Arborway

[juni0r75]

Hi All,
I wanted to restart some discussion about the Arborway restoration and I figgured that this would be the best way. Hopefully we can keep all Arborway discussion here in one resource that will serve as a sort-of FAQ about the line. :D

Let me launch it off with a historical question: pre-1965 conversion to the "E" line, Arborway cars used to have the designation number #39, the same as the Kenmore-Forest Hills bus. However, there used to be car runs that always turned at Heath. What was the designation number of these cars? Did they use the/ to designate that the car was only going to Heath, or was it number like 39A or something like that?

And here's a practical question: does anyone in the know have any idea if the old turning circle at Forest Hills, that was built after service was suspended and never wired, will be used as the terminus for Arborway cars, or will this need to be completely rebuilt? Also, in the current plans, will there be a small lay-over yard down there to store a car set for the first morning run, or will they be deadheaded from Lechmere/Riverside?

-A

[apodino]

I would imagine that the turning loop built in the late 1980s would be used, since it was probably designed with the Kinki cars in mind, since all PCC's had already been either retired or transfered to the High Speed Line. As far as the layover facility goes. I think that the there will be a small layover facility at Arborway for some of the overnight trains, pretty much like the Boston College facility. It certainly will not be the huge yard with car shops like the old Arborway facility was, since the yard has now been converted into a CNG yard for the new CNG fleet. Another thing to think about, is that the T would like to relocate Lechmere station across the street, especially if the West Medford Extension comes to fruition. They could create a little more room for overnight trains, or only a turnback facility if the T is going all the way to West Medford. The relocation will likely be completed by the time Arborway is restored, and could very well coincide with the 9 month period that the Viaduct is closed to allow the underground North Station to be connected to the Viaduct, replacing the Causeway St. El.

[jrc520]

ok, the Heath st.-Park st. was 57. started in 1945.

I think everything will be rebuilt at this point.

also, there will be a layover yard there.

[DelawareHudson]

Arborway - Park Street was #39 before 1965.

#57 was Watertown.

More or less the same as the current bus routes.

[juni0r75]

Hiya,
I know that the service Arborway-Park St. was designated #39, but what I was curious about was the service between Heath St.-Park St. Was this considered a seperate routing from Arborway-Park St. with its own number, was it routed like #39A or was it just considered a short-turn car with no changes?

-A

[jrc520]

um, it was 57 Heath st. 69 Watertown. That's what I know of, at least that's what it was as of 1950. I doubt they would bother to change it. If they did change it, I will stand corrected.

[jwhite07]

jrc520 is correct. Route 57 operated Francis Street (Brigham Circle) to Park Street until December 15, 1945 when the Heath Street Loop opened and Route 57 was extended to there. Best I can say from information on hand is that Route 57 still existed in July 1956 (by then running Francis Street to North Station), but it was discontinued as a separate route sometime during the early 1960s (definitely before February 1964). In December 1964, regular Heath Street to Government Center or Park Street service resumed, but it never received a separate route designation until the "letter/slash" convention to denote short-turns of full routes came about sometime after 1967.

The Watertown line was indeed Route 69 until 1967, when the MBTA assigned letter code "A" to it. Two years later, on June 21, 1969, the streetcar line was replaced with a bus which was given the disused 57 route number.

[DelawareHudson]

Oops.

We young whippersnappers who are too young to remember should keep our mouths shut.

I'll leave the pre 1964 questions for you old timers.

[jrc520]

who you calling an old timer? :-p

I'm 18-going on 19, as of the 18th. I just read alot of books. Make that a metric boat-load.

[DelawareHudson]

jrc520,

The most embarrasing thing is that I have probably read it somewhere, too, but I just forgot.

Guess I'm the old timer after all.

[jwhite07]

Oops.

We young whippersnappers who are too young to remember should keep our mouths shut.

I'll leave the pre 1964 questions for you old timers.

Hey... waittaminnit... I'm only 32. Since when is that considered OLD?!?!?

*SIGH*... kids these days. Just no respect. Why, you impudent young whelp, I oughta...

Thanks, but I'm not quite ready for the Geritol yet, no matter what Kurt thinks!

[efin98]

Oops.

We young whippersnappers who are too young to remember should keep our mouths shut.

I'll leave the pre 1964 questions for you old timers.

Hey... waittaminnit... I'm only 32. Since when is that considered OLD?!?!?

*SIGH*... kids these days. Just no respect. Why, you impudent young whelp, I oughta...

Thanks, but I'm not quite ready for the Geritol yet, no matter what Kurt thinks!

You ain't old you are "experienced, at least that's what my father always told me :D

But to get back to the topic at hand, I voted for it to be done by 07 but I am being optimistic. I think the only way that it will be done before 2010 will be if someone or some group lights a fire under the T and gets them moving. They are dragging their feet and neglecting the issue in hopes of support fading, but a concentrated effort by a determined group or person might be enough to get it going.
Then again, I am always optimistic.