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  • Blue Line to Lynn??

  • 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

 #465858  by csrrfan86
 
I know this has been in the works for years but is it ever going to happen? They could follow the old narrow gauge ROW (whats left of it). Anyone hearing anything??

 #465877  by trainhq
 
This was studied several years ago. The old narrow guage route was not considered feasible; any line extension would cut over to the CR line, then run up there to Lynn/Salem. The line was sent to FTA for funding; I think it's still in the queue.

As for when, well, that's a ways off. Green Line to West Medford and CR to Fall River/New Bedford are in front of it, and those are years away from construction, if ever. I'd say 2015 at the very earliest, and even that
would be hard to do. Don't hold your breath.

 #522661  by Choo Choo Coleman
 
From the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articl ... ine_blues/

Looks like more of the same story. Lynn wants it, but not enough state or federal money at this point.

Three proposals:
1) Extend Blue Line to commuter rail tracks and build new Wonderland Station for CR-Blue Line connection - $155 million

2) Follow commuter rail tracks with overhead crossing of route 1A and eventually into Lynn Center - $600 million

3) Looks like the narrow gauge railroad option is still being considered. It would follow the old narrod gauge railroad tracks down Revere Beach through Point of Pines and into Lynn. The Mayor of Revere is quoted as saying he is against this option, but for the other two. - $400 million

With the cost fuel prices it might happen sooner than we think, but according to the article, the project has had many sponsers since 1947, and still the Blue Line ends at Wonderland.

 #522708  by Ron Newman
 
I don't understand why the mayor of Revere opposes the narrow gauge route. It is the most logical one, since it carried trains in the past.

 #522719  by vanshnookenraggen
 
It would run right up against peoples' houses, voters' houses. The other two options wouldn't. It would however serve more people and wouldn't run through wetlands.

 #522723  by Ron Newman
 
It would also allow for adding two or three more Revere stations. Wouldn't that appeal to voters who live near them?

 #522735  by Arborway
 
Ron Newman wrote:It would also allow for adding two or three more Revere stations. Wouldn't that appeal to voters who live near them?
It would be Greenbush Syndrome all over again.

"Don't build near me! Don't build near me! Ohhh..hmmm...well, actually I kinda want to use it and have it nearby, but I don't, and I will work to make the T modify an existing plan until it costs several times the original price tag and then whine about how the modifications I insisted upon actually inconvenience me in the end."

Mark my words.

As I said on ArchBoston, this needs to follow some other improvements on the line, not take priority. Building this before the Red/Blue connector doesn't make any sense, and I doubt we'll get The Powers That Be to agree to building both in the same decade or two span of time. I know this has been in the works for over 60 years now, but it would only increase the pressure on the Green Line and Park St. if it were allowed to proceed first.

 #522736  by jscola30
 
Regarding option #2, is there room for another two sets of tracks, and what about the grade crossings?

I also personally feel that we should look at areas that don't have any T service whatsover first.

 #522776  by doublebell
 
A major problem with #3 is that Revere allowed condo construction on the ROW in the Point of Pines section. There was a big stink about this for several years with the building being unoccupied.

John Collins, the guy with the white car with the wing on back.

 #522812  by Ron Newman
 
Is an actual building on the right-of-way, or just a yard or parking lot (whichi can be sacrificed)?

 #522835  by AutisticPsycho
 
Since I've started working at the airport, I've been taking the Blue Line. So I've been driving down Route 1A, and ironically, I have been thinking, were would be the best place for the Blue Line to fly over. I have been thinking the piece of marshlands near that giant pink condo buliding would the best... since there seems to be ample room for tracks, the only problem is the CR goes through Oak Island. It will be a very very tight squeeze

Because after that's theres a neighborhood, which would have to demolished or somehow tunneled under. And then you got some condos squeezed onto the ROW, which I believe are the ones mentioned and finally, you more of less have a large swath of water on the marsh.

Another question is, do we use pantographs or have switch off again to third rail?

Here's my propsals: http://tinyurl.com/6dddf4
Ron Newman wrote:Is an actual building on the right-of-way, or just a yard or parking lot (whichi can be sacrificed)?
I believe it's a condo that juts onto on the ROW. And actually, I believe the guy who built it, according to my father, wrote an editorial in the Item wanting the Blue Line to come so he can tear it do. (I'm guessing, one... eminent domain compensation, and two, condos never really did well in Revere?)

 #522864  by Ron Newman
 
This sounds like another good argument for the narrow gauge option -- it doesn't need to cross over Route 1A. Or if it does, could it cross at grade, as the original line presumably did?

 #522890  by MBTA3247
 
jscola30 wrote:Regarding option #2, is there room for another two sets of tracks, and what about the grade crossings?
For most of the route, the ROW is either 4 tracks wide or has nothing but marshland on either side. The biggest problems with it would probably be the grade crossing at River Works and getting authorization to widen the ROW through the marsh. It also bypasses a few obvious locations for stations.

 #523104  by Charliemta
 
I'm thinking of a route that would avoid the residential choke points:

Image

 #523127  by jamesinclair
 
Best to have the station slightly north, make it a commuter rail transfer, and ditch the addition to Lynn.