Category: Public Transit

Alrighty, now back to the Green Line! Now, four stations remained when I arrived, having left off at Beaconsfield. So, let’s get into the first of the Brookline duo: Brookline Hills.

Alrighty, getting off a Type 7, I immediately notice how new the station feels. Now, I don’t mean GLX new, but it’s pretty damn close. So, you see the building above the Green Line ROW? Yeah, I wasn’t sure what was up with that, until someone mentioned it was Brookline High School. I legitimately thought it was an office building of some kind at first, since who the hell would invest that much into a new school? Furthermore, WHY WOULD YOU BUILD A SCHOOL ABOVE THE GREEN LINE RIGHT OF WAY?! Well, whatever, it’s probably for political optics. So, what are the other buildings around it that look more befitting for a school? I’m not sure, since odds are they’re probably not used as a school anymore if there’s a new one above the Green Line. Either way, there’s more to the area. You’ve got some parks nearby, and plus you have the usual Green Line affair of shelters and benches. However, I didn’t notice any enclosed heated shelters, sadly. Eventually the countdown clock says a train is arriving but OOPS a test train! Oh, right, someone probably falsified inspection reports.

The good: It’s in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and plus the fact it’s underneath Brookline High School means, if you’re a student who attends, lucky you for the Green Line’s existence! Even that aside, you still have some parks nearby, including across the street (though I think that’s the school’s football field? I’m not sure)

The bad: No heated shelter. That’s literally it.

Nearby points of interest: You’ve got a few parks! Also, the high school is directly above the station. There’s also some stuff on Route 9, if you want to walk. Also, I can’t confirm anything on the old Brookline High being abandoned/shuttered, so please don’t try your luck. You’ll almost certainly be arrested. (and, to be honest, the new school looks absolutely HIDEOUS and sterile!)

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)
MBTA bus (60, on Route 9)

Overall, I like this station. Sure, the sterile-looking school above drags it down a little, but aside from that and the lack of heated shelters it’s pretty much as perfect as the D branch can get.

Rating: 9/10

Oh brother, another MBTA station on the side of the Mass Pike? Oh please, you’ve got to be kidding me! Well, whatever, here we go.

Welcome to Auburndale. Needless to say, whatever Newtonville had, pretty much exists at Auburndale as well. That means, the same issues with the single shack on the side of the Mass Pike, flag stop service, rickety metal stairs that don’t inspire confidence, the singular platform, the garbage, it’s all here. But wait, there’s more! Unlike Newtonville, this actually holds a distinction on the Worcester Line: the least-used station! Oh yeah, not only do you have a seemingly excessive amount of parking on Auburn Street, you also have metered street parking as well. Like, really?! Now, there is one use case for this station, but it’s very niche.

So, Auburndale is close to a rapid transit station, surprisingly. It’s a bit of a hike, but 3/4 of a mile isn’t too terrible if you’re able-bodied. If you need accessibility, however, you may as well get a RIDE shuttle to Riverside instead. So, what IS that niche use case for Auburndale over Riverside? Well, here ya go: If the Green Line is suffering from major slow zones and you need to be downtown. Commuter Rail gets you to Back Bay in about 20 minutes, while the Green Line can take over an hour on a bad day to get to Copley. Nevertheless, even then, you’d be better off on the Green Line with how dogshit this station is. But hey, the area has a little bit of charm but it doesn’t save it.

The good: It’s waist-deep in residential sprawl!

The bad: WHY?! JUST, WHY?! WHY DOES THIS EVEN EXIST?! THIS, LIKE NEWTONVILLE, IS ABSOLUTE GAR-BITCH! IT’S SO BAD, I’D RATHER DIG THROUGH A DUMPSTER AT WALMART! ALSO, THE PLATFORMS FEEL SMALLER THAN AT NEWTONVILLE! NO, JUST, JUST NO. And unlike Newtonville, THERE ARE NO PROVISIONINGS FOR A SECOND PLATFORM!!!!!

Nearby points of interest: At least Auburndale (the village) is a nice place! It’s not the worst place to be stuck at for several hours, and you got a few restaurants nearby!

