Only slightly off the beaten path indeed. Nothing here is out of the way or hidden; it's just a little different from the usual highlights. And a good chunk of it totally is on the beaten path that everybody has seen.  Most of this is from wandering this past weekend.

 

Apologies for what seem like kind of large file sizes.

 

I begin in Inman Square, Cambridge. Inman Square, around the intersection of Cambridge and Hampshire Streets, is a nice little business district near the Somerville line, kind of near Harvard and kind of not, partially yuppie-ish in its businesses and restaurants.

 

I realize now that this is an odd-looking corner, with those two trees obscuring the building.

 

 

I don't know exactly what Ryles is, but I like that its facade is adorned with a giant saxophone.

 

 

 

For some reason I was very hasty in snapping this shot and didn't capture the entirety of the mural that was the reason for taking the picture in the first place. It's on the side of a fire station, as the subject would suggest.

 

Also hasty in taking this picture of the front of the firehouse, but that's because of passing traffic.

 

 

No experience with East Coast Grill, but I highly recommend Bukowski, at least their other location in the Back Bay.

 

 

The names aren't so visible here, but two more recommended establishments: the All Star Sandwich Bar on the corner and Christina's ice cream next door.

 

Moving on down Cambridge Street away from Inman Square now. Cambridge Street is a fairly long commercial corridor from Inman Square through the Wellington-Harrington and East Cambridge neighborhoods to the Charles River and the border with Boston. For the most part it is a working-class sort of area, which for some reason seems to mean lots of fish markets.

 

 

I think this mural is on a school, though I have always neglected to verify that.

 

 

Yum

 

Residential side street

 

 

 

 

Lechmere (said "LEECH-meer") station is the not-particularly-glorious northern terminus of the Green Line light rail, at least for a few more years before an extension of the line is slated to be built.

 

Across the street, some newer development. On the left is the CambridgeSide Galleria, a shopping mall. The Prudential Center in the Back Bay is in the background.

 

Lechmere station again

 

The Green Line trolleys travel over a viaduct shortly past Lechmere. And over New Jersey tourism billboards. This is the only elevated section of the Green Line.

 

Not the most attractive view, but here are the Charles River Dam Bridge and Lechmere Viaduct (nearly 100 years old) as they enter Boston. Ahead, the drawbridge has been raised.

 

On this dam is the Museum of Science.

 

On the other side of the river, under the viaduct, looking back toward Cambridge.

 

One more viaduct shot.

 

Following the river toward the Lenny Zakim Bridge

 

The raised drawbridges carry Amtrak and commuter rail to and from North Station, just out of frame to the right. Judging by the size of the boats that came through, this bridge must have to open for practically anything to pass.

 

Inland a bit because there is no passage along the river past the rail lines. This lonely little building is perhaps the only survivor of the razing of the West End neighborhood.

 

Toward downtown. I caught the foreground guy in a ridiculous stage of his gait, it seems.

 

I'm not really sure what neighborhood this area is said to belong to. It's a section of several blocks adjacent to North Station and the TD Garden (Boston Garden) that hasn't been destroyed by some sort of urban renewal. On this day there was more foot traffic here than I usually see, due to a skateboarding event or something, but in general I imagine the area comes alive whenever there is a Celtics or Bruins game.

 

I effing love these dilapidated old warehouse buildings. I have seen something about it being renovated and turned into condos, but I don't know the status of that project.

 

Up close.

 

 

 

 

Across to Charlestown and the Bunker Hill monument.

 

Out-of-place insertion from a totally different date: the view from said monument.

 

In the North End. Definitely one of those "on the beaten path" shots, as this is taken from in front of the Old North Church ("one if by land, two if by sea...").

 

The "Skinny House," presumed the narrowest parcel in Boston, at a mere 10.4 feet wide.

 

Copp's Hill Burying Ground, again a place well-worn by tourists.

 

 

Always wondered about this view from a parking garage. It turns out to be reasonably satisfying.

 

Charter Street, North End

 

The pedestrians in the middle of the street have to do with the the Feast of the St. Joseph Society occurring behind me. I like that on any random walk in the summer, I seem to run into something like this. This particular event had what appeared to be the most fantastic collection of street food I've yet seen.

