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BOSTON, REVERE BEACH & LYNN RAILROAD

The Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn was one of the more unusual short lines in New England because it was a 3-foot gauge line and purely a passenger railroad with trains running on 10 or 15 minute headways. From inception in 1875 to 1928 trains were powered mainly by Mason Bogie steam engines and from 1928 until its demise in 1940 its trains were wooden passenger cars which had been electrified. It operated about 14 miles of route, including a mainline from a ferry terminal in East Boston to Lynn and a branch that circled around Winthrop.

A TYPICAL BRB&L THREE FOOT GAUGE TRAIN AT BEACHMONT ON THE WAY

TO LYNN FROM EAST BOSTON IN OCTOBER 1928 AT THE TIME OF ELECTRIFICATION.

Postcard mailed from Winthrop July 17, 1912.

TENDER LOCOMOTIVES - Only three of the 35 steam locomotives owned by the BRB&L had tenders. Two examples follow.

Second 1 was built by Hinkley in 1879 purchased in 1899 and sold in 1901 to the Nantucket RR.

Number 5, "Leo" was built by Hinkley in 1876 and sold by 1885

MASON BOGIE TYPE ENGINES - Mason began building its bogie engines in 1871 based on a design by Robert Fairlie. The engine swiveled under the boiler and was ideal for the light track of the BRB&L. It owned three of the locomotives when operations began in 1875 and when Mason closed its locomotive works the BRB&L continued to buy duplicates from Manchester and Schenectady. When steam operations ended in 1928, 26 Mason Bogies were still on the BRB&L. Although they could operate well in reverse, the BRB&L turned them at the terminals.