Green Line (MBTA)
The Green Line is a streetcar system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the Boston, Massachusetts area of the United States. It is the oldest line of Boston's subway, which is known locally as the 'T'. The Green Line runs underground downtown and on the surface in outlying areas. With a daily weekday ridership of 232,000,[1] it is also the most heavily-used light rail line in the country. The line was given the green color because it goes primarily though an area called the Emerald Necklace of Boston.[4] The four branches are the remnants of a once large system of streetcar lines, begun in 1856 with the Cambridge Horse Railroad. The Tremont Street Subway - the oldest subway tunnel in North America - and several connecting tunnels carry cars of all branches under downtown. The Tremont Street Subway opened in stages between September 1, 1897, and September 3, 1898, to take streetcars off surface streets.
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[edit] Description
The modern-day Green Line has its northern terminus at Lechmere station in eastern Cambridge. From there it runs south over the Lechmere viaduct and into the Tremont Street Subway under downtown Boston, then west in the Boylston Street Subway to Kenmore. Collectively, the Green Line tunnels through Downtown Boston and the Back Bay are sometimes called the Central Subway in planning documents. Along the way, the "E" Branch splits just west of Copley station, running southwest through the Huntington Avenue Subway, eventually ramping up to the surface, continuing along Huntington Avenue, and terminating at Heath Street.
The "B", "C", and "D" Branches all diverge west of Kenmore. From south to north, the "D" Branch surfaces onto the grade-separated Highland Branch, a branch of the Boston and Albany Railroad until 1958, running to Riverside. The "C" Branch surfaces onto Beacon Street, running to Cleveland Circle, and the "B" Branch runs along Commonwealth Avenue to Boston College.
The "A" Branch ran to Watertown until 1969. Although the route-letter scheme had been introduced two years prior to its closure, the "A" designation was never signed on streetcars operating to Watertown. It was, however, included in the destination signs on the Boeing-Vertol LRVs ordered in the mid-1970s, when reopening the Watertown service was still under consideration. The A line tracks remained in non-revenue service to access maintenance facilities at Watertown until 1994.
The elevated tracks north of the Central Subway near North Station were closed from June 2004 until November 12, 2005 for replacement of the Causeway Street Elevated with a new tunnel under Causeway Street, still connecting to the Lechmere Viaduct.[5] The historic concrete Viaduct across the Charles River remains in service, although it was closed for a number of months in 2011 to allow a complete rebuilding of Science Park station.
The original Tremont Street Subway south of Boylston station has been closed since 1962, and the streetcar lines feeding into it were replaced by bus service. The Pleasant Street Portal at its southern end has been covered over, but there were plans to build a new portal and reuse part of the tunnel for Phase III of the Silver Line bus rapid transit project. As of 2011, all Phase III tunnel construction plans are on indefinite hold due to lack of funding and heavy community opposition.
[edit] Rolling stock
Like the three other MBTA subway lines, the Green Line uses standard gauge tracks.
[edit] Active fleet
The Green Line's rolling stock as of February 2010 includes:[6]
| Year Built | Make | Model | Length ft ( mm) | Width in ( mm) | Gauge | Road Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–1988 | Kinki-Sharyo | Type 7 LRV | 72 ft (21,946 mm) | 104 in (2,642 mm) | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | (36xx): 3600–3699 (91 active) |
| 1997 | Kinki-Sharyo | Type 7 LRV | 72 ft (21,946 mm) | 104 in (2,642 mm) | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | (37xx): 3700–3719 (19 active) |
| 1998–2007 | AnsaldoBreda | Type 8 LRV | 74 ft (22,555 mm) | 104 in (2,642 mm) | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | (38xx): 3800–3894 |
[edit] Retired fleet
(Only MBTA operated vehicles included. Does not include older cars from the Boston Elevated Railway era)
| Years in Service | Make | Model | Length ft ( mm) | Width in ( mm) | Gauge | Total Number of Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976–2007 | Boeing Vertol | US Standard Light Rail Vehicle | 71 ft (21,641 mm) | 104 in (2,642 mm) | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | 150 |
| 1937–1985 (10 still in revenue service on Ashmont-Mattapan line) | Pullman Standard | Presidents' Conference Committee streetcar | 48 ft (14,630 mm) | 100 in (2,540 mm) | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | 10 (remaining; more were used in Green Line service) |
At the end of the 19th century, the original purpose of the Tremont Street Subway was to allow ordinary streetcars to bypass the worst street congestion in crowded sections of downtown Boston. Thus, ordinary street cars were the first rolling stock used on what would later be designated the Green Line.
