MBTA – Page 22 – chelsea's corner

Blue Hill Ave. (MBTA)

Another Fairmount station, oh my. Yeah, I just don’t have much to say here.

The tracks from the overpass on Blue Hill Ave.

The station can be found on, you guessed it, Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan. And yes, it’s easily distinguished by the MBTA globe thingy on the street. Heading in is a ramp and, because this is the newest Commuter Rail station on the whole system (that is, as of October 2022), full high level platforms. There’s also a CharlieCard reader, some benches, canopies, wastebins, and electronic signage. There also happened to be people from the MBTA present swapping out the schedule plaques for updated ones that go into effect shortly after me writing this. However, there’s also another entrance from Cummins Highway, which I didn’t take a look at but I have no reason to believe it’s anything special.

A CharlieCard reader, and looking towards Readville

And towards downtown and Mattapan Station!

The good: It’s pretty much located in central-ish Mattapan. Also being a zone 1A station, it’s $2.40 to take the train from here to South Station, while similarly-distanced stations (e.g. Hyde Park or Roslindale) would cost $6.50 for a zone 1 fare. It’s also within walking distance of the Mattapan light rail line, being half a mile. The cut-in aesthetic with the rocks is also nice, giving it some character.

The bad: I mean, there’s not much to write home about. Furthermore, the fact you can’t pay for zone 2 fares with a CharlieCard is kinda a bummer here. But I’m not sure how many people actually go from here to Readville.

Nearby points of interest: You have the Mattapan line nearby! There’s also a few shops lining Blue Hill Ave., and a number of churches nearby.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Fairmount)
MBTA bus (28, 29, 31 at Blue Hill Ave., 30 at Cummins Hwy.)

Overall, it’s a pretty good station. Just, COME ON MBTA, LET US PAY COMMUTER RAIL FARES WITH CHARLIECARDS FOR ZONES OTHER THAN 1A, AND PLEASE INSTALL CHARLIECARD READERS AT THE OTHER ZONE 1A STATIONS!

Rating: 8.5/10

Braintree (Red Line)

Alrighty, so we’re now on the far side of the MBTA subway system! Well, welcome to the suburban hellscape known as Braintree, I guess.

Chronologically, my friend and I came here after Quincy Adams (which was after North Quincy, Charles/MGH, and Alewife). After getting off the bus (which the operator almost forgot about us hitting “stop request”), we were in the Braintree busway. The mezzanine is standard in design, not much to complain about. The busway seems a little overkill in size, but comes in handy. There’s also a bridge linking the mezzanine areas with the parking garage. The station is also directly connected to MA-3. Neat.

The area was under construction, but moving on to the Commuter Rail platform, it seems normal enough with the island platform and a shelter. Wait, what?

WHY IS THERE A GRADE CROSSING HERE?! WHY?! JUST, WHAT KIND OF CRACK WERE THEY SNORTING ON IN THE ’90S WHEN THEY BUILT THIS SECTION OF THE STATION?! I- I don’t even KNOW why they couldn’t just build a tunnel and a set of stairs+an elevator to the island platform. But hey, if you like hearing DINGDINGDINGDINGDING when a Boston-bound train is coming through, you’ll LOVE this station. Holy FUCK! This also happens to be where the two Old Colony lines split.

“DINGDINGDINGDINGDING”
– the grade crossing

Now, the Red Line. It’s fully sheltered, while still outdoorsy. It’s not bad, and the countdown clocks will tell you what track the next train departs, with this being a terminal (and thus both tracks are inbound).

The good: It’s a decent-sized park & ride, with options for people heading into Boston & the surrounding suburbs, and those heading out to the Cape, as well as towards Middleborough and Kingston. Plus, you have plenty of parking and a few bus routes.

The bad: THAT. DAMN. GRADE. CROSSING. Also, the seemingly overkill busway. and the relative lack of a more accessible way to access the Commuter Rail platform.

Nearby points of interest: I mean, you’ve got some businesses, but nothing stands out immediately around the area. The South Shore Plaza is a little ways away, but isn’t accessible by any bus routes unfortunately. Furthermore, it’s not exactly a walkable area.

