by diburning
MBTA3247 wrote:Service on the A line was discontinued in 1969 due to a self-induced car shortage (the T was in the habit of scrapping cars that needed major repairs back then). An act of the state legislature (sponsored by whoever represented Newton) forced the T to finally abandon the line in 1994, with track removal occurring in the late '90s. In between, the T kept the line maintained enough so that cars could access Watertown Carhouse, which was still used for some maintenance. At various times, several of the Boeing LRVs were equipped with trolley poles so they could drag other LRVs to Watertown.The carhouse still stands and there are trolley wires going into the stalls for the temporary storage of the trackless trolleys (trolley buses). The bus route 57 was a "temporary" solution to the problem and it still runs on the original A-line route today. If you look at Oak Square, there is a big green island in the middle of the square. There used to be a loop at Oak Square for short turn cars and where the YMCA is now, was the Oak Square car barn. The new Dunkin Donuts across the street from the YMCA decided to pay tribute to the heritage of the area and put up old photos of the car barn, the A line, as well as various trolleys that have been used on that line (check it out!)