Category: MBTA

Alrighty, now for a middle of nowhere MBTA station!

Going to the station is easy and accessible. Your options for getting to the platforms are either the stairs on the overpass from Depot St., or ramps winding down from the nearby side streets. Mini-highs are found on the southern end of the platforms. Parking here is plenty, however there’s more ridership than spaces, which would suggest over half the people using this station (mostly in the morning and evening commutes) are coming in either by bike, being dropped off, or simply walking. The mini-high (yet again!) is pretty much the same as Mansfield’s, as both stations were rebuilt at similar times (2014 for Sharon due to an ADA complaint, 2017-2019 for Mansfield). Hell, had I written this before 2014, I’d be slamming the crap out of Sharon over being a very busy and very inaccessible station (only one on the line that wasn’t ADA compliant!) This was also the same time that the station building (which was closed, as I was here on a Saturday) was retrofitted to be ADA compliant as well.

The good: This station gets a lot of ridership. Enough so to where I’d make the argument that all trains (including morning expresses, which seem to skip here) should stop, unless the two tracks makes it prohibitive. Where the ridership comes from, I don’t know, as there’s no transit and there’s not much in the way that the equivalent of 10% of Sharon’s entire population is coming from Sharon alone, plus the fact that there’s twice as many riders as there is parking.

The bad: Maybe there isn’t enough parking! Weekends, sure, it isn’t an issue. But, I’m sure if you add transit or more parking (if it’s even possible), then it wouldn’t be as big an issue. Also, the mini-high.

Nearby points of interest: Sharon’s town center is due east of here. Apparently they have a statue of a female Revolutionary War soldier as well, at the local library.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Providence Line)

Overall, I like this station for the charm it has being in the middle of nowhere. It’s in the middle of the woods, which I think makes for a decent backdrop for railfanning. Plus, the town center isn’t too far away. However, the ridership is probably too high for its own good given the lack of a full high platform. Plus, I’d argue ridership for this station is enough to merit some actual transit, even if by way of a GATRA mini-bus shuttle utilizing a Dial a Ride van.

Rating: 6.5/10

So, I’ve never really stepped foot here until today, though I’ve always wanted to check it out as the big mess of metal footbridges always stood out to me. Plus, I thought it’d be a half-decent railfanning spot. Does it live up to the hype though? Let’s find out.

So, getting off a northbound train, I make my way to check out the station building which, wouldn’t ya know it, is actually open! A rarity on the MBTA on weekends! And, it’s actually quite nice. It reminds me of Mystic’s and Kingston’s station buildings in the historical factor. Tickets can be brought here, and it can be used as an indoor waiting area on rainy days. Furthermore, there’s a bathroom here, and a restaurant called Copper City Espresso.

Moving outside, the platform is the usual Providence Line affair of a mini-high at the far end, with a very, very long low-level platform (where NOBODY boards on weekends/off-peak hours!!!). The tracks are also lettered to help people find their way. Platforms A and B are the Northeast Corridor mainline (to/from Wickford and Providence), while platforms C and D are for the Stoughton branch. The tracks are also numbered (from left to right) 1, 2, 4, and 6.

The ramps and stairs, however, can easily add about 5 minutes to reaching the train, making this a textbook definition of a “screw you” station. If you can’t run to save your life, you’re gonna miss your train if you parked next to the station building, and your train is heading south to Providence. Likewise, if your train is heading north from Stoughton and you’re next to the Providence track. Parking is plenty though, and ridership is generally concentrated in morning and evening commutes (although today was an exception, due to a convention in Boston).

The good: It’s got a nice building and plenty of parking! Furthermore, service on weekdays is relatively frequent due to the Stoughton branch being in service.

The bad: The footbridges. It’s deteriorating, hopefully won’t end up in the same state as South Attleboro’s when they get around to repairing it. Plus, it can take forever to get to the inbound platforms from where one parked, and I can’t help but think that some of the parking could be replaced with TOD. Plus, service can be infrequent on weekends (every 2 hours, without Stoughton service!)

Nearby points of interest: If you’re a railfan, this station in of itself is a place of interest. There’s also the Canton Viaduct just south, if you want to walk a little, and Canton Center due east.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Providence, Stoughton)

Overall, this station could definitely use some repairs. The bridges are deteriorating and rusting, the stairs made me feel uncomfortable, and overall can we get full high platforms when this gets rebuilt? And, also, maybe some TOD?

