712 (MBTA bus)

Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad

Company type	Private
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	May 23, 1874 (1874-05-23)
Defunct	January 27, 1940 (1940-01-27)
Fate	Bankruptcy; ceased operations; sold for scrap
Headquarters	East Boston, Massachusetts , United States
Area served	East Boston to Lynn, Massachusetts
Products	Passenger rail service

The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad was a narrow-gauge shortline passenger railway that operated between East Boston and Lynn from 1875 until 1940. A portion of its original route now serves as the outer segment of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Blue Line rapid transit system.

History

Established by charter on May 23, 1874, the railroad commenced service on July 29, 1875. It provided a connection via ferry from East Boston to Rowes Wharf, Boston, where passengers could transfer to the Atlantic Avenue Elevated line (operational from 1901 to 1938). The line proceeded northeast along the coastline, passing through the resort area of Revere Beach before reaching Lynn. From Orient Heights, a branch line looped through Winthrop.

Originally constructed with lightweight rails weighing 30 pounds per yard, the track was upgraded to 50 pounds per yard in 1885 and further strengthened to 60 pounds per yard by 1904. Although the railroad utilized ties sized for standard gauge rails, it operated with narrow gauge rolling stock. The locomotive fleet primarily consisted of Mason Bogie engines—11 manufactured by Mason Machine Works and an additional 21 from other producers after Mason’s closure. Passenger cars featured seating arranged four across.

Between 1896 and 1900, the segment running from Revere Beach to Point of Pines was shifted inland alongside the disused Eastern Railroad Chelsea Beach Branch. This relocation involved moving existing stations and adding new stops such as Bath House. Subsequently, Revere Beach Boulevard was constructed along the original coastal alignment.

Revere Beach emerged as a favored vacation destination; by 1903, the railroad had installed double tracks to accommodate increased traffic. Significant events included the 1902 fire at the Narrow Gauge Hotel and numerous large public gatherings that drew substantial crowds. Of particular note was Theodore Roosevelt’s campaign visit in 1912. The Pines Hotel ceased operations in 1913 following a crackdown on unauthorized alcohol sales. In 1916, six passenger cars were sold to the East Broad Top Railroad, with three still remaining in service today.

The BRB&L experienced considerable success, transporting over seven million passengers annually by 1914—ranking it among the busiest rail corridors in North America. This heavy usage justified electrification efforts; by 1928, all cars were equipped with electric motors and steam locomotives were retired from service. Nevertheless, ridership declined during the economic downturn of the Great Depression, compounded by competition from automobiles following the opening of the Sumner Tunnel in 1934.

After unsuccessful attempts to find a buyer, BRB&L declared bankruptcy in 1937. In September 1938, a hurricane caused damage to overhead electrical wires and terminal facilities, exacerbating financial difficulties. The company sought permission for abandonment in 1939 and ultimately ceased operations on January 27, 1940, after running a final excursion train on October 15, 1939.

Winthrop sections

On July 1, 1891, BRB&L merged with the Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad (BW&S), itself a narrow gauge railway. The BW&S had been created on December 12, 1883, through consolidation of two lines: the Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad and the Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad.

Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad

Formed on July 3, 1876, this railroad inaugurated a narrow gauge route on June 7, 1877. Originating at Winthrop Junction where it branched off from BRB&L, it extended approximately 1.8 miles to Winthrop Center before later expansions eastward to Ocean Spray and southward to Short Beach. The southern portion was closed in 1881 to accommodate this realignment.

Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier, and Point Shirley Railroad

Incorporated in 1880, the EJBSP&PS constructed a standard gauge railway extending from the Eastern Railroad near Crescent Beach through Beachmont to Point Shirley. It largely shared its track corridor with the BW&PS by utilizing a three-rail dual-gauge system. Additionally, a branch line in Revere ran alongside the Eastern Railroad’s Chelsea Beach route. Although operations commenced in 1884 following its integration into BW&S, the line ceased service after just two summers due to damage caused by storms.

