Well, it’s an MBTA station, and it has the T sign in some form. So, guess duty calls to where I’m reviewing literal piers. Whelp, meet Long Wharf.
So, Long Wharf is the “water transportation” in Aquarium’s door announcement where it says “bus connection and water transportation”. So, what about the bus connection? Well, there’s just the 4 at peak hours only. Even then, you have to walk a bit to reach the northern dock, where the Hingham/Hull and East Boston ferries board, while the southern dock is where the Charlestown ferry boards. Likewise, the Salem and Winthrop ferries, which are ran by their respective municipalities, also board here, but are not under MBTA jurisdiction. As for amenities, you really only have a bench on the north dock, while the southern dock has the customer service booth where tickets can be bought.
The good: It’d be a bit nicer if signage was clearer or stood out more. There’s also benches, which is nice.
The bad: It’s kinda barebones! I mean yeah, it’s a ferry terminal, but it’d be nice if there was an indoor waiting area and with some kind of automated announcement! Or hell, even manual announcements with a loud enough PA system! How was I supposed to know the last picture was the East Boston ferry given the signage didn’t stand out?!
Nearby points of interest: It’s on the edge of the North End, with the New England Aquarium right there.
Transit connections: MBTA ferry (Charlestown, Hingham/Hull, East Boston) MBTA bus (4) Blue Line (at Aquarium)
Overall, it’s a ferry terminal, and an average one at that. There’s not a lot to talk about, and it’s fairly barebones.
Alrighty, Wellesley Farms! So, Wellesley Hills kinda sucked and Wellesley Square definitely sucked, so is Wellesley Farms any bad? Let’s see.
Alrighty, so not only does Wellesley Farms have a station building (which houses the bike rack!), it’s also on the register of historic places! Neat! Unfortunately, that’s where the good ends. You’ve got amenities on the inbound platform, while the outbound only has a few unsheltered benches. On the upside, it’s a nice and quiet place to railfan express trains, which is nice. Furthermore, there’s a lake nearby, and it just feels tranquil, moreso when it’s raining (like when I came here!). Unfortunately, though, there’s not a lot nearby – just a few houses. And, just like Green’s Farms, there’s no farm nearby. Also, crossing over involves a pretty long walk over the overpass and down a side street. As a fun aside, you can technically get the Green Line from here – if you’re willing to walk for almost 40 minutes. But, at that point, just call a Catch Connect.
The good: You got some parking! Furthermore, the inbound side has most of the amenities you’d want (shelter, benches, wastebaskets, and a red dot matrix sign!). Plus, it’s in a rich suburban area! Neat! I also like the rural vibes
The bad: It’s still inaccessible! Furthermore, it’s a walk to anything nonresidential, and using the Worcester Line as inter-Wellesley transit is too impractical due to low headways (hourly outside peak on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends!).
Nearby points of interest: Not a lot. Wellesley Lower Falls has some things per Miles’ entry on this station, but given the Marathon was in progress as of me reviewing this, I couldn’t check it out. But hey, I like this place for railfanning.
Overall, this is probably the best Wellesley station, given the tranquil nature and the station building. Unfortunately, though, it’s still grossly inaccessible and a bit far from anything. But hey, Catch Connect exists on weekdays!
Up next: Wellesley Hills! After Wellesley Square turned out to be a complete dud, how does the next closest station, Wellesley Hills, turn out? Well, actually, a little better. Let’s see.
Well, there’s definitely hills! The outbound side is literally hugging a cliff! As for the station itself? Well, it still kinda sucks. Still inaccessible, low-level boarding, and the same amenities as Wellesley Square. Except, unlike there, you have an actual SHELTER that’s not shoddy! And, there’s a cafe in the station building that’s open all day! How do you change sides, though? Well, there’s a grade crossing on the western end of the outbound platform. Just be mindful of Amtrak passing by in the early afternoon and in the evening.
The good: It’s a nice area in terms of scenery! Furthermore, this also has a similar “town center” feel to Wellesley Square, which I dig. I also really like the station building and the fact it’s still in use as a cafe, and is open all day. MWRTA’s Catch Connect also deviates here!
The bad: Not accessible! Yeah, this is a recurring theme with the Wellesley trio. I also wish there was a second shelter on the low-level platform. Furthermore, why are there no benches on the outbound side?!
Nearby points of interest: There’s a few restaurants nearby! Not as much that stands out though, as around Wellesley Square. Sorry! But, as a railfanning spot, I kinda like it!
