Why Boston Abandoned the Steam Monorail Network

[@jamesnotfound]

I grew up in Boston and this is the first time I’ve ever heard of this system before! Another great informative video!

[@RailBuffRob]

I grew up in Lowell, and I've heard the name mispronounced plenty of times, but this is the first time I've heard it called "low well"

[@giannidcenzo]

​@@RailBuffRobI heard that and laughed

[@phantom0456]

Bawwwston.

[@thomasrobinski3263]

Thankfully this wasn't in Woburn or Leicester.

[@maryellenaylward5457]

Thank you for doing a story about Boston! This railway is definitely something I had never heard of before!

[@donalddodson7365]

Interesting footnote in railroad history. Thank you.

[@SquidGames1]

"it did not have a cow catcher" Well how are you supposed to push away all those flying cows!? Love the video!

[@Sudriantank743]

p l a n e

[@AngryChicKen-VIP]

These are pretty soft, its only summer cows. In the winter they migrate.

[@geoffgeoff143]

No engi e had a cow catcher. They had pilots for pushing rocks a dndtner debris off the rails.

[@ReisenderBecauseOfLuv]

It must have been.. aehm.. absinth or purple weed things xD mushrooms. Misch konsum xD 🎉😂😅

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Steampunk as hell - love it! Would love to see one in opertion!

[@karentrimmer]

Reminds me of the song "MTA" by The Kingston Trio. Charley gets on the train but doesn't have enough money pay for his ticket, so they won't let him get off the train. "He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston..." I loved it as a child, my son and his friends loved it, and now my grandchildren sing it!

[@004Black]

I really enjoy your content. The attention to detail rivals that of the History Channel itself. Thank you!

[@pacificostudios]

It seems like, in every generation, someone rich has believed that monorails were a better idea than conventional railroads.

[@brucealanwilson4121]

Theconly viable one I know of is Whupperthal, Germany's.

[@scottfw7169]

In some applications, monorails are better, the key is to be wise and discerning about what you wish to accomplish with a monorail.

[@pacificostudios]

​@@scottfw7169 - Except for traveling cranes and the Wuppertal, where do you think a monorail is superior to two-rails?

[@scottfw7169]

@@pacificostudios I'm dealing with having acquired a neurological autoimmune disease and no longer have the energy to discuss debate things at any given random moment or in any depth. Best thing to do is go look up who is using monorails and where they are using them, that should indicate.

[@lucashinch]

Mono rails appear to difficult when designing and building intersections or while merging rail lines whereas multi rail systems have been obviously easier to build and develop by its design. Multiple points of contact within the same plane of travel seems to be the key. Just my thoughts. Great video otherwise, very informative So if you're wanting your "own dedicated train line" and with 71 opulent passengers a "Generational Monorail" is right on track.

[@pacificostudios]

What a strange story -- Meigs had a great opportunity to be a successful pioneer in elevated railroads.

[@wilsjane]

He could have just added the monorail between lamp posts and added hydrogen balloons above every car to offset most of the weight. The boiler could have produced the hydrogen, before burning the coke, while the excess hydrogen powered the lamp posts at night. I sometimes wish that I had been around in the early 19th century. 😊

[@luislaplume8261]

Brooklyn had a conventional elevated railroad made of iron pillars and a iron crossbar trestle an it was successful and easier to build than the Meigs type. It opened in May 1885 from Downtown Brooklyn to Bedford Stuyvesant and on to the town of East New York in Kings County. The route is still used but it was rebuilt for joint subway and el trains with steel plates and solid steel pillars from Gates Avenue and Broadway to East New York. Part of the J line still runs on that route and now the line goes into the Borough of Queens and ends in Jamaica another neighborhood in Queens.

[@pacificostudios]

@@luislaplume8261 - I was comparing Meig's monorail to the steam-powered Third Avenue Elevated in Manhattan, which opened in 1878 from South Ferry to 129th St. Technically, the Ninth Avenue El was a few years older than the Third Avenue El, but it opened with cable-haulage, and by the time it became a true rapid transit system, the Third Avenue El was a going concern.

[@c182SkylaneRG]

For the record: Lowell, MA puts the emphasis on the "O", as in "LO-well". But nice try. :) Otherwise, this is the first time I've ever heard of this thing, and I grew up a couple hours north of Boston, so this is pretty cool!!

