb rail from just beyond Science Park to Lechmere, so probably that will all get replaced before the Type 8s show up there. Not sure when they plan to build the new Lechmere - the downtime from the El switchover would be good but I don't think it is in the plan.

Per "Write to the Top", the plan is to terminate trolleys at the superstation when the El shuts down (there was some discussion if it would be there or at Haymarket), so it will theoretically be possible to see a Type 8 at North Station, and begin testing the Type 8s on the E line.

Type 8s could run on any line as long as those runs were turned at Government Center instead of Lechmere. That's what the T did whenever they ran a Type 8 on the Riverside line before the derailments started happening. Of course, doing that reduced the amount of scheduled service between GC and Lechmere, so it wasn't really a favorable situation, but given the minimal number of Type 8 runs operated back then it was not a severe reduction in service.

I have to say I seen pics of Breda's at North Station when 1st introduced to service so they have hit lechmere before.

When they were introduced, Type 8's went all the way to Lechmere. I don't know how the myth started that they have some problem with the loop there - that is untrue. The loop at park street is the tightest loop on the system (except the Mattapan loop, I think), so any LRV that can do that loop can also do the loop at Lechmere. I think that the E line will get the Type 8's last, not because of any problems with loops or whatever, but because the D line is first priority, and since the B and C were already successfully tested with them, it would be logical that the D would be next.

Type 8s went to Lechmere only until they began to exhibit an annoying tendency to derail on anything less than near-perfect track. The track to Lechmere is far from perfect - in fact, it's probably the worst track on the entire Green Line - and you do not want to derail something on the el or the viaduct (a Boeing derailed in the late 1970s and nearly dropped to the street at Causeway and Canal).

So until something is done with the trackage up there on the viaduct, you won't see Type 8s going to Lechmere.

Yeah, that's right, Jon. If anyone wanted an M8 ride on the EL track, you would have had to turn the clock back five or four years back to late 1999-early 2000 to catch an M8 to ride all the way to Lechmere via the above-ground portion.

Back on Tues, Mar 16, just after 4 PM, I picked up 3805 as the third of a 3-car consist at Goverment Centre till Park Street. ASA was fine and ride was smooth, happy to report.

JayZ wrote:On the way back I've seen a disabled type 7 stuck at the boylston extra track.

Are all the trains that are on this track strictly out of service because of mechanincal failure, or are any of them used as standby for higher traffic events, like a Bruins game or Fleet event or anything out of the ordinary night schedule, where they can add a car in a quick moment?

Back on Tues, Mar 16, just after 4 PM, I picked up 3805 as the third of a 3-car consist at Goverment Centre till Park Street. ASA was fine and ride was smooth, happy to report.

Just missed me, Robert. I got on the lead car of that train at Park Street and rode to Copley!

WOW!! I was going down to catch the Red Line to Braintree on my way home from the office. I was sporting a light black jacket, medium build, and hauling a black dufflebag with blue striping as I was making it to the stairs. Maybe you'll have to find me in the Red Line area, I normally ride in the lead car of the Braintree Red Line train.

3867-3682 B line
3813-3814 B line ASA ok
3812-3817 Government Center
3825-? Government Center
3868-3861 B Line

I caught a lot on the B line yesterday I saw 3682 leading 3805 yesterday at gov't center then about another 5 or 6 pairs running along the line at different points. I noticed a lot were in the yard yesterday and none were on the C line What's up with that?

I think someone previously said that it's only 85lb rail from just beyond Science Park to Lechmere

That sounds like my post on the old board. I remember being up on the platform at Science Park one day waiting for a train, and happened to walk down to the far end of the platform. The far ends appear to merely be planked extensions of the original platforms to accomodate the few people there that occasionally need to board a 3 car train. Right in that area, you can notice a distinct change from 115 lb to 85 lb rail.

I haven't been back up to Science Park recently, but I thought the T was doing track work on the viaduct. At least, I remember seeing notices that there were speed restrictions in place between North Station and Lechmere because of track work.

I also had mentioned the Lechmere prohibition on the T8's in another old post. That information came from a senior Green Line operator I met when I got the last train in from Riverside one night. I was the only passenger until Reservoir, so we got chatting. He said with his seniority, he did a lot of test running on the T8's, and was the one who told me about Lechmere. Not an "official" source, but I was willing to take his word for it.

Aside from the Lechmere issue, I think the street running portion of the E Line may be the other reason it hasn't seen the T8's yet. The track on the E Line is in substantially better shape than the other lines since the reconstruction last year. Even on the street, the oldest section of track dates from 1989, so I don't think it's the track. The thing I find ironic, though, is that one thing the T8's are FAR superior to than the T7's is their LED taillight array. The brake lights on the Kinkis and the Boeings are nearly invisible, making it hard to see them when they stop. Those flashing amber lights are great on the Bredas.

DelawareHudson wrote: The thing I find ironic, though, is that one thing the T8's are FAR superior to than the T7's is their LED taillight array. The brake lights on the Kinki's and the Boeings are nearly invisible, making it hard to see them when they stop. Those flashing amber lights are great.

The Type 8 lights are much better, but I think they might be too bright. Waiting for an E train sometimes at Park a Type 8 comes along and stops at the B berth and those lights are almost blinding! I guess this way they would be hard to miss. That still won't stop Boston drivers though.