For many years, the Green Line used the PCC streetcars developed during the Depression. These were finally phased out in favor of the US Standard Light Rail Vehicle supplied by the new US venture Boeing-Vertol in the mid-1970s. The introduction of the LRV cars was initially heralded as part of an effort to rejuvenate mass transit in medium-sized metropolises.[7] This first series of LRVs were subject to chronic breakdowns, and Boeing soon abandoned its venture into ground transit vehicles.[8]
Desperate for reliable rolling stock, the MBTA launched a PCC overhaul program to extend their life, and these classic cars were still used into the 1980s in the Central Subway. As of 2011, ten of the surviving PCC cars are still run on the Ashmont-Mattapan portion of the Red Line.
In 1987, 100 second generation LRVs were ordered from the Japanese firm Kinki Sharyo, with an additional set of 20 cars ordered and delivered in 1997. The last of the Boeing-Vertol cars were retired in March, 2007, and almost all of them were scrapped.[9] As of 2011, the Kinki Sharyo cars now make up the bulk of the Green Line's rolling stock, as well as the newer "Breda" cars.
One of the earliest surviving pre-PCC cars, Type 5 5734, can still be seen parked on a sidetrack at the Boylston station, along with PCC 3295. These two cars used to be in working condition and were frequently used for fantrips.[citation needed] The most recent fantrip was in 1997, and now the railcars sit at Boylston collecting dust. It is highly doubtful that these cars are still in working condition, and Type 5 5734 reportedly has structural problems with the roof. The San Francisco Muni F Market line historic street railway runs a PCC car in Boston colors, but that specific car never actually ran in Boston.
[edit] Accessibility
Unlike the Red Line, Blue Line, and Orange Line, all of which run rapid transit cars and use stations with elevated platforms (so that the car floor is level with the platform and thus the cars are easily handicap-accessible), the Green Line is a trolley/streetcar line and has used a variety of trolley cars and light rail vehicles throughout its history.
Originally, none of the Green Line stations included elevated or raised platforms, and the passengers had to ascend several steps up into the vehicles, limiting accessibility for persons with disabilities. To address this, two changes have been made:[10]
- Non-elevated platforms and "wheelchair lifts" at some stops. The lifts have turned out to be quite time-consuming to operate, causing serious delays on the entire Green Line during peak periods.
- An attempt to phase-in low-floor streetcars and slightly raised platforms to allow faster direct boarding of wheelchairs onto these vehicles
One hundred low-floor cars were purchased from the Italian vendor AnsaldoBreda (Breda), with styling by Pininfarina. These cars initially proved to be problematic and difficult to maintain. The first cars delivered failed every 400 miles (640 km), far less than the 9,000 miles (14,500 km) specified by the MBTA, and were prone to derailments. The MBTA has been forced to spend an additional US$9.5 million to modify tracks to prevent the derailment problems, echoing early problems with the Boeing stock. The MBTA has been criticized for their failure to assess Breda's reliability before entering into the deal, and during the delivery of the vehicles.
In December 2004, the MBTA canceled orders for the remaining cars still to be delivered as part of the authority's nine-year, US$225 million-dollar deal with Breda.[11] One year later, in December 2005 the MBTA announced that it had entered into a restructuring of the deal with the Italian vendor, reducing the order to 85 cars (with spare parts to be provided in lieu of the 15 remaining cars), and providing for the remaining payment under the original 1995 deal only if the cars meet performance requirements.[12] Construction of the last car under the order was completed on December 14, 2006;[13] though in late 2007 the MBTA announced it had contracted with Breda to deliver another 10 cars, bringing the total order to 95 production cars and 5 car shells for parts.[14] As of June 2008, 90 of the Type 8 cars were in service; one was damaged in a derailment/fire incident, and four are still in testing.
After several years of modifications to the Green Line "D" Branch tracks, the Breda cars finally returned to service on that line, and now provide service to every branch of the Green Line.
The MBTA runs one-, two-, and, three-car trains on the Green Line, (as well as rare four-car trains for handling passengers to Fenway Park) depending on travel demand and vehicle availability. As of December 2011, two-car trains now run from the start to end of service Monday through Friday, with three-car trains running on select rush-hour trips on the B, D, and E branches.[15] The MBTA has promised that each two- and three-car train on the system will contain at least one Type 8 low-platform car to facilitate access for disabled persons.
