A.C.H. Photos
Infrastructure
Originally opened in 1898, the MBTA's Park Street Station, located under the Boston Common, had retained much of its original look and infrastructure throughout the years. The winter of 2015 crippled much of the Commonwealth, rendering the MBTA inoperable, leading to major changes and reinvestments in service not seen in the history of the "T". Years of neglect, and underfunding, had finally reared its ugly head, forcing major capital investments in the system. During December of 2019, the T shut down the red line on weekends to allow crews more work windows to complete projects in a more efficient timeframe utilizing longer work windows. As part of a tour, I donned PPE, and of course my trusted D810, and descended underground for a first hand look at the work. Part professional responsibility at the time, and part personal curiosity, I was able to soak in the sights, sounds, and smells of the crews hard at work. They hauled in tons of new ballast, rails, and ties while electrical crews overhauled overhead lights, track equipment, and a myriad of other dizzying improvements. While I am not necessarily a transit foamer, it's certainly fun to offer this firsthand perspective of what it is like to truly overhaul infrastructure. Tough, dirty, difficult, skilled work being performed in a shower of sparks and roaring of saws to ensure that those who rely on public transit can do just that: rely. Anyways, the red line is technically trains, so enjoy this little interlude from the endless Gevo parade.
Infrastructure
Originally opened in 1898, the MBTA's Park Street Station, located under the Boston Common, had retained much of its original look and infrastructure throughout the years. The winter of 2015 crippled much of the Commonwealth, rendering the MBTA inoperable, leading to major changes and reinvestments in service not seen in the history of the "T". Years of neglect, and underfunding, had finally reared its ugly head, forcing major capital investments in the system. During December of 2019, the T shut down the red line on weekends to allow crews more work windows to complete projects in a more efficient timeframe utilizing longer work windows. As part of a tour, I donned PPE, and of course my trusted D810, and descended underground for a first hand look at the work. Part professional responsibility at the time, and part personal curiosity, I was able to soak in the sights, sounds, and smells of the crews hard at work. They hauled in tons of new ballast, rails, and ties while electrical crews overhauled overhead lights, track equipment, and a myriad of other dizzying improvements. While I am not necessarily a transit foamer, it's certainly fun to offer this firsthand perspective of what it is like to truly overhaul infrastructure. Tough, dirty, difficult, skilled work being performed in a shower of sparks and roaring of saws to ensure that those who rely on public transit can do just that: rely. Anyways, the red line is technically trains, so enjoy this little interlude from the endless Gevo parade.