164-420: The Framingham/Worcester Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system runs west from Boston, Massachusetts , to Worcester, Massachusetts , through the MetroWest region, serving 18 station stops in Boston, Newton , Wellesley , Natick , Framingham , Ashland , Southborough , Westborough , Grafton , and Worcester. It is the third-longest and third-busiest line in the MBTA Commuter Rail system. Service on
328-650: A 51 percent share in the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad . In the years leading to 1973, the freight railroad system of the Northeastern United States was collapsing. Although government-funded Amtrak took over intercity passenger services on May 1, 1971, railroad companies continued to lose money due to extensive government regulations, expensive labor costs, competition from other transportation modes, declining industrial business and other factors. The largest railroad in
492-528: A Boston-Albany section of the Lake Shore Limited four days later. Boston-New Haven ( Inland Route ) service was restored under the Bay State name in 1984, and ran in various forms until the early 2000s. The trackage on the western segment was inherited by Conrail in 1976, which returned to profitability in the 1980s; after a corporate breakup in 1999, CSX Transportation became the owner of
656-558: A bill to nationalize the bankrupt railroads. The Association of American Railroads , which opposed nationalization, submitted an alternate proposal for a government-funded private company. Judge Fullam forced the Penn Central to operate into 1974, when, on January 2, after threatening a veto , President Richard Nixon signed the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 into law. The "3R Act," as it
820-627: A cost of $ 203 million, with deliveries to begin in mid-2026. An $ 165 million option for 39 additional coaches (29 trailers and 10 cab cars), which would allow the retirement of all remaining single-level equipment, was exercised in November 2024 with deliveries to begin in 2027. As the MBTA assumed control of the commuter rail during the 1970s, it inherited various equipment from predecessor railroads. The 1976 purchase of B&M and Penn Central equipment included 94 Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) – 86 from
984-493: A former Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (PRR Panhandle Route line), while Norfolk Southern got the former Pennsylvania Railroad main line and Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad from Jersey City, New Jersey , to Cleveland, and the rest of the former NYC main line west to Chicago, Illinois . Thus the Conrail "X" was neatly split in two, CSX getting one diagonal from Boston to St. Louis and Norfolk Southern
1148-892: A freight-only track between Providence and Central Falls. No freight operates on the Needham Line, the Northeast Corridor between Readville and Back Bay, the Old Colony mainline between Boston and the Greenbush Line junction in Braintree, the Plymouth/Kingston Line, and most of the Greenbush Line. CSX also operates on most northside lines; prior to its 2022 purchase by CSX, Pan Am Railways operated over these lines. The Berkshire and Eastern Railroad (formerly Pan Am Southern ) operates over
1312-476: A large increase was expected. Since it owned the tracks and equipment, the MBTA bid out the operating contract, which was won by the B&;M. The B&M began operating the southside lines on March 15, 1977; for the first time, all Boston commuter service was operated by one entity. Although all operation was subsidized by this time, a small number of cuts took place. The lightly used Lexington Branch closed after
1476-420: A late or stalled train. Blanket heat-related speed restrictions were intended to be eliminated, limiting delays even on hotter summer days. A series of public comment hearings in 2013 were held to determine schedules. Implementation of the new schedules was delayed because the completion of Yawkey station's rehabilitation and expansion was delayed. The expansion included installation of a second track, crucial to
1640-645: A local train in the same direction). Portions of the Fitchburg, Haverhill, and Newburyport/Rockport lines operate under NORAC rule 251, which allow trains to run only in a single direction on each track. Most lines are either double track , or single track with passing sidings; portions of the Northeast Corridor have three or four tracks. Freight service is operated over most of the MBTA Commuter Rail system by several private railroads. CSX Transportation operates freight on most southside lines, of which
1804-603: A new schedule went into effect, intended to more accurately reflect the run time on the line. By August 2009, actual on-time performance was at 82%. In January 2008, the Framingham/Worcester Line became the first in the MBTA system to offer Wi-Fi service aboard the trains. The service was expanded system-wide after a test period, but the Worcester Line was chosen for the pilot phase in part to compensate for low on-time performance, as well as to test
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#17327795684341968-664: A new station stop at their new development in Allston-Brighton . Boston Landing was originally to open in 2014, but was delayed until May 22, 2017. In July 2012, the MBTA announced plans to add additional service on the line as CSX moved freight transload operations from Beacon Park Yard in Allston to a new yard in East Worcester that did not interfere with passenger operations. Three additional weekday Boston-Worcester round trips were added on October 29, 2012, after
2132-430: A number of freight-only or abandoned lines. This also marked the start of a five-year contract for the B&M to operate the service, replacing a series of one-year contracts. After acquiring the B&M and Penn Central rolling stock, the MBTA painted it with purple, yellow, silver, and black to create a visual identity. Federal subsidies allowed MBTA subsidies to Penn Central to remain the same until March 1977, when
2296-748: A profit in the 1980s and was privatized in 1987. The two remaining Class I railroads in the East , CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), agreed in 1997 to acquire the system and split it into two roughly-equal parts (alongside three residual shared-assets areas), returning rail freight competition to the Northeast by essentially undoing the 1968 merger of the Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central Railroad that created Penn Central . Following approval by
2460-404: A renewal of the commuter rail operating contract, which expired at the end of 1986. Amtrak won the contract for commuter rail operations and took over the system on January 1, 1987. Gardner service was cut back to Fitchburg at that time due to a dispute between Amtrak, Guilford, and the MBTA. The late 1980s saw the beginning of substantial expansion of the system. The Southwest Corridor project
2624-675: A seasonal weekend-only service to Cape Cod , operates using MBTA equipment over the Middleborough/Lakeville Line plus the Cape Main Line (which is not otherwise used by the MBTA). Special express service to Foxboro station is operated during New England Patriots home games and some other events at Gillette Stadium . It runs from South Station via the Franklin/Foxboro Line, and from Providence via
