Category: Massachusetts

Ah, Jackson Square. Now, I’m not sure if it’s named after the US president (vleugh), or the King of Pop himself, or some other guy or lady with the surname “Jackson”, but here we go, yet another Southwest Corridor station.

The platform is the same deal as the other Southwest Corridor stations.

*copy-pastes*

That, being, sheltered things, benches, wastebaskets, and the usual Southwest Corridor affair. Yeah, still not a fan. Elevators don’t reek of urine here, either, but they did smell funny if I remember right. There’s also plenty of art scattered about, which is a REALLY nice touch, and on top of that: THERE’S A BUSWAY!!!

So, the busway isn’t anything special though. However, you do have schedules for the routes stopping here sitting outside fare control, which is always helpful. As for local things, you have the Southwest Corridor Park adjacent to the station!

The good: ART! It’s got a lot of art everywhere! Also, the busway and the bus schedules are nice to have! Furthermore, the elevator doesn’t reek, and it’s a Southwest Corridor stop!

The bad: Unfortunately, that means the platforms are also quite dark, being a Southwest Corridor stop. And, the busway could actually use shelters. Also, some people might find themselves uncomfortable being around here, with the Bromley-Heath Projects being next door and known for unsavory activity (at least, that’s what the research I did pointed to, if I’m wrong please do correct me). However, unless it’s a literal warzone, I don’t like to factor in the notoriety of public housing into the ratings of these. Also, while I’m not big on the architecture, it’s still better than Green St. and Stony Brook.

Nearby points of interest: The Southwest Corridor Park is a big one, as are the housing projects on Centre Street!

Transit connections:
Orange Line
MBTA bus (14, 22, 29, 41, 44)

Overall, I actually kinda like this station. However, the architecture is still “meh”, and the platforms are kinda dingy. But, hey, at least it finally has bus connections!

Rating: 7/10

Alrighty, next stop up from Green Street is Stony Brook! Is there anything major to differentiate it? Well, who knows, but let’s look!

So, the platform is pretty much the same deal with Green Street. That is, of course, the usual shelter-like things with benches, wastebins, concrete everywhere. However, it’s like Quincy Center in that it feels like an actual “subway” rather than just a subway that’s obviously above-ground. The mezzanine is nice too, as you have a window overlooking the Orange Line and the Northeast Corridor. However, the headhouse is pretty much the same, just with arches instead of the slanted roof. But, hey, there’s more businesses nearby along with a park! Sure would suck to lose a basketball to an Acela though. At least the elevator doesn’t smell of piss!

The good: Art! Furthermore, it, just like Green Street, is located in a quiet neighborhood where bus connections aren’t really necessary. The window can also prove to be an alright place to railfan, should the weather be undesirable. But, mostly the art!

The bad: Eh, I’m not really big on the architecture here either. Also, how the hell is it so dark at platform level?!

Nearby points of interest: There’s a few parks! Plus, while it’ll take some effort, you have Egelston Square nearby as well!

Transit connections:
Orange Line

Overall, this station’s pretty good as well. Essentially, pretty much anything I had to remark about Green Street also applies here. But, why so dark???????

Rating: 7/10

Why, just why, did they have to sign the station as “GREEN” with an orange background? It’s like one of those tests that have you say what the name of the color spelled out is, but the background (and/or text color) is a different color entirely. Anyways, enough rambling, let’s look at the least-used station on the entire Orange Line, Green Street!

So, the platforms are pretty bogstandard. You’ve got benches, wastebaskets, elevators and an escalator in one direction only. Furthermore, you have weird shelter things for the benches. I’m not sure why they’re here, but whatever. I’m also not exactly keen on the aesthetic style of brutalism used down here, but I’ve seen far worse *cough CCRI Warwick!*. Up in the mezzanine, it’s spacious, and the main entrance drops you off at the station’s namesake, Green Street. It’s pretty much all residential, with some shopping a few blocks away in either direction, and there’s also a park nearby. Neat! I’m also proud to state that the elevator doesn’t smell like urine!

The good: It’s quiet! Furthermore, there’s a certain charm I like about niche stations that are designed for small neighborhoods like this one. Like, I just enjoy their existence, and furthermore this station isn’t dingy. And, it doesn’t need bus connections.

