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The MBTA's 01200-series
Hawker-Siddeley Orange Line rapid transit cars have been
serving the system faithfully ever since their purchase
in the late-1970s. Featuring an angled cross-section that
bulges out in the middle for more interior room, these
65-foot cars are quite similar to their shorter Blue Line
cousins.
The Orange Line itself is at present probably the most
"modern" of the MBTA's subway lines. The local
end of the line is housed in a large channel that runs
through several of Boston's neighborhoods - the Southwest
Corridor transitway. This deep cut is also home to the
northernmost portion of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor,
which is also used by MBTA commuter rail trains. The
stations in this part of the Orange Line route feature a
modern design where concrete is abundant. The line
submerges just after Back Bay Station, in the South End,
and makes several subway stops in Downtown Boston before
reemerging after North Station, the terminus for the
MBTA's northern commuter rail lines. The Orange Line then
passes through Charlestown and Somerville before crossing
into Malden and finally ending at Oak Grove station. This
portion of the route is primarily elevated on concrete
structures or high embankments, and while the stations
are also somewhat modern, they are very different from
those on the Forest Hills end of the line. Both end
terminals feature a stub-end design, with crossovers so
that trains can enter and depart from whichever track is
available. |
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