[edit] History
[edit] Operations and signalling
The Green Line is signalled with advisory wayside signals except on surface portions in street medians or in-street running. Wayside signal territory stretches from Lechmere to the surface portals at Kenmore, and along the D-Riverside branch. There are no automatic protection devices, as the vehicles are equipped with track brakes—giving the operator the ability to stop quickly. Interlockings are controlled through a wayside Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system that relies on the operator properly entering the destination manually on a roto-wheel in the train cab.
The Green Line is monitored from the 45 High Street rapid transit control room. Responsibility for controlling service is shared by the control room and field personnel located along the right of way. Track circuit and signal indications are not transmitted to the operational personnel sites. In lieu of track circuit indications, the AVI system is displayed in the control room to provide a periodic update to train position wherever AVI detectors exist. The AVI system user interface was solely text based until the current control room was opened, in which a new schematic display based on AVI data was instituted. Track circuit indications are available digitally in three signal houses but not transmitted to central control—at Park Street interlocking, at the new North Station interlocking, and at the new Kenmore interlocking.
Plans to reinstitute a crossover for through movements from the terminating (inner) northbound platform at Park Street towards Government Center are expected to increase capacity on the Green Line.
[edit] Future plans
[edit] Somerville/Medford extension (Green Line Extension Project)
To settle a lawsuit with the Conservation Law Foundation to mitigate increased automobile emissions from the Big Dig, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts agreed to extend the Green Line from its present northern terminus at Lechmere to Medford Hillside. The extension would pass through Somerville and Medford, two suburbs currently underserved by the MBTA relative to their population densities, commercial importance, and proximity to Boston. The line would use two railroad rights-of-way that currently serve the Lowell Line (which also carries Amtrak's Downeaster) and the Fitchburg Line MBTA Commuter Rail. The extension is projected to have a total weekday ridership of about 52,000.[16] The Green Line would see an increase in boardings of 30,700, and the MBTA system would see between 7,000 and 8,000 new transit users.[16]
As of February 2, 2009, the stops planned for the Green Line Extension would be a relocated Lechmere Station, Brickbottom at Washington Street, Gilman Square at Medford Street, Lowell Street, Ball Square, Hillside (at College Avenue in Medford, on the edge of Tufts University campus), and a terminus at Route 16 and Mystic Valley Parkway in Somerville (on the Mystic River). A potential stop at Winthrop Street and Boston Ave was dropped due to the proximity of other stations and neighborhood opposition. A branch line would split off after Lechmere station, ending at Union Square in Somerville (or slightly south thereof, on the Fitchburg Line). The plan was designed to extend the Green Line to Mystic Valley Parkway by the settlement-imposed deadline of December 31, 2014.[17]
Stops are designed to be accessible by pedestrians and bikes or drop-off, but with no new parking. The 2003 PMT[expand acronym] estimated a cost of $375,000,000 for the Green Line Extension, a figure that presumed the Extension would reach West Medford (about 1,500 feet (460 m) further than the current plan) with a daily ridership of 8,420 and 3,540 of those diverted from non-transit modes.[18] At 10% design, the Final Environmental Impact Report estimated a cost of $953.7 million (in "year of expenditure" dollars) for seven new stations and 24 new light rail vehicles.
The MBTA plans to extend the E branch from Lechmere to Union Square, and extend the D branch from Government Center to College Avenue. The contract for construction would be a Design/Build construction contract. The contract was expected to be advertised for Design/Build Ventures to bid on in Fall 2011. Construction would begin in Spring 2012 with an expected cost of $953.7 million. The project would be partially funded by the Commonwealth and the Federal Government under the New Starts Program.
In 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that the new service was expected to be operational in October 2015; interim air quality offset measures would need to be taken if the project misses its December 2014 deadline as expected. The Department of Transportation had previously announced that due to budget limitations, the portion from College Avenue to Route 16 would be a future second phase of the extension, not included in the current proposed project.[16]
As of August 2011, MassDOT has announced that opening of the Extension has been postponed to Fall 2018 at the earliest. Completion of the Extension to College Avenue near Tufts University could be delayed to 2020, while the terminus at Mystic Valley Parkway remains deferred indefinitely. The stated reason for the delays is difficulties in land acquisition, plus implied concerns about cost controls and financing.[19]
[edit] Arborway restoration cancelled
Another mitigation project in the initial lawsuit settlement was restoration of service on the "E" Branch between Heath Street and Arborway/Forest Hills. After some internal and community opposition, a revised settlement agreement resulted in the substitution of other projects with similar air quality benefits. In lieu of the rail project, the state undertook a project to speed the Route 39 bus by making improvements such as consolidating bus stops, lengthening stops, and re-timing traffic lights. Improvements were funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and were expected to be completed in 2010.[20]
[edit] Light Rail Accessibility Project
As of 2011, the Kenmore Square[21] and Copley Square[22] stations have been rebuilt for reasons of accessibility. Arlington[23][24] station was recently rebuilt and is now wheelchair accessible, equipped with elevators, mobile lifts and raised platforms. As of 2011, the MBTA was planning a $72 million project to rebuild Government Center station in Boston for ADA compliance.
