Day 3 begins

Day three is a combined rail watching and other. First objective is to get better pictures of the Orange Line at Mass. Ave. At Mass. Ave. Station, the Commuter Rail parallels the Orange line. However, from all vantage points there is no good line of sight to the commuter rail for taking pictures. I did get some pictures of the Orange line.

Orange Line at Mass. Ave. Train Station

Tuesday Evening, Copley Square

The mention of North Point Park in the last post, opened me to a discussion to cameras and other toys we take on vacation. I have three cameras. The first is a DSLR and used for all my real photography. This is taken always. The second is my camcorder. I have a mini DVD recorder to replace my older 8ml. The third is simply my cell phone camera. I decided at the last minute not to take the camcorder. For static, they are not a good recorder of vacations. They are better for moving objects. As railfan, I am using them for passing trains. However, I have taken still photographs of trains longer and still do.

With a camcorder, it is best to set it on a tripod so as not getting camera shake. If you are good, and you edit right, you can do it without a tripod. However, I like to take still picture of trains as the camcorder takes motion. The tripod become better. However, I did not want to carry the tripod for the few times I wanted to use it. North Point Park would have been good for the camcorder and having the car made it easy to have. Other that that, the points where I would watch trains and the amount carrying, was more than I wanted. Leaving out the tripod was a good idea. But leaving the camcorder behind would limit what I took with me.

Tuesday evening (the second day), change again, the itinerary. I walk around the area near the hotel. I made it done to Copley Square and got picture of the church and the library. Strick that from the list of things to do on the third day. My first leg, instead of hoofing it, would be by subway, to Arlington. I walk past the Copley Hotel. Years ago, before I moved to Boston, I attended a seminar and stayed at the Copley. Even then, it was majestic.

The Copley Square Hotel

The seminar was in the Library, which has been enlarged since then

Facade of the Public Library, a I first saw it.

I love that old church on Copley Square.

Facade of the Public Library, a I first saw it.

Trinity Church on Copley Square

At this point, a reflection of what seen to this point. The Harbor was beautiful and worth the effort to photograph in day one and 2 even more reflection will come, of course.

Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf

If going back would I try to picture it again. Probably not. What about my visit to South Station?

South Station

I am a railfan. I will visit and picture trains in and out of the station. This would be especially true if new equiptment is brought in. What about the North Shore trip? Here I would try something new such as Saugus Iron Works, Lynn Reservation, or Salem. There are more train watching activity on the North side of Boston.

Day 2, part 4

Day 2 went as expected, until lunch. There were only a few surprises. One was that I could see High Rock from the train platform. What was surprising was that in a year of commuting by train, I never saw that. The only thing left in Lynn, was a drive though Lynn, Commons and south back to Boston. The afternoon potential was to go to Pleasure Bay and Fort Independence in South Boston, than around to the Constitution. From there across the interstate to a place called North Point Park, to watch trains. One problem at North Point Park, no parking.


View Larger Map

Google map indicatied there was parking, however there were no available spaces. I did drive to the nearest MBTA parking lot, too far to walk. I did make it to Lechmere Station on the Green line. I took pictures of Green Line cars coming out of the station.

Older Green Line LRVs. I rode these when I lived in Boston.

Old and new LRVs coupled together.

Two genereations LRVs couple together.

I will return to Lechmere to take more pictures. The green line was ridden more than any other. This was the line that went closest to the Hotel, between the Prudential Center and Symphony Hall. North

day 2, part 3

My drive from Swamscott train station, took be by the apartment building that I lived in 25 years ago. My route took me by a park and church which is withing my personal history. One thing I seem to have missed during my time in Lynn was High Rock Tower. I don't know how I missed it. I went by and from that high place I tood another picture of the Boston Skyline.

Boston Skyline from High Rock Tower

High Rock Tower from Central Square Train Station, Lynn, MA

Downtown Lynn need not be dwelled upon. I ended up at the train station in Lynn. It has moved a block South. the old train station is, in part, still there.

Central Square old staion, where I got my first taste of Lynn, MA. The arch to the extreem left had the station, 25 years ago, if memory serves.

The last duty of the morning was to find the Capitol Diner. It was as pictures had shown. I never did see the place when I lived in Lynn.

