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92-552: The Major Investment Study split the project into three phases, the first of which (enhanced bus service) was partially implemented. The planning of Phase 2 was suspended in January 2010 because MBTA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have insufficient funding to build a substantial portion of that phase (projected to cost $ 2.4 billion). As of 2019, some interim bus service improvements have been implemented or are underway, in

184-788: A request for proposals in December 2019, with notice to proceed expected to be given in 2021. In June 2021, the MBTA indicated that the initial order would be for 102 LRVs operating as single cars, with two-car trains deferred for a later project with federal funding. Manufacturer bids were due in July 2021. The MBTA awarded a $ 811 million contract to CAF USA on August 31, 2022, to manufacture 102 seven-segment Type 10 "Supercar" LRVs. Four pilot vehicles are to be delivered in spring 2026, with deliveries of two LRVs per month from spring 2027 to spring 2031. The contract included options for additional LRVs. As

276-558: A 3-4 year construction time. State legislators representing communities along the Worcester Line have expressed concern that Boston Landing and West Station would slow down trips for suburban commuters. In December 2017, the state announced that the station would not be completed until 2040, after the Harvard-owned land has been redeveloped. The projected cost of the station had increased to $ 95 million by that time due to

368-561: A Barrys Corner stop. A commuter rail platform was to be added at Sullivan Square to serve the Haverhill Line and Newburyport/Rockport Line. An interim surface routing was proposed, with multiple stops in the Longwood Medical Area, while the tunnel would be under construction. The capital cost for this version of the plan was estimated at $ 2.2 billion, with a projected daily ridership of 170,000. Approximately 53% of

460-542: A Type 5 A-1 car built in 1924 and retired in 1959, is owned by the Seashore Trolley Museum , but resides semipermanently in Boston. PCC #3295, built in 1951 and retired in 1986, is owned by the MBTA. The cars were formerly used for fantrips , the most recent one being in 1998. In the early 1970s, light rail —which had largely disappeared from North America after the slow decline of streetcar systems from

552-590: A capital investment project, no dedicated funding source was established for the Indigo Line plan, including West Station. In May 2014, MassDOT announced that the station would not be included in the budget for the Turnpike project, placing it in an uncertain future. On September 30, 2014, a press conference was held in Beacon Park Yard to announce that the station would be constructed in concert with

644-445: A commuter rail station at Everett Street with DMU stops added later at the other locations, sparked local controversy but was mostly well received. In 2009 and 2010, the state negotiated a major agreement with CSX Transportation that involved the purchase of several rail lines, including purchasing the line between Framingham and Worcester. The agreement also included CSX moving its intermodal freight operations from Beacon Park Yard to

736-636: A flying junction with two branches: The Green Line A branch was the northernmost of the branches, running from the Blandford Street portal (still used by the B branch), west to Watertown , mostly street-running . The 57 bus replaced the streetcar line in 1969. The A branch diverged from Commonwealth Avenue west of Boston University and ran to a terminus in Watertown , across the Charles River from Watertown Square, until 1969. Although

828-604: A letter designation: B and C branch service terminates at Government Center, while D and E branch service continues north from downtown Boston. North of North Station , the line inclines up to the Lechmere Viaduct , which crosses the Charles River with an elevated station at Science Park . The elevated Lechmere station is located on the Green Line Extension viaduct, which continues north to

920-710: A new station in Allston-Brighton began to be considered as part of the Urban Ring planning process. In 2007, the City of Boston allocated $ 500,000 in funding for the Allston Multimodal Station Study. The study analyzed both commuter rail and DMU local service along the corridor, with potential stops at Faneuil, Market Street, Everett Street, Cambridge Street, West (Ashford Street), and Commonwealth Avenue. The final recommendation, for

1012-859: A new tunnel under the Boston Garden , which consolidated the Orange Line and Green Line at a new North Station "superstation", while continuing to connect to Commuter Rail service north of Boston. The name "Green Line" was assigned in 1967 as part of a major reorganization of the MBTA system's branding. In the 1970s, the Green Line and all other MBTA lines were re-evaluated by the Boston Transportation Planning Review for region-wide efficacy and future modernization alternatives initiated as far as physical plant and operating measures. As of February 2023 , each of

