Rapid Transit Cars Running on Other Lines Within The System

[TrainManTy]

What business did/do most cars have going over the Longfellow bridge? Revenue or not.

Before the Blue Line (of course, colors weren't in use then) had its own repair shop, their cars would travel to the Red Line's Eliot Shops near Harvard. There was a portal in the middle of Cambridge Street (the Joy St. Portal) and cars were towed from there to a connection near the Longfellow Bridge where they would run under their own power to the shops. This was all done at night, of course, after revenue service had shut down.

As for photos, here's one of the Joy Street portal:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... Portal.jpg

[3rdrail]

This is an insanely interesting thread. I agree, it needs pictures.

What business did/do most cars have going over the Longfellow bridge? Revenue or not.

"Tourists" were headed for the Eliot Shops for maintenance. In the case of streetcars, the High Speed Line has no heavy maintenance facility, so they would jump on the Cambridge-Dorchester Codman jump track and get towed to Harvard Square by a R/T set. If any of you have Brad Clarke's Rapid Transit Boston, there is a neat photo of this operation on page 33. It shows an All-Electric PCC being towed over the Longfellow towards Charles Station on the return trip by an 01400 set.

Nice pic there Ty. I can't help when looking at it but to think "another case of going one step ahead and two backward". Which do you think looks better or is safer - Cambridge Street then or now ?

[3rdrail]

Gerry (or anyone that knows), is there any difference between the profile on R/T rail and Surface rail or is it all the same MCB standard ?

[theseaandalifesaver]

So this hasn't really happened at all in the last 50 years or so.

[Charliemta]

I think the Mattapan Line's trolley cars still get towed on the Red Line to the Cabot Yard.

[typesix]

No, the PCCs no longer are towed, there's an open repair facility at Mattapan.

[MBTA3247]

If the PCCs need any major work done, they get trucked over to Riverside.

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

I think the Mattapan Line's trolley cars still get towed on the Red Line to the Cabot Yard.

That was last done when Bennett Yard at Harvard was still open. It's no big deal to plunk the PCC's on a flatbed right in Mattapan yard, so they do that. If there were ever a need to drag them to Cabot, they do still have that capability. The jet snowblowers came to dig out the line during the 2010 snowpocalypse via tow from Cabot and the connecting track in Codman Yard, so for work equipment that connection is still a going concern.

[Gerry6309]

Gerry (or anyone that knows), is there any difference between the profile on R/T rail and Surface rail or is it all the same MCB standard ?

As far as I know there was none until the Type 8's gained a reputation for liberating themselves from the oppressive rails. The solution was grindinga new rail profile on the Green Line, and doing all the whels over to match.

It should be noted that until roughly the 1940s, the CD line had trolley wire from Eliot to Andrew and possibly further, as did the Main Line between Oak St. and the Haymarket Relief Station, and the entire East Boston Tunnel. This was for the use of surface work cars used in the tunnels. Some hangers still remain from this wire.

In general, cars from Mattapan were only towed to Eliot between 1955 and roughly 1970.

There was also trolley wire for work cars in the roofed cut at Ashmont, but it was cone before the practice of towing PCCs was instituted.

[Gerry6309]

No, the PCCs no longer are towed, there's an open repair facility at Mattapan.

That Open Repair Facility now includes a shed over five car spaces. This was done about 15 years ago.

[jonnhrr]

No, the PCCs no longer are towed, there's an open repair facility at Mattapan.

That Open Repair Facility now includes a shed over five car spaces. This was done about 15 years ago.

http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?51484

[typesix]

.

That Open Repair Facility now includes a shed over five car spaces. This was done about 15 years ago.

Thanks Gerry, that's what I really meant to say.

[Finch]

How would a green line trolley travel over red line tracks? Meaning, how would it get power?

It wouldn't get any power without modifications, since Green Line cars have pantographs not third rail collector shoes. I recall a story about Green Line cars running on a heavy rail line, perhaps during acceptance testing of one of the older Green Line fleets. They actually made a shoe beam setup for the trolley cars so they could collect power from the third rail. I believe this was because the Green Line didn't have a suitable test track at the time. Unfortunately, I don't remember any more details than this (and I can't swear to the accuracy of the above, either).

[Charliemta]

The Red Line and Orange Line used to, several decades ago, have overhead trolley lines. I believe these were in place to allow trolley cars to make non-revenue runs to the big maintence shops on those two rapid transit lines.

[Arborwayfan]

An older fan described seeing PCCs in town in Harvard Station during revenue hours. I don't remember when he said he saw it, and he is sadly deceased.