The Newton and Boston Street Railway was organized in 1891. It soon opened an electric trolley line between Newton Upper Falls and Newtonville, with regular service beginning August 31, 1892.
An 1897 map and an 1899 map show a branch to Newton Centre. The 1899 map also shows a branch of the Commonwealth Avenue Street Railway very closely paralleling it. In 1899, the company proposed a never-built line between Reservoir and Newton Center via Beacon Street.[1]
The Newtonville and Watertown Street Railway was leased October 1, 1897, allowing it to continue northeast to Watertown. An extension southwest to Needham center was built in 1906. On October 9, 1909, the Newton and Boston was merged into the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway.
The line was bustituted in 1926. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority began to subsidize the route in September 1964, and assigned it the number 32 Needham–Watertown. When the MBTA took over the M&B on June 30, 1972, it was renumbered to 532. It was again renumbered in September 1982, and is now the 59 Needham Junction – Watertown Square via Newtonville.
Routeedit
The only changes from the original route to the present day have been at Newton Upper Falls. The original alignment was rather circuitous, looping north of Eliot Street on High, Summer and Chestnut Streets, presumably to avoid steep grades. An alignment in the mid-1970s used a one-way pair, with the northbound direction looping south of Eliot Street. It now uses the old northbound side (Oak and Chestnut Streets) in both directions, the opposite of the original route.
Until 20 April 1981, the route only went north from Needham Center; it was extended at that time to Needham Junction. 59A Needham Street–Watertown Square was added in December 1984, running Watertown to Newton Highlands and splitting there onto its own alignment to the Needham Industrial Park. 59A service was merged into 59 in December 1989, with alternate weekday trips using the 59A alignment (and continuing to Newton Junction).
The branch to Newton Centre split from the main route (on Walnut Street), heading east on Homer Street. It turned south on Centre Street, southeast on Willow Street, south on Sumner Street, and west on Beacon Street, ending at Centre Street.
External links and referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newton and Boston Street Railway.
MBTA – Route 59
Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district (PDF)
Referencesedit
^"City of Boston". Boston Globe. March 10, 1899. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
January 01, 1970
newton, boston, street, railway, streetcar, company, boston, massachusetts, area, eventually, bought, middlesex, boston, street, railway, line, needham, junction, watertown, square, newtonville, trolley, contents, history, route, external, links, references, r. The Newton and Boston Street Railway was a streetcar company in the Boston Massachusetts area eventually bought by the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway Its line is now the 59 Needham Junction Watertown Square via Newtonville bus Newton and Boston Street Railway trolley car Contents 1 History 2 Route 3 External links and references 4 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp A modern day 59 bus leaving Watertown Square The Newton and Boston Street Railway was organized in 1891 It soon opened an electric trolley line between Newton Upper Falls and Newtonville with regular service beginning August 31 1892 An 1897 map and an 1899 map show a branch to Newton Centre The 1899 map also shows a branch of the Commonwealth Avenue Street Railway very closely paralleling it In 1899 the company proposed a never built line between Reservoir and Newton Center via Beacon Street 1 The Newtonville and Watertown Street Railway was leased October 1 1897 allowing it to continue northeast to Watertown An extension southwest to Needham center was built in 1906 On October 9 1909 the Newton and Boston was merged into the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway The line was bustituted in 1926 The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority began to subsidize the route in September 1964 and assigned it the number 32 Needham Watertown When the MBTA took over the M amp B on June 30 1972 it was renumbered to 532 It was again renumbered in September 1982 and is now the 59 Needham Junction Watertown Square via Newtonville Route editThe only changes from the original route to the present day have been at Newton Upper Falls The original alignment was rather circuitous looping north of Eliot Street on High Summer and Chestnut Streets presumably to avoid steep grades An alignment in the mid 1970s used a one way pair with the northbound direction looping south of Eliot Street It now uses the old northbound side Oak and Chestnut Streets in both directions the opposite of the original route Until 20 April 1981 the route only went north from Needham Center it was extended at that time to Needham Junction 59A Needham Street Watertown Square was added in December 1984 running Watertown to Newton Highlands and splitting there onto its own alignment to the Needham Industrial Park 59A service was merged into 59 in December 1989 with alternate weekday trips using the 59A alignment and continuing to Newton Junction The branch to Newton Centre split from the main route on Walnut Street heading east on Homer Street It turned south on Centre Street southeast on Willow Street south on Sumner Street and west on Beacon Street ending at Centre Street External links and references edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newton and Boston Street Railway MBTA Route 59 Kenneth W Newcomb The Makers of the Mold Railroad History Database Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district PDF References edit City of Boston Boston Globe March 10 1899 p 11 via Newspapers com nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Newton and Boston Street Railway amp oldid 961016984, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