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1104-615: A new yard in Worcester. The abandonment of Beacon Park Yard allows for an increase in MBTA service on the Framingham/Worcester Line; additionally, the elimination of the single-track bottleneck through the yard opened the possibility for a station to be built in Allston (possibly in conjunction with the Urban Ring project ) while still allowing passing tracks. However, with no funding source available, construction of

1196-493: A possible new tunnel under the Charles River . There were three alternatives being considered for Phase 3, which differed from the alternatives described in the Major Investment Study (MIS) and Draft Environmental Impact Review (DEIR). Employment growth projections have also changed since those documents were written. The three proposed options for what type of rail service to build were: Estimated ridership

1288-731: A separately-funded project, Lake Street Yard will be fully reconstructed to support Type 10 vehicles, with Riverside Yard and the GLX Vehicle Maintenance Facility also modified. When the Type 10 cars are delivered, the Type 9 fleet is expected to be transferred over to the Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line , replacing the PCC streetcars . The Red Line , Blue Line , and Orange Line run rapid transit cars and use stations with high platforms level with

1380-707: A shorter route from Brookline Village to the subway via the Boylston Street portal, which itself stopped running in 1938 (being cut back to Brigham Circle short-turn trips), three years before the closure of that portal. The last "foreign" cars to operate in the subway were those of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway , running from the Canal Street portal to the Brattle Loop at Scollay Square until 1935. It

1472-611: A station was not pursued. In June 2012, New Balance announced that it would build the Everett Street station, Boston Landing , as part of their Boston Landing development. The station opened on May 22, 2017. In October 2013, MassDOT announced a $ 260 million plan to straighten the Mass Pike through Beacon Park Yard, replacing the existing toll booths with high-speed all-electronic tolling and allowing Harvard University and others to develop land currently cordoned off by

1564-505: 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 at the beginning of a run. The line is monitored from the Operations Control Center (OCC). Responsibility for controlling service is shared by the control room and field personnel along the right of way. Track circuit and signal indications are not transmitted to

1656-435: Is 282,000–293,000 passengers per day in 2025; about 47,000 would be diverted from cars, and most of the rest would be diverted from trips on congested radial lines, reducing the need to travel through downtown Boston. Since the suspension of the overall project, a segment of the original route was constructed, completing in 2018. The "Silver Line Gateway" service (route SL3) has commenced, connecting Downtown and South Boston to

1748-434: Is commonly called, involves expanding "crosstown" bus lines serving the entire corridor and "express commuter" lines connecting to suburban locations. Phase 2 would create six overlapping bus rapid transit lines forming a complete ring around downtown Boston. Phase 3 includes the implementation of rail service on the most heavily traveled portion of the ring, from Assembly Square in southeastern Somerville to Nubian Square in

1840-427: Is funded by MassDOT; it uses existing Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) systems plus additional sensors in the tunnels, and GPS receivers on the surface sections. In September 2013, the MBTA announced that "Next Train" signs would be unveiled at Kenmore that month. On October 23, 2014, location tracking data became available for Green Line trains above ground. Arrival predictions for surface stations – including

1932-614: Is regularly used as the downtown terminal for two of the branches: Several other loops and crossovers are not used in regular revenue service, but may be used during construction work or service disruptions, or for non-revenue trains, with some having been regularly used as terminals in the past: The Red, Orange, and Blue lines have block signalling systems that make tracking the location of trains easier. Signs in most station on those lines began to display real-time train information in late 2012 and early 2013, while data feeds have been available for smartphone applications since 2010. However,

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2024-489: 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 entire length of the D–Riverside branch. There are no automatic protection devices , but the cars have track brakes , giving the ability to stop quickly under control of the operator. Interlockings are controlled through

2116-606: Is the central subway , a group of tunnels which run through downtown Boston. The Tremont Street subway runs roughly north–south through downtown, with stations at Boylston , Park Street , Government Center , Haymarket , and North Station – all with connections to other lines of the MBTA subway system. The Boylston Street subway runs roughly east–west through the Back Bay neighborhood, with stations at Arlington , Copley , Hynes Convention Center , and Kenmore ; it connects to

