Boston’s Strange Blue Subway

Finally, the long awaited TRA trip report on the MBTA Blue Line!

Trains Are Awesome!

[Danicalip]

Also mentioning, the oldest train operator in the world operates the blue line. Her name is Helen Antenucci and she is 82 years old. Such a doll! She works mornings. I hear her on the speaker sometimes because I live near wonderland.

[SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

A Dunkin' fun fact: It was founded in Quincy, MA by William Rosenberg in 1950. In 1955, Bill worked with his brother-in-law Harry Winokur. After Winokur broke his partnership with Rosenberg, Harry went on to create Mister Donut with his son-in-law David Slater that same year. Yes, Mister Donut was founded in the US by the brother-in-law of the founder of Dunkin'! After International Multifoods Corporation bought Mister Donut in 1970, they opened locations outside North America like in Japan, so that's how they made it over to Japan! Mister Donut used to be all over the US, but after Dunkin's then parent company Allied-Lyons acquired Mister Donut in 1990, Dunkin' gave those North America stores the opportunity to convert to Dunkin's, which many did while the Godfrey, IL Mister Donut has remained the exception. So while this happened in North America, Mister Donuts elsewhere started operating on their own, which is why Mister Donut is still around in Asia. In 2020, Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins, and Mister Donut became part of Inspire Brands. If you're wondering why Wonderland is called such, Wonderland was originally to be named Bath House after the former station, but instead was named Wonderland in 1954 after the now-closed Wonderland Greyhound Park, which operated from 1935 to 2010 after dog racing ended in the state, itself named after Wonderland Amusement Park which operated from 1906 to 1911. Wonderland station was the destination in the 1998 romantic comedy movie Next Stop Wonderland.

The CTA Yellow and Purple Lines also used overhead catenary at one point! The Evanston shuttle as it was called before the Purple Line, once had overhead that originally extended all the way to Howard, but in 1963 the wire was replaced with third rail between South Blvd and Howard, so South Boulevard was where the trains switched between overhead and third-rail. The overhead between South Boulevard and Linden was converted to third-rail in 1973, which allowed the CTA to retire the Cincinnati Car Company-manufactured 4000-series cars. By this time, L crews had been reduced to two persons (with only a few exceptions), with the conductor responsible for raising or lowering the poles. However, rush-hour Evanston Express trains at the time were typically four cars long, which would have been a time-consuming (and delay-inducing) job for one person, even though only every other car's poles had to be raised (the 4000-series cars used at the time were semi-permanently paired, with jumpers between the car's traction power systems). So during rush-hour, a platform person was assigned to South Blvd. to help raise and lower poles, typically, the platform person handled the pole on the first car while the conductor handled the pole on the third car. The Yellow Line switched between overhead and third rail the same way New Haven Line trains do, while in motion. That of course changed when the overhead section was converted to third-rail in 2004.

[raymondmuench]

I was a touch confused when you mentioned the Blue was “under construction” as I remember taking it in 1972. Nice to know I’m not losing it completely.

[ShaneSaw]

There’s been talk for about 50 years to extend the Blue Line into Lynn. You hear that they’re going to try and get that rolling every few years but I don’t expect to see it happen in my lifetime.

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

A cool fact about Blue Line rolling stock: While the 700-series cars you rode were built by Siemens and first entered revenue service in 2008 (it was first scheduled for delivery in 2004 but was delayed to 2007 due to manufacturing issues), the 600-series that came before them were built by the former Hawker Siddeley Canada, and were a PA3-type, so it's based on the same model for the former PA-3s on PATH in New Jersey! This is the same model as the old MBTA Orange Line rolling stock as well. Blue Line Hawkers were narrower and shorter than the Orange Line rolling stock since as mentioned, what's now the Blue Line was once for streetcars. The PATH PA3s entered service in 1972, while the Blue Line 600-series and Orange Line 1200-series entered service in 1979 and 1980 respectively. The PATH PA3s retired from service between 2009 and 2011. In 2009, a set of 600-series cars were sent to the Seashore Trolley Museum. Most Blue Line 600-series were retired by 2011 due to severe corrosion from the salty ocean air, and in 2012, a set was placed in the former Broadway streetcar tunnel for use during emergency training. The last 1200-series Orange Line cars exited service in August 2022, began to be sent for scrap the next month, all were processed to remove hazardous materials and be recycled, two were offered to the Seashore Trolley Museum who declined them, and the last pair was hauled away in July 2024. Besides working on rolling stock for PATH and MBTA, Hawker Siddeley Canada also built the former H-series subway cars for Toronto, National Railways of Mexico passenger coaches, the former automated Expo-Express for Expo 67 in Montreal (connected Cité du Havre where Habitat 67 is to La Ronde; trains carried 1, 000 each and ran every 5 minutes), Tempo coaches built for Canadian National and once used by Via Rail and the Ski Train, and GO Transit bi-level coaches Series I to II.

And as others have mentioned, the doors on the Blue Line rolling stock have buttons because of Bowdoin. Only 4 cars of a 6-car train can platform on the originating outbound platform at Bowdoin, and so this stop is the only place where push to open door buttons on the sides of Blue Line trains are ever used to facilitate not opening doors into an empty tunnel. Bowdoin station and Bowdoin Street above it is named after Governor James Bowdoin II, who was the second governor of MA from 1785 to 1787. He authored a big report on the 1770 Boston Massacre, which was extremely influential in shaping public opinion in the colonies. Bowdoin was also a scientist prominent in physics and astronomy. He wrote several papers, including one on electricity with Benjamin Franklin. From 1775 to 1777, he served as president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress's executive council, the de facto head of the Massachusetts government. He first ran for governor in 1780, losing to John Hancock. After Hancock resigned in 1785, James became governor. Due to large debts incurred from the Revolution, Bowdoin ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility. During his two years in office, the combination of poor economic conditions and his harsh fiscal policy laid down by his government led to Shays' Rebellion. Bowdoin personally funded militia forces that were instrumental in putting down the uprising. His treatment of the rebels contributed to his loss of the 1787 election, when populist Hancock returned to office.