Transit connections:
Commuter Rail (Worcester)

Overall, no. Just, no. This station’s absolute dogshit. Garbage. I’ve seen better on the Fitchburg. HASTINGS would be better, probably.

Actually, no. I take that back. I don’t think Hastings should be that disserved.

Either way, this station sucks so much, it doesn’t even warrant a sign shot.

Rating: 0.5/10

Alrighty, alrighty, here’s the second of the two Newton stations. At least it doesn’t suck like Newtonville (or Auburndale or West Newton, for that matter). Let’s take a look at Newton Centre, aight?

So, the platform is pretty bogstandard. You got your usual shelter setup (heated & unheated), but this station has a mini-high!!! Woooo!!!! Yeah, I gotta curb the enthusiasm. However, you also got the old station building as well! Neat! So, what’s in it? Uhhh, lemme look.

*does research*

Oh, it’s vacant (as of October 2022). That’s sad. However, in the past (per Street View), there was a bar, and A DINER?! THERE WAS A DINER HERE?! HOLY SHIT! But, it wasn’t a prefab diner. So, doubly sad. But you got signage for Piccadilly Square! As for bus connections, you got the weekday-only 52. Yeah, sorry.

The good: The old station building is nice! Furthermore, you got quite a bit locally, and the station is accessible! It also has the usual D branch amenities.

The bad: Eh, the 52’s limiting schedule is just “vleugh” and limits any weekend bus connections.

Nearby points of interest: Shopping but more than Newton Highlands!

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)
MBTA bus (52)

Overall, this station’s still pretty nice. It’s got all the usual D branch amenities and many of the same stuff Newton Highlands has. However, I think in terms of personal preference, I prefer Newton Highlands over this station.

Rating: 8/10

Alrighty, so now onto the Green Line’s Newton duo! First up, batting, is Newton Highlands.

So, on the inbound side you’ve got the same usual stuff, shelters, with one being heated. The station’s accessible as well, which is nice!

On the other side, you got some seating (though not a lot), an old building housing a dentistry practice, and accessible entry to the station. Also, WHY IS THERE A TEAL SIGN?! THIS IS THE GREEN LINE, NOT THE TEAL LINE!!! -1 for that alone! (jkjk)

The good: You got a small village nearby! Furthermore, the 59 stops here! Neat, as most other stations either get the MWRTA, or nothing at all! Otherwise, it’s quiet being mostly in a residential area.

The bad: Eh, the tactile strip doesn’t seem to extend all the way! And the outbound side is a little barren (though, to be fair, who’s going outbound here?) AND WHY IS THE SIGN TEAL?!

Nearby points of interest: There’s a small village!

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)
MBTA bus (59)

Overall, I like this station. It’s easily among my favorites, and for that I think it deserves a decent score, for the rural small town feels it gives.

Rating: 8/10

Whelp, Welcome to Waban. What a weird name. Just, just try saying it! “WABAN!!!” It just sounds weird and amusing! I like it. Oh lordy, if only the station itself was this good! Actually, it kinda is good! Let’s look.

First off, you have the usual D branch amenities: heated waiting area, unheated shelters, a relatively anemic amount of parking. Usual stuff that’s not out of place. It’s nice and quiet, I’ll add! But, why is the only entrance from Wyman Street? Yeah, that’s an odd one. It does feel like a nice small town center, though, so there’s that. Either way, not a bad station. It’s got character.

The good: It’s got character! Like, yeah it sucks this station isn’t accessible, but I like the small village feel of the area around it. It’s also nice and quiet, tranquil even as Miles puts it in his entry. And, there’s some parking if needed. Oh yeah, the Catch Connect will pick you up here too!

The bad: Eh, there’s only one way in and out. It’s also not accessible. Mostly the accessibility. Wait, what???? YOU MEAN THERE’S PLANS TO MAKE THIS, ALONG WITH BEACONSFIELD, CHESTNUT HILL, AND ELIOT ACCESSIBLE?! GOD-FUCKING-DAMMIT WHY DIDN’T I KNOW ABOUT THIS EARLIER?!

Whelp, once these renovations/rebuilds are done, guess this one’s going to get a score increase. But, for now, the scores are based on the state of the stations as of March 2023.