2788-524: A series of experiments to determine how fares and service levels affected ridership. This included a trial on the MTA bus network, as well as a $ 4 million test from January 1963 to March 1964 on New Haven and B&M lines. (The NYC, uninterested in its commuter service, declined to participate.) The MTC found that higher frequency was most important to attract additional ridership; lower fares would attract additional riders, while even higher fares would not result in
2952-481: A single weekend. As with other MBTA services, discounted fares and passes are available for several groups including disabled passengers, passengers over age 65, and students attending certain schools. Foxboro special event services and the CapeFlyer have separate fares; regular MBTA fares and passes are not valid. Fares are collected by train conductors; while fare evasion is explicitly illegal under state law, it
3116-428: A single zone to $ 7.25 for travel between Zone 1 and Zone 10. Fares can be purchased on the MBTA mTicket app, at automatic vending machines located at major stations, from businesses near some stations, or from conductors on board trains. Discounted passes include monthly passes (with or without free transfer to other MBTA services), "flex passes" valid for five 24-hour periods, and $ 10 passes offering unlimited travel on
3280-538: A snowstorm on January 10, 1977. Declining subsidies from Rhode Island resulted in off-peak Providence service being cut back to Attleboro in April 1979, with peak service cut on February 20, 1981. Woburn Branch service ended on January 30, 1981, amid state budget cuts. However, the energy crises of the 1970s and the formation of regional transit authorities prompted some expansions and improvements. $ 70 million in reconstruction work (equivalent to 582 million in 2023) on
3444-406: A standardized rulebook called Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC). This significantly increased operational flexibly, allowing crews to operate on any territory they were qualified on, instead of additionally needing multiple operating rules qualifications. Additionally, standardized signal rules allowed Conrail to standardize signaling hardware and operation across its system. In
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#17327795684343608-415: A tenant. Western Hills Express (5703) With Conrail's increasing success, it decided to merge the company with another railroad, so it approached CSX Transportation about buying Conrail. CSX's bid for Conrail, however, drew the attention of Norfolk Southern Railway which, fearing that CSX would come to dominate rail traffic in the eastern US, made a bid of its own leading to a takeover battle between
3772-507: A terminal operating company owned by both CSX and NS. The Conrail Shared Assets Operations arrangement was a concession made to federal regulators who were concerned about the lack of competition in certain rail markets and logistical problems associated with the breaking-up of Conrail operations as they existed in densely-populated areas with many local customers. The smaller Conrail operation that exists today serves rail freight customers in these markets on behalf of its two owners. A fourth area,
3936-776: Is signalled and operates with Positive Train Control using the Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System . The southside lines have cab signals for automatic train control ; cab signals will be placed in service on the northside lines in 2023. The MBTA is a member of the Northeast Operating Rules Advisory Committee (NORAC) and uses its operating rules. Most portions of the system operate under NORAC rules 261 and 562, which allow bidirectional train movements on every track (such as an express train passing
4100-485: Is standard in the northeastern United States . Some accessible stations have full-length high platforms for accessible boarding on all cars; others only have "mini-high" platforms about 40 feet (12 m) long – which allow for level boarding on two cars – with the rest of the platform length not accessible. As of December 2022 , the MBTA is designing a temporary accessible platform that can be added to stations pending full reconstructions. The MBTA Commuter Rail system
4264-626: Is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania . The society aims to preserve and restore equipment, items pertaining to, and photographs of Conrail specifically and of American railroading in general. As of 2022, the group publishes a quarterly magazine and a calendar, as well as other occasional mailings. Previous conventions have been held in Altoona, Pennsylvania , Philadelphia , Cleveland , and Warren, Ohio . More recent preservation activities include completion of
4428-679: Is about 5 miles, with most outer terminals in zones 6 through 8. Only two stations use further zones: T.F. Green Airport in Zone 9, and Wickford Junction in Zone 10. Zone 1A fares are identical to MBTA subway fares (though subway passes on CharlieCards are not accepted, except for Fairmount Line stations that have CharlieCard validator machines). As of 2024 , one-way fares within Zone 1A are $ 2.40, while fares between further zones and Zone 1A range from $ 6.50 for Zone 1 to $ 13.25 for Zone 10. Trips that do not enter Zone 1A have less expensive interzone fares; as of 2024 , these range from $ 2.75 for travel within
4592-529: Is being reconstructed for accessibility, while renovations to the six remaining stations are planned. Originally built in 1834 as the Boston and Worcester Railroad , the line was later part of the Boston and Albany Railroad and New York Central Railroad systems. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority acquired the tracks from Newton to Back Bay station in order to construct the Boston Extension of
4756-905: Is not criminal. Faregates have also been installed at North Station, with plans for installation at Back Bay and South Station. The second-generation MBTA fare collection system, planned for completion in 2025, will standardize fare media across modes and allow uses of CharlieCards for all commuter rail trips. Eight intercity mainlines radiating from Boston opened between 1834 and 1855: the Boston and Worcester Railroad (B&W) in 1834–35, Boston and Providence Railroad (B&P) in 1834–35, Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) in 1835, Eastern Railroad in 1838–1840, Fitchburg Railroad in 1843–45, Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1845, Old Colony Railroad and Fall River Railroad in 1845–46, and Norfolk County Railroad in 1849–55. Commuter rail service allowing suburban residents to work in Boston began with
4920-509: Is operated by Keolis Commuter Services – a subsidiary of French company Keolis – under contract to the MBTA. The MBTA owns all passenger equipment and most stations. Most trackage is also owned by the MBTA. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (parent agency of the MBTA) owns several portions of the Framingham/Worcester Line as well as the Grand Junction Branch , which is used for non-revenue equipment moves between