Post-merger

In late 1883, the Boston, Winthrop & Shore RR was formed through the consolidation of BW&PS, EJBSP&PS, and the unbuilt Boston & Winthrop. After storm-related disruptions in 1885, management from BRB&L took control. By 1888, a new loop line was established, incorporating segments of BW&PS’s former alignment along with newly laid tracks serving Winthrop Highlands, Center, and Beach areas. This loop was upgraded to double track by 1903 and remained operational until BRB&L ceased operations in 1940.

Point Shirley Street Railway

Construction began in August 1910 on a 1.2-mile single-track route from Winthrop Beach to Point Shirley, running along Shirley Street and Tafts Avenue. The BRB&L acquired this line with legislative approval in October 1912. By 1914, it was providing approximately 35 round trips daily, transporting over 165,000 passengers annually and employing seven workers.

Distinctively, the Point Shirley Street Railway initially operated without overhead electric wires; instead, it employed gasoline-powered streetcars followed by battery-powered vehicles owned by BRB&L. Due to their unreliability, buses replaced these cars by early 1919 as public demand grew for traditional electric streetcars. In response, BRB&L introduced lighter battery-powered streetcars in May 1919.

Despite this upgrade, the high cost of operating these vehicles on a route with low ridership led to their final replacement by buses in 1928.

After closure

Following electrification, the railroad’s value was estimated at $2 million but was ultimately sold for scrap at $118,756. Metal salvage operations involved removing tracks and catenary supports. Passenger cars failed to attract buyers at auction and were incinerated in 1940 to recover metal components. Motorized trucks were sold to Eastern Massachusetts entities. Most stations were demolished either after abandonment or during conversion to rapid transit use. Thornton station was repurposed as a residence in 1903 and is believed to still stand today. Similarly, Harbor View, which closed earlier and was relocated slightly, remains as a private home.

Bus service

After BRB&L discontinued service, passengers traveling between Lynn and Boston relied on buses operated by Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway (Eastern Mass) and trains from Boston and Maine Railroad. Those commuting from Revere to Boston used Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) streetcars connecting with the East Boston Tunnel; BERy also briefly ran bus service between Revere Beach and Point of Pines. Bus routes between Winthrop and Boston were managed by Saugus Transit (later Rapid Transit Inc.), initially under temporary permits. In April 1940, service was divided at Point of Pines: Service Bus Lines based in Revere covered Winthrop to Point of Pines while Eastern Mass from Lynn handled Lynn to Point of Pines trips—creating a new Lynn–Boston corridor.

In January 1941, Eastern Mass purchased the Lynn terminal along with adjacent right-of-way for busway purposes. After relocating its terminal to Central Square, the company sold the former site for commercial development.

Blue Line

In 1941, the Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) acquired the BRB&L corridor stretching from Day Square to Revere Beach with the intention of establishing a high-speed trolley service similar to the Ashmont–Mattapan High-Speed Line; however, World War II postponed these initiatives. Earlier studies conducted in 1926 and between 1945 and 1947 proposed extending the East Boston Tunnel rapid transit line along this alignment all the way to Lynn.

Construction was initiated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.) in 1948, leading to the opening of the Revere Extension up to Orient Heights in January 1952, featuring stops at Airport and Day Square. Suffolk Downs station followed in April 1952. The subsequent phase extended service to Wonderland by January 1954, adding Beachmont and Revere Beach stations. These stations from Orient Heights to Wonderland were situated on former BRB&L properties. The route received the designation Blue Line in 1965.

Despite numerous evaluations, plans to extend the Blue Line further toward Lynn have not advanced. The corridor between Revere Street and Point of Pines is currently owned by Massachusetts Electric Company, a subsidiary of National Grid, serving as a utility right of way largely overtaken by vegetation with some residential and parking area intrusions near Point of Pines. A 2011 Alternatives Analysis explored options including utilizing the Narrow Gauge right of way through Point of Pines or sharing track space with the Newburyport/Rockport Line.

Winthrop

The Winthrop Loop was not preserved for transit purposes; following abandonment, many stations were demolished shortly thereafter. The town owns much of the former right of way, parts of which have been converted into sections of Veterans Road and Walden Street, a baseball field adjacent to Fort Banks, and the Crystal Cove embankment. Other segments have been developed for residential and commercial projects, while a brief portion near Argyle Street functions as a pedestrian trail. In the 1990s, a short piece of track was installed in Winthrop Center as a commemorative feature.

