Category: Massachusetts

Alrighty, so the next several Commuter Rail-related posts are going to be related to the Lowell Line! So, let’s look at the line’s stations, starting with West Medford!

So, entering the station is as simple as stepping onto the platform from the grade crossing. Or, if you’re coming from Playstead Road, just walk up the steps. It’s low level, meaning “fuck you” for accessibility, and it’s next to a grade crossing. But, what makes this bad? Well, let’s see..

That picture. If you’re in text-only, it’s congestion spilling into the High St. crossing WITH A TRAIN COMING. UHHHH, I THINK ANYONE WITH HALF A BRAIN CELL CAN FIGURE OUT WHY THAT’S A REALLY, REALLY BAD THING! Fortunately, the crossing guard ushered everyone out of the crossing quickly as an outbound and inbound came to a meet. However, that STILL wasn’t enough as someone is stationed here specifically to flag the crossing. Yikes.

In terms of amenities, they don’t really exist. You got a shelter on the inbound side, but that’s it. Benches and wastebaskets also exist, and there’s a Dunkin’ nearby! There’s also a couple of bus connections as well.

The good: It exists! And it has bus connections! And is a short ride to downtown!

The bad: EVERYTHING ELSE, WHY IS IT ALL LOW LEVEL, THE GRADE CROSSING IS TOO DANGEROUS, THE OUTBOUND SIDE BARELY HAS ANY AMENITIES, AND IT’S NOT EVEN ACCESSIBLE! THE CROSSING EVEN NEEDS TO BE FLAGGED!!!

Nearby points of interest: There’s a few shops, restaurants, and a church in walking distance! Also the Dunkies! (probably the only station on the line aside from North Station to have one!)

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Lowell)
MBTA bus (94, 95, 101)

Overall, this station sucks greatly. It’s quite possibly among the worst stations I’ve ever had to review (so far), it’s dangerous, and needs to be grade separated!

Rating: 2/10

The Orange Line is one of the most historically significant lines on the MBTA (then again, they’re all significant). For one, it’s been through the equivalent of Hell and back, and the MBTA is trying to bring it back out of Hell again. So, let’s look at the line.

The southern end of the line begins on the Northeast (here called Southwest) Corridor, paralleling the ROW used for the Providence, Needham, and Franklin Lines along with Amtrak’s Regional and Acela. It’s here that the two least-used stations on the line (Green St. & Stony Brook), going through a cut-out trench into Roxbury and towards Northeastern University. From here, past Massachusetts Avenue, the line goes into a tunnel through diesel hell and various downtown stations (inc. Tufts Medical & Chinatown), coming back onto the surface past North Station. This section, Haymarket North, was built in the ’70s and replaced the Charlestown Elevated and is very BRUTAL in architecture style. Of course, from here the line parallels the Haverhill, crosses the Mystic River (where a particularly infamous incident happened where the a Hawker CAUGHT FIRE and someone leaped out into the river), and runs into Malden, terminating at Oak Grove with a Haverhill interchange.

Formerly, the Orange Line ran to Forest Hills via Washington St. & Nubian, however they demolished and eventually replaced with the SL4 and SL5. However, I have my bones to pick with that and I don’t feel like regurgitating my “equal or better” rant.

The good: It serves a lot, and it reaches pretty far into the northern suburbs! Also, it’s got history associated with it and has a number of connections to the NEC and Haverhill Line.

The bad: Seymour! The Orange Line is on fire! Yeah, the Orange Line’s got a bit of a shaky recent history with rolling stock, namely with the Hawkers failing catastrophically and the CRRCs having quality control issues, mostly stemming from any lack of regard from the Springfield factory’s management.

Nearby points of interest: A lot! TD Garden is above North Station, while BHCC and Malden’s town center are within reach, along with Northeastern and the Arborway.

Overall, the Orange Line is good. There’s a lot of history and I think it deserves to be treated a little better. However, the CRRC rolling stock is probably its biggest pain, and it’s a major one.