 

The banner is advertising a different event next weekend, which sounds like it will be pretty similar. Next time I'm coming with more than two dollars in my wallet so that I can stuff my face with all kinds of delicious things.

 

Alley/tiny street in the North End.

 

After walking along the harbor for a while, the Custom House Tower.

 

Into the Financial District. It's very dead on a weekend.

 

 

 

A lovely little park at Post Office Square. It's actually privately owned and sits atop a parking garage.

 

 

Washington Street in the Downtown Crossing vicinity, a busy shopping district.

 

And finally to the Boston Common. This is a photo of the Frog Pond on a different occasion, but I promise it's where I did end up after the walk documented above.

 

Looking toward the Public Garden. Lots of foot traffic, a good chunk of it tourists.

 

As long as I'm here, time for miscellany!

 

Longfellow Bridge with a Red Line train. It's a nice view from the train as it passes over this bridge.

 

A few of Beacon Hill. I hope I didn't already post these, but I don't remember doing so.

 

 

 

Statehouse

 

Downtown Crossing

 

Commonwealth Ave and the John Hancock tower (Back Bay)

 

Back Bay

 

Chinatown. Another little street fair.

 

 

At the Common again

 

Harvard Bridge (Mass Ave) and Beacon Hill behind

 

And this

Great pics of a beautiful city. The Red Line was my favorite T line while living in Boston... Cincinnati's subway was built to the same specifications.

BAHston.

awesome job exploring.

 

skyscrapers aside, otherwise it's the way an old city is supposed to look.

Fantastic photo thread!  I enjoyed viewing these immensely.  I'm sure I could live quite happily in Boston if I were to ever move there.

The green line used to travel on a viaduct above this street, but it was rebuilt as a subway within the last five years:

http://www.pbase.com/piggiston/image/115367507.jpg

 

 

Also, while in Inman Square you missed the...Abbey Lounge. I just looked it up and apparently it closed last year.  That place was the closest thing to an Ohio biker bar in Cambridge. 

I really like looking at these photos; the scenes are dense and the colors are rich. Some people disparage Boston's skyline, but for me street-level activity and architectural variety are what define a city. Boston looks visually fascinating.

 

The firehouse is wonderful. In the midwest we've lost many/most of our classics and replaced them with brick/concrete boxes or steel-sided pole barns.

The green line used to travel on a viaduct above this street, but it was rebuilt as a subway within the last five years:

http://www.pbase.com/piggiston/image/115367507.jpg

 

 

Also, while in Inman Square you missed the...Abbey Lounge. I just looked it up and apparently it closed last year.  That place was the closest thing to an Ohio biker bar in Cambridge. 

Thanks for that Green Line info. I knew that it was recently converted from elevated to subway in this area, but I didn't know exactly where it ran, or never bothered to check. I was going to ask you a question or two more, but I just realized that the Google Earth historical orthophoto layers are perfect for this.

 

As for the Abbey Lounge, it's not something I experienced (apart from noticing it), but I do recall hearing some dismay regarding its closure. It was shortly before or after I moved to town, I think.

I remember the rise to that old el was extremely steep.  It was definitely around 10% and might have been steeper.  The line rose directly from a subway to an el in a very short distance.  I'm sure this put a ton of wear on the green line brake pads.  The green line has a variety of extremely sharp turns, turnarounds, and steep grades that would never be built today.   

That old el was a beast... I lived in Boston while it was still in operation, but the subway construction was well underway and the el's days were numbered. (I think the Orange Line was already stopping in the new station at that point, but the Green Line hadn't yet been re-routed.) The new Green/Orange Line transfer station is a vast improvement over what used to be there.

Has anyone ever used the Bowdoin blue line station?  I got off the Blue Line once there just to see what it looked like.  It was a curved turnaround station, and was a ghost town.  Every so often you hear someone suggest running the blue line onto the red line, not realizing it's basically impossible do to the very different specs for the two types of trains. 

^ I used it once, I think, but I can't remember why. It seemed like sort of a forgotten corner of the T system.

 

The proposal I've seen floated is to extend the Blue Line to the Charles/MGH Red Line station, allowing a direct transfer between the two lines. I don't think that proposal includes a track connection, though, especially given that the Blue Line would be underground and that the Red Line is above-ground at that location.