Capitol Diner. Timing was bad as the diner had been repainted but the letter not returned to the front.

Day 2 Continued

Swanscott Train Station

As I planned my visits, I did find a beautiful picture of the Swanscott Train Station. It is still used a the stop for the MBTA.  After my coast drive I drove to the station. As After I took some pictures, I saw the MBTA Work train.

MBTA work ttrain. I have never seen any MOW in such good looking shape.

MBTA work ttrain. I have never seen any MOW in such good looking shape.

And as would be my luck, I spotted the northbound commuter rail from Boston.

MBTA northbound at Swanscott

This was good fortune, but not the end of pictures of MBTA north of Boston. Nor, is it end of the day. To be continued.

Day 2

This second day was more according to the schedule laid out. I reserved a rental car and picked it up. I had use 9:00 as my starting time, but at this point I found myself beginning earlier, around 8:30. I planned to drive to the north Shore. I lived for a while at Lynn. I never did get pictures of the place. There were other things to photograph as well. I made the drive without incident. I drove to Nahant. From the research that I had done, I could get a good picture of the Boston Skyline. There was too much in obstruction so I came back along Lynn Shore Dr. and found a parking space to take pictures of to coastline. There it was a skyline picture

Boston Skyline from Lynn Reservation

The Shore line was nice. I walk around Lynn Shore and than drove up the shore to Swamscott.

Lynn Shore Reservation

Lynn Shore

Lynn Shore to Swanscott

Swanscott

End of Day 1

My original itinery was greatly altered. I started at the room, rather than later in the afternoon. The tower view was first where it was planned to be last. I did get to Cambridge and South Station but not in the order planned and I missed the second sky deck view, all together.

Long view of the Boston YMCA

Green Line outbound

Inbound Heath Line

Inbound Heath line different era Light Rail

I did get a view of the YMCA, my first home in what was at the time, the strange town of Boston. I took a walk close by and got some pictures of the Green Line where is went underground.

After supper, I went around the corner to check out the orange line station to see how good of a location it would be. I did get a few pictures and did come back later.

Orange Line, Mass. Ave, Station

Orange Line, Mass. Ave. Station

The Rest of the Story

I looked at the long view from the Prudential tower. I was not as hung up on time, as I had taken care of check-in. I did take a block and half walk to the YMCA which was the first place I stayed in Boston, 25 years ago. I finally got my room and then went to Cambridge. I first went to Porter Square and walked to where I had lived. I did not take many pictures that would interest the ordinary person.

After visiting the apartment, I came back to Harvard. It seems that while living there 25 years ago, I went to a church on Harvard Yard. I walked by for a view. Harvard is on the Red Line. I manage to end up at the Federal Courthouse where I took some pictures across the water. From there I of course took a walk to South Station where I spent a little time watching trains (mentioned above)

Acela 2034

Acela 2034

Acela 2032

MBTA 1064

MBTA 1032

MBTA 1115

     

Change of Plans

That wonderful agenda that I created was always meant to be tentative. I knew approximately how much time to spend in the different places but not exactly. The first changes to the agenda came when I checked in for my flight. My 7:00 am flight was cancelled even before I arrived at the airport. I was excited about my trip and could not sleep. I arrived at 5:00 and went to the window to reschedule my trip. They did have a 6:00 via Philadelphia with an hour layover. I arrived in Boston an hour later than I had originally scheduled but leaving an hour earlier.

Sitting in the waiting area of the airport I noticed how the world had changed. 2/3 of those waiting had their laptops out and working. The the others were texting on their cell phones. A far cry from 25 years ago when I first flew to Boston. In fact check in takes twice as long.

I arrived in Boston and I called the hotel. I wanted to know if I could drop off my luggage, and they said yes. So instead of coming to South Station and getting a locker, as planned, I headed for the hotel. I figured that from their I might continue as planned. NOT SO.

Amtrak Accela

Amtrak  921

MBTA 1115

When I arrived at the hotel, they did not have my room ready. I went for lunch and to the Prudential Tower. I had planned to go the skywalk at Prudential Center, but not until late in the day. After check in, off the Cambridge as originally planned. Timing was no longer critical. I did watch some trains at South Station.