BOSTON SWITCH
Boston Switch was the name given to the place in Central Falls where the Boston & Providence joined the Providence & Worcester in 1848.
HIGHBALL
An 1858 employees timetable showed that the junction was protected by a hand operated ball signal, that is, a mast on which a ball during daylight or a lantern at night was hoisted to indicate stop or proceed. The ball was BLACK, not the common red or white. The lantern was red. All Boston & Providence trains could proceed if a black ball or red lantern were displayed at the top of the signal mast. Providence & Worcester trains heading north toward Valley Falls could also proceed through the junction if a black ball or red lantern were at the top of the mast. However, Providence & Worcester trains heading south toward Pawtucket had to stop when a black ball or red lantern were displayed at the top of the signal mast. Because at this time trains operated on the left, a northbound Providence & Worcester train and a southbound Boston & Providence train would not collide when both proceeded through the junction obeying a highball.
THE INFAMOUS COLLISION ON AUGUST 12, 1853
WAS NOT CAUSED BY JUNCTION PROCEDURES
The first railroad disaster to be photographed occurred between two Providence & Worcester trains on the single track about a half mile north of Boston Switch not far north of the curve near Blackstone Street in Central Falls. The northbound train failed to wait for the southbound train due to a miscalculation by the train's conductor. The accident left thirteen dead and thirty badly injured. However, the tragedy was not the fault of the junction and the wreck seems to have been the last in the vicinity of Boston Switch ,
IN 1882 THE PROVIDENCE & WORCESTER PROTECTED ITS ENTIRE LINE BY INSTALLING A UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM WITH DISTANT AND HOME SIGNALS WHICH WERE OPERATED BY TRACK CIRCUITS SIMILAR TO MODERN SIGNAL SYSTEMS.
The postcard mailed in 1911 shows the interlocking system and tower built in 1890-1891 to control the junction. The tower at the Foundry Street crossing housed a 24 lever interlocking machine with a reach of 1600 feet. The tower replaced a system of ground switches. The track on the left is an industrial siding while the two tracks on the right are the mainline. The Providence & Worcester is the tangent while the Boston & Providence curves to the right. Until September 22, 1896 trains operated on the left. Notice that Railroad Street on the left is at the same grade as the track. That would change with the relocation.
VIEW FROM TRAIN ON ROUTE TO WORCESTER EARLY 1930s
The route to Boston curves to the right. Photo by John W. Barriger, III.
THE BRICK SIGNAL TOWER BUILT IN 1914
Photo By Edward J. Ozog
SS 156 was built to protect the east end of the line relocation. Switches and signals were operated by electricity. The plan of the tower was similar to SS 154 built at the same time at the west end of the relocation but adjusted for its location and orientation. The tower was reduced to short hours when the depression struck and it was closed in 1935 and its duties transferred to Woodlawn Tower. In 1937 the interlocking machine was sent to Bridgeport for use in SS 60. The view is from the location of the first tower c.1955.
SS 156 THE TOWER AT BOSTON SWITCH IN APRIL 1934 SHORTLY BEFORE IT CLOSED
EMD FL-9's power a Boston bound express canting to the old Boston & Providence curve at Boston Switch. The view is toward the depot and the Ashley Street bridge c 1958. The semaphore on the Providence & Worcester route is a home signal with one blade out of the photo.
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
A TRAIN FROM BOSTON JOINS THE LINE FROM WORCESTER c.1957.
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
TRAIN FOR BOSTON EASING INTO THE BOSTON & PROVIDENCE CURVE.
View is toward the southeast c.1955. The tower is left, the station right.
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
BOSTON SWITCH FROM THE BOSTON & PROVIDENCE CURVE.
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
The SS156 tower can be seen above the first car of the Boston local powered by ALCO DL-109's. The old U.S. Cotton mill and the Notre Dame steeple are in the background c.1955.
A NEW HAVEN I-1 CLASS PACIFIC TYPE WITH A THREE-CAR BOSTON TO PROVIDENCE LOCAL
The photograph c. late 1940's from the Ashley Street bridge shows the crossing under the last car. The crossing of the southbound P&W line by the westbound B&P line was later removed and northbound trains for the P&W line had to use a crossover installed between the middle track in the photo and the track under the locomotive.
BOSTON SWITCH FROM THE ASHLEY STREET BRIDGE EARLY 1961.
Photo By Edward J. Ozog
The head on collision between two Providence & Worcester passenger trains in 1853 occurred just beyond the curve to the left which was a single track at the time. The curve and rock outcropping, which can barely be seen in the photo, prevented the locomotive engineers from seeing far ahead. The northbound train should have waited for the other train to pass before proceeding on to the single track.
BOSTON SWITCH FROM ASHLEY STREET
WESTBOUND EXPRESS c. 1957
AT THE POINT WHERE FOUNDRY CROSSED BEFORE THE RELOCATION
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
EASTBOUND FREIGHT POWERED BY AN ALCO FA-1 AND FB-1 FROM BEHIND THE FENCE
Photo By Edward J. Ozog
A five foot high steel picket fence was built at the time of the line relocation to enclose the roadbed from Boston Switch to Woodlawn tower. The SS 156 tower is to the left at the signal c.1956.
ALCO RS-11's LEAD A FREIGHT INTO BOSTON SWITCH
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
The 1956 view is from the rock ledge behind the SS 156 tower
VIEW FROM THE ROCK LEDGE BEHIND THE TOWER c.1956.
PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG
The factory on the left and the pumping station on the right are in Pawtucket which is across the Blackstone River which the westbound train is crossing on a plate girder bridge. Massachusetts is at the far left.
The modified Budd RDC's were once part of the six car "Roger Williams" which was built for Boston-NewYork service but here split into two sets for Providence-Boston local service c.1958. Photo by Edward J. Ozog
The Boston Switch Tower about 1931.showing the same side as the photo above.
The milepost is W39 - Worcester 39 Miles.
THE WESTBOUND "SENATOR" FOR WASHINGTON AT BOSTON SWITCH c.1955.
Photo by Edward J. Ozog
A single FM C-Liner powers a Boston express through Boston Switch c.1955.
The SS 156 tower and the old U.S. Cotton Co. are in the background.
PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG
THE PROVIDENCE & WORCESTER MILEPOST AT BOSTON SWITCH
---- PROVIDENCE - FIVE MILES ----
Photo By Edward J. Ozog
TRACK ARRANGEMENT AT BOSTON SWITCH
(Not to Scale)
The red and purple lines represent the simplified track layout of the 1950's. The blue lines are tracks in place in 1915 when the line relocation was finished but removed years later. The section outlined in black was added to eliminate the crossing.
BOSTON SWITCH IN THE 1970's
The Boston & Providence's connector to East Junction curves to the right while the Providence & Worcester's route heads to Valley Falls. Both routes cross the Blackstone River just outside the photograph. Note that the location of the track that once connected the two routes can be seen clearly. Old maps also show this track connected only to the P&W route serving as a siding to a large copper refineing company.
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