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  • Where around the web are up to date maps of the CapeFlyer ?

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1338123  by The EGE
 
The only real difference was right around Buzzards Bay. The present station, built in 1912, was actually in the center of a wye:
*The line to Wood's Hole ran just west of the current platform, curved a little west crossing the river, and ran parallel to what is now Thorne Road. South of Monument Neck Road the line follows its original route.
*The Cape Main Line (to Hyannis / Provincetown / Chatham) split from the Woods Hole branch just west of Academy Drive; it ran down what is now the power line ROW, crossed the Monument River at an angle, and continued parallel to the river. East of the Bourne Bridge is the original ROW.
*The third leg of the wye followed what is now the curved edge of the station / canal trail parking lot.
The interlocking tower, still extant, was built to control the junction.

Here's an 1888 map that shows the original configuration. Everything more than a mile from Buzzards Bay remained the same from original construction to present day or 20th century closure.

When the Canal was expanded between 1909 and 1916, the junction was relocated to the south side of the canal - the modern Cape Junction. The wye and the section of mainline north of the canal was kept for turning trains. The current bridge was built in 1933 in preparation of the 1935-40 widening of the canal to its present width.

Here's a 1966 aerial that shows the 1916 relocation, 1933 bridge, and the wye remains. Note that Buzzards Bay had a number of tracks, as an important terminal and junction station. It looked like this in the 1930s. You can actually still see some of the platform remains in the grass at the station.