Category: MBTA

Alrighty! So, we’ve done all the other stops in Quincy …and, actually, all the other stops on the Braintree branch. Let’s see if Wollaston, the last holdout, is any better than the rest and I did save the best for last, shall we?

Now, why the HELL did it take me so long to get to Wollaston? Well, it’s easy, actually. Most of the time I’m down here, I’m with someone, and we simply had nothing to do with the area. However, let’s look at the station, with that crap out of the way. One exit has you exiting towards a sizable parking lot and Hancock Street, with residences nearby. Fortunately, the station is still somewhat walkable as you also have a pedestrian footpath heading towards Beale St. and various businesses in the area. On the other side, you have Newport Avenue. And, at the intersection of Newport and Beale is the station’s sole bus connection: the 211 to Quincy Center, North Quincy, and Squantum. At the station itself, you have a Pedal & Park, along with a headhouse that’s actually quite modern and nice, likely as it was rebuilt in 2019. Lastly, there’s a pedestrian bridge to the Red Line platforms from the parking lot.

The good: It’s in a residential neighborhood, and despite that has an ample amount of parking still (for those coming in from a bit further out). It’s also modern and among the newest stations on the MBTA, so there’s that. Also, bathrooms exist here and are PUBLIC!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!

The bad: I know they tried on this, but the geography of the station just doesn’t lend itself well to being walkable, given one side of Newport Ave. has a steep grade. Also, the bus stop could be placed a little better.

Nearby points of interest: If you’re into Asian cuisine, you’ll be happy to know Wollaston is a predominantly Asian neighborhood, and as such you’ll probably find some more authentic restaurants vs., say, Panda Express in your nearest mall or lifestyle center.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Braintree)
MBTA bus (211, at Newport & Beale)

Overall, this has got to be the best station on the Braintree branch, and that says a bit given most of the stations are 6s with a 7 mixed in. Unlike the others, it’s actually nice to look at AND isn’t dingy, and furthermore there’s actually BATHROOMS here too!

Rating: 8/10

Alrighty, so I guess this is the part where I finally talk about the B branch at-large! Well, let’s see…. the stations suck, but the routing and quality of the ride itself was good enough. Now, a quick disclaimer on this one, I rode it out to Boston College, but the return trip had me doing a mixture of both riding and walking. So, let’s get into it, shall we?

So, the start of the line is all the way in Boston College on the Brighton/Newton line. In fact, in terms of mere distance, this is the second-longest branch of the Green Line, with the D branch beating it out. The neighborhoods themselves seem to have a bit of some old-school energy, with the rowhouses lining Commonwealth Avenue. I’m not sure why, but I kinda dig them. Anyways, there’s not too much to note, however you’ve got the Chestnut Hill reservoir and a potential on-foot transfer to the C and D branches at Chestnut Hill Avenue. Did I mention the line’s hilly? It’s hilly, and you can catch shots of the train cresting Commonwealth Avenue at Washington Street.

Of course, Washington St., Harvard Ave., Boston College, and the five BU stops are the only accessible ones, so there’s that against the line. And, fortunately, as we crest down the hill, Packards Corner is the last inaccessible stop (well, maybe save for Blandford St.) and the last one that’s unreasonably narrow. Then, lastly, are the five BU-area stops, which I walked the entire length of. They’re all pretty basic, and the route is a straight shot and is likely the fastest this branch runs. With that, that’s the entire B branch down! WOOHOO!

The good: Well, it serves two major college campuses! It’s also lined with quite a bit in the way of shopping too, so there’s that. Also houses.

The bad: MOST OF THE DAMN STOPS ARE INACCESSIBLE!!!!!!!

Nearby points of interest: Primarily BC and BU. Also the Grand Junction if you’re a railfan.

Overall, this line could be decent if given more width. But, instead, we get a godly amount of CRAP and inaccessible stations. At least it’s sorta-fast where it’s doable???? Also, odds are good you can outrun the BU stops, or the 57 might be faster (which mirrors the A branch of years prior).

Rating: 4/10

Alrighty, so I’ve done every other station on the B branch, let’s now start looking at Boston College!

So, what’s special about Boston College? Absolutely nothing! No, seriously, nothing. You’ve got a Green Line maintenance facility here, and facilities for operators, but aside from that not a lot else. You’ve also got bus shelters for sheltering on rainy or snowy days, and a mini-high for level Type 7 boarding. One of the major downsides to here, though, is that trains can get stuck with traffic because they need to cross half of Commonwealth Avenue to reach the median. And, no, there’s no semblance of traffic priority for the Green Line here to my awareness.

The good: It’s on the Boston College campus! You’ve also got BlueBikes here, for those who need to go a little further out than what walking can do.

