Green Line Train Set 3665

Overnight I observed green line train set 3665 being escorted via flat bed trailer into Riverside with several escort vehicles and state police cruisers. Anyone know why they ship them in and out via truck and for what? Isn't there still a siding behind Riverside that leads to the B&A where they could be loaded on flat cars? It seemed like quite a chore just to move the thing into the parking lot and around the back, it must be a hoot out on the highway.

3665 was coming back from the modification program to enable it to trainline with Type 8s. This work is being done at a facility in Littleton, which I do not believe has rail access. And, frankly, it's quicker to just load the thing on a truck and go.

Just a guess, but it's probably coming back from the Breda facility in Littleton after being modified to run with the Type 8s.

Since the T canceled the remaining order of Type 8s, I imagine they'd curtail the modification program as well. Has there been any word of this?

I guess it would be canceled, though it would be nice to finish all the t7's - after all, the annoucing feature is nice

TPR37777 wrote:Isn't there still a siding behind Riverside that leads to the B&A where they could be loaded on flat cars?

Yes, the siding is still there, and trolley catenary comes to the gate which is about 300 feet i from the switch @ the CSX main-line.

I think that the Littleton Shops where the T7s are being rehabbed are near the train tracks for the Fitchburg Line. Unless I'm wrong, but I thought they would be at a major-railroad ROW so that the Green Line units could be taken to Riverside by Freight train (with a few reverse moves of course).

The Breda facility is near the Fitchburg Main, but it is across a fairly busy street and the Main is single track at the location with no real easy access. There is no siding or spur, so at a minimum they'd have to be loaded onto a truck to be brought to Ayer (nearest feasable location I know of), just to be transferred to a flatcar somehow.

I'm by there quite often, and only once did I actually see a T8 - very little activity can generally be seen, even before it was cancelled.

I guess whoever will do the T9s will be able to use a facility already designed for trolley assembly that should be available soon...

I guess whoever will do the T9s will be able to use a facility already designed for trolley assembly that should be available soon...

Actually, they'd have a choice of two sites... the Type 7s were assembled at Enprotech in Readville.

I actually rode on a T7 from Copley to Brookline Village (D train) tonight that had the new ASA system installed. I think it's the first time I've seen a modified T7 on the D line. I like it, though -- I hope they keep it up!

It may look nice but the matter of fact is its a waste of money. The modifications don't make them any more handicap accessable and the whole point was to allow them to trainline with the T8's. But with the cancellations of the T8's there's no point to keep waisting money to modify cars that don't need any modifications to begin with.

While I strongly agree with you the modifications to the cars are still nice because they have the ASA so you can actually hear the stops and we might as well have an even number of T7's to work with what he have for breda's. I do think that it wouldn't make sense to modify the whole fleet, but it's still nice to have a breda for the handicap and a T7 to help endure the crowd.

The way I see it, the ASA system actually brings the MBTA one step closer to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act -- the announcements and digital signs make it easier for blind and deaf people to ride the T.