Narrative:

On bos runway 14 holding short of taxiway J1 I was cleared to 'taxi to runway 04R.' ACARS was inoperative and first officer was heads down reviewing fuel re-release and obtaining new tps for possible intersection departure. While taxiing I cleared runway 04L final visually and as I slowed approaching the intersection of runways 14-04R I noticed no runway hold short bars or signs. I stopped short of runway 04R and asked the first officer about lack of hold short bars/signs. Even though holding short of the runway we queried ATC who asked if we saw the markings. We replied negative. After takeoff departure control gave us a phone number and asked to call upon landing regarding a possible pilot deviation. Additional information/contributing factors/comments: 1) ACARS inoperative caused additional workload and first officer heads down. 2) the use of runway 14 for taxi was new to me and unexpected. Prior to gate departure I did review the runways on the commercial chart page; and inset box. I realize that runways used for taxi and lahso operations are mandated for increased tarmac paint bars but do not believe this to be the case with runway 14. After the fact I noticed that the smgs page commercial chart does not provide for taxi to runway 04R using runway 14. Construction issues aside if runway 14 is to be used charts and signage should be improved or an alternative means of alerting crews such as J8; F4; H16; and or notes of field report on commercial chart pages. 3) it is my understanding that this same event has occurred prior to the above occurrence numerous times since runway 14 has opened. In closing; please note that it was us; the flight crew; who questioned the situation even though we were well clear and operationally comfortable. We initiated the question. Maybe it's time to put another layer of safety in the system; especially since it has happened numerous times before. Please alert crews to this situation.supplemental information from acn 742161: when given instructions to taxi down runway 14; and hold short of runway 04R; we never saw the hold short lines. They are apparently temporary lines; put in for the duration of the taxiway construction; and were not obvious to us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 TAXIING TO RWY 4R AT BOS ON RWY 14 FAILS TO NOTICE RWY 4R HOLD SHORT LINE.

Narrative: ON BOS RWY 14 HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY J1 I WAS CLRED TO 'TAXI TO RWY 04R.' ACARS WAS INOP AND FO WAS HEADS DOWN REVIEWING FUEL RE-RELEASE AND OBTAINING NEW TPS FOR POSSIBLE INTXN DEP. WHILE TAXIING I CLRED RWY 04L FINAL VISUALLY AND AS I SLOWED APCHING THE INTXN OF RWYS 14-04R I NOTICED NO RWY HOLD SHORT BARS OR SIGNS. I STOPPED SHORT OF RWY 04R AND ASKED THE FO ABOUT LACK OF HOLD SHORT BARS/SIGNS. EVEN THOUGH HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY WE QUERIED ATC WHO ASKED IF WE SAW THE MARKINGS. WE REPLIED NEGATIVE. AFTER TKOF DEP CTL GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER AND ASKED TO CALL UPON LNDG REGARDING A POSSIBLE PLT DEVIATION. ADDITIONAL INFO/CONTRIBUTING FACTORS/COMMENTS: 1) ACARS INOP CAUSED ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD AND FO HEADS DOWN. 2) THE USE OF RWY 14 FOR TAXI WAS NEW TO ME AND UNEXPECTED. PRIOR TO GATE DEP I DID REVIEW THE RWYS ON THE COMMERCIAL CHART PAGE; AND INSET BOX. I REALIZE THAT RWYS USED FOR TAXI AND LAHSO OPS ARE MANDATED FOR INCREASED TARMAC PAINT BARS BUT DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE CASE WITH RWY 14. AFTER THE FACT I NOTICED THAT THE SMGS PAGE COMMERCIAL CHART DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR TAXI TO RWY 04R USING RWY 14. CONSTRUCTION ISSUES ASIDE IF RWY 14 IS TO BE USED CHARTS AND SIGNAGE SHOULD BE IMPROVED OR AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF ALERTING CREWS SUCH AS J8; F4; H16; AND OR NOTES OF FIELD RPT ON COMMERCIAL CHART PAGES. 3) IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS SAME EVENT HAS OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE ABOVE OCCURRENCE NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE RWY 14 HAS OPENED. IN CLOSING; PLEASE NOTE THAT IT WAS US; THE FLT CREW; WHO QUESTIONED THE SITUATION EVEN THOUGH WE WERE WELL CLR AND OPERATIONALLY COMFORTABLE. WE INITIATED THE QUESTION. MAYBE IT'S TIME TO PUT ANOTHER LAYER OF SAFETY IN THE SYSTEM; ESPECIALLY SINCE IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE. PLEASE ALERT CREWS TO THIS SITUATION.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 742161: WHEN GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI DOWN RWY 14; AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 04R; WE NEVER SAW THE HOLD SHORT LINES. THEY ARE APPARENTLY TEMPORARY LINES; PUT IN FOR THE DURATION OF THE TXWY CONSTRUCTION; AND WERE NOT OBVIOUS TO US.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.