MBTA Orange Line Elevated 2/2

[TheMBTADog]

@ScottWantsSome The Silver Line is EVIL!

[nicademastribe]

most of my friends were not even born yet i was 6 when the over-pass was up takes me back to the 80s *****

[wntoply6]

i remember my last ride on the orange line el. one could feel how rickety it was...like the train was gonna drop down onto washington st, at any moment.

it was fun seeing doyle's from above...just after the forest hills station.

i also remember driving under the el daily on my way to work from the s.e. to hyde park. washington st. was so dark and dingy.

thank god it's gone now. it ruined so any communities.

[jeffdarga100]

I loved riding in the front of the first car as we went around the curves. I always thought the trains would derail !

[PARRAVISION]

Can I borrow a clean copy of this clip for a documentry? please email me back. Thanks!

[jfkclock]

This ride was an awful lot of fun. I miss it.

It closed when I was 15. I rode it all weekend 2 weeks before it closed. I was also on the "last ride" from Everett to Boston on the old Charlestown/Everett "El" in 1975; I was just 3-1/2 years old at the time but remember it vividly. Most people under age 40 have no idea that the northern part of the Orange Line used to be elevated, and used to go to Charlestown + Everett and not to Malden/Oak Grove like it does today.

Thanks for the memories.

[pastorpaulladykesha]

wow this was so long ago brings back so many thoughts LOL

[MrDomebaby]

I was an orange line motorman during this time period. Still with the T. Thanks for the memories.

[RobertPaniagua]

@MrDomebaby Oh good, I'm sure you had fun driving the Orange Line when it was on EL track, that was fun for me to check out, things have now changed, I also miss the EL ROW

[DerKosmonaut1972]

Would anyone know of any footage of the Orange line elevated from North Station to Everett? Thanks!

[DerKosmonaut1972]

Thanks so much for posting this! It was the first time I had the chance to experience the old Washington El, particulary when it descends into the tunnel. I love and miss the Boston accent. "The Inspectohs hehr whad do ya wan me to do aboud it!"

"We're approaching the Essex pohtal!" Classic! I love Boston!

[DerKosmonaut1972]

Dudley was a beautiful station!

[italobambino43]

You know it's ironic, when these subway-elevated lines were constructed decades ago, they encouraged urban groth along there way. Now today you see how the avenues and streets they traversed have fallen in to decay.

[EdM021]

That decay used to reach like a dagger right into the heart of Boston proper! Now, except for Roxbury, that whole stretch has gone from decay to Gentrification. This is because the line has come down! Especially the part through the South End!

[italobambino43]

You know it's ironic, when these Subway- Elevated transit lines were constructed they often stimulated urban groth along their way, now today, the avenues and streets they traversed have fallen in to decay.

[italobambino43]

I rode this Elevated on a visit to Boston in 1986, I havent been back since. What was put in it's place?

[ramtough07]

MBTA got rid of the line and moved one end to Malden and the other to the Amtrak lines that ran from Forest Hills to Ruggles and into Back Bay. They then removed the Arborway green line under "temporary" shut down and paved over the lines.

Boston born-and-raised here, the MBTA planning and policy is probably the worst among major cities. They gave these people a silver bus that runs to dudley 10 years later... racial tinge maybe? Imagine if this was left up!!!!

[EdM021]

If this was left up, most of Boston would be like Detroit now. Ugh! And yes, I know removing rapid transit from Roxbury was a BIG mistake! They should have built a subway!! X(

[GoofyNewf]

@ramtough07 The reason they have not brought back the Arborway line is because of the Yuppies that have moved into the neighborhood, and want it to stay their way. The people from J.P., born and raised, want it back! The argument on the Yuppies part is that the trolleys would cause too much of a traffic hassle. This is not true. The trolleys that have always run on this line are small compact PCC's. If someone tries to argue, I tell them to look up the SEPTA PCC line. Streets there are like J.P.

