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Boston's subway system replacing 1890s-era wooden catenary system(mbta.com)
18 points by ilamont 2 days ago | 11 comments
  • teruakohatu13 minutes ago

    > dates back to the late 1890s and will be replaced with a modern, more durable, metal trough.

    I think any infrastructure that has lasted over 130 years is already quite durable.

    • phailhaus5 minutes ago |parent

      It's probably not the same wood since 1890. Requires more repairs and replacements.

  • mikestew11 minutes ago

    The part relevant to the editorialized headline:

    “The MBTA will perform work in December to replace the wooden overhead catenary wire “trough” in the Green Line tunnel, which is original to the tunnel’s construction in the late 1890s. The trough houses the Green Line’s overhead wires and will be replaced with a modern, more durable, metal trough.”

  • ttd27 minutes ago

    It's been a decade+ since I used to catch the Green line at Park St, but at that time it was the noisiest, squealiest station that I regularly used. Not surprising to learn that parts of that station are left over from the 1890s.

    • beastman8218 minutes ago |parent

      It's deafening

  • vjulian27 minutes ago

    If only they’d make the T fare free and run more frequently and later into the night. The C line in Brookline has the potential to be extremely convenient, but at present most of the time it’s easier to take an Uber, or drive.

    • tapoxi25 minutes ago |parent

      It's what, $2.40? I don't think they need to make it fare free.

      • vjulian2 minutes ago |parent

        Free fares would significantly increase ridership, no?

        • chollida1a few seconds ago |parent

          Yes, and reduce its revenue that it needs to properly run and upgrade its existing infrastructure.

          Why do you think they charge in the first palce?

  • drob51823 minutes ago

    The builders should be patting themselves on the back. The fact that some of this infrastructure was built in the 1890s is amazing.

  • jeffbee10 minutes ago

    Boston subway to replace cable duct that worked for 130+ years