Unlike the main BRB&L line, the Winthrop Loop did not have parallel mainline railroads or Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) streetcar routes. When BERy proposed bus services, Winthrop declined; instead, Saugus Transit initiated bus routes connecting Winthrop Beach immediately after BRB&L ceased operations, later operating under Rapid Transit Inc. These two routes roughly traced each half of the Loop and included connections to Point Shirley.

After World War II, Veterans Road was paved over the old right-of-way. In May 1956, the inbound terminus moved to a station that had opened in 1952. With its creation in 1964 to support suburban transit funding, the MBTA began subsidizing Winthrop bus services starting in 1968.

Paul Revere Transportation assumed control of Winthrop bus operations in July 1991. By September 1999, two routes serving the loop were officially numbered 712 Winthrop - Orient Heights via Highlands and 713 Winthrop - Orient Heights via Center, appearing on MBTA maps and signage. Outbound trips on route 712 connect directly with inbound trips on route 713; certain services extend onward to Point Shirley.

Other sections

The Orient Heights carhouse was repurposed as a casket manufacturing facility until it was destroyed by fire in March 2019. The right of way between Byron Street and Tomahawk Drive was acquired by the Massachusetts Port Authority for Logan Airport expansion projects. The segment passing through Jeffries Point remains under private ownership with tunnels that are still intact but partially buried. A portion of the corridor between Logan Airport and the Blue Line was converted into a U.S. Navy oil pipeline during the 1950s.

During World War II, General Electric purchased most of the Lynn right-of-way to facilitate expansion of its River Works plant, likely as part of settling outstanding electrification project debts. Subsequently, GE divested these parcels: one sold to a private developer in 1989; another near Commercial Street transferred to the MBTA in 1991 (partially resold later); and the western portion sold to a different developer in 2014. New England Power Company retains an easement across this western area for electrical transmission infrastructure.

Winthrop Loop

The tracks forming the loop branched off from the primary route just north of Orient Heights, bending eastward before dividing once more toward the east and south. After track removal, much of the former railbed was repurposed into roadways; however, some traces persist near Crystal Cove at Winthrop Beach Station and at the Belle Isle Marsh bridges close to Orient Heights. Presently, Veteran's Road follows a large portion of the old railway alignment, running parallel to Shirley Street. The train stations played a crucial role in shaping Winthrop’s suburban expansion, fostering commercial growth around these transit points that evolved into modern neighborhoods.

Station	Details
Pleasant Street	Situated at the northern tip of Pleasant Street adjacent to Belle Isle Terrace; currently utilized as a boat storage facility.
Battery	Originally known as Cherry Street Station, located at the intersection of Banks Street and Wilshire Street; now a gravel parking area serving a warehouse.
Highlands	Positioned where Crest Avenue Playground exists today; the former depot was approximately where the playground’s jungle gym stands.
Ocean Spray	Located at the junction of Shirley Street and present-day Veteran's Road; roughly corresponds to a used car dealership site.
Playstead	Found off Shirley Street opposite the Pearl Street crossing.
Winthrop Beach	At the corner of Shirley and current Washington Streets, near the location of DiParma's restaurant.
Thornton	Situated at the southern extremity of Winthrop Street by Pleasant’s beachfront; remnants of the railbed are still visible near Crystal Cove.
Winthrop Centre	Approximately where today’s Winthrop Center traffic circle lies; a commemorative 12-foot track section embedded in Hagman Road along with remaining steel power supports mark this historic site.
Ingalls	Located at the corner of Walden Street and Short Street; the line ran adjacent to the west side of Walden Street.

