The MBTA Commuter Rail’s Entire CTC-1B Cab Car Fleet (1625 through 1652) - The Final Years

Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoy the video. If you are new here, my channel mostly consists of railroad videography from around the Northeastern USA. Please note that all content that I post is mine and should not be used without my consent. If you are interested in more content from me, my photography can be viewed on Instagram at: / rail_spike_productions
About this video: This compilation features all of the MBTA Commuter Rail’s CTC-1B cab cars as a tribute to their many years of service, now that many of them will no longer be seen in operation. As of late 2024, the following are true: only the 1643 and 1647 can still be seen in operation as they are reserved for use on non-revenue trains, the 1626/1627/1642/1646 have been scrapped in Everett, and the remaining ones are in long term storage at various locations. Please note that units 1600 through 1624 are not mentioned due to now being in operation as blind trailer coaches, as they had their controls deactivated many years ago. Additionally, the 1648 is not included in this video due to a wreck that it was involved in over 30 years ago, leading to it being scrapped in the early 2000s. The locations seen in this video are listed below in the order that they appear.
Newburyport MBTA Station
Hamilton/Wenham MBTA Station
Cabot Street, Beverly, MA
Mishawum, Woburn, MA
Prides Crossing, Beverly, MA
Beverly Farms MBTA Station
Hamilton/Wenham MBTA Station
North Beverly MBTA Station
Main Street, Shirley, MA
Salem MBTA Station
Beverly Farms MBTA Station
North Beverly MBTA Station
Beverly Farms MBTA Station
Manchester-by-the-Sea MBTA Station
Manchester-by-the-Sea MBTA Station
Beverly Farms MBTA Station
Charles Street, North Andover, MA
Asbury Street, Hamilton, MA
Hamilton/Wenham MBTA Station
Hamilton/Wenham MBTA Station
Lincoln MBTA Station
Beverly Farms MBTA Station
Beverly Depot MBTA Station
Endicott MBTA Station
Depot Street, Milford, MA
North Beverly MBTA Station
Railroad Avenue, Rowley, MA
Cross Road, Haverhill, MA

[@ericschwartz3559]

I miss these and the mbb’s so much. It was a true blessing to see them in service for so many years. They’ll be missed and never forgotten. R.I.P 1989-2024. 😭😢😪💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

[@TLT_Productions]

i still cant believe how long these things were in service for. thank you for doing this as a remembrance for the iconic comets.

[@rail_spike_productions]

It was my pleasure putting these clips together, i enjoyed it too! I’m grateful that we still have a very small group of them that still run around

[@ericschwartz3559]

1648 was wrecked in 1990 after only a few weeks in service. It was a parts source for 16 years, being stripped of parts until it was finally completely scrapped in April 2006 as part of the CRASP program. It was brought into BET around early April 2006 to have important parts/components removed, then it was scrapped outside.

[@ericschwartz3559]

Thanks so much for putting these clips together of the cab cars that made every rail fan including myself go out and film the MBTA. It’s a blessing that you put together all these commemorative clips to remember the cab cars that everybody loved and will miss dearly. 😢😊 I remember seeing these for the first time when I started to like the commuter rail back when I was 8 years old and I used to love the horns on these and the commuter rail won’t be the same without them. 😭 Now, we’re stuck with the double decker cab cars, 1700s and 1800s. Wouldn’t it be nice if 1647 could be preserved in a railway museum because it was the VERY LAST 1600 in service. There’s not a reason why it can’t be preserved. God bless you man and thanks for all your hard work on putting together these videos for us rail fans who like trains and can watch and get a lot of interest from. You’re doing an awesome job, keep it up and keep the videos rolling. 👍👍👍

[@rail_spike_productions]

Thank you very much for the extremely kind words. I thoroughly enjoy what I do and I’m very glad the work pays off for others too :)

[@ericschwartz3559]

It’s no problem dude. I know it’s hard to make all these videos and upload them in the right order as we’re now in October and you’re still uploading videos from previous months like the newest one is Freshly Rebuilt MBTA Commuter Rail Locomotives and Brand New Hyundai Rotem Coaches - Spring 2024. But, we’re not too far off I’d say, I think July is next and almost there. I know you have to get through all your June videos first, then move on to Julys, but three months behind ain’t bad. Again, you’re doing an amazing job at keeping up with the videos and making sure you get through each month, before moving on to the next.

