Railfanning the Boston MBTA Blue Line Subway. 9/20/23

We take a grand tour of this interesting subway line in Boston.  We cover the majority of stations on the line and show this railroad like operation out to east of Boston.  You’ll see the transition from third rail to overhead and vice versa. These little Siemens cars make a lot of noise on the jointed rail out there.  It’s a great line to see trains and planes!!! Some of those stations are alongside the approach to Logan Airport and we see many arrivals. At times it was tough to choose.

[@richmartin1427]

So many memories of the blue line. As a kid growing up in Boston who loved planes I used to take the Blue Line to the old airport station often. While I don’t live in Boston anymore, the love of planes has turned into my career, and it’s been great.

[@davidgirard1398]

Another EXCELLENT video. Absolutely love the commentary with the video. Suffolk Downs was a very popular stop (all wood station until it burned down) when there was a horse racing track there many years ago. Wonderland was a dog racing track. When I was a kid, the MTA (as it was called then) used to run some of their OLDEST equipment (lightbulbs inside the cars) on Sundays sometimes, always a treat to ride them! Thanks again.

[@3985uprr]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@scottyerkes1867]

Very interesting video. Thanks Tim👌💚

[@Ostermond]

Always a good day when RRHG posts.

[@bossf51]

Suffolk Downs was a very famous thoroughbred racetrack for many years, closed about four years ago. It's open for simulcasting of other tracks' races but no live racing.

[@AaronJrBrundidge]

ive been on the MBTA Blue Line, it was so good, a dual mode subway train

[@de-fault_de-fault]

The old Blue Line cars from Hawker-Siddeley looked almost exactly like PATH's PA3 cars, also from Hawker-Siddeley, except for the pantographs added on. I've always thought the Kawasaki PA5s look kind of awkward and in terms of how they look and sound, I kind of wish some version of these Siemens cars had been the PA5 instead. But they'd definitely need more doors...the two per side of the PA1/2/3 would never work with PATH's crowding levels nowadays.

[@bryantsanders6869]

Awesome video

[@JJRol.]

Never knew this used to be streetcar/trolley! That's quite interesting. Also interesting how it used both overhead and third rail power.

[@tonymento7460]

and a four car set of the Pullmans are at the Seashore Trolley Museum as now they are in storage by a two car train of the Hawker Siddeley cars # 0622 - # 0623 are in service at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine

[@tokugawa12able]

Gotta like this.

[@sandrasoares9262]

I miss the beautiful blue line. I ride the train to brockton mass now. I live in Boston most of my life. I live in the south end of Boston on the orange line. I live east Boston in the 70s So kool.😊 I like to said thankyou for a wonderful time today. 😊😊😊😊

[@stevevezaeu4936]

the horse track is gone. and the wonderland dog track is also gone. at one time there were amusement at the beach.( best roller coaster around)

[@PneumonicDevices]

*Wonder*ful video. Thanks for sharing.

[@DoubleH2279]

Love the history lessons, man! Great railfanning vid as always!

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

10:44 the streetcars used to access the surface where the current platform is. When they converted it to rapid transit use, they tug tunnels around the portal, and where the old streetcar lines used to go up to the surface, is now the platform and fare gate area

[@Westlander857]

The best transit line in all of Boston, I think. Hoping the extension to Lynn or Revere happens eventually.

[@utubewatcher806]

Looks efficient, although the cars look "clunky."

[@TommyTom21]

@@utubewatcher806 I think they look pretty good

[@WHALEPSHIZZ]

@@utubewatcher806thats how they are supposed to look like. The 1400s look worse

[@robertplummer7549]

a bit of information the transition from third rail to centenary used to take place in the Maverick station in the 70s. A great video

[@3985uprr]

I seem to recall that.

[@MiddleboroLakevilleRailfan]

I’m headed out to goshen, NY the weekend of the 30th! I will be there for a wedding but I’m hoping to get some railfanning in either at Campbell hall or Middletown! Unfortunately it looks like I’ll be missing the 40th anniversary train which is rather upsetting.

[@MattyC62185]

And also Maverick Station is as wide as it is because it used to be a portal for streetcars. The current portal is at airport station. That is part of the blue lines history as a former streetcar line. Also, Bowdoin station used to be a portal for streetcars. They would go up onto Cambridge Street from there. It is named after nearby Bowdoin Street.

[@christophercancel934]

That's what Metro North Hudson should do, Color their M3s and Coach Cars with a green stripe rather than a red and blue stripes.

[@Da__goat]

Admittedly I don’t know much about the MBTA given that I grew up in NYC. But, unlike NYC, I do feel as though the Boston public transit system handles its population area a lot better than the NYC subway handles its people. Granted there is a massive difference in population, but Boston is a plucky city with a lot of history. I did really enjoy going up to Salem in 2021 to take a tour of the gallows, autumn in Boston is very pretty and the city itself is nicely laid out. If the person planning the path for the streets were a slinky.

[@NE-Explorer]

Mbta is in serous trouble with slow zones. Google it. NYC is stellar by comparison.