5084-578: Is ownership of the three Shared Assets Areas in New Jersey , Philadelphia , and Detroit . Both CSX and NS have the right to serve all shippers in these areas, paying Conrail for the cost of maintaining and improving trackage . They also make use of Conrail to perform switching and terminal services within the areas, but not as a common carrier , since contracts are signed between shippers and CSX or NS. Conrail also retains various support facilities including maintenance-of-way and training, as well as
Framingham/Worcester Line - Misplaced Pages Continue
5248-478: Is provided by push-pull trains powered by diesel locomotives with a cab car on the opposite end. The locomotive is usually on the end facing away from Boston so that diesel exhaust does not enter the passenger concourses at North Station and South Station. Trains typically have four to eight coaches (with six the most common) and seat between 400 and 1,400 passengers. Approximately 62 trainsets are needed for weekday service. The primary heavy maintenance facility
5412-708: Is the MBTA Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility , located in the Inner Belt District in Somerville . It is also used for midday and overnight storage of trains on the northside lines. Southampton Street Yard and the Readville Interim Layover facility are used for light maintenance and layover service. Various other layover facilities are used for midday and overnight storage; most are located near
5576-632: The CapeFLYER . The agency issued a $ 279 million contract (total project cost of $ 345 million) for 80 additional Rotem bilevel coaches in September 2019, with delivery expected from September 2022 to June 2024. The contract was later modified to 83 coaches, of which 43 are cab cars. The first four of the 83 bilevel cars arrived in June 2022 and entered service in 2023. In May 2024, the MBTA exercised an option order for 41 additional trailer coaches at
5740-755: The Chessie System , which would help spur competition in Conrail's territory. Chessie, however, could not reach an agreement with EL labor unions , and in February 1976 announced that it would not be buying the EL section. The USRA hurriedly assigned large amounts of trackage rights to the Delaware and Hudson Railway , allowing it to compete in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , and Washington, D.C. , markets. The State of Michigan decided to keep operational
5904-762: The MBCR until 2014 under contract to the MBTA . Since 2014 service has been operated by Keolis North America . In 1975 the line was cut back to Framingham, but service returned to Worcester in 1994 with four infill stations added between 2000 and 2002. After purchasing the Framingham–Worcester trackage from CSX in 2012, the MBTA has begun adding service to the outer section of the line and performing track work to increase speeds and reliability. A new station at Boston Landing opened in 2017. All stations from Boston Landing east and West Natick west are accessible ; Natick Center
6068-534: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) acquired the remainder of the tracks east of Framingham , and began subsidizing service between Framingham and Boston. Commuter rail service between Worcester and Framingham (with no intermediate stops after 1960) was not subsidized by the MBTA; with just ten riders per day riding from Worcester, service was cut back to Framingham on October 27, 1975. Amtrak began operating
6232-609: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service district (transferred to the Boston and Maine Railroad , under contract to the MBTA, in March 1977 ). Pursuant to the Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981, Conrail operated the remainder until 1983 when these services were transferred to state or metropolitan transit authorities. The transit authorities purchased the track and right-of-way on which their commuter operations ran, leaving Conrail freight operations as
6396-600: The Massachusetts Turnpike from the Route 128 circumferential highway to the then-elevated Central Artery in downtown Boston. Construction ran from 1962 to 1964, and reduced the railway to two tracks. The New York Central was merged into Penn Central Transportation in 1968, which went bankrupt in 1970. Amtrak was created in 1971 to take over intercity rail service from the private railroads. When Amtrak started operations on May 1, 1971, no intercity service
6560-490: The Northeast Corridor , further improving its finances. In 1984, the government put its 85% share up for sale. Bids were received from Alleghany Corporation , Citibank , an employee buyout , Guilford Transportation Industries , Norfolk Southern Railway and a consortium headed by J. Willard Marriott . On February 8, 1985, Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole announced Norfolk Southern Railway as
6724-529: The Old Colony Lines and Greenbush Line , which have full-length high-level platforms at all stops. All BTC-3, CTC-3, BTC-4C, and BTC-4D coaches have restrooms. During winter months, a Ski Train serving Wachusett Mountain runs on the Fitchburg Line , using a coach car which is equipped for carrying bicycles or skis. Three converted coaches – a bike car and two cafe cars – are reserved for
Framingham/Worcester Line - Misplaced Pages Continue
6888-671: The Raritan River Railroad (1980) were also included (See list of railroads transferred to Conrail for a full list). It was approved by Congress on November 9, and on February 5, 1976, President Gerald Ford signed the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976, which included this Final System Plan, into law. The EL had been formed in 1960 as a merger of the Erie Railroad and Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad . It too
7052-830: The Riverside –Framingham portion of the Worcester Main Line. (The inner section of that line was already owned by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority .) The purchase also included several freight-only or abandoned lines, including the Old Colony mainline between Braintree and Brockton. Subsidies began for the Framingham Line in January 1973, for Canton Junction and Sharon stations in June 1973, and all Providence/Stoughton Line service on September 28, 1976. The MBTA purchased
7216-506: The South Boston Running Track . Other parts of the agreement included plans for double-stack freights west of Worcester and the abandonment of Beacon Park Yard. Weekday Worcester service was increased to twelve round trips on October 27, 2008, under the agreement. The agreement was signed on September 23, 2009, with the Worcester Line transfer then expected in 2011. In June 2012, New Balance announced plans to build
7380-556: The Surface Transportation Board , CSX and NS took control in August 1998, and on June 1, 1999, began operating their respective portions of Conrail. The old company remains a jointly-owned subsidiary, with CSX and NS owning respectively 42% and 58% of its stock , corresponding to how much of Conrail's assets they acquired. Each parent, however, has an equal voting interest . The primary asset retained by Conrail
7544-623: The commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's (MBTA's) transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States . Trains run over 394 mi (634 km) of track to 135 stations. It is operated under contract by Keolis , which took over operations on July 1, 2014, from the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 26,190,500, or about 109,300 per weekday as of
