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| Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line |
 |
| M-Line trolley car #3254 leaves Ashmont Station. |
| Info |
| Type |
Trolley |
| Locale |
Boston, Massachusetts (Dorchester to Mattapan) |
| Terminals |
Ashmont
Mattapan |
| No. of stations |
8 |
| Service routes |
1 |
| Daily ridership |
6,684[1] |
| Operation |
| Opened |
1929 |
| Owner |
MBTA |
| Operator(s) |
MBTA |
| Character |
Grade-separated ROW |
| Rolling stock |
PCC streetcar |
| Technical |
| Line length |
2.6 mi (4.2 km) |
The Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line in Boston and Milton, Massachusetts is considered to be part of the MBTA's Red Line, even though it uses different equipment (trolleys) and passengers have to change at Ashmont. The only MBTA line to run through a cemetery, the line opened on August 26, 1929. The term 'high speed line' is vestigial, as the route is neither characterized by a fully dedicated, grade separated right-of-way, nor by high-speed rolling stock.
[edit] Overview
The Ashmont–Mattapan Line follows the original right-of-way of the passenger and freight steam railway line that opened in December 1847 as the Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad. That line later became the Old Colony Railroad and then the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad after 1893. The old steam locomotives were discontinued in 1927 and the line was closed for two years while it was being modified for trolley service. There was a debate at that time whether or not to continue the same subway trains from Boston to Ashmont and on to Mattapan without a need for passengers to switch to trolleys at Ashmont. Apparently, the added cost of full-scale subway service along the remainder of the route was considered to be too high. The right-of-way is privately owned and has only two at-grade crossings on its 2.6-mile route.
The portion of the line from Ashmont to Cedar Grove and through the cemetery follows the path of the original Shawmut Branch of the Old Colony Railroad, which opened in 1872. The cemetery is the point where the Shawmut Branch intersects with the original Dorchester and Milton Branch.
The line's longest shut down occurred June 24, 2006 while the Ashmont and Mattapan stations were renovated. Service was restored on December 22, 2007.[2]
[edit] Rolling stock
The rolling stock of the Ashmont–Mattapan Line consists of refurbished, historic PCC streetcars that formerly ran on the Green Line.
[edit] Stations
[edit] References