[@MattyC62185]

Yes, when you’re talking about going under Boston Harbor you haven’t left Boston yet East Boston (and Charlestown) is still inside the city even though they’re not geographically connected. Suffolk Downs is the line between East Boston and revere. And is the former site of a horse racing track. Also, Wonderland used to be a greyhound racing track. But I really do wish that the T would get their heads out of their butts and build that blue line extension up to Lynn and Salem

[@merccadoosis8847]

Terrific video report though it grieves me to know that you wore a Red Sux, oops, Red Sox cap. {jk of course} You didn't tell us what type of sandwich you were packed for lunch. Coffee? Soda? Bottled water? Seems like those lines ran with very high efficiency. If I was touring Boston, I would defo take the T. Mebbe some day ...

[@3985uprr]

I love baseball and I love Boston, so why not route for the Red Sox? 😀😀. I tend to love teams that play in cities that I love.

[@merccadoosis8847]

@@3985uprr Fer darn sure! I've always liked Boston (except when their pro teams beat ours in NY). The HOCR and Marathon are great events every year. I also like to read its history and the role it played before and during the Revolutionary war. And there is no doubt that it has the best transportation system in the USA. 😊

[@suzannerickles6169]

Narrator sounds as if should be reporting on NY subway, but he certainly knows his stuff

[@BrianJColby15YT]

I enjoyed the video immensely - it's a short line, but it offers a lot for transit fans. - Aquarium was a station that was nowhere near as spacious as it is now (in fact, it was very much cramped). They rebuilt it in 2000 to be more spacious. - Maverick was used as the third rail/pantograph transition point instead of Airport (but moved the changeover to Airport because it was easier). - East Boston used to have a huge trackless trolley network, making stops at Maverick, Wood Island and Orient Heights...the main garage was near Maverick before trackless trolley operations ended in the late 1950s and buses operated north of there. - Suffolk Downs (Belle Isle Marsh was the original name) was originally designed as a trolley line that went to Maverick but the trolleys were eliminated in 1951 when the Blue Line was established (the trolley tracks remain; if you crossed over the tracks and left the station, they were straight ahead) - Beachmont is one of only a handful of stations that is elevated (i.e. off the street). - Wonderland did not have a bus station/garage until the 2000s or so - the buses looped outside.

[@MattyC62185]

East Boston used to have a big streetcar network so did revere most of the former street car lines are now buses you look at a map of the MBTA bus network and you’ll have a good idea where the old street cars once ran

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

The only subway line on the MBTA that hasn’t caused them a ton of trouble.

[@DoubleH2279]

Don’t you mean confusion and delay?

[@lukeskywalker6338]

@@DoubleH2279 yes

[@malachimuhammad-dy2ow]

I like the old ones better than the new ones.

[@WHALEPSHIZZ]

I honestly prefer the 700s due to the reliability and look. But I love the 600s

[@martinharrison9957]

Slight correction: The college in Maine is Bowdoin, not Bowden

[@eddingtonrailroading]

Alt title: Railfanning and Planespotting the Boston MBTA Blue Line Subway

[@MrCubsfan3]

18:46 is that green light on only when on 3rd rail?

[@3985uprr]

Seems like it

[@zrs8184]

Can you Please Upload some More MBTA Green Line Train Videos to Your Channel at Somepoint whenever you get a Second and have the Time?

[@3985uprr]

Whenever I go up to Boston, I go up there occasionally

[@zrs8184]

@@3985uprrThat sounds good when will you be going to Boston again on?

[@3985uprr]

@@zrs8184 Not sure

[@zrs8184]

That’s Okay will you let me know when you do Go up to Boston and Upload Some More Green Line Train Videos and Upload it to your Channel at Somepoint whenever it Comes Out?

[@joscallinet6260]

The mere addition of the letter 'T' to the sentence "trains dropping their pan()s at the T's Blue Line Airport Station" dramatically increases the chances that this particular sentence will be considered vulgar!

[@carlossanchez-kz4wh]

I would of thrown something at you for being a Red Sox fan but you're a nice guy so I won't do that - A Yankees fan.

[@3985uprr]

Thanks. It is what it is.

[@carlossanchez-kz4wh]

@@3985uprr hey you're my favorite channel

[@NE-Explorer]

i turned down jobs in Boston due to the horrible subway service....the employers told me how bad it is.

[@3985uprr]

I’m sure the money would be good Philip Eng will turn it around

[@NE-Explorer]

@@3985uprr I hope you are right. But I dont think the country is running as well as it did when we were younger.

[@WHALEPSHIZZ]

The blue line barely breaks down the other lines do

[@user-zt9pg5ls6n]

Your video was fine, but your commentary left something to be desired. The wide platform at Maverick hasn't always been that way as they needed to do that. Move the it is "Suffik" Dkwns abd yes, there us uwa aeace traxhar ibe tume tgere. And when I live there in the 40s and 50s, the pantograph change was made outbound in Maverick station and inbound on the glide downgrade from the airport station. The current way things are done make more sense.he changeover beyond and Maverick station and had to in order to keep things going. As for Suffolk Downs, it is not Seth - folk it is Suffolk Downs.

[@3985uprr]

I never said I was perfect. I believe I said Suffolk, after all, I live in Suffolk County on Long Island so I should know how to pronounce my own county.