[@thadsoule7129]

The W in Lowell is silent. It’s funny to hear how folks not from Massachusetts pronounce names like Billerica, Haverhill, or Worcester…

[@michaelmiller641]

Or Stephenson as Steffenson

[@Soundbrigade]

I save this video for breakfast tomorrow, but surely I don’t want to miss a Sokash video.

[@spinnetti]

Not seen this before. Cool. Was just in Boston for the first time a few weeks ago too!

[@abrr2000]

actually, from what I remember, the steam horse was an attempt to solve the issue of cast rails snapping under the pounding force of the pistons, by pushing against the ground rather than the rails. All of which was prior to the invention of rolled wrought iron rails and adding balancing weights to the wheels to reduce the "hammer blow" effect. The issue it sought to solve was solved before it could leave R&D

[@kaasmeester5903]

Love the design of those cars. Very Jules Verne-y.

[@johncamp2567]

A very interesting documentary!! 👍 But I feel that I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the monorail episode of THE SIMPSONS: 🎶🎵”…Monorail!! Monorail!! Monorail!!!!”🎶🎵

[@kiwitrainguy]

I've heard that thing is awfully loud It glides as softly as a cloud Were you sent here by the devil? No, good sir, I'm on the level Is there a chance the track could bend? Not on your life my Hindu friend What about us brain-dead slobs? You'll all be given cushy jobs

[@lenna629]

This is a fantastic story! I grew up in the Boston area and never heard of this! Thanks for sharing this history

[@ivangyorog5782]

Perfektná prezentácia,dakujem.Velmi zaujimavé.👍👍👍

[@flyingspirit3549]

Fabulous presentation on a unique part of American history! Thanks for creating this!

[@ITSHISTORY]

Many thanks!

[@MikeT-TheRetiredColonel]

Ryan, seems you used a headstone for Josiah Meigs who died in 1822, not 1907 as you state. Pretty cool topic, nonetheless :)

[@justinunland2858]

As allways enjoyed it thankyou !

[@jetsons101]

Is that "Colored Artillery Battery" that Joe Megs asked for from President Lincoln the same one that the 1989 movie Glory was based on ??? Ryan, you prove that we can learn something new everyday.......

[@ironicgoose9913]

Really good analogy we can draw from it. This days also many keeps believing in fossil fuels future, while battery electric technologies growing worldwide. Truth been told, history repeats itself. Thank you for your video

[@bullzdawguk]

Wow! It's like real life steampunk.

[@lundsweden]

Steam was'nt antiquated at all in the late 19th century. Steam trains operated here in Australia until 1972... China still had some operating 20 years ago. Steam is cheaper to run, coal is cheap, however the steam engine usually needs a bigger crew, and of course the smoke is filthy, especially in tunnels.

[@richardcooke9948]

In cities it was. People didn’t want the smoke and noise.

[@RCAvhstape]

@@richardcooke9948Exactly. Steam is great for long haul trains but for a downtown commuter or subway system, electric is the way to go and was adopted as soon as it was practical. New York City banned steam locomotives in Manhattan very early, which is why the Northeast Corridor is electrified to this day, since it was built in the 30s by the Pennsylvania Railroad.

[@dutchbeef8920]

It made way for the Steam Train Hyperloop

[@roberthuron9160]

The Boston Street Railway Association had a book on the Tremont Street Car Subway,and there was a section on Meigs,but it didn't give the amount of detail that you have given! Definitely,filled in many gaps in my knowledge! Thank you,and,one obvious question[unanswered],what locomotive works,built the engine?? There were works,in Lowell,Manchester,and Boston proper,that I'm aware of,so who did it?? Thanks again,and you are much appreciated 🙏! Thank you 😇 😊!!

[@skippern666]

Imagine how the world of Rapid Transit would have looked if Meigs had accepted electric propulsion on his elevated rail system? We could have had elevated monorail systems in metropols world wide, with, in most places, an elevated rail being cheaper to construct than subway tunnels.

[@wilsjane]

Imagine the London underground being elevated. Jump on the train would have taken on a whole new meaning.

[@1208bug]

Thank you Ryan!

[@twenger1]

I love your videos. Informative, and no irrelevant stock footage.

[@paulbriggs3072]

You DID notice I hope that the grave stone you showed at the end was a man who died way back in 1822, right?

