MBTA Green Line (Subway)

Station by Station

We will begin our look at the Green Line at Lechmere at the end of the line, just northwest of downtown Boston in eastern Cambridge. Lechmere is a surface stop, consisting of a loop track that circles a small storage yard. Station platforms are on either side of the loop, on the outside perimeter. From Lechmere, the Green Line climbs an incline over a street and up to the Lechmere Viaduct dated 1912.

Crossing the Lechmere Viaduct, a long archeed structure, takes the line southward, across the Charles River Dam, and past the Museum of Science. Science Park is at the end of the viaduct as the Green Line enters elevated trackage. The Science Park Station is two platforms on either side of the two tracks.

The elevated section takes the line over the city streets in the area of North Station, and is the last "EL" operated by the MBTA. The line takes a sharp turn east, to the North Station stop. Passengers can transfer to the Orange Line or commuter rail from this station. It is also the site of the old Boston Garden, now demolished. This entire area has seen some major changes recently as the Green Line is being moved to an underground tunnel from Haymarket to Science Park. This station was one of the more unique on the Green Line as it featured both an elevated station, and also a surface level platform on the street. Trains that would terminate at North Station would use the surface station, trains continuing on toward Lechmere use the upper level. Continuing, the Green Line turns sharply back to the south and descends an incline into the subway at Haymarket Portal. Now the track alignment got a little complicated. At the mouth of the portal is where the North Station surface tracks diverged from the elevated. The surface line heading north, stays at ground level, surrounded by the two inclines to the elevated portion. The surface line tucked underneath the elevated structure, and traveled a very short distance to the surface level North Station stop. This was once a turnback loop, but was trimmed back to a stub end track. This surface stop was closed in 1997 as part of the Green Line relocation project. The old inclines and Haymarket portals have been removed. The Green Line now uses a temporary incline to reach the elevated trackage, using a new portal constructed in the area once used by the old Orange Line El. This incline is on a lower level, of a double deck structure. The upper level is a temporary highway off ramp. The tracks swing west and connect to the old elevated structure.

More changes are in store for this area as the Green Line relocation project and Central Artery "Big Dig" highway project move ahead. The relocation project will move the Green Line into a subway as well as the highway. It will spell the end of service on the elevated structure around North Station. It is planned that the new Green Line subway will run beneath North Station, exiting out of a new portal to take the line to the Lechmere Viaduct. The new North Station stop will be a "superstation", featuring shared inbound platforms for Green Line and Orange Line trains.

The current subway portals were once shared with the Orange Line elevated to Charlestown. When the Green Line relocation is completed, the Haymarket Portals will be closed permanently.

Just after entering the subway, the original platforms of Haymarket station are visible along the outer sides. The current Haymarket station was relocated slightly and opened on May 10, 1971. This station has a low-level side platform on either side of the tracks. Passengers can transfer here to the Orange Line.

The next stop is Government Center. The original station at this location was known as Scollay Square and was rebuilt as part of the Government Center redevelopment. The current station reopened on October 28, 1963. The station is sort of shaped like a triangle, with the active tracks running along two sides, and a loop around the third. The loop track in the station can be used to turn trains back to Lechmere, but this is rarely done and the platform is disused. (Another loop track, northeast of the station, can be used to turn trains coming from Park Street.) The unusual shape of the station has to do with the City Hall building above, which required the northbound track to be relocated. A station in between Government Center and Haymarket, known as Adams Street, was closed and completely demolished during the Government Center construction. Green Line passengers can transfer here to the Blue Line operating on a lower level.

The next station is the famous Park Street. This station has seen trolleys for over 100 years, as it is part of the original 1897 subway. Here the Green Line diverges into four tracks, two each direction. One track is actually built into the platform allowing people to cross the track. Street cars rumble through, clanging bells, and stopping at designated locations along the platforms. Each location represents a different destination on the Green Line. Passengers must be at the right place to board the right train. Destinations are also well displayed on the roll signs on each streetcar. Park Street also allows transfer to the Red Line on the lower level (leading to the famous Boston expression "change at Park Street Under").

Traveling onward, now heading southwestward, we ride through the 100 year old tunnel. The next stop is at Boylston, which has two platforms offset from each other. The southbound platform is an island, with trains operating on the "inner" track. (The outer track is used for emergency storage and formerly led to a duck-under and into the Tremont Street Subway). The northbound platform was an island at one time as well, with the outer track from Tremont Street and the inner track from Arlington. It is now a side platform. An entryway on the northbound platform to a nearby building is closed, as is a passageway connecting the northbound and southbound platforms. The Tremont Street tunnel is still largely intact to its portal at Tremont & Broadway, but has not been used since April 6, 1962. The portal was sealed and a park built in its location around 1975.

