Where can I find a history of Boston's El's?

[Otto Vondrak]

I'm looking for a history of all of Boston's El's... the Atlantic Avenue El, the old Orange Line El, and the Green Line El... any tips or web sites?

-otto-

[CS]

Ottoman, go to www.mbta.net

Every (decent) website on the history of the MBTA is there. That's how I found rr.net three years ago!

[efin98]

http://members.aol.com/NETransit has a pretty decent history of the system since the MBTA came into being in 1964 and a complex history of the Green Line and light rail in the Boston area since the opening of the subway.

[MBTA1]

I dont know if it is still published but there is an Images of America book called when Boston Rode the EL. I use it a lot as a resources. GREAT Pictures too.

[vanshnookenraggen]

That book is VERY hard to find. I work in a bookstore and tried to order it my first day but it is out of print. I am told that the publisher is considering reprinting it but for now your best place to find it is in a library. GREAT book btw.

[BC Eagle]

I was able to pick up "When Boston Rhode the El" last February at a Brentanos in the Copley Plaza Mall. It's an upscale sister store of Walden books, and they had a healthy selection of the "Images" series. I was also able to get "Boston in Motion" there. At the Barnes and Noble in the Pru, I was able to pick up the Blue Line book. Both stores had the Red Line book, but as the Red Line is the only branch I haven't used on a regular basis, it didn't interest me too much. With the exception of the Pru store, I've been told at other Barnes and Nobles that they are discontinuing the "Images" series. I've been hunting down relentlessly, to no avail, "Trolleys Under the Hub" for the past year or so. It is definitely out of print, and no store has been able to order it for me. I haven't had any luck with ebay either.

[caduceus]

I picked up my copy at the B&N at Downtown Crossing last year.

[RailBus63]

New York's Electric Railroaders Association in 1987 published "Boston's Main Line El: The Formative Years" by George Chiasson, Jr. It covers the early years of the elevated route that later became the Orange Line, including the operation of rapid transit trains through the Tremont Street Subway and the Atlantic Avenue el. The only bad part about the book is that the coverage ends around 1910 or so. It does have lots of good photos and diagrams, and I highly recommend it. You might be able to find a copy on eBay or at a used book site.

The BSRA did publish four 'transit albums' during the 1970's and 1980's- 'Transit Boston', 'Rapid Transit Boston', 'The Boston Transit Album' and 'The Boston Rapid Transit Album'. These books have neat photos and chronologies, but don't cover any of the routes in any real depth. Again, they do show up from time to time on eBay.

Jim D.

[Otto Vondrak]

Any other sources on-line would be great... thanks!

-otto-

[efin98]

http://world.nycsubway.org might have some more information.

http://www.geocities.com/BostonMBTA/ is also a great source for all of the lines.

[Ron Newman]

Otto, check out http://world.nycsubway.org/us/boston/orange/ for the former Charlestown and Washington Street els.