[@twinnmann]

I grew up in Cambridge(EC) and never knew this existed before Lechmere Station

[@trevortrevortsr2]

The railways tried so many things - I once saw a section of Brunels vacuum railway that failed as rats ate the leather and tallow seals

[@AC-jk8wq]

Always fun to watch, Ryan! I think the W is silent in Lowell…. 😃 Trying to keep the wheel bearings from wearing out must have been a real challenge in the 1800s…

[@baystated]

Ooooh General Butler! I live near the location of Butler's house, which eventually burned down. Lowell sounds like DOLE the pineapple company. Rumor was it was arson for insurance.

[@Jakeurb8ty82]

'-But Main Street's still all cracked and broken.' 'Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!' 'Monorail... Monorail! MONORAIL! MONORAIL!'

[@dmforsyth]

After all, it put Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook on the map.

[@101stLegion]

'MONO-D'oh!'

[@kskssxoxskskss2189]

L-o-w-e-l-l rhymes with "Joel". But otherwise, great video, from a longtime Boston railfan. Never heard of this before.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thanks Ryan for this excellent lt's HISTORY video....... Old F-4 Shoe🇺🇸

[@reddog-ex4dx]

His concept for the passenger cars was way ahead of the times. If that had been adopted it would have save thousands of lives from the telescoping of the wooden cars. Interesting to note the vacuum system you brought out toward the end. So, Elon Musk wasn't the first to think of it!

[@IanHodgson-qe9fb]

The Atmospheric Railway was built in Devon. England by that great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

[@RCAvhstape]

At least one early subway system consisted of cylindrical cars in a round tube tunnel driven by air pressure. Also there was the 1980s toy Micronauts Rocket Tubes, which was a pneumatic driven toy "train" set. What Elon Musk wanted is notable for the great speed at which it would operate; the entire system must be kept in a near vacuum which is a major engineering challenge.

[@b43xoit]

Details of the valve gear would have be interesting, along with those of any superheaters, air compressors, etc. etc.

[@charlescrawford7039]

Monorail development was sporadic during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The Boynton Bicycle Railroad (1890-92) and the Pelham Park and City Island Railway (1910-14) were examples of earlier attempts but failed both due to technical and financial difficulties. Monorail designs would see a reemergence in the 1960’s, but with limited usage. The Meigs Elevated Railway was technically a three rail system. Captain Josiah (Joe) Meigs had as a distant and notable relative, General Montgomery C. Meigs. Montgomery Meigs was the Quartermaster General during the Civil War. He was also instrumental in the design of Washington DC’s aqueduct system, the Pension Building as well supervising the additional construction of the US Capitol Building.

[@jossdeiboss]

He should have tried to propose an electric version.

[@rayshowsay1749]

Imaginative but, as usual, impractical. In reality, rather than a monorail system(which I don't believe it was described as at the time) it's probably better described as triple-rail -- 50% more complicated, just for starters, than the conventional.

[@Anon21486]

As someone who enjoys looking at old maps of these historical items, it took me a while to find it. No, it wasn't because it was difficult to find. Instead, it is because the road no longer exist.... well, in it's past form. Yup, Bridge St is no longer called Bridge St. Instead, it is called Monsignor O'Brien Highway or MA-28. With that bit of knowledge, it's pretty easy to find where the old location was, 225 Monsignor O'Brien Highway. You can search the old maps and find the monorail on the 1888 Cambridge Sanborn Atlas. Now here something that isn't mentioned... there is still a remnant of the old experimental monorail. No, any actual artifact, such as structure, is long gone. However, the right of way still exist. The area where the track went over Bridge St is now Rufo Rd and it leads to Twin City Plaza. As for John P. Squire & Co slaughterhouse, according to Cambridge, they stayed in business until the 1950s. The building was abandoned and eventually destroyed in a fire in the 1960s. Today, the site is Twin City Plaza itself.

[@jamesschulziii9098]

Thank you kindly for sharing these. I'm sure I don't know everything so there are folks like yourself that make videos such as this. I may say that I like world history better but that ain't true. Much history there is in this relatively young ish country. US history IS interesting too. Thank you Ryan.

[@1maico1]

Er no, Stephenson's Locomotion No. 1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway was the first loco to haul passengers on a scheduled service. Richard Trevithick's designs were the first steam locos running on tracks commercially and used in ironworks from 1802. His loco 'Catch Me Who Can' was the first in the world to haul fare-paying passengers in London in 1808.

[@jankington216]

The ring came off my pudding can.

[@jonnyfennessy9812]

Never heard of this. Boston born, & raised.

