Can someone tell me where B&M’s Boston engine terminal was located during the steam age? I just need a rough location, side of town, whatever.
It would appear to be Cambridge, judging by this 1991 map-
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=11&Z=19&X=822&Y=11733&W=1&qs=|boston||
It was across the Charles River from North Station in Sommerville, also the location of the “in-town” freight yard. Isn’t this where the current “T” Purple Line northside locomotives are serviced even today? The roundhouse and turntable lasted and were used into the diesel era.
Indeed, it is. For railfans this note: the only safe-harrassment free way to get a look at this facility is to buy a ticket on the Reading route (to geezers like me this is the Western Route Main) or the Amtrak Downeaster/T-Lowell line (once the New Hampshire division). To see the south/west side view ride the Fitchburg line to say, Lincoln. You won’t see much, but it beats the alternatives.
THanks for the help, everyone. That’s all I needed to know.[bow]
My how times have changed. On a visit to Boston in 1980 a friend and I found an entry road into what was then still Boston & Maine (okay MBTA) property near the Boston engine terminal. The road was between the Fitchburg main and the Charles River. We drove right onto the MOW road along the main tracks just about opposite the B&M tower by the bridge at the very throat of North Station. In fact at one point I asked my buddy to back the car up a bit to get it out of photo range. I walked all over that interlocking to get shots from various angles. I recall someone in the tower looking out at me, he didn’t seem too interested though. Other railroad employees walked or drove past us, barely giving us a glance.
Highlight was discovering a small fleet of B&M Geeps were being used as power for trains of de-motored RDCs.