[@rail_spike_productions]

Thanks so much man. I will be moving into July in the next week hopefully! I’ve got some videos to post from a trip to Southern California that I did in July, so those will be up next starting next week

[@schwunkie]

Love this, good work

[@rail_spike_productions]

You’re very kind! Thanks again

[@zostrelling_]

22:58 the BEST comet

[@rail_spike_productions]

It for sure had quite the respectable horn later in its life

[@easternroutemainlinevideos6823]

The horn the 1652 had before was better

[@zostrelling_]

@@easternroutemainlinevideos6823 honestly i liked the new one. it was interesting and loud lol

[@ericschwartz3559]

What the funniest thing is that a decent amount of people (myself included) didn’t think that the Bombardiers would’ve lasted 35 years and I think many people thought that too when they saw them being delivered in the early 1990s.

[@easternroutemainlinevideos6823]

1649 will always be my favorite control car. Love horn on that.

[@rail_spike_productions]

Good times with that thing at Swampscott !

[@ericschwartz3559]

I remember hearing that the 1635 was traveling inbound to north station and collided with a car at a railroad crossing somewhere on the haverhill line I think it was in lawrence, but not 100% sure. I saw 1635 in a KZbin video in December 2020 that showed it with very shiny wheels, rebuilt wheel trucks and a graham white e-bell as well as fresh paint on the front where it was rebuilt from the damage in the collision. The front gangway was also replaced because it looked very shiny and new in the video.

[@jasonhadfield1551]

I enjoyed the video

[@ericschwartz3559]

1652 was 1648’s replacement and it was a big loss for the T thinking that the Bombardier CTC-1Bs were brand new and still entering service at the time of the wreck in October 1990. Still don’t know what happened or what the wreck was. The MBTA Vehicle Inventory Page under “Commuter Rail Coach Fleet” doesn’t say how the 1648 was wrecked. I’m guessing it was hit by a car or crashed head-on smacked into another train. 1652 was ordered in December 1990 and delivered in December 1991.

[@superbaddy4]

These iconic Cab Cars defined the North Side for me, and even now, I still have trouble processing them being gone. Seems like all this really cool stuff is happening on MBTA these days, but sadly, these units are the one thing that aren’t there to stick around with it.

[@rail_spike_productions]

We are lucky enough to still have a few reserved for non-revenue operations, such as the 1643 and 1647. Otherwise, yes - very sad indeed that so many are gone

[@ericschwartz3559]

Fun fact: When 1648 was scrapped in the early 2000s, remnants of it could still be seen on the floor laying around at BET such as a piece of the front with the number printed on it next to a bunch of new shiny wheels. Hard to believe it was wrecked over 30 years ago. It’s the “ghost cab car”. 😊😂 Built: July 1990 Wrecked: October 28, 1990 Scrapped: late 2003. It was stripped of parts over the years to keep the other 51 1600s running.

[@ericschwartz3559]

The CTC-1Bs that I remember seeing back in 2017 and 2018 are 1630, 1635 (the E-Bell) cab car, 1636 and 1643.

[@rail_spike_productions]

1635 would’ve only had an e-bell 2020 and after

[@ericschwartz3559]

Ohh ya, sorry man. I forgot that 1635 got the e bell in December 2020. A typo error on my end. The 1600s I remember seeing in 2017 and 2018 were 1626, 1629, 1633, 1637 and 1644.

[@tonymento7460]

I remember when the Pullman commuter rail cars were brand new in 1978 then another order came in 1980 both orders replace all the commuter rail cars out of South Station

[@ericschwartz3559]

Glad that we still have 1643 and 1647 reserved and still running on non-revenue moves and MBTA extras such as the Track Geometry Train. But sad that they are not in passenger service anymore.