Nearby points of interest: There’s a church behind the inbound platform! Also, a small shopping area on Beacon Street. There’s also a pizzeria I need to try out at some point here.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)
MWRTA (Catch Connect)

Overall, I really like this station. It sucks that it isn’t accessible currently, but it’s good there’s plans to make it ADA compliant. Also, I just plain like the area it’s in. (admittedly, part of why it’s getting the score it’s getting)

Rating: 7.5/10

Alrighty, the last two stations of the C branch! Let’s see what these two stations have! Meet: Washington Square and St. Mary Street!

Washington Square and St. Mary Street are like Coolidge Corner in that they’re accessible and have a bit more in the way of amenities. However, unlike Coolidge, there’s not as much charm or character. Both stations have wider platforms, shelters, and benches on both sides, along with wheelchair lifts and level boarding. In terms of transit connections, Washington Square also has the 65, while St. Mary lacks here. These stops also remind me a bit of the E branch’s median stops, as well. Also, just like Coolidge, you also have funky-looking traffic lights. Don’t believe they’re funny-looking? Here.

The good: They’re accessible! Furthermore, you have shelters on BOTH sides, rather than just outbound (really???). Washington Square also has a bus connection: the 65! Neat! Overall, many of the good things about the E’s median stops would apply to these two as well.

The bad: What applied to said E branch stops also apply here: Lack of countdown clocks. Except, unlike the E, no mixed traffic further up the line.

Nearby points of interest: Some shopping around both stops!

Transit connections:
Green Line (C)
MBTA bus (65, at Washington Square)

Overall, they’re alright. Serviceable, quite nice, even. There’s just not a lot to add that I haven’t mentioned yet.

Rating: 6.5/10

Alrighty, now to various C branch stops! So, what’s on the menu? Let’s see: How about Hawes St., Kent St., St. Paul St., Summit Ave., Brandon Hall, Fairbanks St., Tappan St., Dean Rd., and Englewood Ave.? Yes? Alright, let’s dig into it.

Now, most of these stops are similar to the B’s median stops, which are copy-pastes of each other. Sadly, that’s also the case here. Some of them happen to have parking, but none of them are accessible. There’s also shelters – on the outbound side. WHY?! Now that I think of it, isn’t St. Paul St. also on the B branch?

*does research*

Huh, there IS one on the B branch! Or, there WAS, before being consolidated into Amory Street (which is half-decent). So, what happened here? I’m not sure, and I don’t want to know. Furthermore, who’s Brandon and what’s his hall? Well, it turns out with THAT one, it’s a former hotel. Nevertheless, these stops are just godawful, too close, and should be consolidated down to 1-2 stops per bunch. It’s at least slightly better than the B branch’s stops, though that doesn’t say too much.

The good: Well, it’s kinda nice! I mean, you got half of Beacon Street elevated on a hill, with plenty of greenery! However, that’s only true for Summit Ave., Fairbanks St., and Brandon Hall. As for the rest of the stops, it’s still pretty peaceful, and you even get a little bit of metered parking! Neat!

The bad: There’s no accessibility!!! And, WHY ARE THERE SHELTERS ON THE OUTBOUND SIDE?! LIKE, SURE, NOONE WILL EVER WANT SHELTERING GOING INBOUND (WHICH IS A LOT OF PEOPLE!!!) Also, these stops are kinda sorry like the B branch’s street stops, though not to the same degree

Nearby points of interest: Housing, housing everywhere!

Transit connections:
Green Line (C)

Overall, they’re alright enough. Serviceable, however not a lot to remark about in general, though a bus connection to Reservoir from one of the underground stations (Back Bay, Copley, or Kenmore, perhaps?) via Beacon Street would be nice.

Rating: 5.5/10

Alrighty, we’re pretty far out for this one. In fact, we’re so far out, we’re pretty much in MWRTA territory. I repeat, we’re in turf that the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority operates on!!! Yeah, that’s how you know you’re far out, when the MBTA themselves don’t run normal buses out here. Nevertheless, welcome to Woodland!