2208-470: Is the oldest MBTA subway line, and with tunnel sections dating from 1897, the oldest subway in North America . It runs underground through downtown Boston, and on the surface into inner suburbs via six branches on radial boulevards and grade-separated alignments. With an average daily weekday ridership of 101,000 in 2023, it is among the most heavily used light rail systems in the country . The line

2300-458: The 43 to Egleston was cut back to Lenox Street in 1956, cut back to the portal in 1961, and ended operation in 1962. Prior to that, the 48 serviced Tremont Street to Dover Street and Washington Street , ending at Dudley , and last running in 1938. The last two routes to continue beyond the Canal Street portal both ran to Sullivan . The 92 ran via Main Street, last running in 1948, and

2392-594: The 93 via Bunker Hill Street last ran in 1949. Until 1997, trains continued to use the portal and its North Station surface station as a terminal. In addition to the lines that later became the E branch, the predecessors to the 58 and 60 split in Brookline , one branch running into the current "E" tracks and into the Boylston Street portal , and the other running up Brookline Street to end at Massachusetts Avenue station. These were truncated in 1932 into

2484-531: The Lechmere transfer station was built. In 1914, the Boylston Street subway opened as a westward extension to just short of Kenmore Square , and in 1933 Kenmore station and short tunnel extensions towards two surface lines were added. In 1941, the Huntington Avenue subway and its two additional underground stations removed the last surface streetcars from downtown Boston. Beginning in the 1930s,

2576-756: The MBTA's rapid transit network and would have mainly utilized existing MBTA Commuter Rail infrastructure within Greater Boston . Initial plans for the Indigo Line included additional service on the Fairmount Line , the Newburyport/Rockport Line (to Lynn ), the Lowell Line (to Anderson RTC ), and the Worcester Line (to Riverside ), as well as new service from Back Bay to the BCEC on Track 61 and from North Station along

2668-572: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) collectively committed $ 300 million to the $ 1.9 billion I-90 Allston Multimodal Project . This initiative includes the development of a new neighborhood and the construction of West Station on land predominantly owned by Harvard. The Boston & Albany Railroad originally had a number of stations in the inner ring of suburbs, including stations at Allston (Cambridge Street) and Cottage Farms (Commonwealth Avenue). No station

2760-611: The massive surface streetcar system was " bustituted " with buses and trackless trolleys which had lower operating costs and more flexible routes. As the 1950s closed out, the only remaining streetcar lines were the Watertown Line , Commonwealth Avenue Line , Beacon Street Line , Arborway Line , and the Lenox Street Line plus several short turn services. In 1959, the Boston and Albany Railroad 's Highland Branch

2852-511: The #1, #66, CT2, and CT3 routes, but they are slow, unreliable, and subject to bus bunching because they must operate in mixed street traffic. A circumferential rapid transit line was proposed by the City of Boston as early as 1923, and circumferential transit has been studied as early as 1972, in the Boston Transportation Planning Review . Detailed proposals were not studied until the late 1990s. The proposed project has three phases. The first phase has been partially implemented. Phase 1, as it

Urban Ring Project - Misplaced Pages Continue

2944-694: The 120 Type 7 cars, 103 were overhauled by Alstom in Hornell, New York . The work includes new propulsion systems, climate control systems and interiors as well as exterior work. The pilot car for the program left in October 2012 and was returned in November 2014, with the last car overhauled in April 2019. Twenty-four new Type 9 Green Line cars were delivered between 2017 and 2020. Revenue service began in late 2018 and all 24 cars were planned to enter service by

3036-413: The 1850s, Boston sprouted a large network of horsecar lines, the first public transit in the city. The West End Street Railway was created by the state legislature in 1887 to build a single line, but soon consolidated many of the existing lines into a single privately owned system with consistent fares and route designations. The Allston – Park Square line (which served the general area of the A branch )

3128-593: The 1920s to the 1950s—was reintroduced as a method of urban renewal less expensive than conventional metro systems. In 1971, as part of a program to supply further work to defense contractors as the Vietnam War wound down, the Urban Mass Transit Administration selected Boeing Vertol as systems manager for a project to design a new generic light rail vehicle. The UMTA hoped that this " US Standard Light Rail Vehicle " would jumpstart

