1940s PCC Trams in Boston, USA 2022 - The Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line

The Ashmont-Mattapan High-Speed Line, also called the Mattapan Trolley and M Line, is a partially grade-separated light rail line which forms part of the MBTA's Red Line rapid transit line. The line, which runs through Boston and Milton, Massachusetts, opened on August 26, 1929, as a conversion of a former commuter rail line and exclusively uses historic PCC streetcars for rolling stock, in tandem with a maintenance team of blacksmiths and metalworkers who make livery parts. Passengers must transfer at Ashmont to access the rest of the Red Line, which uses heavy rail metro rolling stock.
The official name of the line was changed in 2018 from "Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line" to "Mattapan Trolley". The 2.6-mile (4.2 km) route is used only by streetcars and has just two public grade crossings. All stations have low platforms, but all except Valley Road have been retrofitted with wheelchair lifts or wooden ramps for handicapped accessibility. Unlike most heritage streetcar lines, it is an integral part of the modern MBTA transit system rather than a tourist attraction. ~Wikipedia
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[@timosha21]

This is such a fun system to film but sometimes the operators don't like it when you film! Even though MBTA allows photography!!

[@evangouldtransit]

that's the MBTA for ya unfortunately...

[@jimparisho7457]

The cars were built by Pullman in the mid-1940's and have been use on the MBTA since. They been on the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line since 1955). It's an integral part of MBTA and not a tourist line. The cars look similar to SEPTA's Route 15 trolley on Girard Ave. in Philly (currently being overhauled until 2023) except the MBTA has private ROW, similar to NJ Transit's Newark Light Rail, formerly Newark City Subway.

[@wmlindley]

Right. - the first PCC on MTA (as it was then) property was in 1937. See the July 1937 Boston Elevated Co-Operation magazine, available at the Transportation Library.

[@chrismckellar9350]

It is great to have working, revenue collecting, heritage light rail using 1945/1946 Pullman-Standard PCC streetcars/trams with trolley poles as appose to pantagrahs

[@jopflah416]

The only “train” in the world that goes through a cemetery(Cedar Grove). My father and my uncle carried me and my brother on their backs in a blizzard from our house to Ashmont station and from Mattapan station to the Oriental theater in Mattapan Square to see the Lone Ranger movie in the mid 1950’s.

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

St Louis Metrolink light rail passes through a cemetery on its way to Lambert Airport. When they built, some Graves were moved and relatives were up in arms.

[@robertcartwright4374]

PCC cars still in regularservice? Fantastic! And your footage is so beautiful. Thank you very much.

[@timosha21]

Yes they are!

[@SpotterCrazyperson]

I love these trams!

[@scottyerkes1867]

Been to Boston many times to visit relatives. Rode the Red Line mostly. Once on the Blue Line from Logan Airport to Connect with Red Line. Never got to ride on the Ashmont - Mattapan trolley. Thank Tim 😀💚

[@radiogoodguy6287]

I remember when the Green Line had PCC cars. And rode them numerous times when visiting friends in Boston.

[@scottyerkes1867]

@@radiogoodguy6287 I remember when Philadelphia's subway/surface lines used PCCs too.

[@changliangqu6627]

PCC doesn't look like a fast species, but Mattapan Trolley does travel fast! This is very different from the trolleys in the other east coast cities.

[@jopflah416]

Used to take it from Ashmont to Mattapan with our golf clubs and then take a bus or hitch hike to Ponkapoag golf course in Canton, Mass.

[@Poisson4147]

There are no "1920s PCC trams". The design committee was formed in 1929 but the cars themselves didn't enter service until 1936. And as several posters noted, the cars shown are from the 1940s.

[@andrewpalm2103]

Great footage. Thanks for sharing!

[@ldegmtrainspotter]

Super video, nice trams and great palces! Good work! MEGA LIKE Greetings from Romania Andrew

[@radiogoodguy6287]

Love this video. I got nostalgically teary eyed watching it and reminiscing of New Jersey Transit's PCC cars. The best seat in the car is the last seat. You really feel the sways & bumps! Is that an AC Unit on top?

[@515nathaniel]

Yeah the MBTA retrofitted them with AC

[@amfm889]

Great footage- love the low-angle shots. Fun fact: instead of the MBTA "circle-T" logo, the cars have the old "MTA" map logo.

[@glennmoyer1033]

Nice video, thanks for posting.

[@TomMcBoston]

The cars are from the 1940's.

[@christianfreedom-seeker2025]

Good to see these still running. To be honest I thought that the MBTA would have phased these out years ago but if they have no future plans for the Mattapan line, the line will probably be mothballed or ripped out entirely. There are tourist lines looking for PCC's so that's a sale!

[@timosha21]

I hope not! These are classic - surprised these are not advertised as an attraction for those visiting Boston!

[@borispopov7095]

The MBTA has purchased new cars for the Green Line (type 10) which should start to arrive around the end of 2025. All of the old equipment will be withdrawn. It is proposed to rebuild the Mattapan line .and reequip it with ex-Green Line type 9s which will only be around ten years old. There are 25 type 9s, many more than would be needed. Older Green Line cars (types 7 & 8) would be disposed of. Some will be around 50 years old when the new cars arrive.

[@jopflah416]

Looks like Bakers Chocolate in Lower Mills at the 7:00 minute mark.

[@fokusnikfim]

Hello. Klasse video 🎥👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍. Thanks....... Fim 🚂👮‍♀️✋

[@OntarioTrafficMan]

The cars are not from the 1920s. They were built in 1945-1946.

[@transitcaptain]

I want this to become a modern streetcar, like the Flexity Outlooks in Toronto, as this is a modern rapid transit line, not a heritage streetcar. Only problem is that we lose the PCCs

[@HexJef]

Hi. Could I use your recordings because I am doing a segment on the history of PCC streetcars. Please give me a quick reply. Greetings

[@timosha21]

email [e-mail] thanks

[@HexJef]

@@timosha21 I've already written

[@georgeawestjr.9087]

Are these cars going to be replaced?

[@MrEricSir]

Are those white lumps on top of the streetcars air conditioning systems? They really distract from the otherwise classy look.

[@michelsmet2611]

Fine ! But clearly, most cars are in need of a full paint job ...

[@RailPreserver2K]

You know they could set one or two aside for Heritage use and donate the ones they retired to museums, it's just an idea but I highly doubt anybody would listen to me

[@syarheianop]

Необычный вагон. Имеет только одну двери на вход. Но с двух сторон вагона.