Subway tail track storage

[obienick]

Are the tail tracks at the end of heavy rail lines used for nightly storage, such as Wonderland, Oak Grove, and Braintree? If so are trains taken from there for inspections and returned during the few hours the subways don't operate?

[BostonUrbEx]

The tail track at Oak Grove is rarely used. In fact, the tail at Bowdoin is probably used more often for storage of train sets during harsh winter weather. I do not know about Wonderland during night hours, but Braintree is definitely used at night.

[3rdrail]

A lot of the Orange Line cars can overnight at Forest Hills.

[theseaandalifesaver]

Wonderland is used daily by every single train to switch from the east bound tracks to the west bound.

[sery2831]

The Red Line stores trains over night at all it's end points. The Orange Line stores it's trains at Forest Hills and Wellington. Oak Grove has the least used tail track I would say in the entire system. I have NEVER seen it used for anything more than track equipment. As mentioned already, Bowdoin is used only to store trains in winter weather. And Wonderland is only used to turn trains and all trains are stored over night at Orient Heights. There is also a set of tail tracks at Orient Heights, I am not quite sure if they are currently being used at all to turn trains or not.

[HenryAlan]

A lot of the Orange Line cars can overnight at Forest Hills.

True, but that's a formal yard with maintenance pits and such. I don't think that's the same thing as what the OP is asking about.

[3rdrail]

A lot of the Orange Line cars can overnight at Forest Hills.

True, but that's a formal yard with maintenance pits and such. I don't think that's the same thing as what the OP is asking about.

Maintenance pits ? (You learn something new every day.)

[CRail]

The Forest Hills yard is not a maintenance facility. It is simply a storage yard similar to Alewife except that it's not underground. Orange Line maintenance is handled at the Wellington car house.

[The EGE]

A lot of the Orange Line cars can overnight at Forest Hills.

True, but that's a formal yard with maintenance pits and such. I don't think that's the same thing as what the OP is asking about.

Maintenance pits ? (You learn something new every day.)

One or two of the tail tracks has a pit underneath, yes. Noticed it from a Needham train the other week.

[sery2831]

The pits are in place for emergency repair or inspections. They are there for more a just in case issue and not for routine maintenance.

[HenryAlan]

The pits are in place for emergency repair or inspections. They are there for more a just in case issue and not for routine maintenance.

This is exactly what I figured -- a quick spot inspection, temp repairs, that sort of thing. I wouldn't expect any serious maintenance could be done at that location. I called them maintenance pits for lack of a better term -- they remind me of the pits the mechanics use for working on the underside of a car (automobile).

[Gerry6309]

Just to clarify...

Tail Tracks or "Dead Ends" exist only at Wonderland, Ashmont, Bowdoin, Oak Grove and North Station (Green). Oak Grove is unique in that it is not used to turn or store trains on a regular basis.

At Ashmont they continue into a yard as they once did at Harvard. Forest Hills, Alewife and Braintree are considered formal "Yards"

Other locations such as Columbia Junction, Quincy Center, Wellington and Orient Heights have "Pocket Tracks" seperate from the main tracks and yards. There were also Dead Ends at Old Forest Hills, Everett and Harvard and Pocket Tracks at Guild Street and Sullivan.

[theseaandalifesaver]

I believe that the only reason the tracks extend so long after the station at Oak Grove was because the Orange Line was supposed to go all the way to Reading.

[BostonUrbEx]

I'm not sure what's up, but they have been aggressively trimming trees and brush around the Oak Grove tail track the past couple of nights. They weren't much of a problem except down the very end of the track, but the focus seems to be down near the platform.

[BostonUrbEx]

There was a 6-car set on the Oak Grove tail track at about midday yesterday. First I've ever personally witnessed it used except for a piece of MOW equipment.