The bad: Eh, I find it weird how this is the only terminal without any semblance of bus connections, though to be fair Riverside only has peak-only bus connections. And no, I’m not counting the BC bus network for this one. Also, that mini-high looks worn. And, no heating in the shelters?!

Nearby points of interest: Boston College!

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)

Overall, it’s alright, however I’d hope for a little more out of a major Green Line terminal. Maybe I’m being too needy. However, one thing’s for sure, and it’s better than the vast majority of stations on the line.

Rating: 4/10

Alrighty, so now that we got the absolute worst of the worst on the MBTA out of the way, let’s look at some half-decent stations, shall we? Now, the BU-area stations. These stations, namely, are Babcock Street, Amory Street, BU Central, BU East, and Blandford Street. Buckle down, as I walked the entirity of this segment of the Green Line for these reviews.

Alrighty, so these all are pretty much copy-paste, hence the 5-in-1 deal of a review. They all have shelters, wastebaskets, benches(!!!), and even countdown clocks and announcements. DAMN!!! The other stops make these look like Back Bay copy-pastes in comparison! Now, there’s also not much, and these are the last stops of the B branch before the central mainline at Kenmore. Oh yeah, the 57 runs down here too. Neat.

The good: There’s shelters, benches, and a countdown clock! Yay, the bare basics are here!!! WOOHOO!!!!! They also serve the areas in/around BU!

The bad: Eh, vs. the other stations not a lot is wrong here. I guess my biggest complaint is Blandford’s inaccessibility, and the mini-high at BU Central. That’s a weird thing. Also, good luck with crossing US-20.

Nearby points of interest: BU is the big one. If you’re a railfan, you can also easily reach the Grand Junction from these stops as well. I’d recommend Amory St. in particular, for the CP3.3 switch

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)
MBTA bus (57)

Overall, yeah these are relatively great stations. However, in the grand scheme of the MBTA, they’re average at best. Yeah, sorry but not sorry.

Rating: 5/10

Alrighty, so we’ve basically scraped the bottom of the toilet bowl for the B branch, surely it’s only uphill from there, right? Well……

So, since Washington St. & Harvard Ave. are essentially copy-pasted, I’m doing both as one entry. What sets them apart from the other stinkers? Well, you got a tactile safety strip, wheelchair lifts, and shelters with trashbins. Woah!!! Still, no benches!

The good: There’s shelters and wastebins! Neat!

The bad: The damn platforms are STILL very narrow! Also, no benches!

Nearby points of interest: Same shopping on Commonwealth Avenue as from the other stops.

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)
MBTA bus (65 @ Washington St., 66 @ Harvard Ave.)

Overall, these stations are STILL awful! But, they’re marginally better!!!

Rating: 1.5/10

Alrighty, so since most of these stations are similar enough in appearance, let’s take a look at them all, gauntlet style! So, which stops will be touched on here? To answer that, we have: South St., Chestnut Hill Ave., Chiswick Rd., Sutherland Rd., Warren St., Allston St., Griggs St.-Long Ave., and Packards Corner. Our standard layout is a measly yellow line on pavement barely deep enough to acommodate ONE person. Uh oh, that’s not good! The only thing that could be worse is if they WERE the grade crossings.

These platforms are so thin, it feels like it could easily graze a fat man! And, I say that, as a fat man! Yeah, that’s not exactly a good testament to how small the platforms are. Hell, even a more slender person would have trouble! Step too close forward and you’re trespassing. Too far back, and you’ll be struck by the traffic on Commonwealth Avenue! Yeah, that’s a good sign of things! And if you need accessibility, FUCK YOU! These platforms are so small they can’t even accommodate a wheelchair ramp even if they were level! They’re probably too small for a wheelchair, period!

The good: Nah.

The bad: EVERYTHING! THESE STATIONS SHOULD NOT EXIST! WHY, HOW, WHY?! THESE ARE SOME MAJOR STINKERS! NOT EVEN NEWTONVILLE HAVE SUCH SORRY PLATFORMS, AND THAT STATION GOT A 1!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK HAPPENED?!

Okay, hear me out: Why don’t we neuter Commonwealth Ave to two lanes, with a narrower side street (why do these exist?!) on each side, so we can widen the Green Line’s reservation and, gasp, give the stations actual amenities?! Woah, shocking idea!

Nearby points of interest: The Chestnut Hill reservoir seems like a nice place to chill. There’s also a few interesting businesses lining Commonwealth Avenue, and US-20 splits off at Packards Corner.

Overall, NO. JUST, NO!!! I GENUINELY THOUGHT NEWTONVILLE WAS DOGSHIT WHEN I WROTE THAT REVIEW, I REALLY DID. BUT NOPE, SEEMS LIKE WE SCRAPED THE BOTTOM OF THE TOILET BOWL ON THIS ONE!!!!!