[@rail_spike_productions]

Very true. I caught 1643 just last night heading out to Newburyport on the new “Laser train” consist

[@ericschwartz3559]

22:52-23:04, What the heck’s up with 1652’s horn? I recall 1652 getting an MBB horn sometime in 2023 before its retirement. Sounds similar to a 1700-series K car horn.

[@rail_spike_productions]

I’m not sure what the heritage of it is, but it definitely was a new addition to that car

[@ericschwartz3559]

Wait hold on, that’s a reversed set at 3:30. Did anybody else notice. Engine is supposed to be at the front on outbound.

[@rail_spike_productions]

Good eye. The set with the 1646 leading was also reversed !

[@ericschwartz3559]

1637 was spotted back in service leading train 334 on the what looks like the Lowell line on December 4, 2024. Due to an equipment shortage.

[@rail_spike_productions]

Actually, 1637 returned to passenger service because it was used on the extra-long set that they put on the north side polar express every year. This set is often used in revenue service during peak hours as well to accommodate rush hour commuters

[@justanf40phrailfan21]

it was fun when it lasted

[@ericschwartz3559]

22:30, Ohh 911 “Never Forget”. Let it pay tribute, respect and honor the nearly 3,000 innocent souls lost that day, including 343 firefighters from the NYFD. Heroes who died while risking their life and not caring for their survival and helping all the people down the burning World Trade Center South and North Twin Towers to safety before they collapsed and turned the whole site to “Ground Zero”. Sorry about mentioning the saddest day in American history and the worst terrorist attack in our country ever, but I saw that the number of that coach was 911 and it made me think of that horrible terrorist attack on the WTC in Manhattan NYC on 9/11/01. Sorry, it just made me think of that. 😢😢

[@rail_spike_productions]

I understand. I’m glad they have that special plaque on that car

[@ericschwartz3559]

When do these videos clips take place if it was their final years of operation? late 2022 to the summer of 2024?

[@rail_spike_productions]

The 1632 clip was from 2020 and a few were from 2021. The rest were 2022 and on

[@kirkzevola5004]

It won’t be the same without them.

[@ericschwartz3559]

Ohh you didn’t mention 1600 to 1624 because those are “Deactivated”cab cars meaning they can no longer lead trains.

[@rail_spike_productions]

Correct

[@Kendricklovestrains]

What happened to ctc 3 cab cars?

[@rail_spike_productions]

Most of them have been retired or scrapped. There are some that can still be seen operating in Rochester, MA on test trains every now and then

[@lilbluefoxie]

Why does the mbta run these long commuter trains but only open the first car

[@rail_spike_productions]

The number of open cars on each train is chosen by the conductor each time normally

[@lilbluefoxie]

@@rail_spike_productions do they not have automatic doors? On the similar looking metro north diesel coaches the doors open like an MU electric train so every single one opens (unless they key out a train car specifically)

[@rail_spike_productions]

I believe all of the older single level cars just have manual doors

[@Kendricklovestrains]

Why the cab car number 1635 have a e bell not a strozill bell ( I ask)

[@rail_spike_productions]

It was in an accident a while back and got a new bell when it was partially rebuilt

[@Orlando-n4u7q]

#MBTA

[@RandomNot3418]

1605 Is Dead Turn Into A BTC-1? Rip

[@rail_spike_productions]

Yes, 1600 through 1624 are

[@RandomNot3418]

@rail_spike_productions Rip

[@MbtaVideoClips]

winchester center station got delayed within 10 hours of opening. Ahhgoiuajca7yngcfiasrkjghuoahdofuaset

[@rail_spike_productions]

That’s so MBTA

[@MbtaVideoClips]

@@rail_spike_productions ikr. Some stupid elevator stuff. Apparently it was broken. I was just confused because they also have a ramp at the station (albeit only on one side atm)

[@zostrelling_]

what about 1648 huh

[@rail_spike_productions]

I noted it at 0:20

[@zostrelling_]

@@rail_spike_productions just noticed my bad

[@rail_spike_productions]

No worries