Rating: 7/10

Whelp, here we are. Almost a whole year later, and exactly a year after my first ever entry on this site, I guess Harvard is the “true” 1 year anniversary entry, and what better way to mark a full year than to take care of the last subway station that I’ve yet to cover? Well, here we go, out onto the crimson yards, Big Red’s namesake even.

So, getting off the Red Line and a short victory dance of sorts later, I’m finally at Harvard, and HOLY SHIT is this station massive! Well, it’s not as grand as South or North Station, but it IS THE transfer point for Cambridge. So, let’s start with the Red Line platforms.

The platforms are set up in a way that’s relatively unusual: stacked atop one another. Why, the setup? I’m not sure, but maybe it has to do with Porter Square having to be bored over 150ft underneath Cambridge, since that station has a similar setup. There’s also two busways, but only one is in use, and they’re set up in a similar way as well. I’m not sure why there’s two if only one is ever used. Anyways, the mezzanine is spacious if you enter from Harvard Square proper, however the Church St. station gets a small mezzanine. But hey, you can see the rest of the station from here!

From here, I opted to instead check out what’s on the surface before going to the other mezzanine to check it out further. On the surface, you have the busy Harvard Square, with buses every which way you look. Massachusetts Avenue has a bus stop (why? the busway is right there!), as does Holyoke St. (again, why?!), and there’s a few statues in Harvard Yard. There’s also plenty of stuff to do around here, and even a protest happening on the college campus. I’m not sure what the protest is for, but knowing college students it’s probably over something silly. Either way, you have a few shopping centers nearby.

So, inside the main headhouse, you have access to the two busways, a few shops (there’s what looked to be a gift store halfway down the stairs into the station!), the customer service booth, and a few CharlieCard machines. It’s also very well lit down here, I’ll add. Lastly, the busways. The lower busway shouldn’t even exist given it’s closed, and furthermore, WHY ARE THERE EVEN TWO BUSWAYS?! Even furthermore, WHY ARE THERE CATENARIES DOWN HERE?! WHO’S RUNNING LIGHT RAIL DOWN INTO THESE TUNNELS?!

It turns out, there’s an answer to that. About a year ago (as of me writing this), the MBTA killed off their catenary-powered bus network up here, which primarily used the lower busway. Now, many people got salty over this, however I haven’t had much in the way of experience on those Neoplans and if the Silver Line is any indication (of which I’m far more familiar with), it’s probably a good thing they’re killing off catenary-powered buses. They’re old, dated, loud, slow, and can’t even maneuver around obstacles. Furthermore, retracting the pantographs take so inhumanely long that even IF there were a speed benefit like on trains, they’d be nullified the instant the pantographs need to be retracted. Something obstructing the road? Nope, can’t go around them! Now, unlike the Neoplans on the Silver Line, these buses (for whatever reason) boarded on the LEFT, which means YES, YOU COULD VERY EASILY FARE EVADE. WHY WOULD THEY HAVE BOARDING ON THE LEFT?! WHY, WHEN THAT SPACE COULD BE USED FOR A FEW EXTRA SEATS?! As for the upper busway, diesel underwire! Yeah, I absolutely hate catenary and how horribly inefficient they are for buses, but diesel underwire is STILL a far bigger crime! YES, THEY RUN DIESEL IN HERE! Apparently CNG is banned though, something about the catenaries still being live and the risk of going kablooay.

The good: It’s pretty freakin’ important! It serves Harvard University, the square, and all the shopping nearby. Furthermore, you have plenty of green space, a LOT of bus connections, the Red Line (the school IS the line’s namesake, after all!), and did I mention the historical importance of the area?

The bad: WHY ARE WE RUNNING DIESEL UNDERWIRE?! WHY IS THERE EVEN A SECOND BUSWAY THAT GOES UNUSED? WHY IS THERE EVEN STREET STOPS NEARBY FOR BUSES IF THE BUSWAY EVEN EXISTS?!

ALSO, DIESEL UNDERWIRE YFHGIEAODSPYHGEDIUAOPHGDIASOPHG
CATENARY MAY SUCK GREATLY FOR BUSES DUE TO THE LACK OF ANY ADVANTAGES (AND MOST DEFINITELY THE LACK OF SPEED!), BUT DIESEL AND CNG UNDERWIRE WILL ALWAYS BE A FAR BIGGER SIN!