Transit connections:
CapeFlyer
Commuter Rail (Middleborough, Kingston)
Red Line (Braintree)
MBTA bus (226, 230, 236)

Overall, it’s an alright station, but the grade crossing is kinda sketchy.

Rating: 7/10

Newmarket (MBTA)

Alrighty, another Commuter Rail station, and we’re on the Fairmount Line today! Well, let’s look at Newmarket.

Alrighty. Newmarket is located in an industrial area, however it’s not so much industrial as it’s revitalized with a major shopping center. See, the South Bay Center. But, I’m not here to talk about the neighborhood. The station itself is pretty standard, with benches, a fairly long platform, and wastebins. There’s also a CharlieCard validator as well. Now, since there’s no crossover via bridges, how do you change sides? Well, that’s easy. You take the ramp and use the underpass.

Fortunately, changing sides isn’t as sketchy as in Milford. Plus, you also have a few local bus connections and some bike racks. Furthermore, downtown Boston makes a cool backdrop for foamer pictures, so there’s that too.

They just updated the schedule earlier this day

The good: It’s located pretty much at the South Bay Center! I mean, it’s decently located for a shopping trip, or if you work or live in Newmarket Square.

The bad: Unfortunately, it’s not pedestrian friendly. I’ll also add that this is also the least-used Fairmount station. Furthermore, there’s just nothing that stands out about the station in particular, and there’s a lack of long-ish term parking in the area. I mean, you could walk from the South Bay Center, but at that point just take the bus.

Nearby points of interest: The South Bay Center! Yeah, not much in the area stands out here either.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Fairmount)
MBTA bus (8, 10, 16, CT3)

Overall, as a station, it gets the job done. But, like, there’s just not much to say about it. Sure, the South Bay Center is close, but that’s not enough for a 10/10 station in the city. It does provide for some nice foamer shots though.

Rating: 5.5/10

Boylston (Green Line)

Ah, Boylston. Welcome to the first of the two-oldest subway stations in the entire United States. Well, ho- OH GOD THE NOISE!!!

So, getting off the train, first off there’s no mezzanine area. Plus, the waiting area is a bit small to start with. I’ll also add it looks kinda dingy. But, the headhouses? It’s a time capsule, as it’s been present since the end of the 19th century. That’s the late 1800s!!! However, as nice as the station seems on paper, it’s very dingy and it’s lacking GREATLY in accessibility. Yikes. Oh yeah, the inbound side has a PCC hidden behind a fence.

Oh yeah, the station is also served by the SL5. It’s nothing special though, just a bus sign. Kinda shitty, if you ask me, actually.

The good: Well, it’s located in the Boston Common in downtown Boston. It’s also pretty significant historically so there’s that.

The bad: Screw you and your ADA needs! Seriously, this place has no elevator! Also, the screeching of the Green Line trains is deafening! In fact, I think I might have tinnitus and a headache now as a result. Speaking of the screeching, it’s so loud you can even hear it from OUTSIDE THE STATION. That’s a MAJOR code red.

Nearby points of interest: Boston Common is the big one! Hell, the station itself can be considered one for its historical significance.

Transit connections:
Green Line (B, C, D, E)
Silver Line (SL5)
MBTA bus (43)

Overall, just pass on this station unless absolutely necessary. Yes, it’s nice historically, but it’s dingy and deafening. Don’t go here unless you’re already deaf.

Rating: 3.5/10

455 (Salem/Wonderland/Lynn Center)

Alrighty, we’re heading to the North Shore! Original plan called for my friend and I to ride the SL3 and a Newburyport/Rockport train to Salem, but shit timing ended up leading to a Blue Line transfer at Airport. Shittier timing led to a 30 minute wait for the 455 at Wonderland. Eventually the bus arrived, and after putting up with a loud bunch of about 10 teenagers, they quieted down boarding the bus. Thank GOD.

So, we pulled out of Wonderland’s busway and we made our way up to Revere Street. From here, we turned left, and picked up a few people. Fortunately, it wasn’t long until we went through a roundabout and on the Salem Turnpike, where the operator decided to hightail and floor it down Rte. 107 through the wetlands between Revere and Lynn.