[edit] Fare prepaid station listing
The following table lists Green Line stations which have prepaid fare areas (also called fare control), which allow quick boarding through front and rear doors at a train stop. At all other stations, passengers must line up at the front entrance to the railcar to pay fares, slowing travel times especially during peak periods.
| Station | Location | Time to Park Street[25] | Opened | Transfers and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main line: Lechmere Viaduct, Tremont Street Subway and Boylston Street Subway | ||||
 Lechmere |
Cambridge Street, (Cambridge) Lechmere Square |
13 minutes (sign said 12) |
July 10, 1922 | "E" Branch terminus Viaduct to Lechmere opened June 1, 1912, with tracks running directly onto streets through July 9, 1922 |
| Science Park |
Charles River Dam Bridge (Boston) Museum of Science |
8 minutes | August 20, 1955 | Located on Lechmere Viaduct Only surviving elevated station on the Green Line |
| North Station |
Canal Street (Boston) TD Garden sports arena |
June 28, 2004 | "C" Branch terminates here Orange Line and Commuter Rail north side lines Surface station opened September 3, 1898 and closed March 27, 1997 Elevated station opened June 1, 1912 and closed June 24, 2004 |
|
| Haymarket |
Congress and New Sudbury Streets (Boston) | May 10, 1971 | Orange Line Original station opened September 3, 1898 |
|
| Government Center | Tremont, Court, and Cambridge Streets (Boston) Boston City Hall, Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market area |
2 minutes | September 3, 1898 | "B" and "D" Branches terminate here Blue Line Formerly "Scollay Square" until October 27, 1963 |
| Park Street |
Tremont, Park, and Winter Streets (Boston) Boston Common |
0 minutes | September 1, 1897 | Red Line, Orange Line, and Silver Line (must exit fare control area for Silver Line) |
| Boylston | Tremont and Boylston Streets (Boston) Boston Common |
1 minute | September 1, 1897 | Silver Line (must exit fare control area) Abandoned tracks split off at Boylston to the Pleasant Street Incline |
| Arlington |
Boylston and Arlington Streets (Boston) Boston Public Garden |
3 minutes | November 13, 1921 | Free crossover allowed at mezzanine level, to reverse direction of travel |
| Copley |
Boylston Street (Boston) Copley Square |
4 minutes | October 3, 1914 | "E" Branch splits off after Copley No crossover between directions at Copley; use Arlington to reverse direction |
| Hynes Convention Center | Massachusetts Avenue and Newbury Street (Boston) Hynes Convention Center |
October 3, 1914 | Formerly "Massachusetts" until February 17, 1965, then "Auditorium" until March 27, 1990, then "Hynes Convention Center/ICA" until November 2006. | |
| Kenmore |
Kenmore Square (Boston) Fenway Park |
12 minutes | October 23, 1932 | "B", "C", and "D" Branches split here |
| E Branch (splits off after Copley): Huntington Avenue Subway | ||||
| Prudential |
Huntington Avenue (Boston) Prudential Center |
February 16, 1941 | "E" Branch Formerly "Mechanics" until (TBD) |
|
| Symphony | Massachusetts Avenue and Huntington Avenue (Boston) Boston Symphony Hall |
February 16, 1941 | "E" Branch | |
| D Branch: Highland Branch | ||||
| Riverside |
Auburndale in Newton, Massachusetts | July 4, 1959 | "D" Branch terminus | |
[edit] Incidents and accidents
On May 28, 2008, two 'D-line' trains collided in Newton. The operator of one of the trains was killed and numerous riders were taken to the hospital with injuries of varying degrees of seriousness. While it was originally thought that cell phone use was responsible for the accident, it was determined that the actual cause of the crash was an episode of micro-sleep caused by the driver's sleep apnea.[26]
On May 8, 2009, two Green Line trolleys rear-end collided underground between the Park Street Station and Government Center Station when the driver of one of the trolleys, 24-year-old Aiden Quinn, was text messaging his girlfriend while driving the train.[27] A tougher policy on cell phones by the MBTA was put in place.[28] Quinn had run through a red light before the trolley crash. The crash injured 46 people. MBTA officials estimated that the cost of damages from the crash was $9.6 million.[29]
A pilot test of collision-avoidance technology on the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line was planned for 2009 and was intended to facilitate the adoption of similar technology on the Green Line.
