Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad

Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad
Locale	Massachusetts
Dates of operation	1875–1940
Track gauge	3 ft (914 mm)
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The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Massachusetts.

It was constructed as an 8.8 mile (14.2 km) 3 ft (914 mm) gauge narrow gauge passenger-carrying railroad to serve the Boston area.

It was chartered May 5, 1874, opened July 29, 1875, and abandoned January 27, 1940. A ferry connection from the railroad's southern terminus at East Boston connected to Rowes Wharf in the city of Boston proper, with a connection to the Atlantic Avenue Elevated (from 1901 to 1938). The railroad followed the coastline north-eastward through the resort of Revere Beach to the far terminus at Lynn. A branch split to a loop through Winthrop.

The rail laid was light, 30-pound per yard (15 kg/m) rail being installed at first, increased to 50 lb/yd (25 kg/m) in 1885 and 60 lb/yd (30 kg/m) in 1904. It was, however, laid from the beginning on standard gauge-sized ties. Given the lightweight rail, the locomotives were small and of standard narrow-gauge dimensions. The vast majority of them were Mason Bogies, 11 from the Mason Machine Works and a further 21 from other builders after Mason closed. Cars were of standard gauge dimensions, seating four across.

Between 1896 and 1900, the part along Revere Beach, formerly running along the beach, was relocated inland to lie next to the Eastern Railroad's Chelsea Beach Branch. The stations were moved and a new one (Bath House) was built. Revere Street was built later.

The railroad was highly successful, carrying commuters into Boston and the Boston urban population to the seaside resorts. By 1914 over seven million passengers were carried annually, making it one of the most heavily traveled stretches of railroad in North America. With such a traffic density, the expense of electrification could be easily recouped. By 1928, all existing cars were fitted with electric motors, trolley poles, and control stands and the steam locomotives were disposed of. However, the Great Depression and increased use of the automobile ultimately caused ridership to decline.

After attempts to find a buyer fell through, the BRB&L filed for bankruptcy in 1937. Further losses of ridership followed, and in 1939 the management petitioned for abandonment. This was granted, and the railroad ceased operations on January 27, 1940.

The right-of-way from East Boston to Revere, a length of 4.3 miles, was used in 1952–1954 to build part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Blue Line rapid transit line. The remainder of the right-of-way is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and may be used for further expansion of the Blue Line. South of the Blue Line's section, the line passed through where Logan Airport is now and a now-abandoned tunnel under a hill.

A number of the passenger cars were purchased by the East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania, where they survive.

Contents 1 Corporate history 1.1 Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad 1.2 Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad 1.3 Post-merger 2 Station listing 2.1 Winthrop Branch 3 Steam Locomotive Roster 4 Ferryboat Roster 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links

Corporate history

On July 1, 1891, the BRB&L merged with the Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad. The BW&S was itself a consolidation on December 11, 1883 of the Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad and Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad.

Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad

The BW&PS was organized in 1874 and opened a line on June 7, 1877. This line split from the BRB&L at Winthrop Junction and headed east and south for 2.55 miles (4.10 km) to Winthrop Center. In 1882 the part heading south was closed and a new line was built east to Ocean Spray and south to Point Shirley

Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad

The EJBSP&PS was chartered 1880 and built a line from the Eastern Railroad's Chelsea Beach Branch near Crescent Beach southeast via eastern Winthrop to Point Shirley. South of Ocean Spray, this was just east of the BW&PS.

Post-merger

In 1885, after the merger, sections of line were abandoned. The loop as it existed until 1940 was built in 1888. It used the full original alignment of the BW&PS (including the 1882-abandoned section), as well as the extension between Ocean Spray and Winthrop Beach. The rest was built brand new, with a longer route between the split and Ocean Spray to serve Winthrop Highlands, and a new route between Winthrop Center and Winthrop Beach.

Station listing

Station	Notes
East Boston	ferry to downtown Boston
Wood Island	Now a Blue Line station
Harbor View	Now a home
Orient Heights	split for Winthrop Branch just north of here, with shops just to the north Now a Blue Line station
Belle Isle	Now a Blue Line station (Suffolk Downs)
Beachmont	Now a Blue Line station
Crescent Beach	Now a Blue Line station (Revere Beach)
Bath House	Now a Blue Line station (Wonderland)
Revere Street
Oak Island
Point of Pines
West Lynn
Lynn

Winthrop Branch

This is going clockwise around the loop. The loop tracks split from the main line just north of Orient Heights, turned east and then split with one direction heading east and the other south.