Overall, it’s a slight improvement to Wellesley Square, it’s got a shelter, but it’s still not that great a station sadly. Sorry! Is Wellesley Farms any good?
So, I went over how West Natick and Framingham were both pretty good and serviceable stations, and so far the stations beyond the reach of the subway system (defined here as everything past zone 2) were looking pretty good. So, with that in mind, how does the Wellesley trio stack up? First up batting: Wellesley Square!
So, getting off the train, one thing is immediately clear: it’s not ADA accessible!!!! Uh oh, that’s not good! Furthermore, you got a few benches, a bike rack that’s on the outbound side, and stairs going up to the streets. There’s also parking as well, which I presume fills up quickly. On the inbound side, you only have A FREAKIN’ BUS SHELTER. WHY?! WHAT THE FUCK?! THIS IS THE SIDE EVERYONE’S GONNA BE USING TO GET TO WORK AND ALL IT GETS IS A FUCKING BUS SHELTER?! Ugh… Oh yeah, no departure board, and a red dot matrix sign. There’s also parking, of course, and it’s in Wellesley’s town center. It also gives off rich town energy, which to be fair is what Wellesley is. But hey, at least it’s a front-row seat to the Marathon!
Once the next outbound pulled in, I got on, found Brooke, and went to Framingham for round 2 and to see the marathon. After that, I’d go back to Wellesley for the next member of the trio. Stay tuned for Wellesley Hills!
The good: It’s in Wellesley’s town center, has some parking, and bike racks!
The bad: WHY IS THERE A BUS SHELTER ON THE INBOUND SIDE?! It’s not even accessible either! Never mind that, I’d say it’s nice there’s a fancy station building but we don’t even have that here! Ugh…. It could also use slightly better signage and, ya know, ACCESSIBILITY!
Nearby points of interest: It’s in Wellesley’s town center. You’ve also got Wellesley College nearby, a few parks, and the local library.
Overall, this station actually kinda sucks for a town center – and in one of the richest towns in the entire state, at that! Like, what gives?????? But hey, you can at least Catch Connect to other points!
West Natick, oh West Natick. Well, it feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere upon getting off the train from Framingham. But, is it really though? Well……
Whelp, the Helvetica Condensed is a reassuring sign of things! But, it’s not actually bad??? The station’s accessible, has a sheltered mini-high, has amenities, plenty of parking, a departure board(!!), a sheltered parking lot(!!!), and even a neighborhood map that shows MWRTA connections! Holy crap, they actually put some QOL improvements into this station! As for the area, it’s definitely in a suburban neighborhood with a modest amount of parking. Furthermore, you also have solar panels covering the parking spaces as well, which is nice! However, it’s also a “screw you” Commuter Rail station, as there’s a departure board at the entrance, and if the train’s blocking the crossing, you’ll have to wait up to 2 hours. Yeah…….
Now, as for the area surrounding it, yeah it’s pretty much all suburbia. However, it’s also an almost-front row seat for the Boston Marathon. You can also tell when your train to South Station has left Framingham when the horns start ringing out, as there’s a couple of grade crossings between here and Framingham.
The good: It’s located in a decent place, has enough parking, sheltered parking, and overall has amenities you’d expect from your average Commuter Rail station. Furthermore, it also has a map showing MWRTA bus connections! Yeah, I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that anywhere else on the system – not even in Pawtucket or Blue Hill Avenue! I also like how it feels nice and peaceful, being in the middle of suburbia.
The bad: Eh, would be nice if there was a pedestrian bridge instead of a grade crossing, and full-length high platforms.
Nearby points of interest: There’s a small plaza, but aside from that, just take the 10 or 11 to wherever, as it’s all housing. If you’re willing to hike for about an hour, you can get to the Natick Mall!
Overall, I like the station and how it feels quiet and tranquil. Heck, if anything, they’re more my personal favorites, and for a Worcester Line station it’s probably one of the best. Now, if only that grade crossing was gone…..
Alrighty, Framingham! Framingham, in several ways, is like Stamford in that it divides the Worcester Line into an inner and outer zone. However, this only comes in during peak hours, where some trains express through the inner line or short-turn at Framingham. So, here we go.