3220-478: The BRT 6 route. One was to JFK/UMass station , splitting from the main route near Crosstown Center with intermediate stations at Newmarket and Edward Everett Square. The other spur would run to Harvard station via Allston , with several possible alignments. Potential intermediate stations on different alignments included West Station , Cambridge Street, North Harvard Street, and Brighton Mills; all alignments included

3312-616: The BRT system would run in mixed traffic, including through the Ted Williams Tunnel and to the terminals at Logan International Airport . Dedicated lanes would be provided for certain portions, including: Ridership was estimated at 106,000 passengers per day in 2010; capital cost was estimated at $ 500 million. The revised route of the ring had the following stops: Logan International Airport, Broadway, and Dudley Square were to be on short spurs, each served by only one route. There were to be two major spurs, both served only by

3404-630: The Grand Junction rail line, as well as enhanced pedestrian and bicycle pathways. In August 2023, the City of Boston, Harvard, and Boston University have pledged $ 300 million toward the $ 1.9 billion I-90 Allston Multimodal Project, which includes developing a new neighborhood and West Station on land largely owned by Harvard. This funding, the largest third-party contribution to a state transportation project, will complement federal grants and state investments, with construction set to begin in 2027. The project aims to eliminate an elevated section of

3496-775: The Grand Junction to a new station near Boston University 's West Campus . This new West Station would offer connections between the Grand Junction DMU route, the Riverside DMU route, and conventional commuter service on the Worcester Line. It was proposed to attract transit oriented development to the Beacon Park area, similar to Assembly Station and the Assembly Square development in Somerville, Massachusetts . Despite being announcement as

3588-576: The Green Line uses modern streetcars (light rail vehicles) as heavy rail stock would be inappropriate for the surface branches with their numerous grade crossings . Rolling stock as of June 2024 : Only MBTA operated vehicles are included here, not cars from the Boston Elevated Railway era. When it opened at the end of the 19th century, the Tremont Street subway was not intended as a full-scale rapid transit line (though it

3680-550: The Green Line were activated at Newton Centre and Newton Highlands on April 24, 2015, followed shortly by other D branch stations. Countdown signs at Kenmore and Hynes were activated in August 2015. Signs at Copley and Arlington plus eastbound-only signs from Boylston through Science Park were activated in October 2015. The final set of signs – those on the westbound platforms of Science Park through Boylston – were activated in January 2016. Because holding and short-turning trains at

3772-505: The MBTA announced that it had entered into a restructuring of the deal, 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 deal only if the cars met performance requirements. Construction of the last car under the order was completed on December 14, 2006. Ultimately, 10 additional cars would be assembled and delivered in late 2007, with five spare shells retained (95 cars in service). The MBTA

Urban Ring Project - Misplaced Pages Continue

3864-700: The MBTA has not budgeted any money for the Urban Ring project, beyond supporting the EIR process. Phase 2 would convert and expand five of the "crosstown" lines (CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, and CT8) into bus rapid transit lines that overlap and form a complete ring around the urban core. BRT connections with the commuter rail lines would be improved by expanding the following existing stations: The following new Commuter Rail stations would be created: The new BRT lines would make additional connections at other commuter rail stops, rapid transit stops, and bus hubs. Some parts of

3956-897: The MBTA purchased LRVs from the Japanese firm Kinki Sharyo . These Type 7 were designed with the best features of the US SLRV, the Canadian LRV, and the PCC cars. A total of 120 Type 7 vehicles were purchased, 100 were delivered between 1986 and 1988, and an additional 20 cars ordered and delivered in 1997. Low-floor LRVs were added starting in 1998, allowing for accessible boarding directly from slightly raised platforms. MBTA ordered 100 of these Type 8 cars from Italian company AnsaldoBreda . The first Type 8s entered revenue service in March 1999, and quickly proved problematic and difficult to maintain:

4048-659: The Muni Metro's Twin Peaks Tunnel , and SEPTA 's subway–surface lines tunnel . The new cars were faster—a top speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) versus the PCC's 36 miles per hour (58 km/h)—and had an articulated middle section for higher capacity. Boeing began construction of 175 cars for the MBTA in May 1973. The first LRVs entered service on the D branch in December 1976 but were immediately beset with problems. Certain cars frequently derailed on tight turns in