The bad: Meh, not big on the architecture.

Nearby points of interest: There’s some parking on Washington St. and Centre St.! There’s also a few parks nearby.

Transit connections:
Orange Line

Overall, I like this station. For what it is, it’s a nice small station that’s quiet and doesn’t try to be anything more or less than what it is. The architecture leaves some to be desired, though.

Rating: 7.5/10

Whenever I hear “Green Line” with context of the MBTA, this branch is oftentimes the first to pop into my mind. Maybe it’s because I’ve ridden it more than the others, or it’s just plain more memorable, but either way, it’s the first thing I think of with “Green Line”.

So, the line starts at the newly-opened Medford/Tufts station in, well, Medford. This opened in December 2022 (and I was there on day 1, picture above!), and it was hype. Around here are a few street-level bus connections, but mainly Tufts University is the draw. Going down, you have several stops at Ball Square, Gilman Square (near Somerville HS, thank GOD it’s not another case of “let’s build an eyesore above the ROW like on the D branch!“). I digress, there. For this section, the ROW parallels the Lowell Line until it splits at East Somerville, and it merges at Lechmere. It goes through the central subway, however unlike the other three, it splits at Copley and stops at two different underground stops: Prudential and Symphony. Unfortunately, one of those aren’t accessible yet. But, the four median stops are, as we pop out onto Huntington Avenue. As we pass through Northeastern’s campus, we’re soon met by Brigham Circle where the line spills into the street itself, with four more stops, and looping at Heath Street.

The good: It’s varied! I mean, you have all the variants of light rail repped here (elevated, underground, median, and street-running). Furthermore, the stops are spaced and, outside the street-running stretch near Heath St., it’s fast! However….

The bad: The street-running section renders the line unpredictable due to traffic. Yikes. Also, no Commuter Rail connection on the GLX?

Nearby points of interest: You got Longwood, Northeastern’s campus, the Christian Science HQ, the Prude, and various areas in Somerville and Tufts Unviersity!

Overall, it’s an alright branch. I still prefer the D over this one, but it’s still not that bad a branch, and it’s certainly unique on the MBTA, and in New England for that matter.

Rating: 7/10

The Highland branch of the Boston & Albany Railroad was a former rail line running from South Station to Riverside via Back Bay, and operated as a loop with the second half being the Worcester mainline. Unfortunately, the B&A fell on hard times, sold the line, and eventually shuttered its doors, with the MTA (now the MBTA) buying the line in the ’50s.

Now, what does that have to do with the Green Line?

I’ll tell you what: the Highland branch became the D branch of the Green Line!

So, the D branch starts all the way up in Union Square in Somerville. From there, it goes down to Lechmere via the new Lechmere Viaduct, into North Station, and runs through the central subway to Kenmore. Then, it splits, and it’s very wooded from here, making various turns and whatnot with some retaining walls indicating its past as a commuter rail branch as it passes through Brookline’s and Newton’s various stations, ending at Riverside (near I-95!). In terms of how it runs, it’s very much grade-separated the entire way.

The good: It’s the fastest of the 4 branches! (Well, slow zones aside) Furthermore, traffic doesn’t affect it as it’s fully grade-separated! Take that, B and E branches! And, it’s all woodlands, in stark contrast to the urban nature of the others. The stations mostly all have indoor heated areas, too, which is nice!

The bad: Some of the stations are “meh” like they’re copy-pasted. Also, slow zones can make this painful. Some stations aren’t accessible, either.

Nearby points of interest: Brookline High is directly above one of the stations, for those that attend school there! Furthermore, Newton Highlands and Newton Centre have some interesting things around them, while Woodland, Eliot, and Waban are nice for railfanning the branch, as is Longwood.

Overall, this is pretty much the best branch. Which, is good because it’s my favorite as well. Being grade separated helps, and most of the stops are decent and among the best on the Green Line.

Rating: 9/10

Alrighty, so the B branch sucked greatly, so let’s see how the C branch stacks up.