Transit connections:
Green Line (B)
MBTA bus (various, at various points. Too lazy to name.)

Rating: 0.5/10

New Balance is a major manufacturer of athletic footwear and apparel, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. They also own the Warrior Sports brand, who manufacture ice hockey equipment. So, if you’ve ever gotten your hands on a Bruins player’s hockey stick, odds are good it’s a New Balance product. Hell, if you ran cross-country or track for a college or high school team, odds are good you probably also used a New Balance product. They also happen to own the practice arenas for both the Boston Bruins and the Celtics and located their headquarters to the Boston Landing development. Now what the HELL does an athletic apparel & equipment company have to do with trains, buses, or whatever else I normally talk about here?!

I’ll tell you what: they paid for a train station to be built here!!

Being the newest station on the line (opened in May 2017!), it’s got enough things you’d expect from a newer station. Full-length highs, a pedestrian bridge, and amenities on the platform are all accounted for. Now, as this was the point I realized “holy CRAP, it’s cold!” (this was visited before Newtonville), I didn’t spend too much time on the platform, however there was garbage disposal and benches. There’s elevators though, and they work! Neat! In a way, this place feels kinda like a prototyped version of Pawtucket, actually, now that I think of it. Only downside is the lack of the Spun sculpture. Also, my biggest pet peeve is the only MBTA bus to stop here, the 64, doesn’t deviate in, although there isn’t much room for that anyways. But, I still stand by the fact the nearest stops for the 64 are a bit of a ways away. One thing I apparently missed (likely because I just wanted to skedaddle due to the cold) is there’s an elevator on the Everett St. overpass. Neato! But, outside rush hour, who the heck is going to want to wait that far away? Offpeak trains only board in the two cars closest to the engine anyways! And, it’s not even the most pedestrian-friendly entrance either, as you have to go around if you need accessibility! Actually, now that I think of it, the biggest improvement would probably be a pedestrian overpass to the other side of the Mass Pike.

The good: It’s in a new development paid by New Balance! It’s also ADA compliant and is a short distance to downtown Boston in a largely transit-starved (though not to the same degree as some other areas!) region. Plus, outside of the New Balance area, it’s largely residential in nature, so there’s reverse commuting opportunities to Natick, Framingham, and Worcester as well.

The bad: I guess the worst part would have to be the lack of pedestrian access to the other side of I-90, and the relative lack of pedestrian friendliness on Everett Street. Also, the relative hike to catch the 64 to either Oak Square or Kendall/MIT.

Nearby points of interest: The associated development’s seemed to have attracted some interesting businesses and restaurants, by the looks of it. You’ve also got New Balance’s flagship store, and the Warrior Ice Arena (the Bruins’ practice arena) along with the Auerbach Center (the Celtics’ practice arena), so there’s that. And there’s also a Dollar Tree nearby! Neat. And, for those who watched WGBH as a child, their headquarters (and Newbury Comics HQ, for those into music & comics!) is nearby too.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Worcester Line)
MBTA bus (64)

Overall, it’s a nice little station, designed primarily to serve a development in Brighton. I gotta check this place out more, and if you’re an athletic person who happens to buy New Balance, I’d say it’s worth at least a consideration.

Rating: 7/10

Ah, Newtonville. What a lovely little villag- oh, what? You mean I gotta check the Commuter Rail station? Well, how bad can it be? It doesn’t- OH MY GOD!!!

NOW, BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC WHIZZING BY, AND THE IMMENSE AMOUNT OF IT, I’M GOING TO HAVE TO YELL JUST TO BE HEARD!!! SO, LET’S LOOK INTO THIS HELLHOLE OF A STATION!

NOW, WHY THE HELL IS THIS A SINGLE SIDE PLATFORM ON A DOUBLE TRACKED MAINLINE?! WHAT IS THIS, MADISON?! HOLY SHIT THIS IS AWFUL! LET’S SEE WHAT ELSE IS ON THE PLATFORM, WHICH GOES ON FOR FAR LONGER THAN ANY TRAIN’S DOORS WILL OPEN UP FOR. SO, YOU GOT A SHELTER, DOT MATRIX SIGNS IN BOTH RED AND YELLOW! WHOOP DE FUCKING DOO!!!!! AT LEAST THERE’S A GARBAGE BIN AND BENCHES IN THE SHELTER. NEAT.

