• Main Line Elevated Structure

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

  by The MTA Blue Egg
 
Anyone know where I could get some clear drawings of the Main Line Elevated Structure from Sullivan to Dudley (Atlantic Ave also)? The lattice girders and associated bents. Obviously a representative section, not the entire line.
I know that the depth of the girders was greater on the Atlantic Avenue line over the Avenue itself probably due to the projected running of freight over that portion of the line, which never occurred.
Any help would be nice.
Mike
  by sixflagscoasters
 
Here is a link to good photos documenting the line:
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?va ... &op=PHRASE
https://loc.gov/pictures/item/ma1288/

And this is a great collection. Not the clearest but covers everything about the line from cars to layout to typical foundation design, etc...
https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/m ... 88data.pdf

I know I have seen clearer drawings somewhere, and when I find them I will post the link.

I hope this helps.
  by CRail
 
Not all sections were of the same construction. For example the Washington St. elevated had the supports directly underneath the track in a fashion that created an arch over the street, which I've always found to be particularly attractive.
  by The MTA Blue Egg
 
Sixflagscoasters, If you can find a clearer link it would be very much appreciated. Trying to read the measurements is maddening. Ive looked everywhere for clearer drawings but havent found any.
CRail the original Elevated Lines incorporated different styes of longitudinal girders, lattice chief among them and a wide style of bents. The arched bents were very cool on Washington Street. They were also predominant on Atlantic Ave from the photos I've seen.
Nothing better than looking up at Dover Sta. to the mass of lattice and solid girders above Washington St. , extremely interesting to to me as an enthusiast but depressing to area residents.
I'm trying to do CAD images of different parts of the El, which I hope to model one day.
  by R36 Combine Coach
 
New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia showed a great variety of diversity in el structures. In New York
there is a contrast between the original IRT els of 1904-1908 (ornate ironwork) and the later "Dual Contract"
period.

I recall the elevated station at North Station on the Green Line and it seemed to be a generic box girder
structure with no ornate ironwork.
  by CRail
 
Here's a great shot of what I was talking about. This was for a short section on the northern portion of the Washington Street El. I think it's simply gorgeous! Image
  by The MTA Blue Egg
 
You don't realize how imposing the structures really were until you see a pic like that.
I love the arch of the longitudinals at Dewey Sq. (South Sta.) If you note the original South Station head house was different from the standard design
Image
The South Station head house seemed to be a combination of Longfellow's design( the standard adopted) andBlackhall's
Image
The cool looking station didn't last long as it was removed during platform lengthening about 1908 I think

Image
Would love to get a hold of drawings for that classy looking structure.
  by The MTA Blue Egg
 
R 36 Combine Coach, the Lechmere Viaduct was supposed to tie in with the Main Line at North Station, though I don't know if they were to run both surface cars and el trains together as in Cleveland. The only real connection was the North Sta. Shuttle track.
The Viaduct was ballasted solid girder construction excepting the concrete arched structure over the Charles. The Main Line had solid girder construction for Forest Hills Extension, but was open deck except for the short section of concrete structure on the north side of Forest Hills Station. The Elevated went to solid girders for the overall strength and cheaper maintenance in the long run than lattice girders. Apparently the "obstruction of light and air" that was talked about early in plan approval phase went out the window.
The Original Lattice Girder design study
Image
The Solid Gider Plan
Image
The poor quality of these images have me spending more time trying to figure out what the numbers are than actual drawing and that is very frustrating.
  by jbvb
 
There are some surviving Roxbury El girders at Seashore Trolley Museum in Arundel/Kennebunkport, ME. I think the girders holding up Northampton Station are original. The others are in a couple of piles of unsorted salvage at the north end of the museum campus. It might also be worth asking Seashore's Library if any of the El's plans made it into the collection.

I have some slides shot from under the El, but most of them are from around Northampton and Egleston - Forest Hills.
  by Adams_Umass_Boston
 
It looks like those drawings are mimeograph/photocopies (Most likely from Microfiche) from the Cynthia Zaitzevsky book. We own that book and I am fairly sure the drawings in the book are clear. http://library.the-bac.edu/vwebv/holdin ... ibId=14773

You should see if you can locate an original copy of the book, that might help.

I would offer you to come and take a look at our copy, but we are closed until further notice.
  by The MTA Blue Egg
 
I do recall seeing pieces of el stair sides in a gully beside the track at STM while riding on a Conn. Co. open car years back. Maybe contacting the museum might be a good idea.
Adam, thanks for the info. BAC posted a drawing from the HAER report on Twitter a few years back and it was night and day. I'm sure the entire report (hard copy) is like that. Unfortunately I have no idea where to get a copy. (and I'm not going to shell out big bucks to get one)
Even some of the drawings in the Egineering News, St. Rwy. Jour., have the harsh quality of the HAER PDF. I know this stuff is running close to 125 years old and were scanned on older tech. also. Let me know if you hear of copies somewhere I'd love to buy one (reasonable price of course.)