The C branch terminates out in Cleveland Circle in Brookline, however technically it could terminate at Reservoir, if need be, due to the presence of an extra set of platforms. From here, it runs down the median of Beacon Street, through a residential neighborhood in Brookline. In fact, from here there’s several points where you can walk to get a D branch train, with Dean Road being a walk from Beaconsfield. There’s not much to remark about on Beacon Street, although there are points where the scenery looks nice. Besides, most stops here are just like the B branch, but slightly wider. For one, you have the right of way in the side of a hill between Washington Square and Coolidge Corner. Furthermore, Coolidge Corner in of itself is a pretty nice foaming spot on the branch, while you also have shopping. There’s also some churches and other old buildings lining the street as well. Neat! Eventually, St. Mary’s St. (& its on-foot transfer to Fenway) marks the end of the branch, sadly, as it goes into Kenmore and runs into the central subway to Government Center.

The good: It serves Beacon Street in Brookline! Plus, it’s relatively short.

The bad: Many of these stops are dubious (though not to the same degree as the B) and lack bus alternatives. Furthermore, they’re pretty close!

Nearby points of interest: Coolidge Corner is cool! Furthermore, the Chestnut Hill reservoir is nearby, as is the B and D branches at Cleveland Circle! Yeah, I’m at a loss with how residential it is.

Overall, it’s alright. It’s definitely better than the B branch, that’s for sure. However, I’d personally put the D and E above it.

Rating: 6/10

Ah boy, the last of the Blue Line stations! How bad is this one, is it going to be as decent as Fenway on the Green is? Let’s see.

So, the platform? Eh, it’s your standard affair. Benches, wastebins, countdown clocks. Yeah, not a lot to say here. On the side with Bennington Street, you have the station’s busway with its three connecting routes. On the other side, not much as it’s pretty much Logan Airport. However, the fact there’s an overpass accessible here makes me wonder: why not have fare control on this side? It’s got a pedestrian path so why not? You at least also get a nice shot of the Boston skyline from here as well, so you can get somewhat decent foamer shots.

The good: Eh, it’s got your usual Blue Line affair. It’s also got BUS connection.

The bad: I’m not too big on the tiled glass. Furthermore, there should be fare control on the outbound side for the Greenway.

Nearby points of interest: There’s probably a few things on Bennington Street!

Transit connections:
Blue Line
MBTA bus (112, 120, 121)

Overall, there’s not much to say here. It’s generic. Just, generic. Ugh. Well, at least I got the Blue Line done and over with. At least it wasn’t another Suffolk Downs.

Rating: 4.5/10

The thoroughbred horse is a breed of horse specifically bred for the purpose of racing. The breed came up in the late 18th century in England. However, as a result of selective breeding and performing at maximum power a lot of the time, there’s a number of incidents and health concerns, but research on the topic is still ongoing. As for aging, typically they’re consider a year older in January in the north and August in the south, however this is set for standardization reasons in the competitive scene.

Now, what in the name of the scrawny nag does that have to do with anything I talk about here?! I’ll tell you what: they built a station by a horse racing track! Meet: Suffolk Downs!

Whelp, welcome to the least-used fare-controlled station on the entire system. As one might expect from such an unused station, it’s…….not good. The platforms at least have the bare minimums, but that’s where it ends. Walking towards the ramp to change sides, and HOLY CRAP

WHAT THE ACTUAL NAME OF DOUG DIMMADOME?! WHAT IS THAT?! WHY ARE THE STAIRS FENCED OFF? WHY, JUST WHY IS THERE PART OF THE OVERPASS MISSING?! YEAH, SURE, JUST KEEP A STATION THAT’S LITERALLY FALLING APART OPEN! BECAUSE THAT’S A GREAT IDEA! HOLY FUCKING SHIT, THIS PLACE IS REALLY A DUMP! Anyways, no faregates on the other side, so any entry would involve crossing over, entering fare control, and doubling back. But hey, at least you can get a decent shot of the Blue Line from the bridge if you tried – if it doesn’t collapse enough to shut the entire line north of Orient Heights down. And if not that, then at least you can get a nice shot of Belle Isle Marsh. Also, you got the Suffolk Downs racetrack behind the station, even though it’s being razed for a housing complex. Plus, there’s parking, and near the tracks you also have remnants from when the light rail system was far more intricate.

The good: It’s right next to a future housing development! Also, parking, I guess.

The bad: THIS PLACE IS LITERALLY FALLING APART! PLEASE, GIVE THIS PLACE A REBUILD BEFORE THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS DONE!!! This gives off South Attleboro vibes and not in a good way! Furthermore, why are there no faregates on Bennington Street?!