After leaving Boylston we take sharp turn westward and passes beneath the Back Bay area. Between here and the next station, remnants of two former tunnel portals ("inclines") can be seen, one leading to Charles St. and one to the Public Gardens. (These were closed 2/14/1941 and 9/6/1914 respectively). There is also provision for an extension to Post Office Square. The next stop, Arlington, has two side platforms across from each other. An exit to Berkeley Street is closed, as is a passageway leading to the Public Gardens side of the corner of Arlington & Boylston Streets.

Copley station is next, also two side platforms, is next. Just past the Copley station, the E-Arborway branch subway splits off of the central tunnel, at grade, and heads southwest. See below for the continuation of the E-Arborway route to Prudential and Symphony stations.

Continuing west in the Boylston Street tunnel, the next stop is at Hynes/ICA (formerly Auditorium). An exit, closed in the late 90s, at the east end of the inbound platform leads to a disused street entrance about a half-block north of Massachusetts Avenue along Boylston Street.

The final station in the Boylston Street tunnel is Kenmore. Kenmore station has four tracks and two island platforms. Trains from the B-Boston College branch use the inner tracks, and trains from the C-Cleveland Circle and D-Riverside branches use the outer tracks. Inbound trains from the C and D branches can either merge into the Boylston Street main line or use a loop to re-enter Kenmore Station on the outbound side. Departing Kenmore, the B branch and the C/D branches use different portals and begin their runs on the surface.

The Arborway line split off of the central subway just past Copley station, with two more subway stops. The first is at Prudential, with two side platforms and a divider between the tracks to prevent crossing over. There is no fare control at this station; all fares are paid on-board the vehicles.

The next stop along the E-Arborway service is at Symphony, another side-platform station with a divider between the tracks. There is reportedly a crossunder passage between north and southbound platforms which has never been opened.

Green Line Signals

Boston's Green Line, which is a streetcar/trolley/light rail line, has a unique signal system. The description below of its aspects and indications is paraphrased from the Rules for Operators and Other Employees of the Light Rail Lines. Wayside signals are used in the central subway (westerly portals to Haymarket), as well as on the Lechmere viaduct between Haymarket and Lechmere, and on the entire D/Riverside line (Highland Branch) which runs on private right-of-way. Wayside signals are not used west of the portals on the B/Boston College, C/Cleveland Circle, and E/Heath St. lines, which have street or central reservation trackage. There are no trippers (stop arms) on the system; operators are responsible for keeping their cars under control and obeying all signals.

1. Automatic Block Signals

• RED - STOP. Proceed after one (1) minute at restricted speed. (Proceed, prepared to stop short of a train, car, or other obstruction and watch for broken rail or switch not properly lined, not exceeding ten (10) miles per hour to the next signal.) Typically means that the next block is occupied.

• YELLOW - Proceed prepared to stop at the next signal. Typically means that there is one clear block ahead, but the following block is occupied.

• GREEN - Proceed at authorized speed. Typically means that there are at least two clear blocks ahead.

2. Interlockings and Stations

• RED over RED - STOP and STAY. This aspect is usually found protecting interlockings, and is the equivalent of NYC's home signal. Only an "authorized person" (Inspector or higher grade) may hand flag a car through this aspect.

• YELLOW over YELLOW - COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. Then proceed at restricted speed. Typically found at the entrance to a station, and it means that the station is occupied by the proceeding car. This was added as a safety measure some years ago following a rear-end collision; multiple cars have always been able to enter stations but this aspect adds an additional mandatory stop when the station is occupied.

• VERTICAL YELLOW ARROW - Proceed on through route. This is the equivalent of NYC's home signal indication to take the main route.

• LEFT (or RIGHT) YELLOW ARROW - Proceed on diverging route to the left (or right). This is the equivalent of NYC's home signal indication to take the diverging route.

3. Mattapan High Speed Line

The Light Rail Division also operates the Mattapan High Speed Line, which is an all-PCC operation. On public maps, it appears as an extension of the Red Line, however its operations are governed by Green Line rules. This line uses two additional signal aspects:

• FLASHING RED - STOP. Then proceed with caution.

• FLASHING YELLOW - Proceed at reduced speed, prepared to stop.

Photos by Location