4140-467: The Park Street interlocking, at the new North Station interlocking, and at the new Kenmore interlocking, but are not transmitted to OCC. In January 2013, the MBTA announced plans to add full vehicle location tracking on the Green Line for countdown signs and smartphone applications, including using AVI data in the tunnels and GPS receivers on the surface lines. The first real-time data—location data on

4232-485: The Riverside, Boston College and Lechmere yards. Battery trays, air conditioners—mounted under the cars, continually drawing in dirt and debris from under the car when in the tunnels—and air compressors all suffered numerous failures; the plug-style doors had trouble sealing properly; and traction motors failed sooner than expected. Desperate for reliable rolling stock, in 1977 MBTA launched an overhaul program to extend

4324-496: The Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, via East Cambridge. Phase 1, as recommended in the 2001 Major Investment Study, was to add interim service within 5 years while planning and construction took place for further phases. The three existing crosstown (CT) bus routes would have been modified, and eight additional crosstown routes added. Two express commuter (EC) routes would also have been added to provide radial service to portions of

4416-399: The Tremont Street subway at Boylston. The Huntington Avenue subway diverges from the Boylston Street subway at a flat junction west of Copley, running southwest, with stations at Prudential and Symphony . A branch of the Tremont Street subway, disused since 1962, runs south from Boylston to the former Pleasant Street incline . The Green Line has four western surface branches, each with

4508-558: The Turnpike straightening project (since renamed to the Allston Multimodal Project) would once again change in the 2020s, including plans for West Station. Significant design revisions have included reducing the station's track infrastructure and eliminating a proposed layover yard. Funding for the project was bolstered by contributions from Harvard University ($ 90 million) and Boston University ($ 10 million). The station's updated design now integrates new connections to

4600-516: The Turnpike straightening. The cost of the $ 25 million station will be split between Harvard University, the state, and a third party to be determined. In March 2015, the Boston Globe revealed that Boston University was to have been the final third; however, this was not finalized before Deval Patrick left office. BU's contribution would be dependent on a promise that automobile and bus traffic would not travel through BU's West Campus to reach

4692-530: The absence of major funding. Transportation advocates in Boston have complained that rail transit riders cannot travel from one outlying area to another without first traveling to the downtown hub stations, changing lines, and traveling outbound again. Some of the radial transit lines, notably the Green Line , are so overcrowded that service is very slow and limited in capacity because of rush-hour " crush loads ". There are several crosstown bus lines , such as

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4784-434: The activation of countdown signs along the D branch – and underground tracking and predictions were to be rolled out in two phases by early 2015. In March 2015, the MBTA announced that enough AVI equipment had been installed to allow the release of some underground data by April. Most underground data was live by August, but trains near Park Street and Boylston waited until September. The first predictive countdown signs on

4876-418: The addition of a bus transfer level and other scope increases. In response to a plea from city and state politicians, in January 2018, Harvard University increased its pledge to pay $ 50 million of the cost, with an additional $ 8 million incentive to build an early action interim station. The Turnpike straightening is proceeding regardless due to the deteriorating state of the existing viaduct. Planning for

4968-518: The availability of its older PCC cars. A total of 34 cars, primarily out-of-service wrecks and parts cars, were rebuilt to as-new condition. As of 2022 , some of these rebuilt PCC cars still run on the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line . After years of fighting between the MBTA and Boeing-Vertol, both sides reached a settlement in 1979. MBTA was allowed to reject the final 40 SLRVs, and Boeing would return $ 40 million to MBTA for

5060-497: The car floor providing easy access for the disabled. The Green Line originated as a streetcar line , and used a variety of streetcars before converting to light rail vehicles. Originally all the Green Line stations had platforms at track level, and passengers had to ascend several steps up into the vehicles. This limited accessibility for persons with disabilities. To address this issue and comply with changing federal and state laws, additional facilities have been added: Beginning in

5152-461: The contract in June 2024 citing a lack of progress and an inability by the contractor to complete the project. The agency planned to instead use an off-the-shelf system from a different vendor. Aside from the terminal stations, several locations have turnaround loops or crossover switches where trains can reverse direction for short turns . One of these, where northbound trains can turn southbound,