7708-641: The 1920s. Service levels declined more significantly during the 1930s; the 88 stations case resulted in the New Haven closing dozens of suburban stations and several lines in 1938. The BRB&L ceased all operations in 1940. Ridership increased during World War II but decreased soon afterwards, prompting further cuts. The railroads converted from steam to diesel in the 1950s. All three purchased substantial fleets of Budd Rail Diesel Cars , which lowered operating costs – but not enough to save most branch lines. A 1945–47 state report proposed suburban extensions of
7872-408: The 1980s, but several infill stations were opened, including Shirley in 1981, West Natick in 1982, Mishawum in 1984, and Chelsea in 1985. The MBTA also began replacing the aging Rail Diesel Cars and other equipment; 18 EMD F40PH diesel locomotives and 60 passenger cars arrived between 1978 and 1980. Several major disruptions occurred in the mid-1980s. On January 20, 1984, a fire destroyed
8036-471: The 2008-built network. The MBTA would not pay for the new network; the company would have a two-tier model with a fee for higher bandwidth. The MBTA canceled the plan in August 2017 due to local opposition to the erection of 320 monopoles , each 70-foot (21 m) tall, as well as the need to focus on more critical projects like the Green Line Extension . By that time, the 2008-built system
8200-489: The 2010s, as railroads upgraded their signals for Positive Train Control compliance. Today, most Northeastern railroads associated with former Conrail lines have maintained standardization of all systems as vertical color light signals using NORAC rules. Conrail Shared Assets Operations continues to use the tri-light as its standard signal type. Amtrak uses a colorized version of PRR position light signals called "Position Color Lights". The Conrail Historical Society, Inc.,
8364-440: The 2020s. A new midday layover yard at the former Beacon Park Yard is planned to be constructed by 2032 as part of the realignment of I-90. A large midday and overnight layover yard, which would support expanded service including regional rail and electrification , is planned at Widett Circle near South Station. The MBTA also plans to construct a southside maintenance and layover facility at Readville in 2023–2028, replacing
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#17327795684348528-501: The B&A was reduced from four to two tracks in 1959 for construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike , with several inner stations closed; all local stops west of Framingham were closed in 1960. The New Haven filed for bankruptcy for the last time in 1961. Faced with the imminent threat of losing what service remained, public opinion began to support subsidies for commuter rail. The state Mass Transportation Commission (MTC), formed in 1959 to coordinate transportation and land use, held
8692-479: The B&M Western Route between Somerville and Wilmington Junction in September 1973 for construction of the Haymarket North Extension . From 1967 to 1973, a series of state appropriations covered 90–100% of outside-of-district subsidy. This was reduced to 50% in January 1974, substantially increasing the cost of these municipalities. This resulted in several cuts as municipalities refused
8856-434: The B&M and eight from Penn Central – plus 116 Penn Central coaches and 25 Penn Central E8 and GP9 diesel locomotives. Although the MBTA purchased some new equipment in 1978–1980, large locomotive and coach fleets were not purchased until the late 1980s, so the first decade of combined operations used a variety of secondhand equipment in addition to that acquired in 1976: Most of the secondhand and inherited equipment
9020-677: The B&M discontinued the Concord trip; the Dover trip was cut back to Haverhill with local subsidies. In 1969, the B&M averaged 24,000 weekday passengers, with a yearly deficit of $ 3.2 million (equivalent to 27 million in 2023). The single daily trip on the Central Mass Branch ended on January 26, 1971. On July 28, 1965, the MBTA signed an agreement with the New Haven Railroad to purchase 11 miles (18 km) of
9184-415: The B&M in 1983. This did not initially affect commuter rail operations. Guilford's attempts to regain profitability, which included reducing employee headcount and pay, soon soured labor relations. This resulted in two strikes by Guilford employees; the first shut down the commuter rail system from March 21 to May 12, 1986. Local media was critical of Guilford during the strike; the company did not bid for
9348-630: The B&W in 1834; by the 1860s, commuting was possible on the eight mainlines and a number of branch lines. Mergers prior to the 1880s were primarily acquisitions of branch lines and consolidations with connecting lines: the B&A merged with the Western Railroad in 1874 to become the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A), the Fall River Railroad and several other lines merged into the Old Colony Railroad, and
9512-540: The Boston terminal areas, with several exceptions. The Providence/Stoughton Line and Franklin/Foxboro Line both use the Northeast Corridor between Readville and South Station, with the Needham Line also sharing the tracks between Forest Hills and South Station. The Old Colony Lines and the Greenbush Line all use the Old Colony mainline between South Station and Braintree . The Haverhill Line and Newburyport/Rockport Line share tracks between North Station and near Sullivan Square . A small number of Haverhill Line trains use
9676-522: The COVID-19 pandemic. Six additional stations are under construction as part of the South Coast Rail project; several other stations are planned. South Station, North Station, and Back Bay all have MBTA subway and Amtrak connections; nine other stations have subway connections, and six others have Amtrak connections. Stations range in size from small platforms like North Wilmington to
9840-482: The Conrail breakup was agreed upon, and neither NS or CSX wanted 'their' locomotives to be equipped with markers. Similarly, the standard-cab SD70, Conrail's final order of locomotives, were ordered to NS specifications, and were in Norfolk Southern's preferred numbering series (the 2500's), which they retained after the breakup. When Conrail was formed, it acquired many different railways, and as typical in
10004-506: The December 14 vote went into place, with no weekend service on seven lines. Service changes on April 5, 2021, increased midday service on most lines as part of a transition to a regional rail model. Weekend service on the seven lines resumed on July 3, 2021. Ridership dropped substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic, with daily boardings just 12,800 during the first quarter of 2021. Ridership rose to 47,100 average weekday boardings in
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#173277956843410168-565: The Eastern in 1883, the B&L in 1887, and the Fitchburg in 1900, giving it a near-monopoly on rail service north of Boston. North Union Station was built in 1893 to provide a union station for northside service; it was replaced by North Station in 1928. The Old Colony obtained control of the B&P in 1888; the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad acquired the Old Colony in 1893 to obtain access to Boston. The New Haven also acquired
