🚀 go-pugleaf

If I remember correctly (I grew up in Boston, and move to Va a month
ago), the closure of the Green Line A branch to Watertown was
announced as temporary.  Various people have posted the route; it
is now covered by the #57 bus from Kenmore Square. (Actually, 
I note some errors in the posted route.  The tracks don't
stay on Washington Street all the way to Newton Corner, 
but use another, paralleldiverging street.  I want to say that it's
Park Street, but it could be Tremont--I know the name is 
the same as a downtown Boston street.  In identifying Oak
Square, below, I call it Park. If you need to know the exact
route, you can look for the tracks in the street.  It's also,
because of one-way streets, the only legal way to drive from
Newton Corner to Brighton Center.) Extra service
was provided at rush hour as far as Oak Square, which is the
place in Brighton where the line moves from Washington Street to
Park Street, just west of Brighton Center.  There is a track loop still in the pavement as of a few months ago.

At that time, the in-town terminus of the A branch was Park Street.
(The E branch ended there, too.  I don't remember how far the other
lines went because I only went to Government Center.)

The big objection to the A branch tracks is that the trolleys ride
on the street and block vehicular traffic.  (The same objection
has been expressed to the E branch to Arborway.  That is why 
it was replaced by bus service below Heath St. for so long.)

Remember that the Watertown branch closed before the MBTA bought
the articulated cars that they use now.  The Watertown line was
served by the "PCC" cars, which were about half the length of the
articulated ones, so that they could make the turn.

As far as the Transportation Library is concerned, it may be 
internal to the MBTA.  They used to have extensive records of
their own history, I believe.  There are local hobby groups, too,
who would know more.

Julian C. Lander
The MITRE Corporation
jclander@mitre.org

(Put standard disclaimer here.)