Vandals strike again... MBTA Trolleys vandalzied at Boylston Street station.

[JCitron]

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2014/01/14/mbta-graffiti-vandalized-boylston-street/

The two MBTA street cars were vandalized at the Boylston Street underground station. These are on display behind a locked fence, and have been there for 15 years, but somehow the vandals got in and spray painted the sides of the cars. The "newer" PCC car sustained more damage than the older Brill Convertible car. The transit police are investigating, viewing CCTV footage, etc. in hopes of catching the _____, well you can fill in the word for them.

John

 

[jacksonbarno]

I hope they catch these guys. I have fond memories of going down to Boylston Street station just to see the streetcars. Hopefully they will get fixed up again and find a better place to sit on display.

 

[JCitron]

I hope they catch these guys. I have fond memories of going down to Boylston Street station just to see the streetcars. Hopefully they will get fixed up again and find a better place to sit on display.

I remember riding the PCC trolleys similar to the red-painted one as well as the refurbed green and white painted ones later. The old Brill Boston Elevated cars are unique as they were custom built for the system. I can't recall the date on the MTA car. I think it was from the 1920s.

Boylston Street is quite unique in its self. There's that really, really sharp curve where the trolleys turn on to Tremont Street from Boylston, and the line where the static cars are sitting used to be the exit to the Tremont Street - street-level track which ran down to Dorchester until 1962. I remember the tracks being in place, without wires and hardware, until about 1968. The tunnel entrance was bricked over around the same time as well. Tremont Street station was located about a half block away. There's an abandoned flyover just past there that lead to those tracks.

I too hope they catch these characters. Even regular transit riders are horrified by this act.

John

 

[jacksonbarno]

When you walk over the station at street level, you can hear the squeal from the trams going around the curve. It's pretty loud. I think all MBTA green line cars are designed to be able to traverse the curve.

 

[JCitron]

When you walk over the station at street level, you can hear the squeal from the trams going around the curve. It's pretty loud. I think all MBTA green line cars are designed to be able to traverse the curve.

This is exactly right. Due to the tight clearances and sharp curves on the system, the trolley manufacturers have to custom build the cars to fit the system. The current Type 8's I think they're called, had trouble initially with derailing on the curve and Breda ended up reworking the trams.

Pretty cool you think!

Where abouts you located?

John

 

[jacksonbarno]

I am in Weston. Boylston was and is my favorite green line stop, so whenever we would/do go to sox games, we always stop there at some time on the trip.