Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad
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| Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad | |
|---|---|
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| Locale | Massachusetts |
| Dates of operation | 1875 – 1940 |
| Track gauge | 3 ft (914 mm) |
| Headquarters | |
The Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad was an 8.8 mile (14.2 km) 3 ft (914 mm) gauge narrow gauge passenger-carrying railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts, USA area. It was chartered May 5, 1874, opened July 29, 1875, and abandoned January 27, 1940. A ferry connection from the railroad's southern terminus at East Boston connected to Rowe's Wharf in the city of Boston proper, with a connection to the Atlantic Avenue Elevated (from 1901 to 1938). The railroad followed the coastline north-eastwards through the resort of Revere Beach to the far terminus at Lynn. A branch split to a loop through Winthrop.
The rail laid was light, 30-pound (per yard) rail being installed at first, increased to 50-pound in 1885 and 60-pound in 1904. It was, however, laid from the beginning on standard gauge-sized ties. Given the lightweight rail, the locomotives were small and of standard narrow-gauge dimensions. The vast majority of them were Mason Bogies, 11 from the Mason Machine Works and a further 21 from other builders after Mason closed. Cars were of standard gauge dimensions, however, seating four across.
Between 1896 and 1900, the part along Revere Beach, formerly running right along the beach, was relocated inland to lie next to the Eastern Railroad's Chelsea Beach Branch. The stations were relocated and a new one (Bath House) was built. Revere Street was built later.
The railroad was highly successful, carrying commuters into Boston and the Boston urban population to the seaside resorts. By 1914 over seven million passengers were carried annually, making it one of the most heavily travelled stretches of railroad in North America. With such a traffic density, the expense of electrification could be recouped easily by savings, and in 1928 this happened, the existing cars being fitted with electric motors, trolley poles and control stands and the steam locomotives disposed of. However, the Great Depression, contracting local industry, and increasing automobile use soon saw ridership declining.
After attempts to find a buyer fell through, the BRB&L filed for bankruptcy in 1937. Further losses of ridership followed, and in 1939 the management petitioned for abandonment. This was granted, and the railroad ceased operations on January 27, 1940.
The right of way from East Boston to Revere, a length of 4.3 miles, was utilised in 1952–1954 to build part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Blue Line rapid transit line. The remainder of the right-of-way is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and may be used for further expansion of the Blue Line in future. South of the Blue Line's section, the line passed through where Logan Airport is now, and through a now-abandoned tunnel under a hill.
A number of the passenger cars were purchased by the East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania, where they survive.
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[edit] Corporate history
On July 1, 1891, the BRB&L merged with the Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad. The BW&S was itself a consolidation on December 11, 1883 of the Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad and Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad.
[edit] Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad
The BW&PS was organized in 1874 and opened a line on June 7, 1877. This line split from the BRB&L at Winthrop Junction and headed east and south for 2.55 miles (4.10 km) to Winthrop Center. In 1882 the part heading south was closed and a new line was built east to Ocean Spray and south to Point Shirley
[edit] Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad
The EJBSP&PS was chartered 1880 and built a line from the Eastern Railroad's Chelsea Beach Branch near Crescent Beach southeast via eastern Winthrop to Point Shirley. South of Ocean Spray, this was just east of the BW&PS.
[edit] Post-merger
In 1885, after the merger, sections of line were abandoned. The loop as it existed until 1940 was built in 1888. It used the full original alignment of the BW&PS (including the 1882-abandoned section), as well as the extension between Ocean Spray and Winthrop Beach. The rest was built brand new, with a longer route between the split and Ocean Spray to serve Winthrop Highlands, and a new route between Winthrop Center and Winthrop Beach.
[edit] Station listing
| Station | Notes |
|---|---|
| East Boston | ferry to downtown Boston |
| Wood Island | Now a Blue Line station |
| Harbor View | Now a Home |
| Orient Heights | split for Winthrop Branch just north of here, with shops just to the north Now a Blue Line station |
| Belle Isle | Now a Blue Line station (Suffolk Downs) |
| Beachmont | Now a Blue Line station |
| Crescent Beach | Now a Blue Line station (Revere Beach) |
| Bath House | Now a Blue Line station (Wonderland) |
| Oak Island | |
| Oak Island | |
| Point of Pines | |
| West Lynn | |
| Lynn |
[edit] Winthrop Branch
This is going clockwise around the loop. The loop tracks split from the main line just north of Orient Heights, turned east and then split with one direction heading east and the other south.
| Station | Notes |
|---|---|
| Winthrop Highlands | |
| Ocean Spray | |
| Shirley | |
| Winthrop Beach | |
| Thornton | |
| Winthrop Center | |
| Ingalls |
[edit] References
- Hilton, George W. (1990) American Narrow Gauge Railroads. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2369-9
- Ronald Dale Karr (1994) The Rail Lines of Southern New England: A Handbook of Railroad History. Branch Line Press. ISBN 0-942147-02-2
- Various Sanborn Maps
- Railroad History Database
[edit] External links
- "The Coffee Roasters" of New England, about the BRB&L
