MBTA Cab Signal Project to Include All South side Lines

I previously reported on the Rule 562 cab signaling project on the Boston Line that extended the cab signaling from CP-21 in Framingham to the Amtrak division post at COVE.  It now appears that the need to install cab signaling for the ACSES PTC system is resulting in the same treatment being given to the Needham and Franklin Lines.

NEED Interlocking eastbound mast.

As we saw with the Boston Line, existing interlockings are being left unaltered, except for the addition of Rule 280a "Clear to Next Interlocking" lamps, as seen here at NEED interlocking on the Needham Branch during the summer of 2019.

New Franklin Line interlocking in Norfolk, MA

 An exception to this is on the Franklin Branch where several additional miles of double track are being added with the eventual goal of the double track extending all the way to Franklin/Dean College.  This is resulting in new interlockings with new cantilevers and new Safetran scallop shells arranged in a target formation.

Franklin Line Signal 284.

Most of the signals appear to be legitimate GRS G-Head signals, installed in the 1980's to replace the original New Haven signaling although the Franklin Branch will also be losing searchlight intermediates at mileposts 11.7 and 13.1.  Additional color light signal locations presumably being lost are mileposts 16.9, 22.1, 23.5, 25.9 and 28.4 on the Franklin Branch and mileposts 7.1, 9.6 and 10.6 on the Needham Branch.

Franklin Line signal 302

Uncertain are the 12.6 and 12.7 automatics around Needham Center and the 302 automatic at the Forge Park/495 Franklin Branch station where terminal operations make wayside signals somewhat useful.  As of Aug 2019, the holdout signal at CP-HEIGHTS on the Needham Branch did not have a 'C' board mounted.

Stoughton Branch CP-PORTER

Needless to say this should not have come as any surprise.  Not only were all three of the 90's/2000's Old Colony Lines built with complete Rule 562 signaling, but the short Stoughton Branch off the Amtrak Main Line at Canton Junction was 562 as well.  Moreover, the Dorchester Branch, cab signaled in the 80's during its time as Amtrak's route into Boston during the Southwest Corridor rebuild, lost its famous rectangular signals during a late ~2000 562 re-signaling project.  Ironically, this leaves Amtrak's Shore Line, the one with 150mph speeds and ACSES installed since 2000, as the only south side MBTA route to retain its intermediate signals.