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"Dorchester Rapid Transit Extension Completed" (1927)

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 70, No. 11 · September 10, 1927 · p. 428.

Fields Corner transfer station for connecting lines. Illustration at left shows the bus and street passageway.

First Station Completed on Dorchester Rapid Transit

Simplicity is the keynote in the design of the new Columbia station, the first to be completed on the Boston Elevated Railway's new Dorchester rapid transit extension. This station will serve a heavy residential district and several large industrial plants. In general arrangement it is of the "island" type. The headhouse is provided with wide doorways. It has an area of approximately 290 sq.ft. on the sidewalk level for prepayment use. The fare collection apparatus includes two General Electric automatic dime-in-the-slot passimeters and an old type passimeter located at the change booth window.

Two flights of stairs lead from the fare collection barrier to the north end of the platform, which extends 350 ft. beyond the stairs. The width of the platform varies, being 20 ft. wide at the stairs and 23 ft. at the opposite end. A feature of the design is a 4-ft. space between the platform edge and the concrete base, which not only provides a place for cables, wires, piping and other necessary equipment but serves as a refuge for track workmen when a train is approaching. A canopy with slab waterproofed concrete roof is supported by steel members and extends the entire length of the platform. Two switch rooms and toilets for the public and employees are located under the stairways, while a waiting room and station master's room are in the center of the station.

The entire structure is fireproof, being built of brick, concrete and steel. The tracks were so located as to provide for a 135-ft. extension to the platform to be built when increased traffic warrants six-car trains.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 70, No. 16 · October 15, 1927 · p. 754.

Boston Elevated to Open New Dorchester Line Nov. 5

Work is so far advanced on the building of the new Dorchester rapid transit line, which will be the newest part of the Boston Elevated system, Boston, Mass., that a part of it will be opened for service on Nov. 5. The Boston Transit Department, which is building the line, announces that the section from Andrew Square to Field's Corner will be ready for service on that date and has petitioned the Public Utilities Department to authorize the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad to close the Savin Hill station on Nov. 1 so that the Boston Elevated Railway may turn the power into the third rail on that date and allow the Elevated officials and employees three days to try out the new line and familiarize themselves with the signals, curves and station platforms before carrying any passengers. There will be an official inspection of the line on Nov. 4.

This is the section, a third-rail rapid transit line, which will take the place of the steam railroad, the right-of-way having been bought from the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, which is to abandon the passenger service when the new line is built so that the Boston Elevated can take it over. In planning for this extension of the Elevated system it has been assumed that the short-haul suburban passenger traffic can be handled more economically by a railway than by the steam railroads. The railroads coming into Boston have been talking about abandoning the suburban service.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol.70. No. 20 · November 12, 1927 · pp. 892-896.

Dorchester Rapid Transit Extension Completed

By E. L. Lockman, Assistant to the Superintendent of Maintenance, Boston Elevated Railway

Former steam railroad right-of-way will be utilized by Boston Elevated Railway in part for rapid transit service and in part for high-speed trolley operation. Details of construction are given. Abstract of a paper presented at a meeting of the New England Street Railway Club, Boston, Mass., Oct. 27 [1927].

Previous to 1923 the residents of the Dorchester district of Boston had for several years urged the necessity of improved transportation facilities. It was suggested, among other things, that the Cambridge-Dorchester tunnel be extended to Meeting House Hill and possibly beyond that point. During various discussions the proposition of using one or more of the branch lines of the New Haven Railroad was advanced by Charles A. Ufford. The Department of Public Utilities and the Transit Department of the city of Boston, acting as a joint board in 1922, reported to the Legislature a comprehensive rapid transit system for the Dorchester district. On May 25, 1923, Governor Cox approved "An Act for the Extension of Rapid Transit Facilities in the Dorchester District of the City of Boston." This art was accepted by the City Council and approved by the Mayor of Boston on Sept. 12, 1923. After surveys and estimates had been made, a plan acceptable to those interested and the Boston Elevated Railway was approved.

The Shawmut Branch, extending from the main line of the Boston Division of the New Haven Railroad at Harrison Square to Milton and Mattapan. a distance of approximately 4.25 miles, with double track to Milton and then single track to Mattapan. was purchased by the city from the New Haven Railroad. In order to connect the existing Dorchester Tunnel of the Boston Elevated Railway system with the Shawmut Branch it was necessary to extend the tunnel from Andrew Square terminal under the New Haven tracks and under Boston Street, then curving to the left under Dorchester Avenue and coming to the surface beyond Dorchester Avenue parallel with the railroad tracks. From this point to Harrison Square the Transit Department was obliged to purchase additional land and move the four tracks of the New Haven Railroad to the east in order to provide a two-track right-of-way 35 ft. in width for rapid transit purposes.

