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  • Door To Another Universe

  • 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

 #11897  by dr_wu002
 
I used to think I was crazy but now I know I'm not. While riding the Green Line yesterday, going inbound towards Boyleston, just before the big turn as you're entering the station, I saw a door or an open section of the wall on the outbound side side of the track. I caught this out of the corner of my eye just as we were passing so I never really got a good look but it was definitely there. What is it? Had I not been in a rush I would have hopped off at Boyleston and headed back outbound to see what it was. What is this door? What is behind it?

I had been convinced for quite some time that I saw lights in this very section once before but whenever I'd look again (I used to take the train everyday passed there going to work) I wouldn't see it. I thought I was insane. I didn't want to post it on the forum for fear of being branded a "troll." But yesterday I really F'ing saw it. Unfortunately I'm working in Needham now, so I haven't had the chance to get back there to see what kind of opening this is. Someone please tell me what I saw. It looked like a door or a rather large section of the wall missing and there was light behind it. I couldn't see any details. Again, this was on the wall on the outbound side of the tracks, right after the big curve at Boyleston. Don't tell me something stupid like I'm mistaking it for the old Public Gardens incline -- I know where this is and this is not the same thing. This is literally right after the curve -- I estimate that the Tremont Street tunnel passes right underneath this point. The Public Gardens Incline etc. is way down closer to Arlington.

I am not a troll nor am I crazy. I just want answers.

 #11951  by vanshnookenraggen
 
No, I see this all the time but because the train is moving fast I can only get a quick glimse of it. It looks like a small stairway with a hall at the end and I think a door after that. I don't know what it is and I can't find it in any of the old sybway plans I've seen. I asume it is just a connector/emergency exit to the Tremont St tunnel but that is speculation.

 #11987  by CS
 
There is no reason to be in fear of being branded a troll. Simply ask if there's a door there because you thought you saw something. Never assume that I will think you are a troll. I know a real troll when I see it.

 #12037  by ceo
 
Inside wall of the Boylston curve, just after the Tremont incline passes underneath? I've boticed that too; no clue what it is.

 #12055  by jwhite07
 
There's a fan room and vent shaft in that area - could that be what you saw?

 #12092  by DelawareHudson
 
Thank God. I've seen this before, too, and when I posted about it the last time, no one confirmed it. I was beginning to think I was in a bad Twilight Zone episode.

I like jwhite's answer of a fan/ventilation room. It seems to make the most sense, since there's nothing in that area that I ever remember reading about as being an old entranceway or anything like that.

 #12104  by efin98
 
CS wrote:There is no reason to be in fear of being branded a troll. Simply ask if there's a door there because you thought you saw something. Never assume that I will think you are a troll. I know a real troll when I see it.
I concir, don't live in fear of the few self appointed troll hunters on these boards. Adhere to the basic rules setforth at the top of the forum and you are good to go. Original though is what every forum needs, no matter how far out or newbieish it is.

Besides, some of the wildest ideas and questions can generate the best responses from members.

 #12106  by efin98
 
jwhite07 wrote:There's a fan room and vent shaft in that area - could that be what you saw?
about how old would it be if indeed it was that? Sounds to me like it is an add on from when the line was extended to Governor's Square.

 #12156  by efin98
 
the circular box structure in the cemetary is a vent shaft? man, what I was told was way off :wink:. Then again I was told alot of junk about the cemetaries near there.

Could the vent shaft be attatched to the structure near the old incline site? It sounds like that general area.

 #12284  by Xplorer2000
 
Access to a machinery room sounds right, although I wouldn't be surprised if there's ALSO access to the surface somewher back there too. Also, there's a similar vent to the Boylston Street Cemetary one ,on Tremont near Gov't Center,in another old cemetary, oddly enough. It's set close enough to the street that you can actually hear the trains when they go by. Being the oldest subway system in the US, you've got to figure that there are all sorts of these little doors, passages and openings scattered around the subway system,espescially as the system has been built ,rebuilt, and relocated so many times over the years. It'd be interesting to explore them, but the T would never allow it .

 #12295  by jrc520
 
who ever said that the T needed to allow it? of course, doing it yourself is dangerous, stupid, and illegal, but hey, why let that stop you? ;-)

Notice: I do not condone tresspassing, going into closed off areas, or any of the sort. I do not do it myself, and even if I did, I wouldn't be an idiot and post it here. Nor would I post it anywhere.

Besides, there's no real access to most of these areas anyways, you WILL be caught, and hey, why bother with the goons anyways? I'm sure someone will get pix one day.

 #12386  by Ken W2KB
 
"Door To Another Universe" is a fitting title since this year in August Boston is host to the World Science Fiction Convention ("Worldcon"). Next
year it's in Scotland. <g>

 #12639  by dr_wu002
 
"Door To Another Universe" is a fitting title since this year in August Boston is host to the World Science Fiction Convention ("Worldcon"). Next
year it's in Scotland. <g>
They're going to have it in that little space I saw in the tunnel near the Boyleston "T" stop!?!?!? That's crazy. Well, I guess that explains why the "door" there was wide open and there was a fairly bright light eminating -- they're getting ready for a Science Fiction Convention! Is there enough space in there? I imagine Science Fiction is still quite popular. I wonder if Thomas Pynchon will be there -- he seems to like the MBTA (or the MTA).

I would never have guessed that one.

 #12960  by Xplorer2000
 
jrc520 wrote:...who ever said that the T needed to allow it? of course, doing it yourself is dangerous, stupid, and illegal, but hey, why let that stop you? ;-)

Notice: I do not condone tresspassing, going into closed off areas, or any of the sort. I do not do it myself, and even if I did, I wouldn't be an idiot and post it here. Nor would I post it anywhere...

Nor do I,or did I anywhere in my post. I probably should have been a little bit clearer on the subject. What I was referring to was maybe an
officialy sanctioned ,fantrip-type guided tour, like I heard they once did for the abandoned Tremont tunnel. But the safety and liability issues would kill any such idea in the eyes of "T" management , and justifiably so. Unless you did it after hours, there's no way feasably to shuttle people to these various locations in the tunnels, and load/unload them,and not interfere with the daily routine or pose a safety hazard.

 #29233  by Ron Newman
 
There was once a pedestrian tunnel connecting Boylston Station to the Little Building on the other side of Boylston Street. That building is now an Emerson College dorm. Could you be seeing the remnants of this connection?