Nearby points of interest: Harvard, duh! You also have the Cambridge Common, various shops, restaurants, several museums associated with the school, a few churches even. Did I mention the historical significance, of Harvard being the oldest college in the US? Lesley University is also nearby, but who gives a shit about that? (fun fact: I submitted an application to there, actually got accepted but ultimately opted for community college due to the cost). As a fun aside, you might also see the old Harvard/Holyoke station if you head southbound from here and look to the right. Below is a picture someone else took, not mine.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont, Braintree)
MBTA bus (71, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 86, 96 in busway, 1, 68, 69 on Holyoke St., 66 at Garden St.)
Various Harvard and LMA shuttles

Overall, I like this station. It’s the third most-used station on the system, is of considerable importance, and serves a lot around it. Furthermore, it’s also a major bus terminal, and with its thought-out design, I think it’s worthy of quite the high score. On the upside, it’s also ventilated! Yay!

Rating: 10/10

And, that concludes the subway saga. Thank you to everyone who came along for the journey, whether you actually came to review stations with me, or just read along at home. However, there’s still some unfinished business in this story arc, as I still have six Commuter Rail stations (w/ a $2.40 fare), and the East Boston Ferry. Then, from there, I guess I’ll start working on the Commuter Rail, the ferry, and the various bus networks around the state (& continue in Connecticut).











































What? You thought there’s more to it? Go home! There’s nothing to be seen here!

Alrighty, the penultimate Red Line station! So, Central was meh and Kendall is pretty good, with Porter and Alewife holding their own as well, where does Davis fall? Let’s take a look at it.

So, the platform feels a little dark, but it doesn’t at least suffer from Back Bay syndrome as there’s LED lights everywhere. Furthermore, they have hostile benches and wastebaskets, and HISTORY can be found down here along with art! Neat! Going up the elevator (no piss!), the mezzanine is better-lit, and restrooms can be found here! And, yes, they were unlocked. Unfortunately, however…

Yeah. The headhouses are alright, though (of which there’s two), and there’s also some green space nearby! Furthermore, Davis Square itself seems to be an up and coming area in the region, so there’s that. Never mind that, Tufts University is sorta close by! (even noted on the #3’s announcements) However, the nearest piece of Tufts property is still a 15 minute walk away. Fortunately for them, the GLX solves that problem, but the connection from the Red Line is still nice to have and to note, even though it’s a hike.

The good: Well, Davis Square blew up in popularity in recent years! There’s also art around, plenty of bike racks, and even history! Furthermore, there’s a bit of common space outside around the station itself that was pretty lively, although some guy did harass me out here.

The bad: It feels a little dated and is a little dingy! Also, the bathroom is sketchy. The elevators also don’t inspire confidence.

Nearby points of interest: Davis Square has a few things of interest: For one, you have a historical theater still in use, plenty of shopping, restaurants, and green space! Tufts is also close by, but the Green Line station is considerably closer.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont, Braintree)
MBTA bus (87, 88, 89, 90, 94, 96)

Overall, I like the area. However, while the area seems like an interesting place and is up and coming, the station could really use a facelift, despite their efforts to light up the platforms. Either way, it’s not the worst station on the Red Line.

Rating: 7.5/10

Welcome to Central Square! Wait, this isn’t the same as “Cambridge Center”, which is in Kendall Square? Goddammit. I feel bamboozled. Bah, whatever, let’s look at Central Square!

The platforms at Central are pretty normal, nothing special unlike at Kendall. You have benches, a couple of mezzanine areas, and one side (at least) has restrooms as well! Unfortunately, though, said restroom was locked. That was sad, but probably for the better as odds are it’s a complete shitshow (figuratively). The mezzanines are also small, but correspond to the three entrances on each side. One of them are stairs, like your stereotypical NYC subway entrances, with the other two being an escalator and an elevator. This setup also means there’s no free crossovers. And, with Kendall also lacking crossovers, that means if you get on the inbound side in error, you have to ride all the way to Charles/MGH to change sides for free. Yikes! Fortunately, if you’re on the outbound side, Harvard has free crossovers, so it’s no issue. As for Central Square itself, it seems like an interesting place, with an art supply store being nearby along with City Hall.

