Remembering the Boeings

[atlantis]

I even remember the PCC cars had horns towards the end. Also, the Boeing cars even had "A Watertown" printed on the destination signs. At the time, the tracks and wires were kept in situ for occasional use to bring the cars to Watertown for repairs. Also the MBTA was anticipating eventually restoring service on the branch.

[scrook]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n64duG7 ... ture=share" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[typesix]

I even remember the PCC cars had horns towards the end.

Many PCC cars had horns well before the end. When the Riverside branch opened in 1959, cars operating on that line were required to have horns and a roof light. Three classes of PCCs were so equipped. When the T first began rebuilds in the late 1970s, another class of PCCs was equipped with horns and roof light. Today, only two of those classes exist for the Mattapan line.

[rhodiecub2]

There were some occasions in the late 80s and in the 90s maybe even the early 2000s, Boeing LRVs were put on the "E" line. However, the E line service using the Boeings only went to Northeastern from Park Street (I think). Does anyone remember seeing this?

[dieciduej]

There were some times in the late 80s and in the 90s maybe even the early 2000s, Boeing LRVs were put on the "E" line. However, the E line service using the Boeings only went to Northeastern from Park Street (I think). Does anyone remember seeing this?

I remember taking the Green Line to the MFA/Ruggles stop to go to college in the mid-80s and the Boeings were going to Brigham Circle and to Heath Street.

JoeD

[jwhite07]

Boeings did run on the E, just not that long. Most often they were turned at Brigham Circle but I do understand they would occasionally run to Heath Street. Of course they never operated in regular service to Arborway. Allegedly there was some fear that if involved in an accident with a car, underfloor high voltage cabinets could be compromised, so the T was hinky about operating them in mixed traffic. I cannot vouch for the veracity of that allegation; the theory came from an old thread here on this forum, toward the bottom of the page:
http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.ph ... &start=180" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Certainly MUNI never had such qualms, and even the T shuttled Boeings up and down Chestnut Hill Avenue between the B and C lines and around the loop in the street at Cleveland Circle on a daily basis without issue. My suspicion is it may have had more to do with the 1980s MBTA mentality, when they had just "temporarily" suspended Arborway and exhibited very little desire to operate the E beyond Brigham Circle at all. Any excuse they could make against operating streetcars in mixed traffic was a good one at the time.

For six years in the 1990s I was a near-daily E rider, while I was at Northeastern and later lived on Mission Hill above Heath Street Loop. Once in a great while I'd see a Boeing on the E, but it was truly a "WTH?" moment, and as far as I could discern these rare Boeing appearances always turned at Brigham Circle. I never personally saw, rode, or photographed a Boeing beyond Brigham Circle during that time.

[dieciduej]

[quote="dieciduej"}I remember taking the Green Line to the MFA/Ruggles stop to go to college in the mid-80s and the Boeings were going to Brigham Circle and to Heath Street.

JoeD[/quote]

Courtesy of a friend <JB>, here is a breakdown of Boeing LRV operations on the E-Heath St line:

January 1978: Boeings replaced Dallas cars on Northeastern-Park St. trippers, PCCs ran all other E line service.

April 1978: Northeastern trippers were extended to Brigham Circle in morning for Latin school peak.

Summer 1979: Extreme shortage of LRVs, very little use on Huntington Ave. at this time.

March 1980: Arborway line closed for reconstruction of reservation, Boeing shuttle ran to Symphony station.

June 1980: Boeing shuttle extended back to Northeastern as some track work completed.

September 1980: Boeing shuttle extended to Brigham Circle, this remained the only car service on Huntington Ave, 39 provided all service beyond Brigham.

June 1982: Arborway line reopened all the way to Arborway with PCCs, Weekday Heath St. short-turns also operated with PCCs. Boeings now only used for the occasional Northeastern RAD.

September 1984: Boeings took over the weekday Heath St.-Park St. short-turn trips, PCCs now only used for trips operating all the way to Arborway. This was the first time Boeings operated beyond Brigham Circle other than a BSRA fan trip with pole-equipped 3402, which went all the way to Arborway in 1981 (only time a Boeing ever went beyond Heath St.).

December 1985: Entire Arborway line closed for reconstruction of Northeastern ramp to hold Type 7s.

July 1986: Service resumed to Brigham Circle. Brand new Type 7s dominated Brigham Circle service. Type 7s were used almost exclusively because they wanted the more reliable cars on the line since there is no maintenance facility on the line and everything has to be shifted to Reservoir or Riverside if there is a failure. They wanted cars that could stay out all day without a failure.

November 1989: Service resumed to Heath St., by this time the line was normally 100% Type 7s, Boeings only showed up if it was an RAD or if there was a car diverted because of a delay.


JoeD

[rhodiecub2]

How many active Boeing trains were used in its last of service in 2007?

[dieciduej]

How many active Boeing trains were used in its last of service in 2007?

The final two cars on the road as far as I know were 3485 and 3499, on March 16, 2007. That was the final run of the Boeings.

Next To Last MBTA Boeing LRV Run 3/15/2007: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cem6357/s ... 0004002967

Last Run of the MBTA's Boeing LRVs 03/16/2007: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cem6357/s ... 0005127590

JoeD

[CRail]

There were 6 cars in service until the end. A deuce went disabled on the Highland branch which was followed by another Boeing deuce which tacked on to push and then went disabled itself. The Green Line chief at the time retired all 6 cars on the spot, save for 3499-3485 which were allowed to operate 11:30am trip out of Riverside on Thursday and Friday as a farewell and then were put to pasture.

As for Seashore pole conversions, the wiring typically goes around the carbody unless the car is equipped for roof power. All of our mods are minimally invasive and if a car comes with a pan, it typically keeps it. The 0600s still have their pans as does all other blue line equipment and each pole base is simply wired to the pantograph assembly. One pair of '24 cars has no pole and the '51 cars only have one but it was never used. Even when using pan equipped cars, a cable needs to be installed between cars because 600v circuitry does not get passed between cars. This is accomplished with a feeder cable attached to each pan assembly. With the exception of the pole base brackets which are welded to the roof of the cars (and are needed to elevate the poles to reach over the pantograph when they're hooked down), every modification is completely reversible without leaving any evidence.