So, first thing to note is there’s a mini-high here! Furthermore, you have “BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!” as trains sit at the station. Would it kill them to have “TRAIN APPROACHING, PLEASE REMAIN BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE!” instead like on the NEC? Alright, whatever, you got some benches, wastebaskets, etc., etc., and a footbridge. There’s also an elevator (WHICH BROKE AFTER I LEFT!!!), which unfortunately was a hot mess. That’s probably because of the Marathon passing and this station being a front-row seat. Furthermore, since there’s a CSX yard nearby, you can also get some action on that front here too. Oh yeah, Amtrak stops here once a day in each direction. Receive-only towards Chicago and discharge-only towards Boston, however.
So, there’s also plenty of parking, and the MetroWest Regional Transportation Authority stops here as well! In fact, they even have a caboose (converted into an office space!) located in the aptly-named banana lot. However, since it’s Patriots Day, MWRTA wasn’t operating.
The good: It’s in downtown Framingham! And, it’s even in a walkable area, has Amtrak service (albeit VERY limited – this is also, as of the end of Amtrak’s 2023 fiscal year, Massachusetts’ least-used Amtrak station), and even has a few short-turns from here to South Station. Also, I seriously dig the MWRTA caboose, it adds a bit of character not found in other stations out here. Like, where’s the GATRA caboose in Mansfield or the RIPTA one in Pawtucket?!
The bad: Really? Mini-highs still? Well, it at least makes some sense out here given heavy freight activity, but wouldn’t gauntlet tracks work? Also, the elevators are probably on the lesser reliable side given they crapped out today during the Boston Marathon.
Nearby points of interest: Well, the station building houses a steakhouse, and there’s a few parks nearby. Furthermore, it’s in the downtown area, and if you’re a railfan it’s a pretty good place to railfan CSX.
Overall, I really like this station. Darn, I really need to come out here more often for railfanning purposes (especially for CSX!). Only way it’d be better is if MWRTA had an indoor waiting area with restrooms for commuters and Amtrak passengers. But, as-is, it’s probably one of the better stations on the line.
Oh jesus Christ, no, no, no, please not the last of the Newton trio….well, at least it’s the last one. So, is it that much worse? Ugh…
Well, there’s not much different here vs. the other Newton stations at Auburndale and Newtonville. You got an anemic amount of amenities, a low-level inaccessible platform, an anemic amount of parking, a silly little shelter, and the Mass Pike! Woohoo! Eventually, the train departed, revealing a wood crossover platform that’s long enough for a singular pair of doors. Yeah, this is how you get service to the other track – which had to be done earlier today because of heavy ridership associated with the Boston Marathon. As for the area around the station? Well, you got some shopping on Washington Street, but at that point just use the 553. As for the other side of the Mass Pike, it’s all residential.
The good: Shopping nearby? And some other stuff??? I’m not exactly sure on this, when the 553 exists.
The bad: THIS STATION ABSOLUTELY SUCKS IT’S NOT ACCESSIBLE, HAS AN ANEMIC AMOUNT OF PARKING, IS LOW-LEVEL, IS NEXT TO THE FUCKING MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE, IS LOUD, WHIRRING, TRASH-FILLED, AND DID I MENTION THE INACCESSIBILITY?!
Nearby points of interest: I got my lunch at West Newton Pizza & Grill! And a Dunkies is nearby, but just use the 553.
Transit connections: Commuter Rail (Worcester) MBTA bus (553, 554)
Wait, why is the Ashmont-Mattapan High-Speed Line considered part of the Red Line, yet is functionally separate? Well, who knows, but let’s look at the line, shall we?
First off, the rolling stock. It’s historic in nature and while some consider it a heritage line, it’s very much an integral part of the MBTA’s rapid transit network. And, yes, I did say heritage line. This sucker uses World War II-era PCC LRVs, which not a lot of other transit systems have. Yeah, they’re being rebuilt to milk the last bit of life in them, but they’re still kicking around. And, yes, this puts the MBTA in the same class as SEPTA and Muni in San Francisco, except unlike SEPTA or Muni, the T’s PCCs are in a fully grade-separated ROW, and thus probably runs faster. They were never built with ADA compliance in mind, which means the best solution for accessibility is the hacky one: slap a mini-high at most stations. Unfortunately, this didn’t work with Valley Rd., as that’d require an extensive rebuild, leaving that as one of the few inherently inaccessible stations on the system. Maybe that’ll change when the Type 9s get transplanted here!
On the other hand, some of the stations on this line can provide some unique railfanning opportunities due to grade crossings. Yeah, I know, I said it was fully grade separated. I should’ve clarified and said it didn’t run alongside mixed traffic. Though, given most of the crossings are on quiet residential streets, it’s a nonissue and are in practice fully grade separated. It also runs into Milton for a short bit, which is neat! Woohoo! Furthermore, walking the line is also a nice option if the weather is nice, given the quiet nature of the area (in contrast to the two termini).