The good: It’s more colorful than usual! Although, I did find it weird how one end was essentially blue – on a Red Line station. It’s also pretty close to City Hall and is also one of the most-used stations on the Red Line!

The bad: Eh, it feels dated and there’s no crossovers. Furthermore, this is amplified by Kendall ALSO not having free crossovers, so fuck you, return to Charles! Also, there’s no busway but whatever.

Nearby points of interest: There’s a few shops and businesses lining Massachusetts Avenue! Among a few being art supply stores! Also, City Hall is nearby!

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont, Braintree)
MBTA bus (1, 47, 64, 70, 83, 91)

Overall, yeah, this ain’t the best one, and it’s probably the worst station on the northern Red Line. Sorry, but also not sorry!

Rating: 4/10

Alrighty, so now the first stop north of the Charles on the Red Line! So, how is Kendall/MIT? Let’s find out.

So, the platforms are alright enough. Yeah, they feel slightly dingy, but it’s not that bad. However, the mezzanines (yes, there’s two – no free crossovers!) are immediately next to the platform, rendering this a “screw you” station if you’re cutting it close. Of course, you have benches and whatnot, however Kendall also has something that most other stations don’t: some toys to play with!

So, I start swinging the lever. “You gotta go a little harder!” a passerby said, so I did, and then he mentioned to look behind and that’s when I noticed the hammers were swinging as I was swinging the lever. Cool! I think there’s supposed to be some kind of music with windchimes, but I don’t think it was working correctly. Here’s a video that demos it, though! As for the headhouses, they correspond to each platform, so go in the right way! The inbound headhouse is also much newer, having just opened within the last month (as of me writing this), and I’m sure the outbound headhouse is set to get a similar facelift.

Walking up about a quarter-mile, brings us to Kendall’s other crowned jewel. However, it’s more a rite of passage for Boston-area railfans, as it’s the Grand Junction used for nonrevenue equipment moves between the northside and southside lines. Sadly, no trains came by. Buses pretty much dump off on the street next to the station.

The good: It’s located in the heart of Kendall Square on MIT’s campus! Furthermore, you got the Band, which is cool. Also, the Grand Junction is a short walk away for railfans, and you have a couple of bus connections. And, despite being mostly built in the ’80s, the interior looks pretty nice.

The bad: No free crossovers!

Nearby points of interest: MIT’s campus, the Grand Junction, and a lot of businesses that seem to primarily cater to the significant college population.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont, Braintree)
MBTA bus (64, 68, 85)

Overall, I like this station, and while it’s no Wollaston, it’s still one of my personal favorites on the Red Line, and is probably my favorite on the Charles-Alewife stretch. Sadly, it’s no 10/10, but it still gets a high score.

Rating: 9/10

Ah, NOW we’re at the Red Line’s least-used station! Wait, oh no…

So, the platforms are kinda small, to start with. But, at least there’s the usual amenities one would expect, along with elevator access from both Savin Hill Ave. and Sydney Street. Furthermore, only Ashmont trains stop here, with Braintree trains (ideally) whizzing past, and the Old Colony trains roaring past at 50mph. The walkway is fully glass too, which is nice, and even indoor waiting. Neat! Actually, this entire station feels modern! When was it remodelled?

*googles*

2005?! Holy crap! This feels more akin to a mid 2010s station ala Assembly, not 2005! Whelp, another point for Savin Hill! Oh yeah, there’s also parking.

The good: It’s modern! You also have plenty of parking (which, it’s a residential area, you shouldn’t need much), and the mezzanine areas are well-lit from sunlight alone due to being glass. It’s also alright for railfanning the Old Colony Lines, I guess.

The bad: Ehhhhhh, signage would be nice on Savin Hill Ave. Actually, same with Sydney St. as well, for that matter. The platforms also feel small.