 

IMO, Boston really shot themselves in the foot by having three different subway lines (not counting the Green Line light rail) built to three completely different sets of specifications. They're essentially operating four completely independent subway systems. And people think NYC's two divisions limit flexibility.

 

If the Silver Line ever gets converted to rail, I wonder what specs they'll build it to.

^ I used it once, I think, but I can't remember why. It seemed like sort of a forgotten corner of the T system.

 

The proposal I've seen floated is to extend the Blue Line to the Charles/MGH Red Line station, allowing a direct transfer between the two lines. I don't think that proposal includes a track connection, though, especially given that the Blue Line would be underground and that the Red Line is above-ground at that location.

 

IMO, Boston really shot themselves in the foot by having three different subway lines (not counting the Green Line light rail) built to three completely different sets of specifications. They're essentially operating four completely independent subway systems. And people think NYC's three divisions limit flexibility.

 

If the Silver Line ever gets converted to rail, I wonder what specs they'll build it to.

Fixed that for you.  ;) ;)  LOL  The IRT, BMT(BRT) and IND all had different specs.  However, the BMT/IND have been almost identical since the christie street connection was created.

The BMT and IND were built the same specs; the only thing the Christie Street connection did was connect the two systems and allow IND trains to use the Manhattan Bridge. However, the Eastern Division of the BMT (L, J, M, and Z lines) can't accommodate the 75-foot cars because the curves are too sharp. IRT trains can run on BMT/IND tracks in non-revenue service, but there's an excessive gap between the train and the platform edge.

 

Useless trivia: Philadelphia's Broad Street Subway and Bridge Line (now PATCO) were also built to BMT specs. PATCO has since installed an automatic train operation system, though.

The BMT and IND were built the same specs; the only thing the Christie Street connection did was connect the two systems and allow IND trains to use the Manhattan Bridge. However, the Eastern Division of the BMT (L, J, M, and Z lines) can't accommodate the 75-foot cars because the curves are too sharp. IRT trains can run on BMT/IND tracks in non-revenue service, but there's an excessive gap between the train and the platform edge.

 

Useless trivia: Philadelphia's Broad Street Subway and Bridge Line (now PATCO) were also built to BMT specs. PATCO has since installed an automatic train operation system, though.

 

No the IND and BMT were different.

Afraid not. When the IND was being designed, they made a deliberate decision to build it to BMT specs because the whole purpose of the IND was to put the BMT out of business and take ownership of its infrastructure. (John Hylan had no love for the IRT, either, but even at that time the IRT was considered antiquated and there was no point in trying to mimic it.) Even before Chrystie Street, the Culver Line (today's F train) provided a connection between the BMT and IND systems.

 

IND stations tend to be larger and more modern than BMT stations, but that doesn't affect the rolling stock specs.

Afraid not. When the IND was being designed, they made a deliberate decision to build it to BMT specs because the whole purpose of the IND was to put the BMT out of business and take ownership of its infrastructure. (John Hylan had no love for the IRT, either, but even at that time the IRT was considered antiquated and there was no point in trying to mimic it.) Even before Chrystie Street, the Culver Line (today's F train) provided a connection between the BMT and IND systems.

 

IND stations tend to be larger and more modern than BMT stations, but that doesn't affect the rolling stock specs.

 

it provided a connection, not thru service.  At the time it was the D train I believe.

The proposal I've seen floated is to extend the Blue Line to the Charles/MGH Red Line station, allowing a direct transfer between the two lines. I don't think that proposal includes a track connection, though, especially given that the Blue Line would be underground and that the Red Line is above-ground at that location.

Indeed, it's just recently been in the news that $29 million has been set aside for designing this connection even though there will be no money to build it within the next 20 years (link).  It'd be nice to have, though I don't know enough to comment on budget priorities and all that.

 

Meanwhile, I thought I've heard that the Bowdoin station is slated to be closed for good (instead of just outside peak hours) one of these days, but maybe that's old info.

History of the Independent Subway

 

Even though Hylan was now out of office, some of his goals were met. The municipal subway would adopt the same specifications of the BMT, eventually enabling subway cars of the municipal line to run on the BMT and vice versa.