ALSO, AS A FUN TIDBIT, I LIKE HOW SOMEONE GRAFFITIED “NEWTONVILLE” ON ONE OF THE HUNKS OF WOOD. ALSO, THE FACT THE GLASS DOOR FOR THE SCHEDULE PLAQUE IS BROKEN, MEANS THEFT IS POSSIBLE HERE! I WAS LEGITIMATELY TEMPTED TO TAKE THE SCHEDULE PLAQUE, BUT I DIDN’T. AS THEY ALWAYS SAY ON THE RADIO, I’M A GOOD PERSON! I PAY MY TAXES! IT’S A CRIME TO PAY MORE THAN A DIME! OH! IT’S THE LAKE SHORE LIMITED! AND FINALLY, MY TRAIN IS PULLING UP! YAY!!!!!!! OH YEAH, THERE’S ON-STREET PARKING!

The good: UHHHHH, IDK. THERE’S BENCHES AND A SHELTER???

The bad: EVERYTHING. THE EXISTENCE OF THE STATION, THE SINGLE TRACKING OPERATION, THE SINGLE PLATFORM, THE MASS PIKE, THE LOW-LEVEL PLATFORM, THE STAIRS – BY THE WAY, DON’T LOOK DOWN!!!!!

Nearby points of interest: I GUESS IT’S COOL THERE’S A STAR MARKET ABOVE THE PIKE! ALSO, NEWTONVILLE LOOKS LIKE AN INTERESTING AREA!

Transit connections:
COMMUTER RAIL (WORCESTER)
MBTA BUS (59, 553, 554, 556)

Overall, THIS STATION SUCKS! I’VE SEEN BETTER UNDERNEATH I-95 IN CONNECTICUT! THIS MAKES WESTERLY LOOK LIKE FREAKIN’ BRIDGEPORT OR STAMFORD!

Rating: 1/10

Alrighty, Ashmont, here we are! The end of the Red Line’s other branch! What do we have here? Oh, it’s just a decent terminal. Let’s see.

So, the busway is served by several routes running out to Ruggles, Mattapan, and even …Brockton?! Huh, guess I’ll be returning when I start reviewing BAT’s routes. Plus, we have the Mattapan extension’s ROW with a balloon loop. No PCCs to be seen here, though. Let’s go into the station itself.

Alright, so the station itself is glass-roofed and is quite modern, actually. Only nitpick are turnaround procedures, as they depend on turning trains around beyond fare control. But, whatever, it’s what it is. You’ve also got fare control, a coffee shop, and a fair amount of CharlieCard machines. In terms of aesthetics, I like it, and it even has the ringing bells for departure like the other termini. Yay!

The good: It’s got a number of buses, BAT, and it’s the terminal for both the Red Line and the Mattapan extension. Also, the glass aesthetics are just PERFECT for here. However…

The bad: There’s supposedly a Pedal & Park, but I didn’t see it anywhere. Also, the fact two trains can’t lay over on the platform at once is annoying, as is the lack of BAT fare machines. What were they thinking? Yeah, those are my major nitpicks. Also, fare-controlled transfers from the Mattapan to the Red?

Nearby points of interest: Ehhh, there’s a few businesses nearby, but it seems mostly residential at a glance.

Transit connections:
Red Line (Ashmont)
Mattapan Line
MBTA bus (15, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 45, 215, 217, 240)
BAT (12)

Overall, it’s a pretty decent station, even has inter-RTA transfers. Only issue is that there’s no fare machines for that “other RTA” or controlled transfers between the Red and Mattapan.

Rating: 8.5/10

I’LL TELL YOU HWAT, MY NAME IS HANK HILL AND I SELL PROP- oh, not Arlen. Alrighty, fine, fine. Welcome to Arlington Street. Goddammit. Man, the Central Subway gets a bit tedious. Fortunately, this is the last station!

Arlington’s located at the intersection of Boylston and Arlington Streets, at the southwestern corner of the Boston Common. Looking around, it’s REALLY, REALLY disgusting and dingy! YIKES. Plus, this feels like the backrooms. At least crossovers are free and it’s accessible!

Yeah, it’s also not too well lit on the tracks, but whatever. Moving on to upstairs, the ceilings are freakin’ disgusting, and apparently there’s restrooms here! Sadly, I didn’t peek, nor did Miles have any insight on them from when he made his bathroom map. Oh yeah, history! The headhouses also look old, like your stereotypical old-school subway headhouse.

The good: It’s at the Boston Common! It’s also a short walk from the opposite end of Newbury Street from where Hynes is located. There’s also a couple of bus connections here too, and it’s accessible.

The bad: It’s freakin’ DINGY! I’d argue, it’s WORSE than Hynes, as the ceilings NEED a powerwash. I should’ve worn gloves when holding to the escalator handrails.

Nearby points of interest: Newbury Street and the Boston Common!

Transit connections:
Green Line (B, C, D, E)
MBTA bus (9)

Overall, eww. I hate this station even more than Hynes. And, since the ceilings grossed me out enough, I can’t score this high. Bleugh!

Rating: 3/10