5244-707: The corridor. (A third route, EC3, was dropped from consideration due to low projected ridership.) Phase 1 was to cost $ 98.5 million, primarily for acquisition of 100 new buses and expansion of bus garages. Because of the limited construction scope, it did not require further environmental review. The MBTA filed the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for Phase 2 with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office on November 30, 2004. In its FY2005-10 and draft FY2006-11 Capital Improvement Plans,

5336-403: The cost of repairs and modifications to several cars. In the early 1980s, with a final settlement with Boeing in place, MBTA started looking for new equipment to supplement and replace the problematic LRVs. In 1980, the MBTA tested Canadian Light Rail Vehicles for three months to determine whether they could be used on the Green Line. The MBTA ultimately found them unsuitable. Ultimately,

5428-414: The development of transit lines just as the standardized PCC streetcars had done decades prior. Boston (with its older streetcar tunnel systems) and San Francisco (with a new Muni Metro streetcar tunnel being built as part of BART construction) were chosen as the testbeds for this new rolling stock. The vehicle was designed as the largest rolling stock that would fit through the Tremont Street tunnel,

5520-651: The downtown terminals makes time-based predictions unreliable, the signs instead show how many stops away a train is. West Station (MBTA) West Station is a planned station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line , to be located in the former Beacon Park Yard in Allston, Massachusetts . It was initially proposed as part of a project to straighten the Massachusetts Turnpike through

5612-443: The early 1890s, the sheer quantity of streetcars during peak periods was clogging the streets of downtown Boston. The Tremont Street subway, the first passenger subway in North America, was opened in stages in 1897 and 1898, with underground stations at Boylston , Park Street, Scollay Square , Adams Square , and Haymarket . The Main Line Elevated was run through the tunnel from 1901, displacing through-running streetcars, until it

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5704-418: The end of the year. The first Type 9 car, #3900, began revenue service on December 21, 2018. Planning for a Type 10 fleet—which would replace all Type 7 and Type 8 cars in the mid-2020s—began in 2018 with plans for a fully low floor fleet. At 113 feet (34 m) long, Type 10 cars would be significantly longer than the existing fleet, and carry twice as many passengers as existing cars. The MBTA released

5796-469: The entire Commuter Rail system. Phase 3 would add a rail line on the most heavily traveled portion of the corridor, from Assembly Square in Somerville to Lechmere, Kendall Station, crossing Massachusetts Avenue near MIT, and connecting at Longwood Medical Area, Ruggles, and Nubian Square. The exact alignment would be determined through further environmental review, and included possible stops in Union Square Somerville, Cambridgeport and/or Kenmore Square, and

5888-501: The fall of 2019, although actual acceptance continued through 2021. The Type 9 cars will provide additional rolling stock to allow for Green Line Extension operations, and will not replace any of the existing fleet. The cars were made by CAF USA, Inc. , with the shells and frames made in Spain, and final assembly and testing done at their plant in Elmira, New York . As of March 2017 , the first unit had been expected to enter passenger service in Spring 2018, with all 24 cars in service by

5980-425: The first cars failed every 400 miles (640 km), far short of the 9,000 miles (14,000 km) specified by the MBTA, and were prone to derailment at higher speeds as well as brake problems, echoing the problems with the Boeing stock. In December 2004, the MBTA canceled orders for the cars still to be delivered as part of the authority's nine-year, US$ 225 million deal with Breda. One year later, in December 2005

6072-460: The four branches operate on 7- to 9-minute headways during weekday peak hours, and 8- to 12-minute headways at other times. Vehicle usage ranges from 45 trains (90 cars) to 62 trains (124 cars). Unlike the MBTA's heavy rail subway lines, the Green Line has only limited central control and monitoring. This also means that it has lagged behind the other three rail lines in the availability of countdown signs and "next train" arrival information. The line

6164-399: The highway and its interchange ramps. The initial plans included the possibility of an 8 or 9-track commuter rail layover yard next to the Worcester main. In January 2014, MassDOT released its ten-year plan, which included a six-line diesel multiple unit (DMU) network called the Indigo Line proposed to be implemented by 2024. As proposed, the Indigo Line was envisioned as a new service of

6256-405: The inner-core city of Chelsea, with an intermediate stop serving Logan Airport. The route is a mix of dedicated right-of-way and shared street traffic segments, using articulated buses. Green Line (MBTA) The Green Line is a semi-metro system (form of light rail ) run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the Boston , Massachusetts , metropolitan area. It