Nearby points of interest: There’s a few restaurants and parks nearby!

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont)

Overall, it’s an alright station. Yeah, it’s not the best, but it’s serviceable and isn’t a major safety hazard or anything. As a fun aside, it’s the least-used Red Line station as well! Neat!

Rating: 7/10

Next stop up, sandwiched between two relatively quiet stations, is Fields Corner! Fields Corner is the terminus for a couple bus routes, and it’s elevated! Neat! Let’s look.

So, the platforms are your standard Red Line affair of benches, wastebaskets, and signage. Furthermore, it’s completely sheltered, and you can even see a busway from the inbound platform! Neat! A few buses terminate or run through here, mostly to Quincy. Also, I’m not exactly sure why, but why does the busway not go out to Dorchester Avenue, requiring a maneuver to Geneva Ave.? Weird, but whatever. The mezzanine was also pretty fancy, and the lighting even had some red accents to go along with the Red Line theming. Neat! I also generally like how it’s elevated overall, since they’re a rarity on the MBTA. As another nice touch, you have an old-school sign pointing to the station on Dorchester Avenue! Just uhhh, be careful with the stairs if you’re walking up them.

The good: It’s elevated and stands out as such! Also, the old sign, the sheltering on the platform, and the mezzanine in general are all nice!

The bad: The busway seems inefficient. Also, the stairs are a tripping hazard with inconsistent sizing! I almost fell here!

Nearby points of interest: You got Dorchester and Geneva Avenues, and their associated businesses!

Transit connection: Red Line, MBTA bus (15, 17, 18, 19, 201, 202, 210, 215)

Overall, I like this station, however, those stairs are a tad bit problematic. The busway setup is also annoying, but aside from those it’s decent enough.

Rating: 6.5/10

Now, this ain’t no Ashmont. That much is clear. However, what does a subway station in a sleepy residential neighborhood, possibly also the closest thing to a Red Line’s Green Street, have? Let’s see.

First off, I would say this is the least-used Red Line station, but I’d be full of shit despite how quiet the station is. However, it’s definitely up there. The platforms are ugly with the choice of coloring (really, off-beige to piss yellow???). However, it has your standard bench and wastebasket affair, and the fact it’s underground doesn’t disturb the peaceful neighborhood above. Neat!

The mezzanine is alright enough, a bit generic but there’s enough natural light. As for the headhouse, it’s original to the station. It’s so old, in fact, it’s not even in red! Woah! There’s also a Bluebike rack outside, so there’s that. And the elevators? They don’t reek of piss!

The good: It’s in a sleepy neighborhood, has Bluebikes, and the mezzanine is well-lit! Also, the elevators don’t reek of urine!

The bad: Eh, the platforms feel dated despite the relatively recent (2009!) renovations.

Nearby points of interest: Not a lot, being in the middle of Dorchester’s residential side streets.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont)

Overall, it’s a pretty good station. Yeah, it feels dated and it’s one of those “you’ll only really use it if you live by here” stations, but it’s still pretty good at the end of the day, and it’s far from the worst place to wait 20+ minutes (if need be).

Rating: 8/10

And now, the last Mattapan Line station! Well, how bad is it? It’s…..actually alright. It’s no Bowdoin, Harvard, Malden Center, or Fenway, but it holds up pretty well at least!

And yes, it’s the same as usual. Shelter, benches, wastebaskets on the Ashmont platform. Mattapan platform lacks shelters, and both sides have mini-highs for accessibility. Yeah, not a lot here. However, you can at the least get a few nice shots of PCCs cresting the incline to Ashmont. Neat!

The good: It’s quiet! Furthermore, there’s bus connections (if you walk a little) as well!

The bad: Eh, most people are probably going to use Ashmont. But also, add a shelter on the Mattapan platform!!!

Nearby points of interest: Eh, not much.

Transit connections:
Mattapan Line
MBTA bus (215, at Gallivan Blvd.)

Overall, it’s a good station. Yeah, sorry, not a lot to note on this one, but at least we end on a good note.

Rating: 7.5/10