SITE UPDATE: New Blue Line photos
Friday, December 28th, 2007I went railfanning with some friends today. Initially, it was just supposed to be me and my friend Bernie, but as we entered State Street on the Blue Line he spotted Stevie, another local railfan that we know, waiting on the other platform. We got off and joined him, and it turned out he was on his way to meet yet another railfan, Brandon, to do the same thing. We decided to all stick together for the day.
Prior to meeting Stevie, Bernie and I spent some time at North Station and Government Center. At the former, we happened across the ‘double draft’: F40PH-2C 1054 and GP40MC 1124 double-heading a train. The 1054 has a broken HEP generator, while the 1124 has a broken prime mover, so MBCR double-headed them to effectively create one working locomotive. At Gov’t Center, we discovered that the Brattle Loop was filled with out-of-service trains (four 2-car trains by my count). Why they were there so early in the day is a mystery. There’s a pair of photos of them on the bottom of this page.
After meeting up with Stevie and Brandon, we spent most of our time on the Blue Line. Our first stop was Revere Beach, where Stevie led us to a footbridge over the Blue Line that provided some good views of the trains. We then headed inbound one stop to Beachmont, where we got lunch at a small deli outside the station (they make pretty good roast beef sandwiches, by the way). Photos from the Blue Line are here (new ones start with the second Scollay Under sign).
We then made our way back to North Station to hang out for a while. The Downeaster was in, with a wreath on the nose of the cabbage car. The double-draft was also back. Eventually we all left, Stevie to a family dinner, while the rest of us went down to Ashmont (which, in my case, is the same as heading home). Bernie and Brandon joined me on the trolley there for one stop, getting off at Cedar Grove while I continued on home. All in all, an excellent day of railfanning.