Track 61 (Boston)
Track 61 is an industrial rail terminal track in
Part of what is now Track 61 was constructed in 1855 and became part of the New York and New England Railroad. Other sections were constructed from 1880 to 1920 as South Boston became a freight center. During the second half of the 20th century use of the line declined, and part of it is currently out of service. While trains do not currently operate along the line, the section from Cypher Street to the Cruise Terminal was rebuilt in conjunction with the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center construction, the line being used heavily to transport material to the Convention Center construction site. Revival of freight service and passenger services using the track was proposed by the state in the 2010s, but not funded. Since 2021, a section of the track has been used for acceptance testing of new Red Line subway cars.
Passenger service
The
A spur was built in the 1870s to the new Fan Pier, constructed by erecting a seawall to hold in fill. In November 1880, a second track opened from Boston to Walpole. The tracks through South Boston were depressed for grade separation; in some places, they were as far as 5 feet below mean sea level to allow for the construction of 12 bridges overhead.[3]
On August 22, 1896, New England Railroad (NY&NE reorganization in 1895) trains were rerouted to the Old Colony terminal downtown so that
Freight service
The grade crossing of Congress Street, which served the tracks to Fan Pier was eliminated in 1899 by the construction of the Summer Street viaduct.
In 1920, the
After World War II ended, rail traffic to the military bases declined until their closure in 1974. The
The line was used to haul material and equipment for the Central Artery/Tunnel project (Big Dig) and Boston Convention & Exposition Center Construction, but traffic declined as the project wound down. The construction of the South Boston Haul Road reduced the Running Track to a single track and the Terminal Yard (West First Street Yard) to two tracks; much of the former Army Yard was used for the approach to the Ted Williams Tunnel.[3]
In 1997, the
In 2006, CSX evicted Boston Railway Terminal Corporation, which had handled much of the Big Dig traffic but then primarily served cars for the remains of the East First Street track, from use of the line. The main section of the line had been rebuilt from Pumphouse Road to the Summer Street underpass as part of the South Boston Interchange project, including a new viaduct carrying D Street over the tracks. However, after BRT's eviction, CSX declined to pursue further freight service on the line.Proposals for service
Proposed return of freight service
Although CSX no longer was interested, the state has plans to restore the remainder of the line for freight service. This would include rehabilitation of the Running Track and Terminal Yard from Bay Junction to Summer Street, as well as restoring the end of the line through the
On October 2, 2008, the state government announced an agreement with
In May 2013, Massport released plans to build a dedicated haul road to Conley Terminal. This indicates a lack of interest in extending rail service to Conley, which would require a new bridge over Reserved Channel rather than using the existing Summer Street bridge.[19] The Conley Haul Road would not affect expanded Track 61 service to the Waterfront area, which is still considered a "competitive advantage" by MassDOT.[20]
Proposed passenger service
In 2013, a Boston Globe columnist reported on a plan by MassDOT and the
Operating passenger service on this routing would require crossing the
Plans for DMU service were cancelled in 2015 due to funding cuts by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker that stopped the purchase of DMUs that were to be used for short train service on Track 61 and the Fairmount Line.[25] In December 2016, city officials proposed routing some Fairmount Line trains over Track 61 to the BCEC as part of high-frequency Indigo Line service. However, the proposal did not provide a funding source nor solutions to operational issues.[26] The plan was also criticized as not serving a demonstrated transportation need, since it would bypass South Station and thus connect neither Dorchester nor the Seaport to downtown or the subway network.[27]
In April-May 2017, the MBTA dismantled the old BCEC construction sidings. In June 2017, Representative Nick Collins expressed a hope that a public/private partnership would enable passenger rail service to be extended out as far as the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park.[28]
MBTA test track
In May 2017, the MBTA announced that $32 million would be spent to convert part of Track 61 into a test track with third rail, beginning that fall. The track will be used for acceptance testing of new Red Line subway cars until 2023.[29] Two property owners sued the state in 2018 to halt the tests, claiming that railroad easements on their property do not cover subway use.[30] The case went to court in January 2020.[31] The test track was 88% complete by December 2019, and ready for testing in February 2020.[32][33] It reached substantial completion on March 12, 2021, and was fully completed that December.[34][35] MassDOT lost the court case in May 2023 and will be required to compensate the property owner.[36]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-884650-03-1.
