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Drake trolley line to be used as test for new rail cars
Thursday, November 08, 2001 By H.K. Hilner, Tri-State Sports & News Service
The Port Authority intends to use a portion of the dormant Drake trolley line as a test track for new light rail cars scheduled to arrive in 2003.
The segment runs from Dorchester to the Fort Couch underpass.
But, contrary to assumptions some people have made about maintenance crews removing a large chunk of track, there's no immediate plan to reconstruct the Drake line.
"All we've done for now is remove the Drake tracks to use in other places in the system," authority spokesman Robert Grove said.
"And while the modernization of the Drake line remains in our master plans, that part of the Stage II program is not yet funded. So, we don't have anyway of knowing just when that part of the program will begin construction."
Starting at the Drake loop and leading up to the underpass before the Fort Couch stop, crews have removed the rails and ties which haven't been used since the line was shut down in September 1999.
"Obviously, you can't do extensive testing of the cars on the mainline while you're running service, so, we'll be using the Drake line to do the testing," Grove said, noting the authority also is removing overhead wires along Drake.
"The way the power grid is set up for our system, you just can't flip a switch and knock out power to only the Drake line. If you did, you also would knock out power to other parts of the system that are in operation."
Meanwhile, Grove said, the authority is on schedule with the modernization of the Overbrook line. The line, closed in 1993, is scheduled to be operational by 2003.
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