A. He has a wooden leg. The Globe's Emily Sweeney reports on the 1955 fall her grandfather took onto the tracks at what was then Park Street Under. Afterwards, he made the news around the world.
I would've guessed he was ok because the tracks had no power and free shuttle buses were running. However, he swiped his Charlie Card and went down to the platform because he didn't know about the buses thanks to terrible signage and no staff.
... but the third rail potential is 600 volts; touching it with a (dry!) shoe or with a (dry!) clothed body part is probably* not going to kill you the first time you try it.
Speaking of Park Street Under, the 1979 Boston TV show by that name starring a young Steve Sweeney is quietly credited as the inspiration for Cheers. Produced by WCVB TV-5, it was one of the only half-hour sitcoms made by a local station outside of Hollywood. Longtime WBZ radio overnight host Bob Raleigh used to conduct an on-air quiz game beginning with, "If we were to ask the first ten commuters getting off the train at Park Street under the following question..." The "under' part of the Park Street name, still in every day use into the 80's, has since faded. It was nice to see it again in the old articles.
Comments
2019 Answer
I would've guessed he was ok because the tracks had no power and free shuttle buses were running. However, he swiped his Charlie Card and went down to the platform because he didn't know about the buses thanks to terrible signage and no staff.
;P
Well done, Ryan!
So in technical terms he was
So in technical terms he was a poor train conductor?
Not to cheapen his story...
... but the third rail potential is 600 volts; touching it with a (dry!) shoe or with a (dry!) clothed body part is probably* not going to kill you the first time you try it.
*don't try this.
Shipping up to Boston?
I'm a sailor peg
And I've lost my leg
Climbing up the third rail
I've lost my leg!
He would have been working for the T
But he wasn't conductor material.
The mustache!!!!
n/t
Another Riddle
Q: Why did Boston and Maine refuse to hire this guy?
A: They already knew that he was a poor conductor.
Park Street Under TV Show - 40 years ago this year
Speaking of Park Street Under, the 1979 Boston TV show by that name starring a young Steve Sweeney is quietly credited as the inspiration for Cheers. Produced by WCVB TV-5, it was one of the only half-hour sitcoms made by a local station outside of Hollywood. Longtime WBZ radio overnight host Bob Raleigh used to conduct an on-air quiz game beginning with, "If we were to ask the first ten commuters getting off the train at Park Street under the following question..." The "under' part of the Park Street name, still in every day use into the 80's, has since faded. It was nice to see it again in the old articles.
I have to wonder..
... did it smolder a bit?