Boston Street Railway Association
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The Boston Street Railway Association (BSRA) is a non-profit organization in Boston, Massachusetts whose central objective is preserving transportation history in Boston and throughout New England. They host monthly membership meetings, publish a bimonthly transit news magazine, and are restoring an ex-Boston Type 5 streetcar. They also regularly publish their own books and materials, as well as organize fan trips on Boston's MBTA and to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. Funding for the organization is provided primarily through tax-deductible member and individual donations, as well as through grants and donations from other organizations and groups.
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[edit] Current Officers & Directors
| Bradley H. Clarke | President |
| Charles Bahne | Vice President & Clerk |
| Tadd Anderson | Secretary |
| Gerard P. O'Regan | Treasurer |
| Daniel T. Lenihan | Roll Sign Director |
| Michael R. Prescott | Publications Director |
| David F. Harling | Director of Car Restoration |
| George Chaisson, Jr. | Entertainment Chairman |
| Daniel Cohen Jonathan Belcher |
Directors at Large |
In 2006, the BSRA board of directors elected William Grimes, former Publications Director and long-time contributor, President Emertius of the organization. Mr. Grimes passed away in November, 2007.
[edit] Website
The BSRA maintains a website at thebsra.org.
[edit] History
The BSRA was founded in 1959, centered around the preservation of Type 5 streetcar #5706, which had been obtained by the founding members. The organization has since become known for its publications, which have covered various aspects of public transportation history around New England and the Boston area, its occasional fan trips on the Boston MBTA’s system, as well as for its bimonthly magazine, ‘’Roll Sign’’.
Membership in the BSRA is available to anyone around the world, and rates are dependent on age and desired status. Currently, four “levels” of membership are offered: Intermediate (under 18), Regular (over 18), Associate (over 18 with limited benefits), and Subscriber (‘’Roll Sign’’ subscription only). All Intermediate and Regular members receive all BSRA publications as well as Roll Sign by mail at no additional cost. Associate members receive Roll Sign plus a 40% discount on BSRA publications, and Subscribers receive Roll Sign only.
[edit] Monthly Meetings
Monthly membership meetings are held at the Grand Lodge of Masons in Boston, MA. These are open to all members, as well as the general public, and typically consist of a shorter business meeting followed by a longer entertainment presentation.
Entertainment at the meetings typically consists of photo slides and videos on various topics in public transit, modern and historical, and often covers systems around the country and around the world. Anyone is allowed to make a presentation of their materials, provided it is scheduled in advance with the Entertainment Chairman.
[edit] 5706 Restoration
The BSRA owns a Type 5 streetcar, # 5706, which formerly ran in Boston. It is currently undergoing extensive restoration and reconstruction at a site in Connecticut. The end goal is to own a fully operational and "like new" Type 5 streetcar, a rarity in modern day.
[edit] Roll Sign
The BSRA publishes Roll Sign bimonthly, and it is mailed to all members in good standing. It generally covers New England transportation news and events in articles and photos, submitted by Roll Sign staff and BSRA members. Recently, the magazine has adopted full color printing for most of its issues, after remaining black and white for most of its existence.
[edit] Publications
The BSRA produces publications, or "Bulletins", on a regular basis. These range in size from smaller booklets to full-size hardcover books. Topics generally include historical aspects of Boston's public transit, as well as transit in other New England cities like Providence and Newport, Rhode Island, and Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
Their most recent Bulletin is Streetcar Lines of the Hub - The 1940s: Heyday of Electric Transit in Boston, written by Bradley H. Clarke and published in 2003. This is the first in an anticipated Streetcar Lines of the Hub series.
[edit] Fan Trips
The BSRA charters occasional fan trips on Boston's transportation system.
Their most recent fan trip occurred on October 21, 2006, when a retiring Flyer Trackless Trolley was chartered for trips around the existing trackless trolley network in Cambridge, Waltham, and Watertown, Massachusetts.
