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  • Abandonded Stations on Existing Commuter Rail lines

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1545093  by apodino
 
I was thinking about the commuter rail lines that are in service today and what we forget is that many of them at one time had stations that no longer exist today and I was wondering if anyone else could add input. Here are a few of what I came up with

Mount Hope - This was located in Roslindale on the Attleboro/Stoughton/Franklin line. The location was the Blakemore Street bridge just off of Hyde Park Ave. This station was closed when service was detoured over the Fairmount line during the Southwest Corridor project, and when service was restored back to the mainline, Mount Hope was not resurrected. (Powers that be felt that Forest Hills was too close, and had better transit service, not to mention that Cummins Highway would be a better location if a station was needed) No trace remains today

East Foxboro - This was somewhere on the Attleboro line between Sharon and Mansfield. This station was closed in 1977 when Foxborough didn't want to pay for continued service. I don't know the exact location but maps would indicate it was on Cocasset St. or somewhere like that

Rustcraft - This was on the Franklin line and was closed in 1977. The station was just east of the current Dedham Corporate Center station, which basically serves a similar purpose.

Clematis Brook - This was along the Fitchburg line in Waltham off of Beaver Street. This closed in 1978 due to low ridership.

Beaver Brook - Another Fitchburg line stop in Waltham, this was near the route 20 bridge. This was also closed in 1978 due to low ridership. A bit of platform still remains next to the outbound track.

West Acton - A Fitchburg line stop in Acton near Mass ave, this station was closed when the MBTA cut service back to South Acton when dealing with budget issues in the 70's. Service was restored in 1980 but the MBTA wanted to speed up times to Gardner, and kept Shirley and West Acton closed. Shirley reopened, but West Acton never did. Littleton was relocated 1.6 miles to the current side at the same time.

Lechmere Warehouse - A brief employee only stop in Woburn near the Warehouse. Was abandoned somewhere around 1997. Remnants of platforms exist.

Shawsheen - This was on the Haverhill line in Andover. I don't know exactly where it was, but the station was closed in 1980.

Harbor - This station was in Gloucester on the Rockport line. It opened to serve a nearby apartment complex (Similar to Windsor Gardens on the Franklin line) It was a minimal station that basically resembled Silver Hill or Plimptonville. The station was closed when a fire destroyed a bridge between Salem and Beverly. When service was resumed, Harbor station remained closed, and officials chose to reopen West Gloucester instead.

That's what I discovered. Anyone else have input to share?
 #1545131  by MBTA3247
 
apodino wrote: Tue Jun 09, 2020 6:16 pmLechmere Warehouse - A brief employee only stop in Woburn near the Warehouse. Was abandoned somewhere around 1997. Remnants of platforms exist.
Would that be the Anixter warehouse off Wildwood Ave?
Harbor - This station was in Gloucester on the Rockport line. It opened to serve a nearby apartment complex (Similar to Windsor Gardens on the Franklin line) It was a minimal station that basically resembled Silver Hill or Plimptonville. The station was closed when a fire destroyed a bridge between Salem and Beverly. When service was resumed, Harbor station remained closed, and officials chose to reopen West Gloucester instead.
The Heights At Cape Ann complex has a path that appears to lead off to the tracks, could that be it?
 #1545134  by caduceus
 
West Acton was in between Mass Ave and Arlington Streets, with the station house on or near where New London Pizza sits now. The station house was demolished back in the 60s, and there isn't any real sign of the stop today that I know of, but I think I remember still seeing signs of yellow-painted asphalt platform back in the early 2000s, and telegraph wire poles that followed the tracks.
 #1545142  by BandA
 
Are we talking about stations abandoned during the MBTA era or all-time?

On the Framingham/Worcester Line:
==============================
Original Boston terminal on/near Kneeland St?
Trinity Place (outbound) replaced by BBY
Huntington Ave (inbound) replaced by BBY
Cottage Farm aka University (closed 1959?)
Allston (Large station still exists, now Pizzeria Regina) (closed 1959?)
Faneuil (in Brighton) (closed 1959?)
Newton (in Newton Corner Square) (closed 1959?)
Riverside (arson in the 1960s, closed 1977)
Ashland (station still exists)(relocated about where Cordaville was??)
Southville
Westboro (station still exists)(relocated)
North Grafton (relocated)
There are a couple more I think...

(Much of the info from http://www.zekedev.com/sites/boston_line/trackchart.cfm)
 #1545161  by The EGE
 
Here's my list of all station abandoned without replacement during the MBTA era (since August 1964). Stations that never were subsidized by the MBTA are in parentheses. I've also noted the cross street, year of abandonment, and if the station building is extant.