[newenglandskier]

One more unique thing about the Blue Line that is worth mentioning. Did you notice the door opening buttons on the train? That is because entire trains do not fit on the inbound platform at Bowdoin. Therefore, it is the only station in Boston, and probably the only heavy rail rapid transit station in the US, where you have to press a button to open the train doors like what is commonplace in Europe.

[nostopit]

I've lived in Boston for years, on the blue line in fact. Not only was it cool to see some coverage of the T that wasn't negative, but that B footage of the third rail sparking at aquarium was a really nice touch. That's one of the only places you can clearly see that and it's always something I show folks when they visit.

Edit: another small quirk of the system is that the blue line between maverick and aquarium really likes to interfere with bluetooth connections. If you have headphones or other listening devices, they tend to have strange audio artifacting between those two stations

[BenPease-qqjp]

The switch between modes used to happen at Maverick in the 1970s, and the train would go dark for a couple seconds. Sometime since the '80s or '00s this was moved to Airport Station, and the new trains keep the lights and ventilation going during the process. Visiting my grandfather's boatyard in Winthrop in the 1970s we'd pass the Orient Heights yard, and there were a number of much older dark blue, rusty cars from 1928 or 1940s stored at the outer end. My great aunt in Winthrop had a short segment of the old narrow-guage right of way in her back yard (nothing to see but saplings and fallen leaves).

[kat.nicolette]

I have taken these trains my entire life and I’ve never noticed that there’s no third rail at Wood Island and that the overhead line actually lowers at the Airport Station! Wow

[MannySilva]

Blue line trains are similar to the Metro North trains on the New Haven line in CT and NY. They are overhead in CT as a commuter line and change to the third rail in NY like a Metro train / Subway. This is most likely because the overhead allows for higher speed trains and the 3rd rail is better in subterranean applications. There is a transition zone near Mount Vernon East station, the train changes systems on the fly while moving, You feel the train coast for a while and the AC turns off and then it with in 2-3 seconds it turns back on after the transition.

[Hori_Miya-]

Watching this and knowing damn near every inch and every stop really amazes me when i get to see people this exited for a train ive ridden on for years and only really stopped when i started highschool so this is really a way to learn things i never noticed, ever about the blue line.

[Luke_Starkenburg]

Nice video! I lived in East Boston for a year (in 2007) and I was a 10 minute walk from the airport station! It was so convenient because I worked at the BOS airport! My employer gave me an unlimited T pass which was awesome. I loved exploring the trains and city on my days off!

[NickBurman]

On the Boston Revere Beach & Lynn, the road was built as a steam line. It distinguished itself by having a fleet composed entirely of Mason Bogie-type steam locomotives, by being almost entirely double-tracked (an absolute rarity for US narrow gauge) and by using automatic block signals and interlocking towers (the same). When the railroad was electrified in 1928 it did so on the cheap, by just putting trolley poles, controls, and traction motors onto the existing wooden coaches. Some of these passed to the East Broad Top RR in Pennsylvania, where they can be seen and ridden today.

[kengrayatgmaildotcom]

The Metro-North New Haven line does a switch between third rail and pantograph. The switch occurs between the Mount Vernon East and Pelham stations (Amtrak's all overhead NEC switches one station up at New Rochelle before the third rail). It is done at speed. There's some history with Connecticut banning third rail electrification in the 1900s, so it couldn't be used on New Haven Line track, but the New York Central already used it, so that's why they have the rail going in to GCT.

[maxpowr]

I sincerely hope the Blue Line is extended to Charles/MGH and eventually up to Lynn. Peter Eng has been a massive savior of the MBTA.

[ereynolds]

The Skokie Swift was the last CTA rapid transit line to use overhead power, and the only one to use overhead catenary. The conversion to third-rail electrification was made to: Increase reliability, reduce maintenance costs, and make the Skokie Swift compatible with other CTA rapid-transit lines. The Skokie Swift lost its overhead power cable and was converted to third-rail electrification in 2004.

[Maxie]

You came at the right time. There has been a massive undertaking of repairs in the last year to finally eliminate the “slow zones” that have plagued the Red and orange lines for some time now.

Please revisit us later next year for even faster service. Also you got a great attitude and passion for what you like. Keep it up. You’re always welcome in Boston, lad. :)

[People_of_the_Mouse]

The buses in cambridge used to also be powered by overhead electricity. And harvard Sq still has an underground bus terminal. Worth a visit on your next trip to my hometown.

My beach travel growing up was Sullivan Sq to State to Revere Beach. State had fantastic wooden escalators.

Fastest airport to dtown in the US.

[Charles-umhd]

As far as switching from 3rd rail to overhead cantenary, on a line or lines on the Metro North system trains do the same thing at one point where as soon as they leave the station the M8's drop the pantographs and switch to feeding of 3rd rail.

[alk]

The Metro-North New Haven Line also switches from overhead to third rail power at Pelham. And Boston cream is the best donut at Dunkin Donuts. Good choice.