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  • Needham Line

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1496295  by theseaandalifesaver
 
Do any trains other than MBTA Needham line trains run anywhere on that branch between Forest Hills and Needham Heights? Is the Millis line beyond the wye at Needham Junction still active or have the rails been pulled up? It's hard to tell on google maps.
 #1496296  by chrisf
 
The only trains that run on the line are MBTA trains.
The line becomes a rail trail just past Needham Junction through Needham; there are no tracks from there to the Charles River bridge. Rails on and past the Charles River bridge are there but the line is long since abandoned. Dover is fighting over whether to make a rail trail or not.
 #1496297  by TomNelligan
 
There hasn't been any freight service between Forest Hills and Needham Junction in at least 50 years. NH/PC/Bay Colony ran to Newton Upper Falls via Medfield Junction and Needham Junction, so Needham Junction-Needham Heights saw occasional freights until the Bay Colony cut back.
 #1496681  by MBTA3247
 
The line does go right by those points. There's even remnants of a spur to the latter, assuming it's the self-storage place opposite Gardner St from the Home Depot.
 #1496754  by Teamdriver
 
Exactly, seen cars on that siding when it was a liquor warehouse.Not sure how the rail bridge that ran over Spring street nearby connects into all this , as it is gone now , and my memory is clouded. Fairly certain what is now Roche Bros used to be Pope Lumber, and it got rail cars as well.
 #1496829  by MBTA3247
 
The bridge over Spring St was on the original line down to Dedham.
 #1497427  by johnpbarlow
 
Apologies for the cheesy quality of attached iPhone photo of Needham Heights layover yard taken on Saturday 1/19/19 but the train on the right appears to be facing the wrong direction. Wonder why?
Attachments:
Needham Heights 011919.jpg
Needham Heights 011919.jpg (124.63 KiB) Viewed 7615 times
 #1497452  by Trinnau
 
The last few years they've started turning trains ahead of big storms, so the first train inbound runs engine first. The engines fare a little better striking heavy snowbanks and trees.
 #1500807  by johnpbarlow
 
I notice that T train engines are idling at the Needham Heights layover yard - doesn’t the T have external engine /train heating power there so engines can be shutdown in the winter?
 #1500833  by Backshophoss
 
Sometimes the weather will force them to Idle the prime movers,"block heaters" are not always effective at certain temps.
May have a open circuit in in the block heater coils.
May have a problem with the Standby Ground power setup at the layover site! :(
 #1521707  by Rbts Stn
 
Sometime yesterday the continued announcements of No Saturday Service on the Needham line (for PTC) changed from finishing up on October 12th to finishing up on November 9th.

Also noticed in the past few days there is a quiet electronic announcement on the trains (Needham line, at least) reminding folks that the Quiet Car is the one nearest the engine. I didn't know this was still a thing!
 #1521717  by johnpbarlow
 
Of course, on off-peak trains, the coach closest to the engine is the only one in use as it stops at the high level platforms! :wink:
 #1521724  by chrisf
 
The quiet car is only a peak train thing anyway.
Last edited by CRail on Sat Oct 05, 2019 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total. Reason: Unnecessary quote removed.
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