10332-673: The Fitchburg Line west of Ayer. Their combined Freight Main Line between Mechanicville, New York , and Mattawamkeag, Maine , shares tracks with sections of the Fitchburg, Lowell, and Haverhill lines. No freight service is operated over the Newburyport/Rockport Line north of Salem . Weight limits and loading gauge vary across the system. The full Framingham/Worcester line is rated for car weights of 315,000 pounds (143,000 kg), sections of lines that are part of
10496-468: The Franklin Line and several northside lines, partially funded by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration , began in 1977 under the Commuter Rail Improvement Program. Service to Haverhill resumed on December 17, 1979, and to Fitchburg and Gardner on January 13, 1980. Federally-funded experimental service to Nashua , Manchester , and Concord, New Hampshire ran from January 28, 1980, to March 1, 1981. Little-used stations continued to be closed until
10660-430: The Freight Main Line for 286,000 pounds (130,000 kg), and other lines for lower weights. The western portion of the Framingham/Worcester Line and the southern section of the Providence/Stoughton line can accommodate cars up to 20 feet 8 inches (6.30 m) ( AAR Plate H or Plate K ). The Fitchburg Line west of Ayer can accommodate cars up to 19 feet 0 inches (5.79 m) (AAR Plate J), while most of
10824-481: The Lowell and Haverhill lines. Private companies also operate freight service over much of the system (see § Freight service ). As of November 2024 , there are 137 active stations – 55 northside and 82 southside. One additional station, Haverhill , is temporarily closed due to reconstruction of an adjacent bridge. Five additional stations ( Prides Crossing , Mishawum , Hastings , Plimptonville , and Plymouth ) are indefinitely closed due to service cuts during
10988-411: The MBTA awarded Keolis the contract for $ 2.68 billion over eight years, with the possibility of two two-year extensions that could bring the total price to $ 4.3 billion. Keolis took over the operations on July 1, 2014. Keolis lost $ 29.3 million in its first year of operation. In June 2020, the MBTA extended the contract through at least 2025. Free Wi-Fi internet service was piloted in January 2008 on
11152-425: The MBTA clashed with state regulators: several stations including West Natick and Chelsea were built without accessible platforms despite state rules; the latter resulted in fines from the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB). The opening of South Attleboro was delayed by the MAAB because of the MBTA's refusal to build full-length high-level platforms. However, the MBTA did slowly increase accessibility of
11316-433: The MBTA has been retired: Conrail Conrail ( reporting mark CR ), formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do business as an asset management and network services provider in three Shared Assets Areas that were excluded from
11480-408: The MBTA issued a $ 28 million design contract for a project to add a third track from Weston to Framingham, including reconstruction of the three Wellesley stations and West Natick station. The project was expected to cost around $ 400 million, with completion in 2030. Renovations to the three Newton stations (including the addition of second platforms) are also planned. Design work for the Newton stations
11644-493: The MBTA owned 552 coaches. Of these, 448 were in active service, three being repaired or overhauled, and 101 stored pending disposition or reuse. Coaches whose designations start with BTC (Blind Trailer Coach) are conventional coaches, while those starting with CTC (Control Trailer Coach) are cab cars . Coaches acquired before 1990 were single-level cars with 88 to 127 seats; those since are bilevel cars with 173 to 185 seats. Some coaches are equipped with electronic doors for use on
11808-463: The MBTA proposed to close six low-ridership stations. On December 14, the MBTA Board voted to enact a more limited set of cuts, including indefinitely closing five stations. That day, temporary reduced schedules were again put into place, with four of the five stations ( Hastings , Silver Hill , Prides Crossing , and Plimptonville ) not served. On January 23, 2021, reduced schedules based on
11972-506: The MTA service area were closed; three more branches closed in 1959. The New Haven experimentally increased Old Colony Division service for several years in the 1950s, but new management soon sought to reduce costs. Service to Fall River and New Bedford was cut in 1958; a one-year state subsidy was given for the remaining Old Colony service, which ended in 1959 after the Southeast Expressway opened. The inner portion of
12136-728: The New England Railroad (successor to the NY&;NE) in 1898. South Station opened in 1899 as a union station for the southside lines (New Haven and B&A). The New York Central and Hudson River Railroad – which later became the New York Central) (NYC) – leased the B&A in 1900; this brought all Boston commuter service save the BRB&;L under the control of three large multi-state railroads. The three railroads all planned electrification of some suburban lines in
12300-483: The New Haven had Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) permission to discontinue them otherwise. Three out-of-district stations were cut, while Franklin subsidized its station. The Millis and Dedham lines were discontinued on April 21, 1967. The NYC and the Pennsylvania Railroad merged to form Penn Central on February 1, 1968; the New Haven joined at the end of the year. Penn Central declared bankruptcy in 1970. Amtrak took over most intercity passenger service in
12464-557: The Norfolk County Railroad eventually became part of the New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE). The narrow gauge Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad (BRB&L) opened in 1875, competing with the inner portion of the Eastern Railroad. Unlike the other lines, it never built rails into downtown Boston, and instead relied on a ferry connection from East Boston . The B&M obtained control of
12628-644: The North American rail industry, signaling was not standardized between these railways. This caused problems for Conrail, which had to "qualify" train crews on as many as seven different signaling systems and operating rules. The varying systems included the PRR position light signals , the NYC searchlight signals and tri-light signals, and the EL tri-light and semaphore signals. Conrail, and other eastern railroads which required multiple operating rules, came up with
12792-655: The Northeast Rail Service Act of 1981 (NERSA), which amended portions of the 3R Act by exempting Conrail from liability for any state taxes and requiring the Secretary of Transportation to make arrangements for the sale of the government's interest in Conrail. After NERSA was implemented, Conrail, under the aggressive leadership of L. Stanley Crane began to improve and reported taxable income between $ 2 million and $ 314 million each year from 1983 through 1986. Conrail's government-funded rebuilding of
12956-534: The October 4 signing of the deed that transferred ownership of the Framingham-Worcester section to the MBTA. A rush-hour express serving Worcester was added on April 29, 2013. The ultimate goal was originally for 20 Worcester round trips by October 2013, up from 12.5 round trips before the service increases; however this was pushed back by delays in the rebuilding of Yawkey station and the delivery of