So, back to the initial question of why it’s separate but equal to the Red Line. That pretty much boils down to a combination of some tomfoolery with the New Haven Railroad, with the BERy buying the line for rapid transit use, then followed by the BERy deciding to be cheap by converting it into streetcar use rather than extending the Dorchester Line (now the Red Line) all the way to Mattapan.
The good: It’s unique! With the trolleybuses being axed from the Silver Line (thank god, though I’ve already gone on about that elsewhere), this pretty much becomes the shining novelty of Boston’s transit system. It’s fast (by 1940s standards, though 40mph still isn’t something to scoff at) and it gives the people of Mattapan and Milton rapid transit access!
The bad: It’s kinda old and not designed with the ADA in mind! Though, with the Type 9s being slated to be moved here, that shouldn’t be an issue for much longer once the stations get rebuilt. But, the greater issue is that the line isn’t exactly resilient. That, meaning, every time it snows more than 1-2 inches, the MBTA has to break out the light rail equivalent to the BFG-9000.
Meet: Snowzilla. This big ol’ jet engine snowblower is designed specifically with the Mattapan Line in mind. Throw a PCC to clear snow instead? The train will literally DIE. Snow is the kiss of DEATH for the rolling stock on this line, while on the Red, Orange, Green, and Blue Lines, they’ll chug along just fine, while Keolis lights the Commuter Rail tracks on fire.
Nearby points of interest: Eh, there’s a few businesses in Milton, while most of the activity is on either end of the line.
Overall, while it’s a little sad that the PCCs are inevitably going away, it’s for the better, and I think that once the Type 9s come to the Mattapan Line, the future looks bright for it, despite the loss in novelty.
Rating: 7/10 (though 9.5/10 rolling stock!)
Now, if you want another implementation of PCC streetcars and have a lot (or a little, depending on geographic proximity) of money & time to spare, I heard Kenosha, Wisconsin’s light rail system is an interesting one to look at. Maybe I should take a field trip out there some time… Meh, probably once I’m done with the Northeast Corridor.
Damn, have I really procrastinated on this for far longer than I should’ve? Eh, whatever. I just needed some time to brew a way to talk about the Red Line without talking about the sorry state it’s presently in (as of 4/8/2023). Oh well, let’s delve into the Red Line.
The Red Line originally opened between Harvard and Park Street in 1912, with extensions to Dorchester happening not long after, with Ashmont opening by 1928. Over time, several other extensions have happened, with the opening of the Mattapan Line (technically considered part of the Red Line, though for the purposes of this blog is considered a separate entity entirely, as it is in practice), and in the ’70s, a new branch opened, heading down the South Shore to Quincy Center. Later, this line would be extended further to Braintree in the ’80s, with Quincy Adams opening after due to delays. This extension also happens to parallel the Old Colony mainline as well, and historically also ended up being the last bastion of exit fares on the MBTA. As a (not-so) fun aside, historically entering the system down there also required a DOUBLE entry fare. Yikes. While this happened, the Northwest Extension was underway as well, and the northern end got extended to Alewife. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t go up to Lexington as hoped due to religious Arlington NIMBYs due to “those kinds of people” (if you know your NIMBY lingo, you’d know what they didn’t want)
So, what runs on the Red Line? Well, third rail-powered EMUs, that’s what! Some might give me grief for calling them EMUs, but all in all they’re not really that functionally different from the stuff you’d find on Metro-North or SEPTA. You got all sorts of things, old AND new, with the #1 Pullman fleet, the #2 UTDC fleet supplementing the Pullmans, while the #3 Bombardier fleet were the first with automated announcements and had a variant known as Big Red (high-capacity, minimal seating). Then, there’s the CRRC #4 fleet, however writing about those will send me in a spiral of anger due to how lackluster CRRC is (or, their management with making sure it’s done right) with pumping them out. As another fun aside, the Pullman fleet also once had transverse (commuter rail-style) seating for the Braintree branch, which pretty much suggests it was their attempt at a stadtbahn (regional subway) line. Don’t believe me on the seating? Look.
You don’t see THAT on subway systems a lot these days! Or, you do, just not in the eastern US. I’m not sure, but either way I could care less.
