GL Stop Consolidation & Ext to Hyde Sq Study

I thought the ASVs wouldn't clear in the subway and that's why they ended up buying the Minneapolis PCCs.

Red Arrow in Philadelphia tried out a railbus for a possible extension of the Norristown line. I wasn't living there at the time, but I was told it was a GM fishbowl using flanged wheels for guidance and rubber tires for traction; on the day of the demonstration there was a light snowfall and the tires got no traction on the wet rails, so that was the end of that.

The A Line rails were pulled up in 1996, IIRC. I think the last move to Watertown was around 1993 or 1994, and IIRC at the BSRA meeting they mentioned it was a “revenue trip” — an inebriated gentleman had missed the 57 and needed a lift.

I remember the last revenue passenger on the A line being a woman, headed inbound. The last night before they cut power to the trolley wires they ran a train inbound from Watertown: a type 5 and a PCC (to be stored in the Central Subway and eventually at Boylston), and I think the pole-equipped LRV that they had been using to tow equipment out to Watertown for work; I guess it was wanted elsewhere on the system. I think the passenger rode the Type 5, but I'm not sure. I read about it the next day in the newspaper around 25 years ago.

I live in the “A line” territory and have taken the 57 from time to time. I sincerely doubt that a trolley would be faster and a better experience than a bus on this heavily congested route.

Currently (outside Covid) for getting downtown and to back bay, the 500 series express buses are far superior to the 57 for getting anywhere except Allston/Brighton/Fenway.

For Newton Corner’s purposes it would be more effective to utilize the Worcester Line tracks right there, hopefully with electrified commuter rail service. Oak Square/Brighton center I would want to see a dedicated right of way if the trolley was to be extended out that way. But large parts of those neighborhoods abut the Worcester Line ROW as well.

Would it be possible for a trolley reservation from Heath St to Hyde Square or at least up to Perkins St? Would there be a need for a stop in between Heath and Hyde Square?

Road width right now is about 54'. Figure 24' for the reservation and 22' for travel lanes, and you're left with only 8' for bike lanes. You'd have to take a few feet from the parking lots and landscaping , and there's no additional width for stops. You probably can't get more than a one-way transit reservation. The existing bus stop spacing is good - intermediate stops at VA Medical Center and Brynner.

You'd probably get a bigger boost to reliability by doing the dedicated reservation from Riverway to Brigham Circle. Take the landscaping/parking lane at Mission Park for room for platforms. Move the inbound platform at Brigham Circle opposite the outbound platform, and make that intersection less terrifying for pedestrians, to eliminate the need for Fenwood Road.

In either of these cases it might make sense to copy the downtown SLC reservations, which are made in such a way that emergency vehicles can drive on them if need be, at least on some of the streets. IIRC they have a low curb between the (paved) reservation and the traffic lanes, just enough to mark them off but possible to driver over in an emergency. Further out, eg on the University line, the reservations are unpaved like Boston ones.

Could also have busses use the reservation, which would speed up both the buses and the cars that would otherwise be stuck behind the buses.

If a reservation were possible, I think BERy would've installed one 120 years ago.