The act provided that the extension of the Dorchester Tunnel was to be equipped by the railway in the same manner as all subways and tunnels previously built and leased. For the balance of the Dorchester rapid transit extension the equipment, except rolling stock, was to be provided by the city. By mutual agreement it was decided that all connections with the rapid transit extension occurring within public highways were to be installed and owned by the railway. These connections included trolley tracks, special work, trolley wire, poles, feeders, conduits, etc.

When it came to the proposition of building tracks and installing signal and power apparatus, the Transit Department felt that this work could be done best by the Boston Elevated Railway, as that company had much greater experience than any available contractor. The act provided that the work could be let without competitive bids and a contract was made with the railway covering the installation at cost plus an allowance of not more than 10 per cent for engineering, overhead, etc.

TRACK IS SOLIDLY CONSTRUCTED

Material required to equip the extension from Andrew Square to Fields Corner included 29,016 tons of ballast, 14,229 6x8-in. hard pine ties. 58,269 ft. of 85-lb. A.S.C.E. rail for the track and 24,874 ft. of the same section for the third rail, 14,000 ft. of special guard rail, 74,369 screw spikes, 20,626 tie plates and 60,250 malleable castings.

The track is constructed according to the Boston Elevated Railway standard for third rail operation. The running rails are mounted on rolled steel tie plates and fastened to the wood ties with screw spikes. The ballast is crushed stone. The third rail is of the same section as the running rail but is rolled under different chemical specification. All curves are protected with Boston Elevated Railway special guard rail, and in addition a safety guard is placed on all fills and on all bridges.

The tracks are on 13-ft. centers on tangents and slightly more on curves, leaving on either side within the 35-ft. right-of-way ample room for signals, conduits, etc. The roadbed or sub-grade was first rolled with a steam roller and the ballast up to the bottom of the ties was delivered by motor truck. The minimum depth of the ballast under the ties is approximately 12 in. The ties are 8 ft. and 9 ft. 3 in. in length, spaced on approximately 2-ft. centers, the longer ties being used for supporting the third rail.

After the rails and ties were in place ballast for tamping purposes was delivered by car. Compressed air tie tampers were used for surfacing the track. The ballast is dressed off level with the ties and on the outside of each track it is sloped off to the level of a footwalk about 2 ft. below the top of the rail. This footwalk is approximately 2 ft. in width and dressed off with peastone. It was provided for the safety of inspectors and track walkers. Footwalks are also provided across all bridges. Where the tracks are on a fill the banks are dressed off and seeded in order to improve the appearance and prevent erosion.

The entire line is block signaled, the signals being of the three-colored light type and controlled by alternating-current track circuits. One rail of each track is used for this purpose. There are 30 blocks of an average length of 8,000 ft. Each signal is equipped with an electric automatic stop to prevent a train passing a signal indicating "danger." The temporary interlocking at Fields Corner station is of the electro-pneumatic type with a.c. control. The block signals and interlocking equipment were furnished by the Union Switch & Signal Company.

The entire length of the rapid transit right-of-way is protected by a chain link fence 6 ft. in height topped with three strands of barbed wire in order to prevent trespassers entering the right-of-way and coming in contact with the third rail or trains, which will be operated on frequent headway. To prevent possibility of accidents this fence has been grounded in several places, as anything coming in contact with the third rail and fence would charge the entire fence for a long distance. The length of the fence including both sides, together with auxiliary fences at certain stations, is 32,070 ft. and it was necessary to provide 3,207 foundations with a concrete beam between foundations, requiring a total of approximately 2,000 cu.yd. of concrete.

STATIONS

The contracts for the passenger stations were let separately from the contracts for the right-of-way. The equipment of the stations will be provided jointly by the Transit Department and the Boston Elevated Railway. The passenger stations at Columbia Road and Savin Hill are way stations of the island type. Taking into consideration that they are out-of-door stations, they approximate as nearly as possible the best type of subway or underground station. The construction is substantial and entirely fireproof.

At each station the entrance building or headhouse is located on the sidewalk level at the intown end of the station. The headhouse is provided with wide doorways leading into an area where there is located the apparatus for collecting fares, making change, exit turnstiles, etc. Beyond the fare collecting barrier a double flight of stairs used for entrance and exit lead to the platform below. Under the stairs suitable toilets, closets, etc., are furnished. The platform is located between the tracks and is constructed of reinforced concrete. A canopy covers its entire length and is slightly higher than the roofs of the cars. The stations are 300 ft. long and provisions have been made for a future extension of 135 ft. to allow for the operation of six-car trains.