6348-500: The last of the Boeing-Vertol cars were retired in March 2007 and all except ten of the cars were scrapped. Of the remaining cars, six were sold to the US Government and are now in Pueblo, Colorado for testing purposes, one was given to the Seashore Trolley Museum , and three were retained by the MBTA for work service. In 2006, as part of a legal settlement , the MBTA committed to always operate at least one low-floor car in each train, with no trains consisting only of Type 7 cars. Of

6440-410: The last older cars. Beginning in 1923, all streetcars on the system were painted orange for maximum visibility in traffic. In 1971, the MBTA began painting Green Line streetcars in a green and white scheme to match the new line name. Two older streetcars are on display on the unused outer inbound track at Boylston station, which formerly carried cars coming from the Pleasant Street portal . Car #5734,

6532-561: The oldest subway tunnel in North America. The Tremont Street subway opened its first section on September 1, 1897, to take streetcars off overcrowded downtown streets; it was extended five times over the next five decades. The streetcar system peaked in size around 1930 and was gradually replaced with trackless trolleys and buses , with cuts as late as 1985. The new D branch opened on a converted commuter rail line in 1959. The Green Line Extension project extended two branches into Somerville and Medford  in 2022. The Green Line's core

6624-476: 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 signal houses at

6716-842: The remaining streetcar services were designated the "Green Line" because several of them traveled near the Emerald Necklace park system. The streetcar lines were given letter designations: "A" to the Watertown Line, "B" to the Commonwealth Avenue Line, "C" to the Beacon Street Line, "D" to the Riverside Line, and "E" to the Arborway Line. The Watertown Line ran mostly in mixed traffic after diverging from Commonwealth Avenue; it

6808-451: The route was either in a bus-only lane, dedicated busway, or tunnel. This was increased from the previous plan for Phase 2, to improve travel times. As a result of the implementation of Phase 2, ridership growth on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green lines would be slowed, but Commuter Rail ridership boosted. The Urban Ring would have a higher collective ridership than the Orange Line, Blue Line, or

6900-601: The route-letter scheme had been introduced two years prior to its closure, the "A" designation was never signed on streetcars to Watertown . It was, however, included in the destination signs on the Boeing-Vertol LRVs ordered in the mid-1970s, when reopening service to Watertown was under consideration. The "A" line tracks remained in non-revenue service to access maintenance facilities at Watertown until 1994. The Pleasant Street portal hosted two services in its final days. The 9 to City Point ended in 1953, and

6992-498: The station, and instead use new roads being constructed during the Beacon Park project (BU later dropped this demand.) The entire Indigo Line proposal would be blocked by the Baker administration in 2015 which officially canceled all plans for DMU service at West Station and all other lines. By 2016, the station was scheduled to begin construction in 2019 and to be completed along with the highway project. Earlier estimates suggested

7084-407: The surface lines—became available in October 2014. Full tracking was expected by early 2015. The MBTA typically runs two-car trains at all times. The last scheduled use of one-car trains on weekdays was in March 2007. Three-car trains were added on the B and D branches in 2010 – their first use since 2005 – and a four-car train was tested in April 2011. In March 2011, the number of three-car trains

7176-503: The surrounding land), the state, and a third party (intended to be Boston University pending negotiations). In December 2017, the state announced that the station cost had increased to $ 95 million, and that it would not open until 2040. In January 2018, Harvard increased its pledge to $ 50 million, with an additional $ 8 million incentive to build an interim station. In August 2023, the City of Boston , Harvard University, Boston University and

7268-399: The wayside signalling system used in the Green Line's tunnels and the D branch does not provide for that level of tracking, nor do the basic stop/go signals used on the street-level branch lines. In January 2013, the MBTA announced plans to provide full tracking data for the Green Line by 2015, allowing use of smartphone applications and in-station countdown signs. The $ 13.4 million system

7360-429: The yard, allowing much of the land to be redeveloped. As of 2024, plans for the station have not proceeded beyond conceptual studies. West Station has been proposed for over a decade. By July 2016, the state planned to file a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project in 2017 and hoped to break ground in 2019. It was then estimated to cost $ 25 million, to be split between Harvard University (which owns