Steam locomotives

2nd #3 1st #4 2nd #4 3rd #4 1st #5 2nd #5 1st #6 2nd #6 1st #8 2nd #8 9 10 11

ALCO Manchester

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19112

50831

Scraped 12929

ALCOSchenectady

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19114

54590

Scraped 12929

ALCOSchenectady

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19114

54591

Scraped 12929

ALCOSchenectady

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19114

54592

Scraped 12929      

Number	Name	Manufacturer	Wheel arrangement	Year built	Works number	Remarks
1st #1	Orion	Mason Machine Works	0-4-4T	1873	508	Originally built for North and South of Georgia; sold to Nantucket Railroad as #1 Sconset in 1888
2nd #1		Hinkley Locomotive Works	4-4-0	1879		Transferred to Nantucket Railroad as #1 in 1901
3rd #1		ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1903	27801	Dismantled in 1929
1st #2	Pegasus	Mason Machine Works	0-4-6T	1875	549	Destroyed by fire at Winthrop Junction; scrapped in 1896
2nd #2		Manchester Locomotive Works	2-4-4T	1899	1707	Scrapped in 1929
1st #3	'Jupiter'	Mason Machine Works	'0-4-4' tank type 1875 550 Leased to Boston, Winthrop & Point Shirley Railroad in 1883; destroyed by fire and scrapped in 1896
Manchester Locomotive Works	2-4-4T	1899	1708	Scrapped 1929
'Mercury'	Porter Bell & Company	2-4-0	1876	Leased to Boston, Winthrop & Shirley Railroad in 1878; burned and scrapped 1896
Mason Machine Works	2-4-6 T	1882	683	Burned at Winthrop Junction in 1896; dismantled by 1904
ALCO Manchester	2-4-4T	1904	30125	Scrapped 1929
'Leo'	Hinkley Locomotive Works	4-4-0	1876	1240	Sold to Brown Company in Florida
Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1885	720	Rebuilt in 1917; scrapped 1929
'Draco'	Mason Machine Works	0-4-4 T	1876	559	Scrapped 1885
Mason Machine Works	2-4-4T	1886	727	Overhauled at ALCO Manchester shops in 1920; scrapped 1929
	Mason Machine Works		2-4-6 T		1882		684		Rebuilt at ALCO Manchester shops in 1920; scrapped 1929
	Mason Machine Works		2-4-4T		1883		692		Removed from service by 1900
	Manchester Locomotive Works		2-4-4T		1900		1741		Scrapped 1929
	Mason Machine Works		2-4-4T		1887		740		Dismantled in 1929
	Mason Machine Works		2-4-4T		1887		741		Scrapped 1929
	Taunton Locomotive Manufacturing Company		2-4-4T		1890		981		Refurbished in 1917; scrapped 1929
	Taunton Locomotive Manufacturing Company		2-4-4T		1890		982		Overhauled at ALCO Manchester shops in 1920; scrapped 1929
	Manchester Locomotive Works		2-4-4T		1900		1742		Scrapped 1929
	ALCO Manchester		2-4-4T		1902		25872		Dismantled by 1940
	ALCO Manchester		2-4-4T		1903		27802		Scrapped 1929
	ALCO Manchester		2-4-4T		1905		30499		Removed from service in 1929
	ALCO Manchester		2-4-4T		1906		39054		Scrapped 1929
	ALCO Manchester		2-4-4T		1907		42268	Operated through East Boston bumper block into Boston Harbor; scrapped in 1928
	ALCO Manchester		2-4-4T		1907		42741	Rebuilt in 1917; scrapped in 1929
	ALCO Manchester {{whyte |2–44–} } 19122 50830 Scrapped 19299

Ferryboats

Vessel Name	Year	Source	Final Status
Union	1875	Acquired from New Bedford-Taunton Railroad	Dismantled in 1889
Oriole	1876	Obtained from Providence, Warren & Fall River Railroad	Transferred to Washington Railroad of Lunder, North Carolina, 1878
City of Lynn	1878	Constructed by Bath Iron Works	Repurposed as sand barge in 1918
Swampscott	1882	Built by D. D. Kelly & Son, Boston	Sold for service on Portland to Peaks Island route, 1908
Dartmouth	1889	Manufactured in East Boston	Decommissioned in 1939
Ashburnham	1905	Built in Boston	Disposed of in 1940
Brewster	1906	Constructed in Boston	Disposed of in 1940
Newtown	1908	Built in Boston	Towed to Portland, Maine, in 1940

External links

• Map depicting Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Rail Road location, May 1875
• "The Coffee Roasters" of New England, regarding BRB&L