Fields Corner station, the third on the extension, is 2.4 miles from Andrew Square and will be the temporary terminus of the rapid transit trains pending the completion of the extension and terminal at Ashmont. At this location the Transit Department and the Boston Elevated Railway have developed a modern station and terminal for the interchange of passengers between rapid transit trains, trolley cars and buses. This station, with approaches, covers an area of 6.8 acres and is located a short distance north of the railway's building, carhouse and yard. The layout is an improvement over the older type of terminal in that it provides for direct interchange of passengers between trolley cars and rapid transit trains on the same level. The trolley cars reach the upper level by inclines having a grade of not more than 5 per cent.

The platforms are covered by a building 300 ft. in length by 135 ft. in width of steel and reinforced concrete construction with a steel and wood roof. The rapid transit platforms are long enough at the present time to accommodate four-car trains, but provision has been made for extending the platforms 135 ft. when six-car trains are operated.

The rapid transit tracks pass through the approximate center of the station with platforms on either side. There are two tracks for trolley cars on the outbound platform and one track on the inbound platform paralleling the rapid transit tracks and flush with the platforms.

The platform between the trolley cars and rapid transit track is 33 ft. in width, divided into two parts. The "pay-leave" area holds four cars where trolley car passengers not having previously paid their fares will do so before entering the rapid transit platform. A "pay-enter" area for three cars is provided for the convenience of passengers who have previously paid their fares and wish to continue their journey on the trolley cars.

There is a 20-ft. busway through the station at the street level. Buses enter from the Dorchester Avenue side and pass out of the station at Geneva Avenue. The bus platform is 14 ft. in width and is divided transversely into two parts. The "pay-leave" area has a capacity of six buses. Passengers leave the buses here, pass through a barrier and pay their fare before entering the station to take either the trolley cars or rapid transit trains. The buses then make an additional stop in the "pay-enter" area, holding six buses, where passengers who have previously paid their fares take the buses.

Entrances and exits are provided at the street level. The main fare-collecting unit is located on the upper level between the inbound rapid transit tracks and the surface tracks. Fare collecting units are also located on the bus platform at the Charles Street entrance to the station. A total of eleven General Electric automatic passimeters and five Langslow passimeters are used in the various fare-collecting units.

The color scheme of the station differs from that used in the subway tunnel stations, where the trim around the white tile or plaster walls is a different color at each station. At all three stations the color of the roof supports, waiting rooms, booths, etc., is green, stippled with black, which is very effective.

Between the area occupied by the rapid transit station and the railway's property was a tract of land of sufficient size to permit the erection of a 100-car bus garage. At the request of the railway the Transit Department purchased this property, which with the rapid transit station and the railway's property gives an area of approximately 10 acres and provides for a complete operating plant of rapid transit trains, trolley cars and buses. The site for the bus garage is now being prepared; not all of the buildings have as yet been removed. One unit will be built at this time having an open floor area of 20,000 sq.ft. with a capacity of 56 buses. A central heating plant is also to be installed for heating the garage and waiting rooms in the station.

South of Fields Corner station the tracks extend for a sufficient distance to provide storage yard and operating tracks. A temporary double crossover has been installed for turning back trains. The crossover with necessary signals for governing the train movements will be controlled from an electro-pneumatic interlocking plant located in a temporary wooden tower just south of the station.

Between Park Street and Peabody Square, a distance of 4,150 ft., there is a covered section or subway. It was first intended to build this section in an open cut providing substantial retaining walls on either side and abolishing grade crossings at five streets. It was found, however, that the retaining walls would have to be of very heavy construction and the Transit Department and the railway engineers arrived at the same conclusion at practically the same time; that is, it would be fully as cheap to build a subway with a light roof construction and that the operating conditions would be much better in a subway than in an open cut, particularly on account of the probability of the cut filling with snow during heavy storms.

Shawmut station, 3.06 miles from Andrew Square, between Mather Street and Centre Street, will be of the subway type with separate platforms for each track; the platforms will be 435 ft. in length by 12 ft. wide. In this case it was found advisable to build the platform for the length necessary for six-car trains, but only 300 ft., to accommodate four-car trains, will be equipped. The entrance building or headhouse will be located in the covered section over the station platforms.

Ashmont terminal, 3.6 miles from Andrew Square, will be located just south of Peabody Square at the approximate location of the Ashmont station of the New Haven Railroad and will be the terminal for rapid transit trains and high-speed trolley line from Mattapan and Milton. There will also be local trolley track connections as well as ample capacity for buses.