So, what’s special about Woodland? Well, it’s pretty much one of two stations where MBTA and MWRTA overlap (the other being Waban). Bus connections here include the 1 (MWRTA, not MBTA) and the Catch Connect. As for the Green Line platforms, there’s not a lot, as you have a bus shelter and a heated shelter with a CharlieCard machine. Neat! The area itself doesn’t have a lot going on, just some TOD, a hospital, and a few country clubs. There’s also an unassuming ramp entrance on Washington Street as well. Plus, I’ll have to admit this station felt quite relaxing to be in/around. There’s also a parking garage nearby, neat! So, park & ride, anyone?

The good: You got your MWRTA! Also, a copious amount of parking in the offchance Riverside is overflowing. Furthermore, TOD! Woohoo! Also, sheltered area!

The bad: Eh, I don’t have a lot here.

Nearby points of interest: Country clubs and a nearby hospital! Also, MWRTA! Yeah, not a lot of decent land use here.

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)
MWRTA (1, Catch Connect)

Overall, this is probably one of the best stations on the D branch. Furthermore, it’s got MWRTA!

Rating: 8.5/10

Wait, didn’t we already do Chestnut Hill? Oh, oh, oh, that’s Chestnut Hill AVENUE! Oh, okay! Well, at least this one is guaranteed to be a better station. Let’s look at this station, I guess.

Well, there’s not a lot here. You’ve got some parking, a glass heated shelter, and a wood unheated shelter. Countdown clocks also exist! However, no level boarding. Furthermore, it’s nice and quiet as well. It’s also pretty deep in a residential neighborhood, so there’s that as well. Woohoo!

The good: Okay, I lied. Technically this station is accessible on paper, somewhat. It’s got a lift! Furthermore, it’s got some parking if (for whatever reason) you drive in. Also, it’s got a heated waiting area in typical D branch fashion. However, there’s no tactile safety strip, so yeah.

The bad: It’s not fully accessible. No tactile safety strip. If there were more snow and it wasn’t clear, I’d probably have a harder time finding the tracks and know when to stop moving towards them. But, mostly accessibility here.

Nearby points of interest: Eh, not a lot here. Route 9 has some stuff, but do you really want to walk there?

Transit connections:
Green Line (D)

Overall, I’m indifferent towards this and most of the stations. It’s alright and serviceable, but there’s nothing much that stands out here.

Rating: 6.5/10

So, from one awful Green Line station to another, slightly worse station. How much worse is the next station southbound from Prudential? Well, let’s take a look, shall we?

So, starting off, the platforms are pretty dark-looking but also well-lit. It’s similar to Prudential with the lighting, and someone had fans going down here as well. Might’ve been overkill, but whatever. Going on up, you don’t have free crossovers so, uh, screw you if you enter the wrong way. The mezzanine is a little less dingy than Prudential’s and there’s even art. Oh, how nice, you got Charlie playing what looks to be a cello (please don’t kill me if I’m wrong, band students!)

Whelp, now we know Symphony has bits of MBTA lore within. As for the headhouses, they’re copy-pasted glass/metal on all 4 corners of Huntington Ave. and Massachusetts Avenue. Oh yeah, there’s a bent up T.

The good: You’ve got the Symphony Hall nearby, along with the New England Conservatory!

The bad: Eh, it’s not the best in terms of aesthetics, but it’s not in dire need of a facelift. Also, while it’s not accessible, there ARE plans to actually make it so! So, props to the T for making Symphony ADA compliant! (as of writing this, however, that hasn’t happened yet).

Nearby points of interest: Symphony Hall is the big one! You’ve also got the Conservatory and, oddly enough, the Christian Science headquarters is nearby as well. And, as much as I generally hold a grudge towards organized religions, I’ll have to admit most of their headquarters (e.g. Temple Square in Utah, the Christian Science building, the Vatican in Italy to name a few) are quite beautiful pieces of architecture. But, that’s a tangent for another time.

Transit connections:
Green Line (E)
MBTA bus (1, 39)

Overall, I would take Symphony any day over Prudential. While it isn’t accessible and lacks free crossovers, at least it’s not as dingy and it’s got plans to be a better station. And, for that, I think it should get a higher rating.

Rating: 6/10