[@Pauley_in_GP]

I'm in the same category. Not only that, but I'm even a rail fan with PCC cars running around my model layouts.

[@JusticeAlways]

@@Pauley_in_GP Ya'll need to get off your butts and learn about your city's heritage! 😄

[@Pauley_in_GP]

@@JusticeAlways LOL. Well, after spending the first 21 years of my life in Boston, I spent the next 40 in Los Angeles and the last 10+ in Oregon. I'm afraid my brain has no more room Boston's heritage. ;)

[@Killercutsvideo]

Wow such a shame all the photos except one were lost

[@NightMotorcyclist]

They should've pitched the idea to Shelbyville...

[@turkeytrac1]

Nope, Robert Stephenson built the first true railway loco to be built in revenue service for the Stockton and Darlington rr. It entered service Sept 27th, 1825. The Rocket, while a step forward in a number of steam technologies won a contest but was never used in revenue service.

[@b43xoit]

Wouldn't it be interesting to be able to show Stephenson the Saturn V blasting off, so he'd learn what an actual rocket would come to.

[@rogerpenske2411]

Too late Mom, the mob has spoken! Monorail! Monorail! Mono D’oh!

[@b-north]

wow i was thinking to myself how you don’t have nashville content literally before i clicked this and i swear on my life that i’m firm nashville and also we have a a school called “meighs”

[@scottish785]

WHats up with this tomb stone at the end? We're talking the end of the 19th century and this guy on the stone died in 1822 having been born in 1757

[@geoffgeoff143]

Is that the one from Shelbyville?

[@robertstrong9381]

Crazy contraption

[@AFowkingPanda]

Steam will never be NOT cool.

[@EstorilEm]

I don’t see any REAL advantages to this system. Maintenance had to be a huge pain, with the moving parts situated below floor-level. Also, I wouldn’t even consider this a “monorail” in that it required the upper portion and its “balance wheels” to not flip off the track. If anything it’s more of a conventional track rotated vertically in many ways it likely has MORE friction and contact points than a normal rail (especially in a turn, which would seem to put all the force on the outer wheel. Conventional rails would do the same laterally, but the inner would support significant weight still. This has me question rail wear also, it seems like it would be severe. In any case, I can almost guarantee you that replacing rails on that system would also be a nightmare versus conventional rails. Also - you’d think the circular cross-section would be ideal for tunnels, BUT nope. You have to either expand the entire diameter to include the tall rail structure below the cars, or dig your tunnel with an odd and difficult non-circular cross-section. A normal train can simply use the tube-style tunnel with ballast and a normal track. The fact that he advocated against any form of electrification AND called steam operations cheaper kinda lends credence to the idea that he was likely completely blind to reality and that this was a personal infatuation. It also explains how there were likely never any real benefits in the first place - those were all in his head as well.

[@olafbigandglad]

Brilliant lunacy.

[@morpar318]

It looks like somebody saw a bratwurst and a sausage and thought that would be a great design for a train and a passenger car

[@JusticeAlways]

🤣👍

[@100gpdriver]

Whats the difference ?

[@ottavva]

E X C E L L E N T 😀 KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

[@JCTV40]

Damm that sounds better then most Morden p passenger cars we have now

[@clangerbasher]

Steampunk! STEAMPUNK LIVES!

[@tirebiter1680]

Apparently Bostonians think spending 2 hours in traffic jam on their way to work is just the way we do things in Boston.

[@jacobeakright7834]

I work for a company that test the rails there and I’ve driven through a few times it definitely is a nightmare

[@theleastofpilgrims3379]

If the designer had been open to electric power, his monorail would be running in Boston today.

[@falke_blade9341]

name of music please!!!

[@pascoaiandreta9964]

I can see 2 rails, up and down.

[@Jakeurb8ty82]

The problem with atmospheric railways is dealing with the inevitable horse vicera.

[@ToraDejiko]

スチームパンクなモノレールやね。

[@RegebroRepairs]

Just looking at those wheels and you know this is not a good idea. 😀

[@u1zha]

Why? Large wheels are good for smooth running

[@David0lyle]

As I understand it the concept of a monorail keeps appearing and reappearing because of the difficulty in setting the distance between two rails. This tends to overlook the problem that is solved by using 2 rails, namely balancing the load on the rails. That problem hasn’t exactly ever been solved. Well I guess it actually has depending on who sets the definition. Gondolas on a cable somewhat fit the definition and strictly speaking fit the definition of a “monorail”. 🤔 granted they are somewhat successful.