Rating: 4/10

Oh boy, another MBTA bus route! And this time, it’s a decades-long bustitution! The Arborway used to be a part of the Green Line’s E branch. However, in late 1985, the MBTA decided to temporarily close the extension beyond its present terminus of Heath St. As of now, it’s still closed, and it’s more of a permanently temporary closure, rather than just simply “temporary”. In its place is the 39, which largely replaced it. So, with the MBTA lore out of the way, let’s dig into this route.

So we left Forest Hills’ upper busway and proceeded down South and Centre Streets, passing the Arborway. Eventually it became lined with businesses and strip malls, as we kept getting passengers and, eventually, we turned down South Huntington Avenue.

The area was largely residential, and this extended to even as we passed a pretty sizable animal hospital and, eventually, the V.A. Medical Center. This would also mark where the E branch presently ends.

We then kept going down Huntington Avenue, passing all the construction happening on the Green Line. Houses and businesses largely lined the streets of Mission Hill. We’d also pass through the general area of various schools, including Emmanuel, Northeastern, and Wentworth. We’d also pass by the Conservatory of Music and Symphony Station. We then turned left down Belvidere Street (not part of the route?????) and onto Boylston Street, passing the Sheraton as well as Hynes CC. We’d also pass the Prudential Center and Copley’s Green Line station (which I think is why we detoured, as we are bustituting the E branch as of me riding this). We’d then turn right down Clarendon Street and, eventually, make our way into the backside of Back Bay Station into the busway (Front Bay?)

The good: It’s a very well utilized route! It’s definitely up there in ridership, I think, at least if my trip was to go by. It was definitely busy. It also serves as an alternative to the Green Line’s E branch (with slightly more capacity, should bendy buses be used!), should it be out of service (like today!) It’s also a decent connection between two subway stations as well as an Amtrak station.

The bad: …what? I got nothing here. I guess, the fact it isn’t 100% bendy bus? Yeah, I don’t know.

Nearby points of interest: A lot. You’ve got the many schools on Huntington Ave., Copley Square (& the associated shopping center), the Prudential Center, Back Bay Station, and the Arborway is next to Forest Hills. There’s also the various shops lining the streets of Mission Hill, too.

Overall, I like this route. It’s definitely a near-10/10. However, sometimes the capacity of the 40ft buses can raise some eyebrows, and as such it’s not a 10/10 for me.

Rating: 9/10

Ah, Riverside. This area of the Green Line is what I call the “scenic part”. Why? Well, it’s about as far out on the Green Line as one can go! In fact, we’re butting up right against the edge of the I-95/128 ring! Well, let’s look at Riverside.

So, the platforms are sizable enough. It’s nothing much to ring home about, but it’s a decent size. Just past the platforms are also the Green Line maintenance facility, so there’s that. The Museum of Science has a to-scale model of the Solar System, and it just happens that Pluto is all the way out here as well. I didn’t see it here, though, but maybe that’s me not looking carefully enough. Parking is also sufficient, with this being a park & ride lot, there’s a decent amount of spaces. As for transit connections, one has an express bus route into downtown Boston.

The good: It’s a decently-sized park & ride! Even on a Sunday, it’s decently utilized. Furthermore, it’s also cheaper to take the Green Line from here, than to utilize Auburndale’s Commuter Rail station ($2.40 vs. $7) going into downtown Boston. Plus, this station just has a charm that I can’t get over. Maybe it’s the sense of tranquility this end of the Green Line has that’s getting to me.

The bad: It’s a bit of a ways out. Like, it’s about a 50 minute ride to get to Boylston and Park St. Aside from that, I can’t really think of a lot that would be wrong with this station.

Nearby points of interest: Not a lot, with this being a park & ride. I mean, there’s a few country clubs along with Lasell University.

Transit connections: Green Line (D)
MBTA bus (558)
MWRTA (Rte. 20 Shuttle, MassBay Riverside Shuttle)

Overall, as a park & ride, I’d say this is definitely an example other stations should follow. It’s got plenty of parking, has bike racks for those coming in via bike, and it’s got bus connections as well. Plus, it has a to-scale size of Pluto, too!

Rating: 8.5/10

Hyde Park is a pretty decent neighborhood. I’m not all too familiar with it, but there’s just an air of peace and safety that I feel with the area. Besides, it’s also got three train stations, one of which I’ve already covered here! So, let’s look at the second of three train stations and see how well or poorly it stacks up.

