Hoping to get input from some Bostonians here...

I'm starting up a new campaign which will focus on the Boston Catacombs and the power struggle in the wake of Mama's passing, and I'd appreciate it if someone could help me with some more specific questions.

I've been to all the Boston train websites and fan sites I could find, but I'm still abit confused as to which parts of the Boston railsystem that are in actual tunnels, and which stations are actually underground (and if anyone has more info on the tunnels under Boston, feel free to share - sewers, storm drains, whatever)

Also, I was wondering if anyone out there knows how the powerrail/cables are situated for the various trains (subway primarily).

And any links to resource sites on Boston are also appreciated

Not in the least what you asked for, but some info:

Don't... get it...

If you spent the last gazillion years swerving around cranes to get to the North End because of the Big Dig, you would. Or watching the toll on 90 double so you can get into town.

As anyone who lives in Boston can tell you, it's the T (and the roads in general) are in a constant state of flux. Roads close, open, and become one way going the other way with little or no warning. Add a population of aggressive and generally impatient drivers (once I adjusted to driving in Boston, I realized I couldn't drive anywhere else...my fiance was mortified when she took me to Pittsburgh). In other words, it's the perfect place for a Rigger.

On to the T: Most of the T is below ground, although there are stretches of it running aboveground. I don't know it end-to-end, but here's a start:

On the Red Line, Charles/Mass General Hospital is above around and so is the bridge heading over to Cambridge. It goes underground quickly after that and remains there out to Alewife.

On the Orange Line there are spots of aboveground travel between NE Medical and Forest Hills, although most of the stations are still underground.

Bowdoin (end of the Blue Line) isn't always open. Yes, there's some schedual to it. No one I know can tell you what it is.

As a rule of thumb, most of the center stops and tracks are below line while it comes aboveground in the 'burbs.

Commonwealth Ave offers a great place for a car chase. Two lanes going either way divided by an aboveground T line (Green) with occasional chances to zip into opposing traffic.

The Silver Line doesn't exist.

There are a lot of different levels and old tunnels out there. Just riding through Park St. you'll see disused cars and tracks in the flickering light before you pull up to the platform. If I was Mama, I'd be sure to control the rectangle (trapezoid) formed by Chinatown, Aquarium, North Station, and Park. Lots of old build there and access to the vital parts of the city.

And, afaik, most if not all of the underground tracks run off a third rail.

By the 2060s they might actually get the Silver Line functional.
Naaah...

Remember, the Green Line doesn't always go where it says it goes. After 9:00 or 10:00 PM, it usually doesn't go where it says it goes.

~J

Ok, for the Green Line...

The B, C, and D lines west of Kenmore are all above ground. The E line after Copley is also above ground, I believe. On the other side, Science Park and Lechmere are above ground.

I think the Orange Line is above ground from Community College northwards. I'm not sure about the southern end of it.

Blue line is above ground eastwards from Aquarium, though I'm not exactly certain of that. I do know it's above ground for the last few stops, at least.

As has been mentioned, the Red Line is mostly underground within the city itself, except for the bridge over the Charles and the Charles/MGH stop. I'm not really sure what it does once it heads out through Southie and Quincy, though.

Ahhhh home ground... This is really getting me thinking about doing some reserch on this... look up a bunch of old maps and what not.

Green Line... Confusing. About the spot where they all join tougther its all underground, and is 3rd rail, but before that its overhead.
Red Line... Not all that confusing. Pretty much all underground.
Blue Line... Short. Bedowin to the Airport is underground.
Orange Line... Im not all that sure. Im almost never on the orange line... its above ground somewhere, and still has some OLD (1940s ish) trolly cars in service.
Silver Line... can I start laughing now? Bus service is spoty at best.
Commuter Rail... Would be expanded by 2060.

However, this site Abandoned MBTA sites sounds like its gonna be prefect for your use.

The Red Line is above-ground a decent amount outbound past UMass.

~J

Meh, shows what I know. Im not on that end of the city that much.

Whereas I'm right next to one of the trolley stations past Mattapan, so I'm intimately familiar with it

~J

Pavlov, TheScamp, Lindt and Kagetenshi - thank you very much Now I have alot more details and things to work with - much obliged!

(and if anyone has more little details or factoids I can use for flavor, please post )

One thing to keep in mind is that the green line is pretty much owned by college students. The B Line goes through Boston University (my alma mater) and ends at Boston College. In my SR Boston, I turned BU into a walled compound (because I'm pretty sure that's what would happen) through which the train would run. The C Line goes up Beacon St. where lots of students live and Northeastern is on the E line. I think the D line goes up to Chestnut Hill, but I'm not sure how accessible BC is from that stop. Kenmore station is the closest to Fenway Park, which is across the street from a bunch of bars and the Avalon, which is a runner bar according to one of the SR novels (I can't remember which one, but I stole it for my campaign there). The Avalon actually is a club there now. Kenmore's also where the B,C and D lines converge to go into the city, or diverge heading out. The real key is that there are never enough trains running around, say, rush hour, at which point the trains are PACKED going outbound. The green line trains also tend to be narrower than the other lines in Boston and other comparable subway lines (like the Metro in Washington). They also like to do construction at random times, at which point trains will often not run on the outbound tracks.
Anyway, hopefullyyou'll find some of this useful.

Luck with your project.

Ahhh, perfect - now I got the location of the Avalon too! Thank you doubly AIM-54

The Red Line's got a solid college presence, too, what with Harvard Square and Kendall Square.

Edit: and UMass.

~J

Dispite my having lived in New England for 2 years and visiting family there for on a regular basis I've never rode the T. Give me a few hours and I can get you everything you ever wanted.

Heres an odd fact tho, you can't ride the T if you have a camera on a 'pod mono or tri.