So we floored it, passing some buildings on either side, but no stops as this was essentially a highway. Among these buildings were GE’s Riverworks plant which also housed a train station. Naturally, no deviation. Now that it was Western Avenue, people were getting on and off, primarily for local travel within Lynn. It was a bit dense, about as much as Revere, and to be honest this place could use a Blue Line extension with a stop or three. Of course, this route wouldn’t be complete without us going down Center and Market Streets, deviating into the Lynn Center busway. Yes, people got on here. No, noone transferred to the Commuter Rail which was expressing (station closed a day prior for repairs). Nevertheless, we pressed on through Lynn, as well as Swampscott, by following Union and Essex Streets.

Aw crap, the Woonsocket sphere of influence strikes again

Of course, after passing through Governor Charlie Baker’s hometown of Swampscott, the road became Loring Ave., which we still followed all the way into Salem. It was largely residential. Going into Salem, we passed Salem State University, and eventually houses started getting a bit more grandiose and historic-looking. We turned down Lafayette Street, and a couple of more turns brought us into the crowded downtown Salem. Yes, this was during peak tourism season. Fortunately, soon after, and after everyone got off the bus along Washington St., we made it to Salem Depot (aka Salem Station).

Run time? About an hour.

The good: Well, you can’t say it doesn’t serve a lot! Ridership seems to be primarily concentrated at Wonderland, Lynn, and downtown Salem for sure. Salem itself is pretty nice, both in the tourism regard and with its historical context (the witch trials and whatnot, even had an Arthur Miller play based on it). Even outside peak tourism season (October), during the summer it’s a nice place to walk around and whatnot.

The bad: The headways kinda suck though relative to the rest of the MBTA, being hourly. Vs. other RTAs it’d be alright, but this is the MBTA we’re talking. Then again, they also have subway lines running on upwards of 15-20 minute headways as of me writing this. But hey, maybe hourly isn’t as bad for Lynn and Salem as it seems at first glance, as the route does take around an hour from end to end.

Nearby points of interest: Wonderland has the Blue Line! You also have whatever there is in Lynn (sorry, I’m unfamiliar with the area), as well as Salem. I even went candlepin bowling at a nearby alley.

Overall, while I’d increase headways to half-hourly during the tourism season, maybe it isn’t as necessary as, say, half-hour headways on a Salem express. Hell, odds are most tourists are taking the train in if they’re going to take transit to/from Salem.

Rating: 7/10

Ruggles (Orange Line)

Finally, the last Providence Line station! And it’s also an Orange Line station! Man, is it nice to be back in the Southwest Corridor.

Alright, so the Orange Line platform is kinda underground (essentially, the building is an overpass), but it provides protection from rain. Oh yeah, the Orange Line opened up about half a month before writing this. Nevertheless, my friend and I went up to the main area.

So, the mezzanine was spacious and had a few businesses. Oh yeah, there’s a Dunkin’ as well. Going further, there’s a busway that can be found that’s spacious and there’s also a Dunkin’, along with CharlieCard machines.

Moving on to the Commuter Rail, the platform is depressing to a degree, being not the most aesthetically pleasing area. However, despite half the platform being closed off on one side, there’s still benches and wastebins along with countdown signs. The one for track 2 is on the side platform, while track 1/3’s is at Dunkin’.

As for train service, you’ll see Amtrak express, but pretty much every train passing will stop for the MBTA.

The good: It’s close to Northeastern University! It’s also got a number of bus routes, with it being the primary transit center for Roxbury. It’s also a short on-foot transfer away from the Green Line’s E branch, by way of Northeastern’s stop.

The bad: The platforms are just sad! Like, I get it’s the Southwest Corridor, but at least open the Commuter Rail platform a little more! Also, what’s with the station being mostly closed on Sundays, including Dunkin’? Just a nitpick.

Nearby points of interest: Northeastern University is the big one! Nubian Square is also a little ways away.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Franklin, Foxboro, Needham, Providence, Stoughton)
Orange Line
MBTA bus (8, 9, 15, 19, 22, 23, 28, 29, 43, 44, 45, 47, CT2, CT3)

Overall, it’s a well-placed station. It can get a little cold during the winter (esp. if today is any indication), but it’s not that bad a station. But please, extend the Commuter Rail platform!