So, getting off the platform, the mini-high is at the far end of the platform, away from where one would realistically be arriving, if they need accessibility. At least it’s sheltered though. However, there’s rusting. A lot of rusting. Like Jesus Christ, they really took on a note from Readville and made it worse. As for the ramps themselves, aside from the fencing and roofing rusting like crazy, it’s nothing special, other than that they’re long. There’s also a set of stairs at the intersection of River and Business Streets, and Gordon Avenue. Parking, though, is plentiful. As for access to the lot, the big MBTA sign at the intersection of Hyde Park Ave. and Pingree St. should be enough a hint.

We also had an “oh shit” moment, where some kid had the audacity to attempt to catch a basketball that bounced onto the track. All while the “train approaching” warning was going off. No, he did not get hit (thank freakin’ God), however it was very reckless.

The good: If you’re heading outbound and you happen to be close enough to the area, it isn’t too terrible a place to be. However, there are some major caveats which I will touch on later.

The bad: This station is kind of a niche use case. Some Franklin trains (midday and early evening) will stop here heading outbound, however none inbound. For the Providence/Stoughton Line? Every weekend train stops here (every 2 hours), however a handful of weekday trains (mostly to either Wickford or Stoughton) stops here as well. But, if you’re on one of said trains, it’s oftentimes cheaper to get off, walk a little, and go inbound to South Station from Fairmount ($2.40 vs. $6+). Also, since it’s a transfer to the 32, can we get a CharlieCard machine here?

Nearby points of interest: If you’re a railfan, this station isn’t the best of spots to railfan at. However, the 32 will bring you from here to Readville. There’s also residential on one side, with Cleary Square and associated businesses on the other.

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Providence, Stoughton, Franklin, Foxboro)
MBTA bus (32)

Overall, I’m not a big fan of this station. I don’t mind Hyde Park as a neighborhood, hell I think it’s a pretty decent neighborhood. I just feel that it deserves much, much better of a train station.

Rating: 4.5/10

Alrighty, coming off the heels of a bunch of Green Line stations, we now have an Orange Line station! Wellington? Well, why not?

So, the station is largely linear in nature. You have the busway where all the buses drop people off. There was also a Commuter Rail bustitution when I came here with a friend, so it was more crowded than usual. This ended up hindering my ability to take pictures. However, you have a set of stairs (and I presume an elevator, as it’s an accessible station) going up to a footbridge. Underneath? The Haverhill Line and the northbound Orange Line track. In the mezzanine, a walkway crossing the Orange Line yard can be found, along with CharlieCard machines. There’s also bus schedules for the various bus routes stopping here.

The good: This station is clearly heavily used. It’s no Downtown Crossing or Park St., but it definitely felt crowded. However, if headways were normal with the Orange Line, I’m sure it’d be a slightly better situation. There’s also plenty of bus service, and the station layout is largely straightforward. Oh yeah, apparently a Transit Ambassador was letting people into the Orange Line platform for free, likely as part of the Newburyport/Rockport bustitution. For train nerds, you can also see a whole bunch of Hawker Siddlies from the walkway connecting the station to the parking garage, as this is where the Orange Line maintenance facility is.

The bad: I mean, it’s not a very pedestrian-friendly area. It can also get a bit crowded on the Orange Line platform during rush hour.

Nearby points of interest: I mean, there’s a few hotels and shopping centers – if you’re willing to torture yourself.

Transit connections: Orange Line
MBTA bus (97, 99, 100, 106, 108, 110, 112, 134)

Overall, I like this station, moreso than Heath St. Yes, it’s simple, but simple isn’t bad. It’s also largely a straightforward station to navigate with little in the way of making mistakes (e.g. going to the wrong platform can be fixed by simply rotating yourself 180 degrees). It’s also a decent park & ride, but I’d imagine the long walkway can be a pain if you regularly commute to/from here. Oh yeah, apparently an old Hawker Siddley train bursted into flames a week or so before writing this just south of here, too.

Rating: 6.5/10

Alrighty, so we did Heath Street, what about the stops in mixed traffic? Well….

Yeah…., not much to be said. They’re all bus signs, with the occasional shelter. At least the 39 will pull over, which the Green Line can’t do. Hell, if the GL could, it likely would’ve prevented the crash that led to someone being (non-fatally, thank God!) injured at Riverway.

The good: Ummm…., it serves a bunch of apartments?

The bad: These stations are unsafe! Unsafe enough to where people have been HIT BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC when deboarding the Green Line at these stops! That’s even worse than Back Bay’s risk of black lung!

Nearby points of interest: Just use Heath St. instead, if you can. Or, Brigham Circle, if you’re closer to that. Or just use the 39 at these stops instead. I mean, there’s also Back of the Hill if you want to visit the least-used MBTA rapid transit “station”.

