Commuter Rail Electrification

Even though this is somewhat related to the topic, the hippos and toasters were retired a while back. Not sure if other railroads have them but I would assume they were scrapped back then after the acs64’s came into service. Can’t remember their nickname.

All the HHP-8s are stored serviceable in Bear Delaware. Amtrak had to keep them due to lawsuits with Phillip Morris. One or two HHP-8s are currently being converted over to cab cars

Wasn't the PM lawsuit settled? I see the case dismissed June 29, 2021...

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

eolesen wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 8:05 pm Wasn't the PM lawsuit settled? I see the case dismissed June 29, 2021...

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

I think that's why they started the cab car conversion. They were finally freed from the lawsuit. I know they removed the pantographs and updated ACSES and that about if from what I can see so far

Was Boston area commuter rail ever electrified or was it always steam/diesel?

From 1896 to 1902, a segment of the South Shore Branch (present-day Greenbush Line) was electrified from Braintree to Cohasset, this was removed due to the type of electrification being a center-track third rail which was dangerous on at-grade crossings. Steam service resumed in 1902 and of course eventually became diesel decades later, which it still is today and will most likely remain so for at least a number of decades ahead, given that the MBTA is in the midst of constructing two major expansions (GLX and SCR) while being trapped in a massive pit of debt and has yet to do anything about more important projects (Red-Blue Connector for example) because of this.

The Boston and Albany Newton Lower Falls Branch was electrified. Power was fed from an intersecting street railway.

The Grafton and Upton Railroad was electrified for both freight and passenger service, until 1949? Wouldn't have been considered "Boston area" at the time.

As mentioned, Braintree–Cohasset was briefly electrified. Overhead electrification on the connecting Nantasket Beach Railroad was more successful, lasting from 1895 to 1932.

The Lower Falls Branch was electrified from 1900 to 1930, when the M&B stopped running streetcars, taking away the line's power source.

G&U was electrified in 1901-02 (except for the 1898-built Upton Loop, which had streetcar service before 1901). Service was operated by Milford & Uxbridge Street Railway cars until 1928; steam passenger service never resumed. Electric freight service lasted until 1946.

The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn electrified in 1928, offering frequent electric service until 1940.

The Providence, Warren and Bristol electrified in 1902, with EMU service until 1937.

The Attleborough Branch Railroad was converted to a streetcar line in 1903 and ran until about 1930. Similarly, the Worcester & Shrewsbury Railroad was converted in 1900 and run until 1930; from 1903 to 1925, it was the Worcester entry for the Boston and Worcester Street Railway. There have, of course, been numerous similar conversions as parts of the Boston rapid transit network.

The Hoosac Tunnel was electrified from 1911 to 1946 for both freight and passenger trains. Aside from the G&U and the freight/express services on street railways, there were several electric industrial/switching lines. These included the Whitins Machine Works (also operated streetcars), Amesbury Industrial Railway (which operated partially over existing streetcar tracks), Joe Cushing Railroad (Fitchburg), and the Salem Terminal Company.

There were several never-realized electrification plans over the years. South Station, Back Bay station, and the Readville Shops (particularly the powerhouse) were all explicitly designed to support electric suburban service, which was to initially be on the Dedham loop. Electrification of Boston to Dedham and Providence was studied in 1913, and an electrified East Boston tunnel was proposed in 1911. The B&A also studied electrification to South Framingham, including the Highland Branch, in 1911.

Harbor tunnel
B&A
Readville

If they had kept South Station intact they could be turning Acela trains in the basement today. They could still put in some underground tracks for the Amtrak electrics, which would free up one, two, maybe three tracks plus yard space.

And that would be the North South Rail Link

No, as previously discussed, the N-S rail link doesn't make financial sense.

I believe BandA is referring to the South Station loop that was destroyed by the silver line transit way.

Yes, although that would not be practical to rebuild the loop. I was suggesting stub-end tracks underneath, although I have no idea how you do that with the bus depot & garage above.

Strongly doubt it'll ever get beyond possibly being studied to death, but any resurrection of a stubbed underground would face problems.
Coming over the draws, there would be a steep descent to the facility, one made even steeper by having to lower the floor to provide adequate anti-flashover headroom. Lowering that floor would invite intrusion of water from the surrounding made land. When the Federal Reserve building was being erected pre-Big Dig, there was major intrusion then, with repetitions during both the Big Dig itself and the O'Neill Tunnel construction. Yes, the surrounding ground could be frozen to stabilize the muck, but when that was done at the draw approaches, frost heaves caused a whole new set of problems.
Given the continued presence of South Postal Annex, access to the underground would be further restricted, requiring a complex and limited track arrangement.

I think we can all agree that the South Station basement loop is never coming back, the original thing was never even used, and that's because in truth it was never really needed, not with the 26 tracks South Station had back then, and with the possible expansion of the station soon in order to accommodate Amtrak Corridor Inland Route service (BOS-ALB) and South Coast Rail, it won't be necessary.