Academy Drive Railroad Crossing, Buzzards Bay

[atlantis]

I have a curious question.
When and why was the level railroad crossing on Academy Drive adjacent to Buzzards Bay station installed? I noticed that there is an ancient bridge abutment around the curve of the track as you head away from the station platform, (Which I've noticed continues past the crossing, and also remember the old platform before 1987 that seemed to be severed by the crossing.) which still has some 1970's-era graffiti, LOL!
I was told by someone the crossing was constructed in the 1960's at the behest of then-Penn Central railroad in order to discourage passenger rail from being restored, as it would block the crossing. IMHO, this idea is absurd as there are many examples of rail passenger service stopping adjacent to crossings, and I highly doubt that a road overpass would be subsequently abandoned on the mortal say-so of Penn Central! This person, who is a good soul, don't get me wrong, was also a conciliator, kind of making excuses for rail service opponents.

I tried to find out online about the history of the crossing, but had no results so far.
Any light shed would be much appreciated!

thanx!
Al

[The EGE]

Sometime between 1971 and 1991 based on Historic Aerials and Google Earth. The real reason appears to be the dredging of the cove for Taylor Point Marina.

[GP40MC1118]

I was going to say the same thing in regards to the marina, but its relatively new and
that bridge was closed way before it (?).

Dave

[The EGE]

The marina was there at least as far back as 1991. Unfortunately no good aerial imagery is available between 1971 and 1991.

[Bill Reidy]

I don't have an exact date when the Academy Drive crossing was opened, but it was at the latest the mid-1970s. I grew up in Wareham, and in the summer of 1978 my friend and I sat on the closed bridge to watch the Fourth of July fireworks across the canal in Bourne.

The reason the crossing was built was to bypass the old bridge and avoid a dangerous intersection at the rotary. The last passenger trains (summertime New York - Cape service) had run in 1964, so there was little concern about cutting across where the station platforms had been.

The bridge and its southern abutment came out in the 1980s when the marina was built.

[atlantis]

Thanks!

I remember seeing a 1950's photo of BB station showing all four tracks and some trains at the station. The view of the station was from the RR bridge end facing the platforms of the station, so as a result, it was difficult to tell by that view if the crossing was in place or not by that date.

Too bad the overpass couldn't be rebuilt, and the crossing removed, thus making way for trains to lay over at the station again! (with the other tracks restored!)

oh well, hopefully the crossing won't be the "thorn in the side" of present/future passenger services.

Al

[Cannonball]

I don't have an exact date when the Academy Drive crossing was opened, but it was at the latest the mid-1970s. I grew up in Wareham, and in the summer of 1978 my friend and I sat on the closed bridge to watch the Fourth of July fireworks across the canal in Bourne.

The reason the crossing was built was to bypass the old bridge and avoid a dangerous intersection at the rotary. The last passenger trains (summertime New York - Cape service) had run in 1964, so there was little concern about cutting across where the station platforms had been.

The bridge and its southern abutment came out in the 1980s when the marina was built.

I can remember seeing the old bridge (closed) at about the same time. Before the mid-1980s when the Rt25 (continuation of I-495) highway bypass finally opened going directly to the Bourne Bridge and Cape Cod, that rotary saw all Rt25/Rt28/Rt6 traffic travel through it. It was either grid-lock or a mass of cars flying through the rotary to the older bypass behind Main Street. Today, the volume is a lot less and more leisurely.

I see the Buzzards Bay sign at the station has not been replaced. It has been missing for about 20 years. It hung off the eves below the gutter.