The Ashmont terminal will also be of the one level type, in so far as trolley cars and rapid transit trains are concerned, the platforms between them being at the same level. The building covering the station platforms will be 300 ft. in length by 166 ft. in width, constructed of reinforced concrete, with roof of steel and wood. As at Fields Corner, the rapid transit tracks pass through approximately the center of the station, the tracks being about 4 ft. below the platform level.

All trolley cars enter the station from the south of the station building, passing over the rapid transit tracks on a concrete viaduct. There is one in-town trolley track next to the east wall of the station, having a capacity of six cars. Between this track and the in-town rapid transit track is a platform 30 ft. in width, where the main fare-collecting unit will be located.

After discharging passengers, the trolley cars will pass out of the station and over the rapid transit tracks by means of a concrete viaduct north of the station building and re-enter the station on the west side, where there are three tracks, having a total capacity of fifteen trolley cars, with ample platform between the outbound rapid transit track and the nearest trolley track and suitable platforms between each pair of trolley tracks. Cars that enter the station from the south may proceed north on Dorchester Avenue, without returning through the station.

The high-speed trolley cars will enter the station from the south on the in-town track previously described, and these cars will return over the reverse route as described above, picking up their passengers on the outbound side of the station, reaching the high-speed trolley track by means of the concrete viaduct south of the station previously described.

At this station the busway is located at approximately the same height as the roof covering the platforms. In designing the station the Transit Department took advantage of the fact that rapid transit tracks are considerably below the level of Dorchester Avenue and Peabody Square. The buses will enter the station from Dorchester Avenue on a slight upgrade, reaching the bus platform which is parallel to the rapid transit tracks. The total length of the bus platform is 330 ft. x 12 ft. wide. The busway itself is 20 ft. wide, and has a capacity of eleven buses on the loading and unloading platforms. The buses will leave the station on a slight descending grade, reaching Dorchester Avenue near Peabody Square.

Passengers leaving buses will have ready access to either the rapid transit or trolley car platform by means of a passageway at the roof level and stairways to the platforms. Fares will be collected at the entrance to this passageway.

It is anticipated that the number of movements of rapid transit trains, trolley cars and buses at this terminal when the entire extension is in full operation will be equal to if not in excess of the total car movements at Park Street station in the Tremont Street subway.

South of Ashmont terminal bordering on Codman Street there will be provided a rapid transit yard containing eight tracks and a loop which will accommodate 90 Cambridge subway cars. The yard is sufficient to provide an ultimate storage for 206 cars along with a suitable repair shop.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 70, No. 20 · November 12, 1927 · p. 916.

Boston's New Dorchester Line Opened

$5,000,000 improvement first move in extensive plan under which city lines will take over suburban traffic from steam railroads.

Another important branch has been added to the rapid transit system of the Boston Elevated Railway, Boston, Mass., by the opening, on Nov. 5, of the first section of the Dorchester tunnel extension. This extension runs from Andrew Square, which has been the terminal for some years, to Fields Corner in Dorchester and cost $5,000,000. It is being carried to Mattapan as fast as the work can be done, at an expense of another $5,000,000. To Fields Corner it is completed.

Mayor Malcolm E. Nichols drove the last spike with a gilded hammer on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Then the Massachusetts Public Utilities Department inspected the branch and orally certified to the Boston Elevated Railway that all the relevant laws had been complied with and the new line was safe for operation. On Friday, Nov. 4, there was an official inspection by the Boston Transit Commission, under which the line was built. These ceremonies served to dedicate the new line and at 5:20 o'clock the next morning, Nov. 5, it was opened to the general public for business.

The Boston Elevated crews had been operating empty trains over the new route for some days and were familiar with all the switches, signals, curves and grades, and they started service promptly and held their long four-car trains to schedule, running from Fields Corner to Park Street, in the very heart of Boston, in fourteen minutes. This speed is revolutionary for the Dorchester, Mattapan and Milton people, and in addition to the speed there is the frequency of service a two and three-minute headway during the morning and afternoon rush for people who have been accustomed to infrequent steam train service to South Station and long walks to their offices. Most of them are brought much nearer to their places of business by being carried to Park Street.

Moreover, the commuters learned that the new line is a heavy, rock-ballasted, third-rail road, smooth riding and quiet. For a long distance the rapid transit tunnel trains run alongside of the main line of the New Haven Railroad, an iron fence separating them. In fact, the roadbed occupied is the former roadbed of the New Haven Railroad, purchased from the railroad by the Boston Elevated. It is the first outstanding bid of the Boston Elevated for the suburban passenger business of the New Haven Railroad and may lead to the abandonment of more of this short-haul business by the steam railroads enterfng Boston, in order that it may be more advantageously handled by the local railways, mainly the Boston Elevated.