Service? IT’S ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE! THE RED LINE USED TO BE ACTUALLY BEARABLE TO RIDE, EVEN AS RECENTLY AS 2021, FROM WHAT I CAN RECALL! THE ENTIRE FREAKIN’ LINE IS A SLOW ZONE NOW THOUGH, IT SUCKS GREATLY, AND IT SHOULD NOT TAKE IN EXCESS OF 1 AND A HALF HOURS TO GET FROM EITHER SOUTHERN TERMINAL TO ALEWIFE, THANK YOU STEVE POFTAK AND OLD LEADERSHIP FOR FUCKING THE LINE UP GREATLY!!!! WHOOP DE FUCKING DOO!!!! To be honest, I feel bad for Phillip Eng and Jeff Gonneville, for having to take on such a shitshow. I really do. And, I wish Eng the best of luck with wrangling it.
The good: It’s the most-used subway line in Boston! Furthermore, it reaches all the way into Dorchester, Quincy, and up into Cambridge onto Harvard’s and MIT’s campuses! Also, it can be used as an alternative to the inner Old Colony and Greenbush Lines (assuming there’s no slow zones). Also, it serves UMASS Boston. Neat!
The bad: EXCEPT AS OF WRITING THIS, THE FUCKING ENTIRE LINE IS A SLOW ZONE!!! JFK/UMASS TO NORTH QUINCY?! GOOD FUCKING LUCK! BICYCLING IS FASTER. EVEN WALKING IS PROBABLY FASTER! THAT $6.50 FARE ON THE COMMUTER RAIL IS HELLA APPEALING, AND THEN DOUBLING BACK BY BUS! THE LINE IS SO MUCH A SLOW ZONE, IT’D BE FASTER TO TAKE THE ACELA FROM BOSTON TO NEW YORK TO EXPERIENCE A REAL SUBWAY SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS! I’d much rather review Chambers Street on the MTA’s Brown Line, than ride Braintree to Alewife…
Nearby points of interest: So many colleges, as well as Dorchester, Quincy, and downtown! Also, the oldest subway station is on this line (Park Street).
Overall, it’d be alright if the ENTIRE FUCKING LINE WASN’T A SLOW ZONE!!! GOD FUCK!
On December 14, 2020, Mishawum was shuttered as a byproduct of the MBTA running neutered schedules on the Commuter Rail due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the station hasn’t opened, and it has held a notorious reputation for being among the worst of the worst on the entirity of the MBTA. How bad is Mishawum? Let’s see.
So, going down the ramp and stairs from the Northern Bank parking lot, Brooke and I reach the inbound platform. All seems normal, however there’s HONOR BOXES for parking (oh dear god). Furthermore, you have the usual amenities of benches, wastebaskets, etc., and a closed-off staircase. A grade crossing connects the two sides as well.
So, knowing they built a new ramp and the station has mini-highs, surely that would mean it’s accessible? Right? Right?????
YOU MEAN TO TELL ME, THEY SLAPPED MINI-HIGHS HERE, WAS THE CROWN JEWEL OF ROUTE 128 AND FOR REVERSE COMMUTING ONE TIME, HAD LOGAN EXPRESS EVEN, AND WAS THE PARK & RIDE FOR WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS, ONLY FOR THE LIPS ON THE MINI-HIGHS TO BE HARVESTED IN 2007 TO MAKE ANOTHER STATION ACCESSIBLE?! THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A PRIME EXAMPLE OF MAJOR CODE RED BULLSHIT! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?! WHY?! JUST WHY?! THIS IS EVEN BIGGER AN INSULT THAN WEST MEDFORD BECAUSE AT LEAST WEST MEDFORD DIDN’T HAVE ACCESSIBILITY TO START WITH, WHILE HERE THEY REVOKED IT! HOW’S THAT FOR A MAJOR “FUCK YOU”?!
The good: Nah.
The bad: The fact there’s even an ADA accessible ramp – BUILT IN 2010, when they de-ADAified the place in 2007, is an absolute insult. The fact it’s the only T station to LOSE the accessibility status is an insult. There’s hardly any transit connections in the area, the Lowell Line doesn’t even stop here anymore, and even if it did run the reverse-only schedule rendered the station useless to most, and the honor boxes! Also, no dot matrix signs?! They also left the lights on!
Nearby points of interest: Like doing a 9-5 living in Boston? You’ll love this station! (if it were in service, still, that is). Furthermore, it’s actually a decent railfanning spot.
Transit connections: None (is closed)
Overall, this station is an absolute steaming pile of garbage, and it’s a good thing it closed. Seriously, it’s largely useless unless you fit into the niche category of reverse commuters.