Green Line "D" Branch - Conversion To Light Rail

Conversion To Light Rail

From mid-1958 to mid-1959, the Highland Branch from Riverside to Fenway was converted to light rail by Boston's Metropolitan Transit Authority . This was to be a low budget project, and the light rail option was chosen over third rail rapid transit trains because the last two miles to downtown would be via an existing light rail subway. The primary $7M contract was let to the Perini Corporation with an additional $2M for work by the MTA, of which part was designated for added land purchases. With the Riverside terminal just off what is now Interstate 95 and a mile from today's I-90, the line would be a showpiece of park and ride mass transit from distant suburbs using an existing railroad right of way.

The major project parts included the following:

• Overhead wire 600 volt DC electrification was installed with a new substation at Cook St. Junction, between Eliot and Newton Highlands.

• The existing 105 lb. rails were for the most part kept, with replacing of worn rail sectiond here and there. Regrading and reballasting was done only where needed.

• A connection was made to the existing subway under Beacon St. leading to Kenmore Square, Boylston St., and the Boston Common.

• Simple ground level paved platforms were installed or upgraded at each of the 12 stops Woodland to Fenway.

• Three aspect color light block signals were added to support a closest train spacing at about a 2 minute headway from Riverside to Reservoir and a 1 minute headway from Reservoir to Fenway.

• The original station buildings (presumably those in poor condition) were demolished except at Newton Highlands and Newton Centre and one other location (near the present Woodland station) that was not an intended stop.

• A small wood frame shelter was added on the inbound side of 11 stops, Woodland to Longwood, with a similar shelter added on the outbound side at a few stops. An existing roadway overpass provided shelter at Fenway.

• A larger waiting room was built at Riverside, and this was also used as a ticketing office by intercity bus lines. The new Riverside terminal complex was southwest of the original B&A Riverside platforms, and fronted Grove St.

• A yard holding about 30 cars, half of the fleet needed for the line, was built at Riverside. Most of the yard was paved so passengers could board cars parked further back in the yard.

• Additional car storage tracks were built just inbound (east) of Reservoir Station next to the existing Reservoir Carhouse. Also, a grade separated outbound to inbound short turn loop was added just west of the station.

• Park and ride lots were built at several stops, the lot at Riverside being the largest, holding nearly 2000 automobiles while the lot at Woodland was second largest, holding about 350 autos.

• Due to budget constraints, no rolling stock was purchased. About sixty Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) cars were taken from the existing 340 odd car fleet for use on the Highland Branch. To free up these cars, MTA General Manager Edward Dana discontinued some existing light rail services including the Waverley to Harvard Square, Watertown Square to Harvard Square, and North Cambridge to Harvard Square. The three aforementioned were converted to electric trolley bus (trackless trolley) operation which survives to this day; diesel buses were substituted on some other routes.

Light rail operation began on the Highland Branch on July 4, 1959, with single cars, or 2 and 3 car trains, running from Riverside or Reservoir to Park St. Station downtown. It was intended to short turn every other train at Reservoir, and berths at Park St. were marked "Riverside/Reservoir." But from the very start, ridership was heavy enough on the outer end of the line to require running nearly all trips to Riverside, the exceptions mainly at the very beginning and very end of the day. Scheduled service frequency ranged from 6 minutes during rush hours to 15 minutes late in the evening.

The Highland Branch was originally given route number 4. (Routes 1, 2, and 3 were today's Red Line, Orange Line, and Blue Line rapid transit, respectively.)

Fares were and still are collected on board. Originally the fare was the flat 20 cent rapid transit fare. By 1961 a zone fare system, pay enter inbound and pay exit outbound, was instituted. Fare was 10 cents Riverside to Reservoir, 10 cents Reservoir to Fenway, and 20 cents Fenway to downtown (40 cents for the entire ride). In 1961, passenger boardings were reported at 30,000 per day.

No passenger connection has been provided between the Riverside light rail station and the Riverside station on the B&A main line, now the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line. B&A Service to the latter Riverside station ended in the 1970s although a pedestrian underpass and platform still exist in very poor condition. The nearest commuter rail station on the latter line is in the Newton village of Auburndale, about half a mile away. The tracks from the "D" Branch to the Boston and Albany main were severed and overgrown until, to facilitate the delivery of new light rail vehicles in the 1970s, they were rebuilt and have since been maintained, although they are not used for any regular service. Special commuter rail trains did run to South Station from a temporary platform near near the Riverside light rail station from October 23–25, 1996 after heavy rain led to extensive flooding in the Boston area, closure of the Kenmore Square subway station, and cutting off of the Riverside line from the downtown subway stations.