NORTHSIDE (58)
Central Mass Branch: (11)
  • Waltham North @ Lexington, 1971
  • Waltham Highlands @ Hammond, 1971 - building extant
  • Weston @ Church, 1971 - building extant
  • Cherry Brook @ Concord, 1971
  • Tower Hill @ Plain, 1971
  • Wayland @ Hudson, 1971 - building extant
  • East Sudbury @ Landham, 1971
  • South Sudbury @ Union, 1971 - building extant
  • Ordway @ Parmenter, 1965
  • Gleasondale @ Chestnut, 1965
  • Hudson @ Railroad, 1965
Fitchburg Line: (6)
  • Clematis Brook @ Beaver, 1978
  • Beaver Brook @ Main, 1978
  • (Riverview @ Prospect & Hope), 1965
  • West Acton @ Massachusetts, 1975
  • Littleton @ King, 1975 - building extant
  • Gardner @ Main, 1987
Lexington Branch: (8)
  • Lake Street @ Lake, 1977
  • Arlington @ Mystic , 1977
  • East Lexington @ Fottier, 1977
  • Pierces Bridge @ Maple, 1977
  • Munroe @ private driveway, 1977
  • Lexington @ Edison, 1977 - building extant
  • North Lexington @ Valley, 1977
  • Bedford @ S, 1977 - building extant
Woburn Branch: (2)
  • Cross Street @ Cross, 1981
  • Woburn @ Pleasant, 1981
Lowell Line: (11)
  • Tufts University @ Boston, 1979
  • Winchester Highlands @ Cross, 1978
  • (Walnut Hill @ Salem), 1965
  • Lechmere Warehouse @ private driveway, circa 1996 - platforms extant
  • (Silver Lake @ Wild), 1965
  • (East Billerica @ Gray), 1965
  • (North Chelmsford @ Church), 1967
  • Nashua @ Bridge, 1981
  • Merrimack @ Railroad, 1981 - building extant
  • Manchester @ Depot, 1981
  • Concord @ Dubois, 1981
Wildcat Branch: (1)
  • (Salem Street @ Salem), 1967 - platform extant
Haverhill Line: (13)
  • (Wakefield Junction @ Railroad), 1965
  • Shawsheen @ Haverhill, circa 1976 - building extant
  • North Andover @ Sutton, 1974 - building extant
  • (Atkinson @ Route 121), 1967
  • (Plaistow @ Route 121A), 1967 - building extant
  • (Newton Junction @ West Main), 1967
  • (Powwow River @ Route 107A), 1967
  • (East Kingston @ Route 107), 1967 - building extant
  • (Exeter @ Linda), 1967 - building extant
  • (Newfields @ Swamscott), 1967
  • (Newmarket @ Gerry), 1967 - building extant
  • (Durham @ Main), 1967 - building extant
  • (Dover @ Chestnut), 1967
Newburyport Line: (3)
  • (Hampton @ Exeter), 1965 - building extant
  • (North Hampton @ Atlantic), 1965 - building extant
  • (Portsmouth @ Maplewood), 1965
Rockport Branch: (1)
  • Harbor @ private path - 1985
SOUTHSIDE (17)
Worcester Line: (1)
  • Riverside @ Charles, 1977 - platform extant
Needham Branch: (0)
West Medway Branch: (8)
  • Charles River @ Fisher, 1967
  • Dover @ Dedham, 1967 - building extant
  • Farm Street @ Farm, 1967
  • Medfield @ Adams, 1967
  • Clicquot @ Union, 1967
  • Millis @ Exchange, 1967 - building extant
  • (Medway @ Winter), 1966
  • (West Medway @ Norfolk), 1966
Dedham Branch: (3)
  • East Dedham @ Walnut, 1967
  • Stone Haven @ Mt. Vernon, 1967
  • Dedham @ Eastern, 1967
Franklin Line: (2)
  • Rust Craft @ Rustcraft, 1977
  • (Blackstone @ St. Paul), 1966
Providence Line: (3)
  • Mount Hope @ Blakemore, 1979
  • East Foxboro @ Community, 1977
  • Pawtucket/Central Falls @ Railroad, 1981 - building extant
Fairmount Line: (0)
Old Colony Lines: (0)
 #1545169  by The EGE
 