13120-469: The Old Colony Lines. The lines vary in length from the 9.2-mile (14.8 km) Fairmount Line to the 62.9-mile (101.2 km) Providence/Stoughton Line, with typical lengths in the 25–40-mile (40–64 km) range. The system has 394 miles (630 km) of revenue trackage and covers roughly the eastern third of Massachusetts plus central Rhode Island. Most lines do not share trackage outside
13284-545: The Providence/Stoughton Line has 37. Running times vary from 30 minutes on the Fairmount Line to nearly 120 minutes for some Providence/Stoughton Line trips, with 60–75 minutes typical. Most trains stop at all stations on the line; some stations have limited service, and peak-hour express trains operate on several lines. Several lines additionally have some short turn service. The CapeFlyer ,
13448-456: The Providence/Stoughton Line. During the winter, one "ski train" round trip of the Fitchburg Line operates with a bicycle car on weekends and Wednesday evenings, with a shuttle bus to Wachusett Mountain . All MBTA commuter rail service is provided by push-pull trains powered by diesel locomotives (see § Rolling stock ). Maximum speed for trains is 79 miles per hour (127 km/h), though some lines have lower limits. The entire system
13612-724: The Southwest Corridor, a shuttle service was retained as the Fairmount Line . Peak-hour service to Providence resumed in 1988 (with off-peak and weekend service later added); South Attleboro was added in 1990 as a park-and-ride station to replace Pawtucket–Central Falls . The Franklin Line was extended to Forge Park/495 in 1988; infill stations in that era included Yawkey in 1988 to serve Boston Red Sox games at Fenway Park , and Dedham Corporate Center in 1990. Massachusetts had state accessibility laws since 1977 – prior to 1990 federal legislation . At times,
13776-616: The Staggers Act, railroads, including Conrail, were freed from the requirement to continue money-losing services. Conrail began turning a profit by 1981, the result of the Staggers Act freedoms and its own managerial improvements under the leadership of L. Stanley Crane, who had been chief executive officer of the Southern Railway . While the Staggers Act helped immensely in allowing all railroads to more-easily abandon unprofitable rail lines and set their own freight rates, it
13940-569: The US on May 1, 1971, including New York–Boston trains. The state agreed in December 1971 to purchase 145 miles (233 km) of Penn Central rights of way to prevent them being sold off in bankruptcy. The MBTA purchased the lines effective January 27, 1973. They included almost all the lines with passenger service: the Attleboro Line and Stoughton Branch , Franklin Branch , Needham Branch , and
14104-587: The Worcester Commuter Rail Extension Project was $ 97 million. For a variety of reasons, the line had some of the worst on-time performance in the MBTA system for several years. While state agencies including the MBTA owned the line out to Framingham, CSX Transportation owned from Framingham to Worcester and ran frequent freight trains as far east as Beacon Park Yard in Allston . CSX then dispatched (controlled signals) on
14268-493: The Worcester Line, where 45 coaches were fitted with routers which connected to cellular data networks. This was the first Wi-Fi available on a commuter rail service in the United States. The program was considered successful; in December 2008, the MBTA announced that Wi-Fi would be available on all trains by mid-2009. In July 2014, the MBTA announced that a private company would be building a new network by 2016 to replace
14432-705: The Worcester-to-Framingham segment. Service along the remaining Boston-Framingham segment was considerably increased in October 1979; this was intended to partially compensate for the closure of the Needham Line that month to make room for Southwest Corridor construction. As part of the Southwest Corridor project, the Orange Line was rerouted into parallel tracks sharing the Framingham Line's right of way between Back Bay station and
14596-464: The addition of a new island platform at Worcester Union Station beginning in late 2021. Midday service was temporarily reduced from May 2 to October 17, 2022, and July 10 to September 11, 2023, to accommodate the construction projects. The new platform at Worcester opened on July 1, 2024. As of August 2024, the MBTA intends to run Framingham–Boston locals and Worcester–Boston zone expresses, with both services on 30-minute headways, by 2026. In June 2021,
14760-580: The cosmetic restoration of N7E caboose 21165 and a partnership with the B&O Railroad Museum to restore its ex-Conrail SW7 8905. The CRHS owns four pieces of on-track equipment: 86-foot boxcar 243880 (currently under development into a stand-alone Conrail museum), cabooses 21165 and 22130, and former Triple Crown RoadRailer TCSZ 463491. A preserved Conrail ex-PRR GP30 is on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania . To mark its 30th anniversary, Norfolk Southern painted 20 new locomotives with
14924-412: The dilapidated infrastructure and rolling stock it inherited from its six predecessors succeeded by the end of the 1970s in improving the physical condition of tracks, locomotives and freight cars . However, fundamental economic regulatory issues remained, and Conrail continued to post losses of as much as $ 1 million a day. Conrail management, recognizing the need for more regulatory freedoms to address
15088-643: The division of its operations during its acquisition by CSX Corporation and the Norfolk Southern Railway . The federal government created Conrail to take over the potentially profitable lines of multiple bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and Erie Lackawanna Railway . After railroad regulations were lifted by the 4R Act and the Staggers Act , Conrail began to turn
15252-631: The driving time between those two locations. Weekday service was substantially cut on March 17, 2020, due to reduced ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic . On June 22, service was increased, but all trains continued to run local. Schedule changes effective November 2, 2020 re-added express service, including the Heart to Hub service (with an added Framingham stop). Reduced service operated from December 14, 2020, to April 5, 2021, again as part of systemwide reductions. Service changes on April 5, 2021, began
15416-457: The early 20th century. The New Haven tested electrification on small parts of the Old Colony system, but never followed through on its plans to electrify South Station and the inner section of the ex-B&P. Despite a study to electrify the mainline to Framingham plus the Highland branch , the NYC only electrified the short Lower Falls Branch. Quadruple-tracking and electrification of part of
15580-465: The early years of Conrail, the NYC "small-back" searchlight was adopted as the systemwide standard for new signal installations and replacements. The standard signal was quickly changed to the NYC tri-light. This move was done to decrease maintenance requirements, as searchlight signals need moving parts to switch between colors, unlike tri-lights, which have individual lamps. Many signals from previous railroads were re-used though, as new signaling hardware