Nearby points of interest: Eh, not much. Napoles looks like an interesting restaurant, and there’s the marsh.

Transit connections:
Blue Line

Overall, PLEASE, REBUILD THIS STATION TO ACTUALLY NOT BE DATED OR FALLING APART!!! IT’S SO HORRIBLY DECREPIT! DEAR GOD!

Rating: 2/10

Alrighty, so moving down the Blue Line, next stop is Beachmont! Just like Revere Beach, this too was rebuilt in the ’90s. So, let’s look at it!

Coming off the platform, first thing I notice is they did the same thing like in Revere Beach with the signage! Neat! Except, unlike at Revere Beach, you don’t have the mosaic Siemens #5. At least, I didn’t notice it. The platform is pretty much the same, except this time we’re elevated! Woo, a rarity on the T!

The mezzanine is also modern, thankfully. To say it’s well lit would be an understatement, and that includes the underside of the overpass! Now, from what I understand there used to be a tower by one of the elevator shafts, but it no longer is, sadly. There’s a Dunkin’ here, though, and bus connections are a little further up Winthrop Avenue at a bus shelter! There’s also construction nearby, which based on Google satellite view, is the development that’s replacing the Suffolk Downs racetrack. As for bus connections? Well, it’s just the 119. There’s also a city-owned e-ink display which has local news, Blue Line countdown clocks, and other things relating to the area. One last thing I almost forgot to mention, is this station seems like a good place to get foamer shots of the Blue Line, with the trains coming up the inclines in either direction. Neat!

The good: It’s got a serviceable platform, a modern mezzanine, and even a Dunkin’ next door! In other words, it’s got everything you’d want. Even has a BUS connection! Oh yeah, it’s also elevated, a rare specimen on the T.

The bad: I guess it’s the sole bus connection, but does it really need anything else? Also, the fact they took the MBTA-branded spire down. That’s sad.

Nearby points of interest: There’s a few shops and restaurants, but nothing immediately stuck out to me.

Transit connections:
Blue Line
MBTA bus (119)

Overall, it’s a great station. For what it is, it gets the job done and it does it very well at that. Heck, I’d say it’s probably be among the best stations on the Blue Line. A perfect 10? Eh, nah. Comes close, though.

Rating: 9/10

There are a number of beaches in and around greater Boston. For one, you have the beaches in South County in Rhode Island. In Massachusetts proper, you have the likes of Sandy Beach in Cohasset, Nantasket Beach in Hull, George Lane Beach in Weymouth, Wollaston Beach in Quincy, and Front Beach in Rockport. However, none of them are readily accessible from the subway system. Meet: Revere Beach, the only beach readily accessible from the subway system. Yeah, Wonderland has a walkway, but Revere Beach is pretty much right on the beach itself.

So, Revere Beach was rebuilt in the mid 1990s for accessibility. Platforms are your standard bench and wastebasket affair, with countdown clocks. I will say, though, I do like how there’s mosaics on the bottom of the signs mimicking the Helvetica signage. Going up to the mezzanine, it’s shiny and relatively modern, with elevators here. There’s also access to the street on both sides, with one bringing you to a walkway, and the other to the beach and Ocean Ave. via a medical building. They do have a mask requirement, so if you’re the kind who doesn’t like being harassed over masks, I wouldn’t recommend this way. As for bus connections, they’re found on North Shore Road. Most routes come from Wonderland, but the 411 comes from the Jack Satter House towards Malden. And, I’ll also note the smell of the ocean is VERY apparent when you step off the train here. As one last fun aside: there used to be an AMUSEMENT PARK around here. Really sad!

The good: It’s really close to the beach, and the convenience can’t be beat! It’s also modern, being rebuilt in the ’90s.

The bad: Eh, hospital signage could be better! As could the bus connections!

Nearby points of interest: Take a hint.

Transit connections:
Blue Line
MBTA bus (110, 117, 411 on North Shore Rd.)

Overall, decent station, I’d prefer this to Wonderland for the shorter distance to the beach. And, that’s a hill I’ll DIE on. Although, the bus connections could be better signed in the station, as could the station from outside the MGH facility. Aside from that, it’s pretty much perfect.

Rating: 10/10