Ah, Wedgemere. Wedgemere is the last station I chronologically visited on the line with Brooke, and is it any decent? Actually, yeah, it’s passable at least. Let’s look at it.
First off, Wedgemere has a modest amount of parking and, unlike most Commuter Rail stations, is elevated. WOOHOO! A NOVELTY! But, there’s more to it. Not only is it elevated, you can partially walk through the station building (and, kinda need to, to get up to the platform). Unfortunately though, it’s otherwise seen better days. Ramps also exist for ADA reasons, as do mini-highs. On the platform, you have your usual amenities of wastebaskets, benches, and sheltered areas (which extend the entire platform on the outbound side, but not the inbound). As another fun tidbit, getting on the low-level bit is like a sobriety test as, like Sharon, it’s on a banked curve. In a sense, that would make Wedgemere the Sharon of the north side. This is presumably also so the Downeaster can fly through at a full 79mph. Also, there’s quite a bit of greenery around here and it’s the start of the Mystic Valley Parkway, so there’s that as well. Neat!
The good: It’s elevated! Furthermore, it’s got a decent amount of parking, greenery, and even some bicycling infrastructure nearby! There’s also a park next to the station, and a beach is a 10 minute walk away as well, if you want to relax by the water on a warm summer day.
The bad: Eh, it feels run-down a bit, and the station building seems of sorry quality. Aside from that, there’s no major faults with the station itself. Just be visible on the platform as it is a flag stop during offpeak hours (though, it’s high ridership even offpeak, so that shouldn’t be an issue)
Nearby points of interest: There’s a park and a beach! If you’re willing to hike a little, Winchester’s town center has more things to do! (alas though, Winchester Center is demolished as of writing this!)
Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Lowell)
MBTA bus (134, if willing to walk about half a mile)
Overall, I really like Wedgemere, and would quite happily give it a perfect 10 if it weren’t for the relatively sorry state of the platform itself. Also, please give it a full-level high platform if it’s rebuilt in the future! Furthermore, can we deviate the 134 into here, or at least peak-direction runs of the 134?
Rating: 8.5/10
