Nostalgia & History > Boston South Station (in the back) -- Sept 77

A few shots from the track area at South Station (built about 1899).

(1)  Here is an early shot of the back of the station (1904).

(2-3)  In 1977 things had changed but some structures remained from the early days (maybe from the original construction).
For instance the tower in the middle of the 1904 picture  looks to be the same one as in my shots.
The signal bridges look to be the same as well. They just don't have as many signals on them as in the early shot.
The station and track area was renovated in the 80's.

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(4-5) The E units look like ex-PRR.
(6)  RS3 106 was ex-NYC.

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(7)  285 is another ex-PRR E8 unit. I think this was the first time I had seen grills covering the windows.

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(8)  An MTA RDC leaves (ex-New Haven?) 

(9-10) A look at a couple of the signal bridges - compare them to the ones in picture 1.

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(11)  An ex-PRR P70 coach still painted for the Pennsy.

(12)  A few platforms without tracks

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(13)  At the entrance to the yard and station were three rolling lift bridges that went over the South Bay Channel. Built about the same time as the station I can only imagine the number of trains that passed over all three during their +-87 year lifespan. 
My shot is not from a very good angle - it's hard to see all three bridges.

(14)  I found a couple better shots to show them.
The first one looks like it was taken after rennovations had begun in the 80's.
My shot was from the left side of the bridges near the signal bridge.
Searching some info on them I found out that the two bridges on the right had been taken out of service by the late 60's. It looks like a track was still on the middle one.

(15)  I like this one showing all three in the air.
      Due to a lack of traffic on the channel all three were locked down in the late 40's.
     Unfortunately during the station rebuild the bridges were removed.
     Anyone feel free to correct me on any of this info.

Gary

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So many great photos. Thanks for posting these.
Bob

refarkas Wrote:
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> So many great photos. Thanks for posting these.
Bob

The tracks crossing the lift bridges primarily handled what had been Old Coloney RR traffic towards Brockton, Plymouth, and Cape Cod.   The Old Colony had been taken over by the New Haven.
​The tracks turning to the left carried New Haven and Boston & Albany (NYC) to Back Bay station where the B&A continued west towards Albany and the New Haven turned south towards New Haven
and New York City.

​In the 1st photo, just to the right of the control tower tracks can be decending below ground level as they approach South Station.  These tracks were intended for a high capacity commuter only station
​under the  surface level main station.  The lower level was designed as a loop to provide quick pass through of the trains.   This station was never put into service, was to have used electric powered rolling stock, and
​was intended primarily for the formerly Old Colony lines commuter service.

​Just an interesting coincidence,  ALL the tracks entering Boston's North Station , home of the Boston and Maine, crossed a set of 3 lift bridges. at the throat of the station.   The  one exception was the Union Freight RR
​which served the Boston waterfront and connected North and South station for freight transfer only..  The Union reached North station from the south along a street next to the station.  

The Hancock air whistle says the RDC is xNH, the scare strip pattern on the front says PC repainted it in an
​ex NYC pattern.   Both NH and NYC opperated RDCs out of South Station.   What are the chances an exNYC unit
​gained an NH Hancock air whistle ??

Wow, that first shot is fantastic, look at the excellent immaculate track and smog!
JB

In the short time I lived in Boston in the mid-70's as a teenager, I would spend hours wandering around the tracks at the throat of the station and the big curve taking photos and was never bothered by anybody. 

kpcmcpkva Wrote:

>
> The tracks crossing the lift bridges primarily
> handled what had been Old Coloney RR traffic
> towards Brockton, Plymouth, and Cape Cod.   The
> Old Colony had been taken over by the New Haven.
> ​The tracks turning to the left carried New
> Haven and Boston & Albany (NYC) to Back Bay
> station where the B&A continued west towards
> Albany and the New Haven turned south towards New
> Haven
> and New York City.


Thanks for the info.
Gary