Boston Elevated 25' Box Cars

[The MTA Blue Egg]

Anyone know where I could get a drawing of the No.3 25' box cars used by the West End and the Boston Elevated? I've looked at the Street Railway Journal, but haven't found much. The clearance drawings around aren't much for dimensions. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[dieciduej]

O. R. Cummings' Street Cars of Boston: Volume 1 Closed Horse and Electric Cars 1887-1900, covers the BERy 25' Box cars. I strongly recommend getting the whole series of books, six volumes in total, they are a valuable reference.

JoeD

[charding]

...totally agree...sure glad that Cummings was around and strapped on recording so much history of NE's electric lines...if he hadn't, so much would have been lost...great investment...

[The MTA Blue Egg]

I have the 6 volumes and I agree with the wealth of info they contain. O. R. Cummings is sorely missed.(I purchased those when they were first published back in the 70s at Eric Fuchs on Tremont St. What a store! I miss that place.) The closest I can come is this drawing. It's of an Old Colony car from St Rwy Rev.The dimensions are very general but the article states the car had to conform to the Tremont St Subway clearences. The body does look like a No. 3 box though. I'm thinking the OC used the Boston Elevated body dimensions ant then designed their own end platforms. These cars were built with vestibules hence the narrower end windows.

[MBTA3247]

Did the Old Colony ever run into the Tremont St Subway? I know their North Shore counterpart the Boston & Northern did, but I'm not aware of the Old Colony going any farther north than Dudley Square.

[The MTA Blue Egg]

You are correct, my bad. The Old Colony didn't from the south but the Boston and Northern did from the north.
Thanks

[Leo Sullivan]

All I could find is this #1drawing. It was once 1/12 size but, someone reduced it and now though proportional,
it really is without dimensions. I have never had a plan for a #3 nor did ORC. There are plenty of photos
and 396. 396 has most dimensions intact.
LS

[The MTA Blue Egg]

Thanks Leo. You have a truly extrodinary collection .That drawing is a big help. Thanks again