Transit Day this year was quite interesting, and not in the good way. The first photo runby of the day was cancelled due to 1304 still being worked on by the shop. Instead, it was decided to do a second run with 0210/01000. That trip didn't even get as far as Meserve's before the hook on 01000's second pole broke off, sending the pole up right into one of the wire hangars, in the process both breaking the hangar off the trolley wire and bending the pole back almost 180 degrees. A 5 MPH speed restriction was immediately put in place at that location and will remain until permanent repairs can be made.
In the afternoon, line car 3283 was sent out behind 0622-0623 to make temporary repairs to the overhead, which were successful (not being an expert on overhead, though, I can't tell you how much more needs to be done to eliminate the speed restriction). While repairs were being made, the Blue Line cars came back down to the stop sign south of Tower 1, and were then sent back up to Biddeford Switch, whereupon they lost their air and were marooned for nearly 90 minutes. Once 3283 returned from making repairs, 5821 and 639 were sent out to rescue the passengers on the Blue Line cars; the latter returned empty, while the former "looked like it had just left Park Street during rush hour" - it was standing room only. Subsequently, a regular 4:15 trip went out to the top of the hill and back while 5106 was prepped to tow the Blue Line cars back. That turned out to be unnecessary, as they managed to fix the air problem at Biddeford Switch without further assistance.
There were also two occasions today where there was so much radio chatter, the dispatcher had to tell everyone to shut up (he put it more politely, of course).
I'll have pictures up in a day or so, including shots taken up on the line car.
"The destination of this train is [BEEP BEEP]" -announcement on an Ashmont train.