Rating: 7/10

Salem (MBTA)

Woah, what a wicked awesome town! Wait, is it? Oh crap, it’s Salem. Uh, uh, I can reassure the jury I’m not a witch at least. So, how good is th- and it’s a park & ride.

So after getting off the 455, we’re greeted by the busway. Of course, from the outset, there’s so much parking some’s even outside. Nevertheless, looking at the parking garage, it’s clear that unlike Wickford Junction, it’s actually well-utilized. Plus, there’s some MBTA logos slapped on it. Going inside, one can find a waiting area (which was kinda cold, today, likely because the air outside comes in) and a Pedal & Park. The platform is also fully high-level, which is nice on a line that’s mostly mini-highs. Except for River Works, we don’t talk about River Works. Oh yeah, there’s also a tunnel on one end going right through downtown.

Here comes the train! And yes, there were MBB coaches.

The good: Well, it’s centrally-ish located in Salem! And it’s open-air, unlike Back Bay. It’s also pretty much fully unobstructed unlike the Southwest Corridor. Plus, the amount of parking is good, unlike at Wickford since it’s actually utilized. In fact, this is the most-used station outside zone 1A!

The bad: Well, I guess the curve can lead to a gap between the platform and train. The stairs might also be annoying, but there’s an elevator if you need accessibility.

Nearby points of interest: Well, Salem! You’ve got all the wicked witchy tourist attractions around town that everyone comes here for!

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Newburyport, Rockport)
MBTA bus (435, 450, 451, 455, 456)

Overall, this is a pretty decent station. It’s just outside downtown Salem, doesn’t seem out of place due to being a little ways away (but still walking distance), and is in a walkable area. It’s wicked good for a park & ride, at that.

Rating: 8/10

Blue Line (Revere/Downtown Boston) (MBTA)

Alrighty, now since I’ve done both termini of the Blue Line, how about an entry on the line itself?

The East Boston Tunnel was initially built as a light rail line, initially running from Maverick Square to Court St., with a stop at State Street and Atlantic Avenue (now Aquarium). Constructing this ended up taking quite a while, a lot of money, and from what I can find, killed four. Eventually, it’d be extended to Bowdoin Square, the present western terminus, and converted to standard subway instead of light rail. Along with this came an intermediate stop at Scollay Square, now named Government Center. Needless to say, this required a lot of manpower. Then, upon the dawn of the 1950s, when most US cities were essentially throwing their rapid transit systems into the toilet with the advent of the automobile, came a new extension to the Blue Line. This brought it out to the present-day eastern terminus at Wonderland in Revere, with intermediate stops at Revere Beach, Beachmont, Suffolk Downs, Orient Heights, Wood Island, and most notably Airport. Nowadays, the line has two proposals for extensions, being a western extension to the Red Line at Charles/MGH, and an eastern extension to the Lynn Commuter Rail station.

Anyways, enough of the historical mumbo jumbo.

So, the ride begins at Bowdoin, which is not accessible. Accessibility can be found at nearby Government Center and State Street, both of which are very close by. Oh yeah, the train screeches a bit like the Green Line in Boylston going into Government Center. Oh, NOW we’re going fast. Soon enough, we’re flooring it through the tunnel into Aquarium, and then the speed REALLY picks up going under the harbor into Maverick.

Thank goodness it isn’t a literal aquarium down here (yet).

After leaving Maverick, we emerge on the surface and holy crap, it’s scenic. One can see the airport, some green spaces nearby, and the ocean between the stations. We arrive at Airport and transition to overhead wires, which are used to prevent any issues during the winter. Moving on, it’s very scenic and we’re going really fast. Why, again, can’t the Orange or Red Lines be like this? We enter the rest of the surface stations at Wood Island, Orient Heights (where the Blue Line yard can be found!), Suffolk Downs (the least-used station with fare control!), Beachmont, Revere Beach, and lastly Wonderland. Wow, that was fast.

This looks like a nice place to railfan the Blue Line

The least-used station with fare control!