Mayor Nichols says this is only the beginning of a great expansion of the Boston Elevated system. His intention is to go to the Legislature at the next session with a bill for at least $20,000,000 for new rapid transit lines. He wants to take up again the question of a subway under Huntington Avenue to connect the Brookline village with the Boston Elevated tunnel system and to run new lines out in other directions, details of which he has not worked out. "Let's get going," he says. He would have a subway under the Common into the North End and connection with Lechmere Square; he would have the city take over from the Elevated the elevated structure in Atlantic Avenue and use it in part as a highway for heavy trucks, and he expects that another tunnel will have to be built under the harbor to East Boston. Speedy development of the traffic system has become imperative in Boston to keep pace with the requirements. Governor Fuller has recommended that pleasure cars be kept out of the business center from 10 o'clock in the morning until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. General Manager Dana of the Boston Elevated approves of this plan, stating that the Boston Elevated is running light during that period and could handle all the traffic resulting from its adoption. The registrar of motor vehicles, Frank Goodwin, favors it.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY JOURNAL · Vol. 70, No. 22 · November 26, 1927 · p. 972.

Boston's Latest Rapid Transit Line Embodies a New Principle

Particular interest attaches to the Dorchester extension of the Boston Elevated Railway system which was opened on Nov. 5. Not only is it an excellent piece of construction which will serve a large portion of the population in the southern section of Boston, but it embodies a principle in rapid transit expansion that has long been talked about but never adopted. That is the utilization of an existing steam railroad right-of-way for a rapid transit line, as distinguished from an electrified division.

In the Dorchester situation the Shawmut branch of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad had been in use for many years, connecting the South Station in Boston with a terminal at Mattapan. The service given was as good as that on other suburban branch lines of the same company, but of course its value was limited, as the only station in the metropolitan district was too far from many of the activities of residents in the suburban territory. The purchase of the line by the city and its conversion to rapid transit service has been advantageous to the residents in two ways. First, the new line is an extension of the Cambridge subway, and when completed it will permit through rapid transit train service from Mattapan to Harvard Square, with transfer to the other lines of the Boston Elevated system reaching all parts of the metropolitan area. Second, the provision of transfer stations where residents of the district may change from the trains to surface cars and buses or vice versa makes for reduced travel time for everyone, whether living adjacent to a rapid transit station or at some distance away. Neither was possible with steam operation. Many other steam railroad lines in the larger cities of this country are limited in capacity under existing methods, but would have tremendous possibilities if connected with the rapid transit lines, or used as a nucleus for a rapid transit system in a city not so served. In general they would furnish rights-of-way at much less cost than that incident to the construction of subways, and with less disfigurement to the city than the erection of elevated lines. The plan is worthy of study wherever rapid transit is contemplated.

Above, Columbia station from Old Colony Railroad. Columbia Road viaduct and headhouse are on the right. At right, view of the island type station from the viaduct.

The Dorchester extension is on the right-of-way of a former steam railroad line. The Dorchester Tunnel of the Boston Elevated Railway system has been extended from Andrew Square under Boston Street and the tracks of the Old Colony division of the New Haven Railroad. The track comes to the surface at a point directly east of Dorchester Avenue. From this point to Harrison Square the "El" tracks have been constructed on the west side of the right-of-way of the New Haven. This necessitated the relocation by the steam railroad of its own tracks for a distance of about 4,500 ft. between Columbia Avenue and Savin Hill on the easterly side of the railroad property. At Harrison Square the "El" leaves the Old Colony right-of-way, using what was formerly the Shawmut Branch of the latter. This branch will be electrified for rapid transit to Peabody Square, where there will be a yard and shops. From Ashmont to Mattapan the track of the steam railroad will be rebuilt and electrified for high-speed trolley service, with provision for convenient passenger interchange at Ashmont. The completion of this project will add more than 6-1/2 rapid-transit route-miles to the system, including more than 2-1/2 miles of high-speed trolley route on private right-of-way.

Transfer platform of Fields Corner station. Fences and passimeters will insure payment of rapid transit fares.

The surface cars loop at the principal rapid transit stations so as to provide for a convenient transfer.	Portion of private right-of-way of Dorchester rapid transit extension.

Sources: Electric Railway Journal, McGraw Hill Company, Digitized by Microsoft, Americana Collection, archive.org.