[@u1zha]

Not sure about difficulty; I'd guess important reasons include that a single elevated rail requires less material to construct than a conventional bridge span, and looks sleeker, and the gripping design works against derailments...

[@jeremytibbetts3576]

One of my favorite Simpsons episodes ever.😂😂

[@rogerpenske2411]

No, it’s more of a Shelbyville idea.

[@TwoWholeWorms]

"Adler's Shot", eh? o.o

[@tetedur377]

I don't know where that plaque is from, but somebody needs to go back and check their work. JOSEPH V. Meigs was a gynecologist, not an inventor. He was the grandson of JOSIAH V. Meigs, who was an inventor and former Civil War Union officer. Josiah's father was Jonathan. Josiah is apparently named after one of his great uncles (ie, his father's uncle).

[@carlthornton3076]

Very Good!... #89 ✝ {11-18-2023}

[@ym3763]

Monorails are too small in comparison to trains but too big in comparison to buses. Use wisely.

[@TwoWholeWorms]

"George Schteffonson", eh? o.o

[@giannidcenzo]

Interesting. Reminds me of the Simpsons.

[@rogerpenske2411]

Donuts! Is there anything they can’t do?

[@rogerpenske2411]

Donuts, is there anything they can’t do?

[@giannidcenzo]

@@rogerpenske2411 😁

[@kiwitrainguy]

The best part of that episode for me was Leonard Nimoy right at the end: Well, my job here is done What job? You didn't do anything. Didn't I? (Fades out via the Star Trek transporter gizmo).

[@ByWire-yk8eh]

Nice stuff. However, you should work on the accuracy of your info (It'll probably get baked into ChatGPT) and the pronounciation of some words, especially proper names. (Meigs, Lowell, Scientific AmericaNNNN)

[@b43xoit]

Familiar, not furmiliar.

[@kiwitrainguy]

He did say Scientific American but only Scientific America was shown on the screen until it panned across and got in the rest of the word.

[@georgepitchley3946]

1757 to 1824 shown on the headstone? Not what you said, whose headstone is it, his father’s?

[@akkitty22]

It's a bit stony in here

[@Hatredunion]

H’s are supreme

[@MrIncognito236]

They didn't understand tartarian tech. Had to abandon it.

[@faenethlorhalien]

Cue Simpsons' monorail skit.

[@giannidcenzo]

The first thing I thought of

[@dansmith4077]

For the algorithm

[@chriswilliams7480]

The first steam lock was not Rocket

[@samuelhuber3765]

extensive? in the us? that was a century ago by todays standarts nonexistent would be more fitting.

[@georgeqwindavid3414]

😎😎😎

[@Cacowninja]

4:00

[@BassandoForte]

Actually cars predate locomotives by 12 months - Thevithic invented a steam car in 1802 BEFORE he invested the first locomotive in 1803... Also roads PREDATE ROMANS - Yes IT'S HISTORY, learn it... 😜

[@jonathanj8303]

Depends what you count as car. Cugnot's steam tractor of 1769 definitely both existed and ran.

[@HoerGenuss-n5n]

Its not a monorail! Thats are two rails, one above the other....

[@nscaledelights]

lol the frankfurter train Im rotflmao.

[@savneetsinghrairai6823]

Your date of his demise n date on tomb stone don't match 😮

[@gregleuze6657]

Seems like there can be a video on the burial ritual of the Unitarian Church.

[@monteengel461]

You are pronouncing Lowell incorrectly.

[@IndianaNorthWestern]

Bro that looks so dumb, restore it and run it on the mainline.

[@jacobeakright7834]

That would almost certainly have to be hand tested which would probably be a pain in the butt

[@kieranfitz]

Well, sah, theahs nothing on eaath Like a genuine, bone fide Steamified six-cah monorail What'd I say?

[@andrewscolari5724]

First

[@tonyromano6220]

2 seconds can see the huge flaws.

[@paulzeigler7616]

Very interesting program and historical research....but my first thought was....What was this guy (the designer) smoking? As an engineer and long time railroad nut, I have to say this thing is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen. From an engineering and physics, structural, cost and economic standpoint it was doomed to failure from day one...ridiculously over- complicated. Also calling it a mono-rail is kind of a farst, it was still using two rails and dozens of wheels on both sides. It seems like it was more of a bizarre elevated rail concept.