The Type 8 Discussion to End All Discussions(Type 8 tracker)

I'm going with the earlier post the lights are great on those things the left and right turn are perfect for the E line. It will be like a huge car now and people will now when the things is turning and when people are getting off because of the flashing lights.

Yes, and they are not the first streetcars to have such lights. For example, Toronto's TTC trolleys have lights for directional signals for their streetrunning environment. I have seen them in action as I was riding/watching them too.

More M8's again! Last night, on Mar 22 (Mon), just after 4 PM, I picked up 3847 as the second of a regular 2-car consist at Goverment Centre till Park Street. ASA was fine and ride was smooth once again.

And even more!! This evening, on Mar 23 (Tue), just after 5:30 PM, I picked up 3868 as the second car at Goverment Centre till Park Street. ASA was fine and ride was smooth once again. I'm now getting lucky, I guess

3866 has joined the accepted Type 8 fleet... that makes 34.

That's very interesting. Thank you Jon for the update.

20 more until the Boeing LRV disaster is over for good.
Been a while in service, not too bad of a run for the Bredas

Great! Let's hope that those M6's (what would have been) get trashed soon. I also hated them too.....

Boeings are not Type 6's, Rob, they are a different species all together. But I too will not miss them that much.

sounds like another thing to add to the T FAQs someone is doing.

Well, they WERE supposed to be M6's but the US Government stepped in and wanted a different model. But I call them modified Type 6's, know what I'm sayin'?

Actually, that is not accurate. The government stepped in not to favor the Boeing LRV over the Type 6, but rather to favor it over ready-made cars delivered from Germany. The Type 6 design was discarded earlier (I think) by the MBTA itself.

It will be a historic moment when the last of the LRV's are retired... I believe that SF's fleet was already fully replaced (ironically, also by Breda-built cars) so ours are the only ones left in existence.

Actually, that is not accurate. The government stepped in not to favor the Boeing LRV over the Type 6, but rather to favor it over ready-made cars delivered from Germany. The Type 6 design was discarded earlier (I think) by the MBTA itself.

Ok, now I get it, thanks for the exact straight answer I was looking for. As for the Boeings, glad they'll be gone since I hated them, and I like the T8's. And in fact, I keep on getting Luckier and luckier because I GOT ANOTHER ONE this AM!!!! .

I picked up 3820 as the only car consist from Park Street till Government Centre. ASA was fine, and I sat up front to see how fast the engineer was doing, but the speed indicator wasn't the type you'd find on the 01800s, it was more like the ones on the T7's and older cars. And of course, a smooth ride. I also wanted to see out the front off an M8, I've only head- end viewed off the Boeings or M7's before.

I'll be in Boston with a few hours to kill with family on Sunday. I am going to do from North Station to Lechmere, then on to Park St. to hit up a Type 8. Are they running on Sundays yet????

JayZ wrote:I haven't seen any on the C line all week; but I got to see (and ride) a lot of them on the B line. It seems that they were shifted back to BC. And my opinion on the matter is...

WHAT THE HELL?!

Why do they keep doing that?.. Why not distribute them equally among the lines? Instead, they put them all the same line at once, and then move them all to a different line...

I figgure that the reason is simply because as a transit provider they need to provide consistent and reliable service. The Type 8s have developed a reliability on the B in most conditions, so it makes more sense for the T to keep them together rather then run the risk of having a problem with small groups on other lines.

They are probably moving the group to see how they handle on the other branches in general now that they know that they are reliable on the C branch.

Also, I saw a snipet a ways back that the T needs to make some modifications before letting the Type 8's out on the viaduct to E. Cambridge. Is this true? What needs to be changed out that way?

Finally, the viaduct over the Charles River has a draw in it in line with the drawbridge near the Museum of Science and the canal. Does that bridge still open, or is it high enough that it is not needed anymore?

-A :D