The good: Well, it’s fast! And, it sure as hell has no slow zones unlike the Orange and Red Lines! It’s also probably the most scenic out of the rapid transit lines, running along the ocean and the beaches. The rolling stock is pretty nice too, consisting of 2007 Siemens #5s.

The bad: The Charles and Lynn extensions would be kinda nice.

Nearby points of interest: There’s downtown Boston, along with the airport! You also have Maverick Square, and pretty much all of eastern Revere.

Overall, I’d say the Blue Line is the best of the rapid transit lines. It’s fast, unlike the other subway lines. It doesn’t have to contend with grade crossings, unlike the Green and Mattapan lines. And, it doesn’t run in mixed traffic, unlike the Green and Silver Lines. Now, if only it ran to Charles and Lynn, I’d say it’s a home run.

Rating: 9.5/10

Airport (Blue/Silver Line)

Wait, another airport? Yeah, apparently T.F. Green isn’t the only airport-centered station to be appearing on this site. Well, let’s dig into Logan Airport’s subway station.

First off, this station is special since it’s where the handoff between 3rd rail and the overhead catenaries happen. Second, it’s pretty nice. As a station, it’s spacious and is pretty well-lit. There’s a footbridge to cross the tracks, in standard Blue Line fashion (well, for surface stations, anyways). The main lobby area is also pretty well-lit, and one can find quite a few brochures. This also happens to be where the Massport buses board, along with the SL3 to South Station and Chelsea. Not exactly the best area, as it felt a little dingy, but whatever.

The good: It’s a direct-ish link between Logan Airport and the Silver and Blue Lines. Well, it’s not direct, but the Massport shuttles are free, which will bring you to the airport terminals. But, if you don’t want to ride the overcrowded SL1, this seems like an alright spot to change over to the Massport buses.

The bad: I mean, I guess the busway can feel a bit dingy. Though, however, that’s because it’s under the turnpike and the East Boston Expressway.

Nearby points of interest: Well, surprisingly, there’s not just Logan Airport. In fact, the airport exclusive in this section is reserved for when I do my entry on the SL1 stops. As for near the station, while it’s still not much to ring home about, you do have two parks, a residential neighborhood, and even a stadium.

Transit connections:
Blue Line
Silver Line (SL3)
Massport shuttles

Overall, it’s a fine station and it gets the job done. And, it looks pretty too as a bonus. Maybe I’m wrong to say things would go downhill after giving Wonderland a 9.5/10, but we aren’t too far gone yet from there.

Rating: 9/10

Wonderland (Blue Line)

I debated whether or not I should try to quote the book Alice in Wonderland. However, since I’m not the best when it comes to literature, I decided against it. Anyways, here’s Wonderland. Winter wonderland, though? Probably not.

So, the platforms are definitely bright with natural lighting. There’s also not a lot to ring home about here. However, there’s a parking garage attached with another parking lot nearby. There’s also a pedestrian bridge attached that’ll bring one to Revere Beach, which is arguably why most people would be here (especially during the summer!). There’s also plenty of bus connections, with the busway being found in the garage. The mezzanine area with fare control is also well-lit during the daytime (and I’d presume the night too). Needless to say, they went crazy with natural light, which is a nice thing.

The doorway on the bridge towards the Bowdoin platform and the lobby

The good: It’s a big park & ride lot! There’s also pedestrian access directly to Revere Beach as well. Furthermore, there’s several bus routes, many of which go on up towards Lynn and Salem.

The bad: Well….yeah, I don’t know. I guess the lack of free crossovers, but at a terminal station, I don’t think many people will be wanting to do such a thing.

Nearby points of interest: Revere Beach is the big one! (not to be confused with the Blue Line station of the same name). There’s also an Amazon warehouse if you’re a union organizer.

Transit connections:
Blue Line
MBTA bus (110, 116, 117, 411, 424, 426, 439, 441, 441/442, 442, 450, 455)

Overall, it’s not a bad station for a terminal. I really couldn’t think of anything bad, save for the lack of free crossovers. But, to be fare, not a lot of people will be looking to do that at a terminal station. With that in mind, I guess it’s downhill from here for the Blue Line, unless I come across a diamond in the rough.

Rating: 9.5/10