Station	Notes
Winthrop Highlands
Ocean Spray
Shirley
Winthrop Beach
Thornton
Winthrop Center
Ingalls

Steam Locomotive Roster

Number	Name	Builder	Type	Date	Works number	Notes
1st # 1	Orion	Mason Machine Works	0-4-4T	1873	508	Built as North and South of Georgia - Sold to Nantucket Railroad #1 Sconset 1888[1]
2nd # 1		Hinkley Locomotive Works	4-4-0	1879		Sold to Nantucket Railroad #1 1901[1]
3rd # 1		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1903	27801	Scrapped 1929[1]
1st # 2	Pegasus	Mason Machine Works	0-4-6T	1875	549	Burned at Winthrop Junction (Orient Heights) and scrapped 1896[1]
2nd # 2		Manchester Locomotive Works	2-4-4T	1899	1707	Scrapped 1929[1]
1st # 3	Jupiter	Mason Machine Works	0-4-4T	18975	550	Leased to the Boston, Winthrop & Shirley Railroad in 1883, burned at Winthrop Junction (Orient Heights) and scrapped 1896[1]
2nd # 3		Manchester Locomotive Works	2-4-4T	1899	1708	Scrapped 1929[1]
1st # 4	Mercury	Porter Bell & Company	2-4-0	1876		Leased to the Boston, Winthrop & Shirley Railroad in 1878, burned at Winthrop Junction (Orient Heights) and scrapped 1896[1]
2nd # 4		Mason Machine Works	2-4-6T	1882	683	Burned at Winthrop Junction (Orient Heights) 1896 and scrapped 1904[1]
3rd # 4		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1904	30125	Scrapped 1929[1]
1st # 5	Leo	Hinkley Locomotive Works	4-4-0	1876	1240	Sold to Brown Company of Florida[1]
2nd # 5		Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1885	720	Rebuilt 1917 - Scrapped 1929[1]
1st # 6	Draco	Mason Machine Works	0-4-4T	1876	559	Scrapped 1885[1]
2nd # 6		Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1886	727	Rebuilt in ALCO Manchester shops 1920 - scrapped 1929[1]
7		Mason Machine Works	2-4-6T	1882	684	Rebuilt in ALCO Manchester shops 1920 - scrapped 1929[1]
1st # 8		Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1883	692	Scrapped 1900[1]
2nd # 8		Manchester Locomotive Works	2-4-4T	1900	1741	Scrapped 1929[1]
9		Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1887	740	Scrapped 1929[1]
10		Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1887	741	Scrapped 1929[1]
11		Taunton Locomotive Manufacturing Company	2-4-4T	1890	981	Rebuilt 1917 - Scrapped 1929[1]
12		Taunton Locomotive Manufacturing Company	2-4-4T	1890	982	Rebuilt in ALCO Manchester shops 1920 - scrapped 1929[1]
13		Manchester Locomotive Works	2-4-4T	1900	1742	Scrapped 1929[1]
14		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1902	25872	Scrapped 1940[1]
15		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1903	27802	Scrapped 1929[1]
16		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1905		Scrapped 1929[1]
17		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1906	39054	Scrapped 1929[1]
18		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1907	42268	Ran through the East Boston bumper block into Boston Harbor and scrapped 1928[1]
19		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1907	42741	Rebuilt 1917 - Scrapped 1929[1]
20		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1907	42742	Scrapped 1929[1]
21		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1907	42743	Scrapped 1929[1]
22		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1912	50830	Scrapped 1929[1]
23		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1912	50831	Scrapped 1929[1]
24		ALCO Schenectady	2-4-4T	1914	54590	Scrapped 1929[1]
25		ALCO Schenectady	2-4-4T	1914	54591	Scrapped 1929[1]
26		ALCO Schenectady	2-4-4T	1914	54592	Scrapped 1929[1]

Ferryboat Roster

Name	Date	Origin	Disposal
Union	1875	purchased from New Bedford-Taunton Railroad	Scrapped 1889[2]
Oriole	1876	purchased from Providence, Warren & Fall River Railroad	Sold to Washington Railroad of Lunder, North Carolina 1878[2]
City of Lynn	1878	Built by Bath Iron Works	Converted to a sand barge in 1918[2]
Swampscott	1882	Built by D. D. Kelly & Son of Boston	Sold for Portland to Peaks Island ferry service in Casco Bay 1908[2]
Dartmouth	1889	Built in East Boston	Retired 1939[2]
Ashburnham	1905	Built in Boston	Sold 1940[2]
Brewster	1906	Built in Boston	Sold 1940[2]
Newtown	1908	Built in Boston	Towed to Portland, Maine in 1940[2]

Notes

References

• Hilton, George W. (1990) American Narrow Gauge Railroads. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-2369-9
• Ronald Dale Karr (1994) The Rail Lines of Southern New England: A Handbook of Railroad History. Branch Line Press. ISBN 0-942147-02-2
• Stanley, Robert C. (1980) Narrow Gauge - The Story of the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Boston Street Railway Association.
• Various Sanborn Maps
• Railroad History Database

External links

• "The Coffee Roasters" of New England, about the BRB&L

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