Tim Killian wrote in news:h56dnbMbTfIAK6neRVn-
:

And to think, street car tokens paid for one of the great observatories
of the early 20th century.

Speaking of people named Killian, street car tokens and great engineering
feats of the 20th century, there's an academic legend making the rounds at
MIT about why the MBTA took away the street car that used to run up Mass
Ave, past the university's main entrance.

One day, the trolly stopped to pick up a small group of tech men who were
standing at the T-stop. One at a time, the engineering students boarded
the street car and deposited their nickels into the toll taking machine.

However, instead of taking their seats, the students promptly disembarked
through the rear exit and took their places in line again. When it was
their turn to board, they dutifully mounted the steps and put another
nickel into the toll machine.

"Well, this is not a problem," thought the driver. "They're paying the
toll, so they can do whatever they want, and the MBTA will reap the
profits." Thus the driver does not protest, and the bored looking group of
students continued to make their toll paying circuit.

Suddenly a signal was given from outside the train, and the driver heard a
loud hiss, accompanied by a shower of orange sparks. All the students ran
away giggling, and when the driver disembarked to see what had just
happened, he saw that, while he was distracted by the circuit of nickel
paying students, another group of engineers had surrepititiously planted
thermite charges on each of the trolly's wheels, and ignited them, welding
the trolly to the tracks!