Ashmont-Mattapan Trolley Line Discussion

the line would be a good real world test case for that company that rebuilt former underground gear into EMUs.
It would require some rebuilding of platforms, but would be an overall win.

MattW wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 9:50 amThere's no signaling whatsoever on this line? I thought there was at least a basic block signaling system.

Of Boston's remaining trolley lines, only the central subway and D Line have signal systems installed; the signals on the B, C and E lines are solely for controlling traffic through the intersections those lines pass through, and provide no indication of track occupancy.

scratchyX1 wrote:the line would be a good real world test case for that company that rebuilt former underground gear into EMUs.
It would require some rebuilding of platforms, but would be an overall win.

If you're going to replace the streetcars with EMUs, might as well just extend the Red Line. No new vehicle tech necessary. It's an idea which has been suggested, and rejected, many times.

I'm a little surprised that lead paint was cited as one of the alleged holdups to the PCC rebuild program. I would think that the with the multitude of previous rebuilds these cars have undergone, there can't be so much lead paint remaining (or original sheet metal for that matter) that it would cause a major delay to the work. Were they still using lead paint in the 1980s rebuild program? Certainly not by the late 90s/early 2000s rebuild, where lead paint apparently wasn't a work-stopping problem.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 10:52 am The line would be a good real world test case for that company that rebuilt former underground
gear into EMUs.

You mean London's D78 stock as DMUs?

Globe report on rebuild delays:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/01/02/ ... announced/

For other than GLX news, Universalhub reports that the first PCC rebuild is out today(The T's version of PCC II, first done by SEPTA):

https://universalhub.com/2022/whats-old ... tapan-line

Some inaccuracies in the linked article (surprising, I know) - 3265 was not one of the cars involved in the 12/29/17 collision, which was over four years ago now, not three and a half years. The cars involved in that incident were 3260 and 3262. and neither will be rebuilt, although both have already served as donor cars to keep others running.

Sloppy journalism aside, it is good to finally see progress on the PCC rebuild program, and hopefully the remainder of the program will not be so unduly protracted.

Problem is it is being done during "free time". But there is never extra time available.

MBTA3247 wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 3:05 pm Of Boston's remaining trolley lines, only the central subway and D Line have signal systems installed; the signals on the B, C and E lines are solely for controlling traffic through the intersections those lines pass through, and provide no indication of track occupancy.

I assume that "remaining trolley lines" excludes the Lechmere viaduct, and the new section to Medford/Union Square? I assume there's signaling there, but don't know.

Wow, that's a lot of dark territory.

ryanov wrote: ↑Thu Mar 24, 2022 5:17 pm

MBTA3247 wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 3:05 pm Of Boston's remaining trolley lines, only the central subway and D Line have signal systems installed; the signals on the B, C and E lines are solely for controlling traffic through the intersections those lines pass through, and provide no indication of track occupancy.

I assume that "remaining trolley lines" excludes the Lechmere viaduct, and the new section to Medford/Union Square? I assume there's signaling there, but don't know.

There was signaling installed when I passed through a couple days ago.

I was reading in the January/February 2022 Rollsign magazine that..

"The MBTA is reportedly considering returning wrecked car 3260 to service as part of the rebuild program, by cutting off and fusing the undamaged end of car 3262 to make one good carbody for 3260. 3262 struck 3260 in an accident in 2017, the front end of 3262 and rear of 3260 are considered damaged beyond routine repair. If the MBTA eventually decides to proceed with the reconstruction of 3260, active car 3087 would not be rebuilt, as the MBTA only has eight rebuild kits from Brookville. As of the end of February 2022 however, both 3260 and 3262 remain stored at Mattapan awaiting a decision." BSRA

Proposed changes in upcoming years:

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/mbta-propo ... olley-loop

Funny how the highly paid consultants didn't consider future-proofing when they designed that tight loop - so tight that even PCCs don't get around it without severe wheel noise which took another several million dollars and more consultants to design a sound dampening system.

At least they can fit a center island platform stub terminal into that same area, along with a crossover (preferably on flat grade at the bottom of the ramp), but that'll be another big-dollar project. And it still won't be the easy, direct, and weather-protected transfer between subway and streetcar that the BERy's engineers designed into the original station 100 years ago.

Cheaper to operate the PCC cars indefinitely. Are there too many passengers for the PCC cars?