Blue Line (MBTA) Totally Explained

Everything about Blue Line Mbta totally explained

|image = Boston blue line station airport.jpg |image_width = 250px |caption = A Blue Line train at the rebuilt Airport station |type = Rapid transit |system = |status = |locale = Boston, Massachusetts |start = Bowdoin |end = Wonderland |stations = 12 |routes = |ridership = 41,661 |open = 1924 (streetcar)
1952 (rapid transit) |close = |owner = MBTA |operator = MBTA |character = |stock = #4 East Boston cars |linelength = |tracklength = |notrack = |gauge = |el = |speed = |elevation = |map = |}} The Blue Line is one of the four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It extends from Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts in the northeast to Bowdoin station near Beacon Hill in Boston in the southwest. It meets the Green Line at Government Center, connects with the Orange Line at State station, and provides service to Airport station with a free shuttle connection to the various airline terminals. The line is designated Blue because for much of its length it uses the old Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad right-of-way along the seacoast in Revere and East Boston, and the tunnel to East Boston runs under the Atlantic Ocean. Boston's Blue Line was the first subway in the world to run underneath a section of the ocean.
   Blue Line cars are unique among rapid transit vehicles in Boston in that they use both third rail and overhead pantograph current pickup. The line switches between the two at the Airport station where it transitions between running in a tunnel and running above ground. The overhead pantograph was implemented to avoid the third rail icing that frequently occurs in winter.
   These cars are also shorter than otherwise similar ones running on the Orange Line, as the Blue Line (known as the East Boston Tunnel before the MBTA was formed) was initially designed to carry streetcars.
   In addition, the MBTA has committed to designing an extension of the line's southern end west to Charles/MGH, where it would connect with the Red Line. This was one of the mitigation measures the Commonwealth of Massachusetts agreed to as part of the Big Dig, originating from planning of the Boston Transportation Planning Review.
   The Blue Line Modernization Project begun in the late 1990s includes renovating stations to increase the length of trains from four to six cars, make all stations wheelchair accessible, and improve appearance. Bowdoin Station is likely to be closed due to the difficulty of accommodating the longer 6-car trains around the loop which turns the trains around to head back to Wonderland. Platform lengthening of Bowdoin is unlikely to occur because of the stations layout. If platform length is increased to the west, expensive track re-organization must occur, and expanding to the east would make the station too close in proximity to Government Center Station. (Bowdoin is the western terminus, where inbound trains follow a tight loop to the outbound side.)

Station listing

Station	Time to Government Center	Opened	Transfers and notes
Wonderland	21 minutes	January 19, 1954	former Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad station
Revere Beach	19 minutes	January 19, 1954	former Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad station
Beachmont	17 minutes	January 19, 1954	former Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad station
Suffolk Downs	15 minutes	April 21, 1952	former Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad station
Orient Heights	13 minutes	January 5, 1952	former Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad station
Wood Island	11 minutes	January 5, 1952	Formerly Day Square, renamed Wood Island Park October 21, 1954, renamed Wood Island 1967
Airport	9 minutes	June 3, 2004	Old station opened January 5, 1952 and closed June 2, 2004
Maverick	7 minutes	April 18, 1924	Streetcar portal opened December 30, 1904
Aquarium	4 minutes	April 5, 1906	Formerly Atlantic, renamed February 13, 1967 Had a transfer to the Atlantic Avenue Elevated
State (outbound platform only)	2 minutes	December 30, 1904	Orange Line Formerly Devonshire, renamed January 25, 1967
Government Center	0 minutes	March 18, 1916	Green Line Formerly Scollay Square Under, renamed October 28, 1963 Court Street opened December 30, 1904 and closed March 17, 1916
Bowdoin	2 minutes	March 18, 1916	Closed evenings and weekends

History

Accessibility

The Blue Line is accessible except for the most important stations: those downtown. Currently, the outbound Blue Line platform at State Street is wheelchair accessible to the street. Inbound wheelchair users can take the Blue Line to Government Center and cross the platform there to an outbound Blue Line train and take it to the accessible State Street platform. The MBTA has plans to make the remaining Blue Line stations accessible as part of a larger effort to permit 6 car trains on the line. See MBTA accessibility.

Equipment

The Blue Line is standard gauge heavy rail. Unlike the rest of the MBTA rapid transit system, equipment have a projected lifespan of 24 years as opposed to 35 because the line runs very close to the ocean and runs next to a major airport, resulting in prolonged exposure to corrosive substances. Its current fleet is the 0600 series, built 1978-1980 by Hawker Siddeley Canada Car and Foundry (now Bombardier Transportation) of Fort William, Ontario, Canada. They are 48.5 feet (14.8 meters) long and 111 inches (2.8 meters) wide, with two pairs of doors on each side. They are based on the PA3 model used by PATH in New Jersey. There are 70 Hawker cars, numbered 0600-0669. Most cars are scheduled to be retired soon because of severe corrosion due to the nature of the line. However, 12 cars will be retained until 2012.
The MBTA has ordered 94 new cars (47 pairs) with stainless steel bodies from Siemens Transportation Systems with dimensions identical to cars of the current fleet. The cars will be numbered in the 700 series. The cars are of a similar design to those built for the Tren Urbano system in San Juan, Puerto Rico, also designed by Siemens. Originally scheduled to be delivered beginning in January, 2004, the development of the trains has been beset with problems. The contract price of the cars is $174 million, with a total cost to the MBTA (including engineering and other related services) of $200 million. As of August 6, 2007, 12 of the 94 new cars have arrived and are now being tested at Orient Heights carhouse. Two cars, 704 and its mate 705, are being tested on the Orange Line, making use of the unused express track between Wellington and Sullivan. Ten cars are being tested at Orient Heights carhouse. Each car must be tested and run for at least 500 miles before it's allowed to be in service. The first of the new cars began service on Wednesday, February 20, 2008. Cars will be delivered at a rate of 4 per month until summer 2009, when all 94 cars should be in service.

Trivia

The 1998 romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland features some scenes from the Blue Line.

Further Information

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