[ramtough07]

@GoofyNewf that's absolutely not the case. the people behind the bring back the E line are NOT locals. Without getting into a speech about 'whos more boston' or some bull like that, i agree that yuppies have made some moves about city planning (like height restrictions in the back bay currently before the legislature) but this isn't one of them. yuppies don't ride buses; they've never been to egleston sq. people in JP regardless of class are committed to public transit.

[Madness832]

@GoofyNewf I believe I remember reading that there were plans to reopen the line using rehabbed PCC cars, but that there'd be a problem meeting the ADA. Then a study from the T stating that they'd only be able to meet 82% headway on the line (which was nearly double that of the #39 bus @ the time!), instead of their target of 94% (?). Finally, the complaints about the rails being a (possible) hazard to cyclists (especially along Centre St.).

[amandasdesigns]

@GoofyNewf Hi I was born and raised in JP (not a yuppie), from personal experience, the trolly's WERE to large for Centre/South Street and when the train would brake down it would cause grid lock. I do have a piece of a trolly door salvaged in my basement.

[captsub]

@ramtough07

It's not much better in NYC. They pulled down the Myrtle Ave El in Bklyn in '69, the last section of the 3rd Ave el in the Bronx in '73 and the last five stops on the Jamaica Ave El in Queens in '77-'83. And all those neighborhoods only got WORSE with the els gone.

[ramtough07]

@captsub i'd love people to see % of pop off mass and nys that lives in cities, and then how much cities are allocated for transportation funds as % of whole...gotta keep those anti-urban people with a bump-free ride, can't spill juice all over the crossover's backseat

[TheLastBrainLeft]

@captsub Many who use the replacement 3rd Ave bus do not know of the old train and they have to suffer from one of the most overcrowded routes in the city. That 3rd Ave shuttle train would be a godsend today.

[October2nd1869]

Thanks for posting this.

[62volvo1800]

If you are taking an outbound train from New England Medical Center, sit on the left side of the car--or better yet, sit up at near the front. The train will bear to the right as it heads towards Back Bay. If you look to your left, you will see the closed portal that used to head south towards Washington Street and the old El.

[GoofyNewf]

The old washington st el ramp is about 50 yards from chinatown(essex) station. If you are on the outbound platform, go to the end and look down the tunnel. You will see the old tunnel that used to take you up to the el. The new section now curves off to the right to New England Medical Center.

[62volvo1800]

There's hardly any remaining evidence of the southern El. There are a couple of stubs located near I-90, but the Essex portal has been completely sealed. You would never know that it was there. The Forest Hills station was completely demolished. Dudley Square still has the old building but it is now used exclusively for buses. The Charlestown El has nothing remaining except for the stubs in the Mystic River. This connected Everett with Sullivan Square. Sooooo many memories...

[ooxcfhxoo]

dont forget the bridge in charlestown between New Rutherford Ave and North Washington st. you can see where the charlestown el ran in the upper center portion of the bridge.

[B0sToN24]

are there any traces of this at all anymore? .. what happend to the portal?

[GoofyNewf]

The only remaining intact station, Northamton Station is up at the Seashore Trolly Museum in Kennybunkport, Maine.

[daddeo01905]

I saw an RTS bus at Dudley Station, what year was this filmed?

[GoofyNewf]

1986 I believe. First year they used those buses.

[adelgado75]

So this is all gone now? Any movie theaters along the way of this route?

[GoofyNewf]

This is along washington st in jamaica plain, roxbury and the south end and nope no movie theaters.

[recorez]

you've made my day! I grew up riding this atmospheric,somewhat romantic route - very nostalgic for me. That Dudley turn used to frighten me; I thought we'd slide off the tracks.The el was like an amusement park ride compared to the dull subway now.

[ISLAVERDE29]

Sweet, i like this, if only there were some sort of remains of the old el, thanks for uploading these vids!

[GoofyNewf]

Northampton Station is still intact although you need to travel to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine to see it.