15744-557: The economic issues, were among the parties lobbying for what became the Staggers Act of 1980, which significantly loosened the Interstate Commerce Commission 's rigid economic control of the rail industry. This allowed Conrail and other carriers the opportunity to become profitable and strengthen their finances. The Staggers Act allowed the setting of rates that would recover capital and operating cost (fully allocated cost recovery) by each and every route mile
15908-545: The ex-Eastern Railroad was planned by the B&M around 1910 when it was briefly under control of the New Haven, but this fell through when they separated. Service levels on the three major railroads peaked around 1910 and began to decline from streetcar and later auto competition in the 1910s. The independent BRB&L electrified its mainline and single branch line in 1928 and increased service to near- rapid transit levels. Two Old Colony branches were converted to an extension of Boston Elevated Railway (BERy) rapid transit in
16072-636: The existing layover yard there, as the Grand Junction Branch will be closed for several years during the I-90 project. As of October 2024 , the MBTA owned 109 locomotives. Of these, 87 were in active passenger service. Eleven were undergoing rebuild, six awaiting repairs, and five retired or out of service. All passenger locomotives are equipped with head end power . Rebuilding of 37 F40PH-2C and F40PHM-2C locomotives to F40PH-3C class by MotivePower (MPI) began in 2017; other older locomotives are also being rebuilt by MPI or in-house. As of October 2024 ,
16236-554: The first quarter of 2022, and 85,000 (69% of 2018 ridership) in October 2022. Limited Foxboro service resumed in May 2022; full pilot service began that September. The service was made permanent effective October 2, 2023. In April 2024, the MBTA extended the Keolis contract by one year to June 30, 2027, at which time a successor contract will take effect. Silver Hill station reopened on November 18, 2024. All MBTA commuter rail service
16400-537: The former Monongahela Railway in southwest Pennsylvania , was originally owned jointly by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , Pennsylvania Railroad and Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad . Conrail absorbed the company in 1993, and assigned trackage rights to CSX, the successor to the B&O and P&LE. With the Conrail breakup, those lines are owned by NS, but the CSX trackage rights are still in place. Since Conrail
16564-533: The former Old Colony mainline from Fort Point Channel to South Braintree in order to construct a new rapid transit line along the corridor. The line was expected to be completed within two years. The agreement also provided for the MBTA to subsidize commuter service on the railroad's remaining commuter rail lines for $ 1.2 million (equivalent to 10 million in 2023) annually. Subsidies for the Needham , Millis , Dedham , and Franklin lines began on April 24, 1966, as
16728-469: The full Ann Arbor Railroad , of which Conrail would run only the southernmost portion. Michigan bought it and the whole line was operated by Conrail for several years until it was sold to a short line . Conrail was incorporated in Pennsylvania on October 25, 1974, and operations began on April 1, 1976. The federal government owned 85%, with employees owning the remaining 15%. The theory was that if
16892-418: The funding district; those outlying municipalities were expected to reach their own subsidy agreements with the railroads. On December 14, 1964, the MBTA reached a subsidy agreement with the B&M. The agreement only covered in-district services; on January 5, 1965, the B&M discontinued interstate service except for single commuter round trips from Dover and Concord, New Hampshire ; Portsmouth service
17056-573: The higher subsidies: Ayer service was cut to South Acton on March 1, 1975; the single Newburyport trip ended on April 1, 1976; and the single Haverhill trip ended on April 2, 1976 (North Andover and Andover having previously ended subsidies.) The single round trip to Worcester , never subsidized, was cut to Framingham on October 27, 1975. Amtrak began running the Lake Shore Limited over that route four days later, restoring rail service to Worcester. State subsidies were increased back to 75% in June 1976 to prevent further cuts. Rapid transit extension
17220-581: The inner Lowell Line and the Wildcat Branch , while some Franklin/Foxboro Line trains (including all weekend trains) use the Fairmount Line rather than the Northeast Corridor. Several Amtrak intercity routes run on MBTA tracks: the Acela and Northeast Regional over the Providence/Stoughton Line, the Lake Shore Limited over the Framingham/Worcester Line, and the Downeaster over portions of
17384-535: The inner part of the line as part of the " Indigo Line ". In September 2014, MassDOT announced plans to build the multimodal West Station in Beacon Park Yard as a transfer point between local DMU service and mainline locomotive-hauled commuter rail service. The $ 25 million station would have been constructed simultaneously with a $ 260 million reconfiguration of the Mass Pike through Beacon Park Yard and
17548-400: The lights above the deck. Red marker lights (not class lights, which are multi-color) were also a preference of Conrail. Most locomotives that went to CSX retained their marker lights, while Norfolk Southern quickly removed them. All Conrail locomotives that went to CSX and NS have been either retired or repainted. The last unit to wear "Conrail Blue", NS 8312, was retired in 2014. Conrail was
17712-613: The line from their operations base in Selkirk, New York , resulting in low priority for passenger trains. Conflicts with freight trains, ongoing track work, and an increase of passenger load of about 40% since opening were all blamed for the poor on-time performance, as were new federal speed regulations that went into effect in 2005. In 2007, pessimistic that CSX would ever sell the line, the state Executive Office of Transportation began studying alternatives to improve service. Possibilities included adding interlockings or additional tracks to
17876-455: The line is a mix of local and express trains serving Worcester plus short-turn Framingham locals. The Framingham/Worcester Line was one of the first commuter rail lines, with daily commuter-oriented service to West Newton beginning in 1834. Originally the Boston and Worcester Railroad , service has been operated by the Boston and Albany Railroad , New York Central , Penn Central , and since 1964 by Boston and Maine Railroad , Amtrak , and
18040-495: The line, or even running service from Worcester to North Station via Ayer over the Pan Am Railways Worcester Branch (former Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad ) and the Fitchburg Line . In October 2007, only 48.4% of trains ran on time (no more than 1 minute early or 5 minutes late), improving to 69.3% in January 2008 after CSX and MBCR officials began meeting daily. On February 18, 2008,
18204-421: The line. Some of the work involves heating and cutting quarter-mile rail segments to eliminate heat kinks. The promised reduction in heat-related speed restrictions has not yet occurred due to the poor condition of the tracks; the work to reduce them started in 2014 with $ 1.2 million in work between Worcester and Grafton, but will not be complete until 2016. In early 2014, MassDOT proposed DMU local service for