Transit connections:
Green Line (E)
MBTA bus (39, 66)

Overall, just, just don’t use these stations unless it’s a last-ditch effort. Or, if you have to, just take the 39 instead, as at least that can pull over to the stop for you.

Rating: 1.5/10

Alrighty, so from one Green Line terminus to another! Let’s take a look at Heath St.

So, the station layout is pretty simple. You have a platform on a balloon loop. There’s also a shelter on one side, and a parking lot in the middle of the loop. Overall, this station definitely follows the KISS principle (keep it simple,silly), and sometimes that’s all you need for a decent enough station. However, all the trains do NOT board/deboard on the side with the shelter. Yeah…

The good: It’s pretty close to where people would want to be, with a school and the V.A. nearby.

The bad: I mean, if you’re willing to walk, the Orange Line isn’t too terribly far away (around a mile), plus the 39 being able to bring one to Forest Hills and Back Bay, both of which are also served by the Orange Line. And, this one isn’t a fault of the station itself, but the E branch used to go all the way to Forest Hills as well.

Nearby points of interest: Not much. Just some apartments and the V.A. medical center.

Transit connections:
Green Line (E)
MBTA bus (14, 39)

Overall, it’s not the most exciting station. However, it gets the job done and sometimes, that’s all that’s necessary. There are some annoyances though, as I’ve touched on earlier.

Rating: 6/10

Alrighty, the newest rapid transit station on the MBTA (for now, that is!). So, with that in mind, surely this can’t be that bad, right? Right???

The track layout is pretty easy. You have an island platform, where Green Line trains terminate. The design doesn’t render any extensions (e.g. to Porter Square) too terribly difficult, however currently the operator has to get out, change to the other side of the train, and start driving on the other side. You also have the Fitchburg Line running parallel to the station (future Commuter Rail platform, anyone?) as well. It’s also nice that the entire platform is under a canopy of sorts, especially on a searingly hot summer day.

Unfortunately, that’s where the good stuff ends, is with the platforms and nearby transit-oriented development. Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. So, the farebox is on the other side of the train or ALL the doors are open (maybe both!), so getting to the farebox isn’t always practical. However, there’s also no turnstiles. So, how does the T handle their laziness? Let me explain.

You gotta go to a CharlieCard machine (like you’re adding value or buying a day/week pass). Then, you gotta tap your CharlieCard and then tap “Validate Fare”. However, that isn’t enough, as you also gotta tap it AGAIN. Finally, it’ll beget a receipt. A FREAKIN’ RECEIPT.

And do the operators check it? Nope! Does anyone check it? I’m not even sure. Maybe at rush hour, but I likely won’t know as I don’t intend on returning here, and I came here on a Sunday. So, in essence, fare validation is the honor system.

Now, let me ask this.

WHY IN THE HOLY NAME OF BILL WELD, DID THE MBTA THINK THAT IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM THAT MAKES FARE EVASION EASIER WAS A GOOD IDEA?! WHAT KIND OF CRACK WERE THEY ON?! WHY WOULD ANY TRANSIT AGENCY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND THINK THAT GIVING PEOPLE RECEIPTS AND USING THE HONOR SYSTEM EVEN BE A GOOD IDEA AS A FORM OF FARE CONTROL, WHEN TURNSTILES ARE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE?! Sure, you can hop the turnstiles, but for someone who’s, say, pudgy like I am, it takes hella more effort than just simply ignoring the validation machine and not getting a receipt, then getting on the back door of a D branch train. Like, this station was an idea for over 100 years, and actually in the works since the beginning of the last decade (the 2010s), and this was how they did it?

The good: It’s been a long time coming! It’s a direct link between the area around Union Square in Somerville to downtown Boston and the other Green Line branches. It’s also near some transit-oriented development, as well as a Target!

The bad: WHY DO WE EVEN NEED THE HONOR SYSTEM?! LIKE, HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE COULD IT HAVE BEEN TO INSTALL TURNSTILES LIKE A NORMAL RAPID TRANSIT STATION?! And no, noone checks the receipts to actually prove you paid. They may as well not have the CharlieCard machines.

Nearby points of interest: There’s a Target nearby! Also, the neighborhood of Union Square, it’s quite nice actually.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)
MBTA bus (85, 86, 87, 91, CT2)

Overall, this station would’ve been great. It could’ve easily been an 8 or even a 9, if it weren’t for the lack of fare control. And, whatever kind of drugs they were on when they decided on the vending machines over turnstiles, I’d like to know.

Rating: 6.5/10