Green Line C branch


The C branch, also called the Beacon Street Line or Cleveland Circle Line, is one of four branches of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Green Line light rail system in the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan area. The line begins at Cleveland Circle in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston and runs on the surface through Brookline along the median of Beacon Street. Reentering Boston, the line goes underground through the St. Marys Street incline and joins the B and D branches at Kenmore. Trains run through the Boylston Street subway to Copley where the E branch joins, then continue through the Tremont Street subway to downtown Boston., the C branch terminates at North Station.

History

The first tracks on Beacon Street were laid in 1888, running from Massachusetts Avenue west to Coolidge Corner. The next year the rest of the line to Cleveland Circle opened, with access to the Reservoir carhouse. In 1889, the first electric streetcar route used Beacon Street from Coolidge Corner east to Massachusetts Avenue, then ran south on Massachusetts Avenue and east on Boylston Street to Park Square. That same year, the line on Beacon Street to Cleveland Circle was electrified. Another connection to the Beacon Street line was provided at ; streetcars came from Brookline Village along Washington Street and turned west on Beacon Street. This line was later extended north on Chestnut Hill Avenue and west on Commonwealth Avenue to and was the predecessor of the bus route.
The Tremont Street subway opened on September 1, 1897; Beacon Street service was routed into the Public Garden incline at the Public Garden, turning around at. The Boylston Street subway opened on October 3, 1914 as a westward extension of the Tremont Street subway. The Beacon Street line entered just east of Kenmore Square.
On November 21, 1914, rush hour Washington Street service was cut back to Reservoir, leaving only Beacon Street cars using the Chestnut Hill Avenue tracks. Beacon Street service was cut to Reservoir on November 6, 1915, with Washington Street service extended back to Lake Street. Beginning on February 6, 1922, all Washington Street service was operated as a Brookline Village–Lake Street shuttle as part of service changes on the Huntington Avenue line. The shuttle was replaced with buses in 1926; the bus route was redirected to Brighton Center in 1928 and eventually became route 65.
On December 14, 1929, most trips of the – shuttle were extended along Beacon Street to. This resulted in -minute rush-hour headways on the inner part of the line, with three-car Washington Square–Lechmere trains and two-car Cleveland Circle–Park Street trains on alternating 5-minute headways. On January 9, 1930, the BERy began running Washington Square-bound streetcars express from Kenmore to in the afternoon peak due to crowding. The Washington Street service was cut back to Kenmore in June 1930 but resumed that September.
On February 7, 1931, Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street service was extended from Park Street to Lechmere using three-car trains; the Washington Street short turns were cut back to Kenmore–Park Street shuttles. On October 23, 1932, a westward extension of the subway was opened with an underground Kenmore station. It split into separate tunnels for the Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street lines; the latter surfaced at. The first use of two-car trains of PCC streetcars on the system was on the Beacon Street line on April 16, 1945. At that time, service on the line operated every 2.8 minutes at morning peak, 6 minutes midday, and 2.7 minutes in the afternoon peak. The first use of a three-car train of PCC cars was on July 13, 1946 for a baseball extra; they entered regular service on September 16, 1946. From 1940 until its 1967 naming as the C branch, the Beacon Street line had route number 61.
The Riverside Line was connected to the Beacon Street tunnel near Mountfort Street, with service beginning on July 4, 1959. On November 20, 1961, after 30 years running to Lechmere, the line was cut back to . It was extended back to Lechmere on March 25, 1967; Saturday service was briefly cut to from June–September 1968. From June 8 to September 11, 1974, D branch trains ran over the C branch due to track work. Trains used a temporary loop at Reservoir and non-revenue tracks on Chestnut Hill Avenue to cross between the two lines. From March 20 to June 25, 1976, C branch night service looped at Kenmore to allow electrical work in the central subway.
Boeing LRVs were first used on the line on January 20, 1978. By March 24, three-car trains of PCC streetcars were no longer used on the C branch; all service was two-car trains of PCCs or LRVs. From June to September 1979, all service on the line was with PCCs due to LRV maintenance issues. The line was cut back to Government Center except at rush hour from March 21 to June 21, 1980, and cut back to Park Street non April 4, 1981. The line was extended to Government Center on June 26, 1982, with LRVs providing all service.
From July 24 to September 10, 1982, the line was replaced by buses to allow for track replacement. Four stops were permanently closed to speed travel times. Service was extended to North Station on July 30, 1983; this was the terminal until a cut to Government Center on March 29, 1997. It was extended again to North Station on January 1, 2005., regular C branch service terminates at North Station.

Traffic signals

The C branch runs on a dedicated median on Beacon Street in Brookline, with a total of 18 grade crossings at major cross streets. Like on its sister B branch, C branch streetcars must stop on traffic signals at street crossings. The signals on Beacon Street in Brookline could in theory be prioritized to make the Green Line run faster. However, the MBTA, which would be expected to pay for the streetcar sensors, does not consider the project to be cost-effective. In 2007, the Boston Globe published letters from riders who are in favor of these sensors, a letter from the MBTA spokesperson arguing that a major study is needed before the MBTA spends money, and a letter arguing that the T's spokesperson is giving too many excuses.
In January 2008, the MBTA hired a consultant to study the issue., the Town of Brookline was considering formally asking the MBTA to cooperate in setting up traffic signal prioritization to speed up Green Line trains on Beacon Street.
In Mayor Marty Walsh's "Go Boston 2030" plan, prioritizing traffic signals on Beacon Street was a proposed idea. The plan indicated that the project is planned to be completed within five years.

Station listing

LocationStationOpenedNotes and connections
East Cambridge July 10, 1922Original surface station was open from July 10, 1922 to May 23, 2020; it had not served the B branch since April 3, 1981. An elevated station is under construction.
West End August 20, 1955Has not served B branch since April 3, 1981. Temporarily closed on May 24, 2020.
North End June 28, 2004Original surface station was open from September 3, 1898 to March 27, 1997. Elevated station was open from June 1, 1912 to June 24, 2004.
MBTA subway: Orange Line
MBTA bus:
MBTA Commuter Rail: Fitchburg Line, Lowell Line, Haverhill Line, and Newburyport/Rockport Line
Amtrak:
North End September 3, 1898 MBTA subway: Orange Line
MBTA bus:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Downtown Boston September 3, 1898 MBTA subway: Blue Line
MBTA bus:,,,,
Downtown Boston September 1, 1897 MBTA subway: Red Line
MBTA bus:,,,,,
At : Orange Line, ,,,,,,,,
Downtown BostonSeptember 1, 1897 MBTA bus:,,,,,
Back Bay November 13, 1921 MBTA bus:,,,
Back Bay October 3, 1914 MBTA bus:,,,,,,,,
Back BayOctober 3, 1914 MBTA bus:,,
Fenway–Kenmore October 23, 1932 MBTA bus:,,,,,,
At : Framingham/Worcester Line
Brookline 1888 MBTA bus:,
BrooklineCarlton Street1888Closed on July 24, 1982
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Brookline 1888 MBTA bus:
BrooklineWinchester Street1889Closed on July 4, 1982
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Brookline 1889 MBTA bus:
BrooklineWinthrop Road1889Closed on July 4, 1982
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BrooklineStrathmore Road1889Closed on July 24, 1982
Brighton 1889At : MBTA bus,