[edit] Gallery
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MBTA Prudential station
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Front of a Type 8 car
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b American Public Transportation Association, APTA transit ridership report, Q3 2011. Accessed 2 January 2012
- ^ Boston at urbanrail.net
- ^ On line pubs TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 1995
- ^ Kleespies, Gavin W. and MacDonald, Katie. "Transportation History". Harvard Square Business Association. http://www.harvardsquare.com/History/Glimpses/Transportation.aspx. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ Daniel, Mac (November 11, 2005). "Lechmere, Science Park stations reopen". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/11/11/lechmere_science_park_stations_reopen/.
- ^ "Ridership and Service Statistics - Thirteenth Edition 2010". MBTA. p. 20. http://www.mbta.com/uploadedfiles/documents/Bluebook%202010.pdf. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
- ^ U.S. DOT / Boeing brochure
- ^ Boston's Green Line Crisis
- ^ "End of the line for T pioneers". The Boston Globe. March 16, 2007. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/03/16/end_of_the_line_for_t_pioneers/.
- ^ MBTA > About the MBTA > Transit Projects > Transit Projects and Accessibility
- ^ Flint, Anthony. "MBTA Halts Purchase of Green Line 'Lemons'" (mirrored copy). The Boston Globe. December 12, 2004.
- ^ Daniel, Mac (December 17, 2005). "Green Line seeks zippier service with upgrade plan". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/17/green_line_seeks_zippier_service_with_upgrade_plan/.
- ^ "Bredas". The Boston Globe. December 14, 2006. http://www.boston.com/news/local/startsandstops/blog/2006/12/bredas.html.
- ^ Bierman, Noah (November 12, 2007). "T will take 10 new cars for its busy Green Line". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/11/12/t_will_take_10_new_cars_for_its_busy_green_line/.
- ^ Pesaturo, Joseph (March 16, 2011). "Green Line to nearly triple the number of 3-car trains". MBTA. http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news_events/?id=21305. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
- ^ a b c Bowles, Ian (July 30, 2010), Final Environmental Impact Report, p. 5, https://www.commentmgr.com/Projects/1228/docs/13886feir.pdf, retrieved October 16, 2010
- ^ Boston Globe article - Potential Green Line stops announced. May 7, 2008
- ^ Appendix, tables C-10 and C-11. http://www.bostonmpo.org/bostonmpo/pmt-old/pmt.htm
- ^ Byrne, Matt (August 1, 2011). "State: Green Line extension will be delayed til 2018". boston.com (The Boston Globe). http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/medford/2011/08/state_greenline_extension_will.html. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
- ^ http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/default.asp?id=19047#rt39
- ^ http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/default.asp?id=992
- ^ http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/default.asp?id=5160
- ^ http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/default.asp?id=978
- ^ http://mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/lines/stations/?stopId=15595&lat=42.351847&lng=-71.070817
- ^ Association for Public Transportation, Car-Free in Boston, A Guide for Locals and Visitors, 10th ed. (2003), p. 117.
- ^ http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/2009/RAR0902.pdf
- ^ "Trolley Driver Was Texting Girlfriend At Time Of Crash: 46 Injured In Green Line Crash", WCVB, Boston, May 8, 2009.
- ^ "Trolley Crash Inspires Tougher Cell Phone Policy: NTSB Still Investigating Crash", WCVB, May 9, 2009
- ^ Texting Trolley Driver Is Transgendered Male, ABC News, May 11, 2009
[edit] External links
- MBTA - Green Line
- Jamaica Plain Historical Society - Streetcars in Jamaica Plain: A History
- Video of LRV Boeing 3461 being scrapped at Riverside yard
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: MBTA Green Line |
[edit] Extension project
- Green Line Extension Project Website (MassDOT)
- STEP (Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership)
- Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance (MGNA)
- Mass.gov Executive Office of Transportation Plans for Green Line Extension
- Green Line Extension Interactive Map
- "Map of the Green Line Extension". Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP). http://www.somervillestep.org/map/. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
- Route Map on Google Maps
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