The PBS home improvement program This Old House frequently includes footage shot from the area where the season's project house is. The current season has a house in Belmont, MA which I believe is a Boston suburb. The most recent episode showed a brief glimpse of a what I assume was a commuter train. It lasted just a couple seconds and there was a loco and one car visible in the shot and the loco seemed to be pushing the car. I was wondering if there was a loco on each end of the train or whether this was a pull-push set up. Both the loco and car were gray with a maroon band and gold piping. The only thing I know about Boston area mass transit is what I learned from the Kingston Trio song Charile and the MTA.
Belmont is on the Fitchburg line. Looks like they run push-pull there. Google Belmont ma train, there are some images of the push pulls.
http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/?route=FITCHBRG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Center_(MBTA_station)
Couple of years ago in Belmont there was an idiot who said her GPS told her to turn on the tracks. Luckily she got her two kids out before the train smashed her van.
http://ricknohlmedia.com/2013/06/22/mbta-train-vs-car-in-belmont-ma-61813/
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Couple of years ago in Belmont there was an idiot who said her GPS told her to turn on the tracks. Luckily she got her two kids out before the train smashed her van.
I'm gonna be generous and note that it looked like a "dark and stormy night", from the photos. GPS says "turn's coming up real soon". And there's something that looks like the turn (I suppose). And then: OH, OH!
It could happen.
And, speakin' of driving onto the tracks: In Oakland (CA), there's a stretch of street running for the UP (formerly SP) main line. It's on Embarcadero West, between Webster and Clay. If you do a Street View, you can see it goes from pavement to ballast RIGHT NOW. I've seen a car on the tracks at the Webster end. I'll add that there's a bit of "night life" in the neighborhood, and that kind of builds up the chances.
And: WAY COOL! There's a freight right THERE when you do the streetview at the Clay end--looks like a Walthers 60' IBT box about 5 feet from your face. Next to a former BN hopper. Maybe an Exactrail?????
Ed
Story about one of my former co-workers. In the 1970's he liked to drink a bit. Calif. Highway 65 (since realligned) crossed the Southern Pacific railroad main line at a oblique angle at Sheridan. Returning home from Roseville early one morning he turned onto the track and drove to Marysville (about 12 miles). He is said to have commented that he just thought that the highway was kind of rough.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
In fairness, if it was dark enough, she might have mistaken the crossing for an intersection until she actually hit the ballast.
I've learned not to trust the GPS because around here it list some turns and roads that I know are not there and includes a couple of turnouts where the farmers access the pasture as roads.
jim
That's why a) I don't have a single-purpose GPW, they are always out of date. My phone is constantly downloading the very latest map information and b) if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I check the route on a map BEFORE I leave. Too many people driving down fire access roads that even a 4x4 would have trouble with, or trucks getting stuck in places they never should have gone, all because "the GPS said to turn here". And when there are two streets right next to each other, how are you supposed to know which one the GPS means when it just says turn right here, not "turn on mulberry street". Oh it says if you read the screen - but you shouldn;t be reading the screen and trying to drive.
rrinker That's why a) I don't have a single-purpose GPW, they are always out of date. My phone is constantly downloading the very latest map information and b) if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar I check the route on a map BEFORE I leave. Too many people driving down fire access roads that even a 4x4 would have trouble with, or trucks getting stuck in places they never should have gone, all because "the GPS said to turn here". And when there are two streets right next to each other, how are you supposed to know which one the GPS means when it just says turn right here, not "turn on mulberry street". Oh it says if you read the screen - but you shouldn;t be reading the screen and trying to drive. --Randy
I'm from the old school that says men don't read directions and men don't ask for directions. Yes it's pigheaded but I'm going to look at the map before I leave and then find my way there on my own. Yeah, I make wrong turns and occassionally get lost buy I'm going to find my way back on my own.
If you search for MBTA you will find a link to a map of MBTA rail trolley/subway service. Commuter Rail is in purple and of course the equipment has purple bands. It is pushpull and very frequent service on most lines. MBTA Mass Bay Transportation Authority .They also operate most of the bus service in the Boston area.Back in Charlie's day, 1960s and before it was trolleys subway and perhaps buses but rail service was was run by the B&M ,NYC and NH railroads.
http://mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/
Ron High