Notable relocations have included:
  • Ayer, 1980s - old platform extant
  • North Leominster, 2000 - old platforms extant
  • Fitchburg, 2000 - old platform extant
  • Lawrence, 2004 - old station and island platform extant
  • Salem, 1987 - old station and platforms extant
  • Worcester, 2000 - old station and platforms extant
  • Providence, 1986 (no MBTA service at that time) - old station extant
Other locations on current lines with extant station buildings closed before the MBTA era (many of which have reopened stations at other locations):
  • Ashland, 1960 - current station is to the west
  • Southville, 1960
  • Westborough, 1960 - current station is to the west
  • North Grafton, 1960 - current station is to the east
  • Avon, 1959
  • Bridgewater, 1959 - current station is to the south
  • South Weymouth, 1959 - current station is to the south
  • North Abington, 1959
  • Kingston, 1959 - current station is on new branch
  • Hingham, 1959
  • Cohasset, 1959 - current station is to the west
Major closures in the years just before MBTA subsidies began:
  • July 1953: Manchester-Lawrence
  • October 1, 1957: Medford Branch (including Wellington)
  • April 1958: Newton Corner, Faneuil, Brighton, Allston, and University closed for Turnpike Extension construction
  • September 5, 1958: New Bedford, Fall River, and Taunton service (via Stoughton since 1955) ended
  • May 18, 1958: Maynard Branch, Saugus Branch, Essex Branch (Salem-Danvers), and Stoneham Branch closed. Central Mass Branch cut from Clinton to Hudson. Numerous inner-zone stations cut: Waverley (reopened 1974), Belmont (1974), Arlington Heights, Brattle, Arlington (1965), Lake Street (1968), Medford Hillside, Tufts College (1977), North Somerville, Edgeworth, Oak Grove, East Somerville, Everett, Chelsea (1985), Forbes.
  • May 31, 1958: Highland Branch closes for conversion to the Riverside Line.
  • June 14, 1959: Swampscott Branch, Marblehead Branch, Danvers Branch, and the north half of the Woburn Loop. Service north of Reading moved to Lowell Line/Wildcat Branch.
  • June 30, 1959: Old Colony Division closed. This included Greenbush, Plymouth, Hyannis, and Falmouth service, plus short turns.
  • April 23, 1960: All service west of Fitchburg ended
  • April 24, 1960: All stations west of Framingham except Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Albany closed.
  • 1964: B&A stations at Huntington Avenue and Trinity Place closed for Turnpike construction; a small platform was built at Back Bay station for the handful of remaining B&A trains.
 #1545187  by The EGE
 
Combination of rationalization of existing stops, and one-train-a-day routes cut when no one was willing to subsidize them. Most of the individual stops that were cut were very low ridership. The only of them you'd even consider re-adding today would be East Billerica (to serve Tewksbury), Salem Street (to replace North Wilimington when you eventually reroute Haverhill service via the Wildcat), and Pawtucket/Central Falls (actively in planning).
 #1545203  by TomNelligan
 
R36 Combine Coach wrote:The number of stops cut circa 1965 right after MBTA subsidy began is quite staggering. Or was it "rationalization" as a condition for continuation of passenger service under MBTA?
In addition to closure of little-used station, it had to do with the nature of the state subsidy. The MBTA was legally able to subsidize service only within its 78-town (at the time) district, and any municipalities outside MBTA district had to pay up to retain service or lose it. That's how Fitchburg trains got cut back to South Acton and Blackstone trains to Franklin, among others.
 #1545266  by The EGE
 
Rockingham Racer wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2020 10:13 am Seems to me I used to see a station in Lawrence from the S Union St. overpass. It would have been just about where the Frost interlocking plant is.
The nearest station to the east of South Union Street (towards FROST) was North Andover, but that wouldn't have been visible. (Both the heavily modified station building and the 1840-built freight house on the original alignment are still there.) Are you thinking of the pre-2004 Lawrence station, which is visible to the west?
arthur d. wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2020 4:42 am There was one in Haverhill, almost to Plaistow, Rosemont?
There used to be two stops between Haverhill and Plaistow. Rosemont (station building still intact) had only two daily round trips by 1946, and closed before the MBTA era. Atkinson (at NH-121 just feet north of the state line) lasted until the Dover round trip was cut in 1967.

The 1979 edition of the MBTA Commuter Rail map infamously included a very optimistic plan of the restoration of service north of Reading on the Western Route:
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The Methuen branch never saw service, nor did Rosemont and North Andover.

North Andover is unlikely to ever be reactivated; it's less than a mile from the new Lawrence station. But Rosemont is potentially a future station to replace the Plaistow plans that NH politics killed - it has good access from both 125 and 495. The MBTA is reportedly constructing a new layover yard off Hilldale Avenue a few feet south from the NH state line; if so, a Rosemont station would make use of deadhead miles.