7452-426: Was 28% complete by December 2021; installation of in-vehicle electronics was scheduled to be complete by September 2023, with wayside installation complete in June 2024 and full operation that December. A reallocation of funds in January 2022 shortened the project timeline, with completion expected in 2023. However, in January 2023, an NTSB report found that the project had been delayed to June 2025. The MBTA cancelled

7544-641: Was assigned the green color in 1967 during a systemwide rebranding because several branches pass through sections of the Emerald Necklace of Boston. The four branches are the remnants of a large streetcar system, which began in 1856 with the Cambridge Horse Railroad and was consolidated into the Boston Elevated Railway several decades later. The branches all travel downtown through the Tremont Street subway ,

7636-608: Was built near the split with the Grand Junction Railroad as the Grand Junction did not carry passenger service. A large freight yard, Beacon Park Yard , was ultimately built just west of the split. All stations east of Newtonville were closed around 1962 when much of the main line was reduced from 4 to 2 tracks during the building of the Massachusetts Turnpike. The station closures left Allston and Brighton lacking commuter rail service. In 1998,

7728-493: Was built to semi-metro standards), but to allow ordinary streetcars to bypass the worst street congestion in downtown Boston. Operations by several different companies were eventually consolidated into the Boston Elevated Railway, which ran a mixture of car types. After receiving a test unit in 1937, the BERy began to standardize on PCC streetcars , acquiring 320 units between 1941 and 1951 plus an additional 25 in 1959 to phase out

7820-539: Was converted to the Riverside Line , a fully grade-separated suburban service. In 1961, the last through service to Lenox Street via the Pleasant Street portal ended, though a Pleasant Street – Boylston shuttle continued for one more year. In 1963, part of the original subway was rebuilt under Government Center , abandoning and partially demolishing Adams Square station. In 1947, the now-bankrupt BERy

7912-401: Was criticized for their failure to assess Bredas' reliability before entering into the deal, and during delivery. The agency was also forced to spend an additional US$ 9.5 million to modify tracks to prevent derailments and the Type 8 fleet was unable to be used on the D branch (where cars reach full speed) after those modifications were complete in 2008. As the final Type 8s were delivered,

8004-478: Was permanently replaced with buses in 1969. The section of the Arborway Line past Heath Street was "temporarily" – ultimately permanently – bustituted in 1985. In 2001, with new low-floor streetcars entering service, the MBTA began retrofitting underground stations and major surface stops with low raised platforms for accessibility for all. In 2004, the Causeway Street Elevated was replaced with

8096-510: Was replaced by the public Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.). The new agency was unpopular, even spawning a popular protest song ; in 1964, it was replaced with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority which had an expanded funding area to preserve suburban commuter rail lines. In 1967, as part of a systemwide rebranding that included new station names and color names for the transit lines,

8188-649: Was rerouted to its own Washington Street Tunnel in 1908, and the streetcars were returned to the Tremont tunnel. Though initially intended merely to clear streetcars from the busiest sections of downtown streets, the Tremont Street subway became useful as a rapid transit service in its own right. The 1912 completion of the Causeway Street Elevated and Lechmere Viaduct extended grade-separated service to Lechmere Square in Cambridge, and in 1922

8280-426: Was substantially increased, including use on the E branch. However, three-car trains suffered from reliability problems and slow boarding. The use of three-car trains ended in March 2016. The MBTA approved a $ 82.6 million contract in May 2019 for a train protection system for the Green Line. The system would enforce red signals and automatically stop a train if it approached another train too closely. The project

8372-561: Was the first section to be converted to electric traction in 1889. It used modified existing horsecars outfitted with Frank J. Sprague 's revolutionary electrical equipment, which had first been demonstrated the previous year in Richmond, Virginia . In 1897, the West End Street Railway property was handed over to the Boston Elevated Railway in the form of a 24-year lease, and the companies were ultimately combined. By

8464-593: Was then that the old Mystic River Bridge to Chelsea was closed to streetcars and the lines were replaced by bus service; the next year the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) bought the Eastern Mass Chelsea Division and through-routed it with its lines connecting to the East Boston Tunnel at Maverick . Like the three other MBTA subway lines, the line uses standard gauge tracks. However, instead of heavy rail metro rolling stock,

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