- ISBN 0-942147-02-2.
- ^ a b c d e f DeMasi, Frank S. (November 2009). "Intermodal Corridor To the Port of Boston: The South Boston Haul Road – RAIL CORRIDOR" (PDF). Boston Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization: Central Transportation Planning Staff. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- ^ "Congress St Crossing". Boston Globe. March 11, 1897. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "To Abolish a Grade Crossing". Boston Globe. March 12, 1897. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Engineering". Boston Globe. January 3, 1899. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "To Build Great Railroad Yard". Boston Globe. December 24, 1913. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Headhouse to be Finest in World". Boston Globe. January 9, 1913. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "History of the Park". Boston Marine Industrial Park. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- ISBN 0-938315-05-6.
- ^ Surface Transportation Board (17 November 1997). "STB Docket No. AB-167 (Sub-No. 1179X)". Surface Transportation Board Decision Document. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- ^ Surface Transportation Board (30 December 2004). "STB Docket No. AB-167 (Sub-No. 1179X)". Surface Transportation Board Decision Document. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- CiteSeerX 10.1.1.177.2865.
- ^ "Ports of MA Strategic Plan: Recommendation Summary Table" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "PATRICK ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE RAIL LINES" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. October 2, 2008.
- ^ "PATRICK-MURRAY ADMINISTRATION FINALIZES AGREEMENT WITH CSX TRANSPORTATION" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 23, 2009.
- ^ Surface Transportation Board (10 December 2009). "STB Docket No. FD_35312_0". Surface Transportation Board Decision Document. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "The Massachusetts Rail Program" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. June 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Environmental Notification Form: Conley Terminal Improvements, Dedicated Freight Corridor, and Buffer Open Space" (PDF). Masssport. May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Technical Memorandum Number 4: Analysis of the Massachusetts Port System" (PDF). The Ports of Massachusetts Strategic Plan. Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ a b Leung, Shirley (6 September 2013). "Rail link coming to fast-growing Seaport". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- ^ Dungca, Nicole (October 16, 2014). "MBTA to purchase new trains, open new Blue Hill station". Boston Globe. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- Boston Magazine. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
- ^ Central Transportation Planning Staff (January 2004). "Program for Mass Transportation". Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization. pp. 5C–59, 5C–97. Archived from the original on 22 June 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ Stout, Matt (20 June 2015). "Charlie Baker derails T trains". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015.
- ^ Chesto, Jon (December 1, 2016). "City leaders see new use for old South Boston railroad track". Boston Globe. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ James Aloisi; Alon Levy (9 Dec 2016). "Debunking the Track 61 plan It is a solution in search of a problem".
- ^ Chesto, Jon (June 11, 2017). "Could old track, revived to test Red Line cars, be part of Seaport's transit future, too?". Boston Globe. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ "Test Track for New Red Line Cars" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 8, 2017.
- ^ Vaccaro, Adam (July 2, 2018). "How a South Boston real estate fight could delay new MBTA Red Line cars". Boston Globe.
- ^ Chesto, Jon (January 25, 2020). "Lawsuit over Seaport railroad track heads to trial on Monday". Boston Globe.
- ^ "Red Line Test Track Project 88% Complete" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 26, 2019.
- ^ "Red Line Test Track Ready for New Vehicles This Month" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. February 12, 2020.
- ^ "Report from the General Manager" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 26, 2021. p. 12.
- ^ "Red Line Test Track Project 100% Complete" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 13, 2021.
- ^ Chesto, Jon (May 23, 2023). "MassDOT must pay up for little-used Southie rail line, SJC rules". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023.