18-09-09 PHOTOS: Boston Backwards

Traveling to Boston typically involves a return and a surplus of Amtrak class upgrade coupons means that I was positioned in the rear car of a Regional allowing me to survey the Shore Line between Boston and a point in Rhode Island where the low light and high speeds made good photography impossible. Also included in this set are some Downeaster photos and a brief trip I took on the Orange Line for the purpose of killing an extended layover in Boston. You can find the full gallery of photos here or on Google.

We begin at the Exeter station waiting for my southbound Downeaster train. While I waited the northbound train appeared with a rather shabby looking Amtrak P42DC #104 in the lead and Amtrak Great Dome car #10031 trailing behind. Through 2018 the New Englande Passenger Rail Authority would pay to have this car added to the Downeaster as a leaf season extra, however it's future availability is in doubt due to Amtrak cost cutting :-(

Cabbage car #90220 was on the rear.

As the passing siding was only a few miles to the north the southbound Downeaster soon arrived with Amtrak P42DC #120. 

Due to work on the Lowell Line, my train was diverted down the Reading Line, affording this view of the Amelia Earhart Dam.

MBTA GP40MC #1120 at North Station.

MBTA 1200-series Orange Line car #1260 at Wellington. These cars are in desperate need of replacement, although the Chinese cars purchased for the task will likelt be little better even upon delivery. 

The MBTA Wellington Station is adjacent to the Orange Line yard and shoppe complex. It features a gauntlet track although the extra platform is not well utilized.

Orange Line car #1265 at Wellington.

Detail of a Hawker Siddley Orange Line bind end connection. These cars are in the same family as the Port Authority PA-1/2/3 series. 

Jumping to South Station we find MBTA bi-level cab car #1718 adjacent to single level MBB cab car #1527.

Amtrak Acela Express power car #2023 next to the tail end of the next departing Regional.

Trackwork is ongoing at READ interlocking while an eastbound H-5 searchlight signal on the Dorchester Line transfer ramp displays Medium Approach.

MBTA F40PH-2C #1065 near Canton Junction.

Rear power car #2031 on an eastbound Acela Express near Canton Junction.

Surviving New Haven railroad interlocking tower SS165 at Attleboro.

MBTA commuter rail layover yard east of Providence, RI.

MBTA HSP-46 #2026 laying over the the TF Greene Airport west of Providence. Not sure why it was stopped there instead of the current Providence Line terminus at Wickford Jct.

Clear eastbound signal at DAVISVILLE interlocking.

The signal was for Regional Train 96, seen here passing eastbound near Kingston. 

Jumping ahead to Penn Station we find the rebuilt track 11.

 LIRR M7 #7052 near the rear of my Regional train.

Standing at the east end of the main (tracks 11 and 12) platform at New York Penn Station I caught a light light Empire Service trainset heading back to Sunnyside yard after discharging its passengers on track 6 or 7. Right after that, an LIRR train on track 15 begins to head east through C interlocking and the Line 3 while then a westbound LIRR train arrives on track #13 with M7 #7133 on point.



Well that's it for my 2018 trip to Boston. Next time I'll make my first ever visit to the Rockhill Trolley Museum.