MBTA3247 wrote:Charliemta wrote:In the case of the Red Line, it would allow for future conversion of the Old Colony lines to overhead electric.
Why would they want to convert that section of the Red Line to catenary? It costs more to build and maintain, and there are no plans to extend the line beyond Braintree.
If the Old Colony Lines were to be converted to electric someday, it would have to be catenary for at least the parts that have grade crossings. The sections that don't, including the part through Dorchester, could be third rail.
If that happened, then the Old Colony through Dorchester could be combined with the Braintree Branch of the Red Line. Doing that would allow a three track system: two tracks plus a third express track which could operate inbound in the morning and outbound in the aftrenoon. It would eliminate the existing one-track bottleneck that the Old Colony experiences for much of its length through Boston and Quincy. The Old Colony could still go straight into South Station, and make use of the Cabot Yards for electric car storage.
So, to plan for such possibities of car-sharing between the Red Line and Old Colony line, the new Red Line cars should be outfitted for future catenary, just like the old Orange Line cars were.