18368-597: The new MPI HSP46 locomotives and bilevel passenger cars. By early 2013, Beacon Park was largely vacated except for the locomotive maintenance facility, leaving only occasional freight service east of Framingham. MBCR took over dispatching of the line from CSX in August 2013, meaning that passenger trains are now given full priority over freight trains. The dispatching changeover brings other benefits for passenger service: MBCR has greater flexibility to deal with minor emergencies affecting operations, to communicate directly with train crews, and to dispatch extra trains to cover for
18532-417: The new Consolidated Rail Corporation. Unlike most railroad consolidations, only the designated lines were to be taken over. Other lines would be sold to Amtrak, various state governments, transportation agencies, and solvent railroads. The few remaining lines were to remain with the old companies along with all previously-abandoned lines, many stations, and all non-rail related properties, thus converting most of
18696-538: The new companies, and NS also acquired the CR reporting mark. Operations under CSX and NS began on June 1, 1999, bringing Conrail's 23-year existence to an end. As the names indicated, CSX acquired the former New York Central Railroad main line from New York City and Boston, Massachusetts , to Cleveland, Ohio , and the former Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (NYC Big Four) line to Indianapolis, Indiana (continuing west to East St. Louis, Illinois ) on
18860-637: The northside and southside lines. Pan Am Southern owns the section of the Fitchburg Line between Fitchburg and Wachusett, while Amtrak owns the section of the Northeast Corridor (used by the Providence/Stoughton Line) in Rhode Island. Most lines operate on regular headways , though some have additional service at peak hours. Service levels vary by lines: the Greenbush and Kingston lines have 13 round trips on weekdays, while
19024-548: The old companies into solvent property-holding companies. The plan was unveiled on July 26, 1975, consisting of lines from Penn Central and six other companies—the Ann Arbor Railroad (bankrupt 1973), Erie Lackawanna Railway (1972), Lehigh Valley Railroad (1970), Reading Company (1971), Central Railroad of New Jersey (1967) and Lehigh and Hudson River Railway (1972). Controlled railroads and jointly-owned railroads such as Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines and
19188-555: The only railroad to receive EMD SD80MACs (an order from the Chicago & North Western was cancelled when that company merged with Union Pacific ) and were separated evenly between CSX and NS. Conrail had a different paint scheme for these locomotives and also the SD70MAC , with a large white, cone-shaped line on the front, bearing "Conrail Quality" lettering. The SD70MACs were not fitted with marker lights, as they were ordered after
19352-504: The other from New York to Chicago. The two lines cross at a bridge southeast of downtown Cleveland ( 41°26′49″N 81°37′37″W / 41.447°N 81.627°W / 41.447; -81.627 ), where the former Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad crosses over the NYC's former Cleveland Short Line Railway around the south side of Cleveland. In three major metropolitan areas – North Jersey, South Jersey/Philadelphia, and Detroit – Conrail Shared Assets Operations continues to serve as
19516-557: The other northside lines can accommodate up to 17 feet 0 inches (5.18 m) (AAR Plate F). The inner Fitchburg and Newburyport/Rockport Lines, and the southside except for the outer Framingham/Worcester Line, have height restrictions smaller than Plate F. MBTA Commuter Rail uses a zone fare system , with fares increasing with distance. Zone 1A includes the downtown terminals and other inner core stations up to about 5 miles (8.0 km) from downtown. Ten additional zones, numbered 1 through 10, extend outwards from Boston. Each zone
19680-621: The outer ends of the lines. Some maintenance and storage of MBTA equipment is contracted out to the Seaview Transportation Company in North Kingstown, Rhode Island . Several additional yards are under construction or planned. Two layovers are under construction for South Coast Rail, with service planned for mid-2025, and the Haverhill Line layover at Bradford is proposed for relocation later in
19844-489: The outer portion of the Worcester Line has the most freight traffic. Massachusetts Coastal Railroad operates south of Middleborough on the Middleborough/Lakeville Line, as well as on future South Coast Rail trackage. The Fore River Railroad operates between Braintree Yard and East Braintree on the Old Colony mainline and the Greenbush Line. The Providence and Worcester Railroad shares tracks with Providence/Stoughton Line trains between Providence and Wickford Junction; it uses
20008-551: The paint schemes of predecessor railroads. The first, on March 15, 2012, was GE ES44AC #8098 in Conrail blue with the "can opener" logo. In July 2023, CSX unveiled GE ES44AH unit #1976, which was repaired and repainted at the CSX shops in Waycross , GA with a CSX dark blue and yellow color scheme on the front (nose) and cab of the locomotive, and the light blue Conrail scheme with the Conrail Quality logo throughout
20172-557: The portal to the Washington Street Tunnel. MBTA commuter rail service expanded to Worcester on September 26, 1994, with limited rush-hour-only service. Off-peak service was added beginning on December 14, 1996. Worcester Union Station underwent a major renovation in 2000, and in 2006 the city's main bus terminal was co-located at the train station. Infill stations at Ashland , Southborough , Westborough , and Grafton were added in 2000 and 2002. The total cost of
20336-497: The railroad operated. There would be no more cross-subsidization of costs between route-miles (that is, revenue on profitable route segments were not used to subsidize routes where rates were set at intermodal parity, yet still did recover fully-allocated costs). Finally, where current and/or future traffic projections showed that profitable volumes of traffic would not return, the railroads were allowed to abandon those routes, shippers and passengers to other modes of transportation. Under
20500-467: The rapid transit lines. MBTA maps began showing the B&M and Penn Central lines as a single system. Penn Central became Conrail on April 1, 1976; the MBTA purchased most of their commuter rolling stock at that time. After delays due to the B&M bankruptcy, the MBTA purchased the B&M commuter equipment, maintenance facility , and 250 miles (400 km) of right of way on December 27, 1976. This included all lines with passenger service, as well as
20664-745: The rapid transit system, largely using railroad rights-of-way, with the expectation that most commuter rail service would be cut back to the rapid transit terminals or abandoned entirely. Prompted by the report, part of the BRB&L was reactivated as rapid transit in 1952–54 by BERy successor Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), and the Highland branch was converted to a rapid streetcar line in 1958–59. The three railroads all made major cuts to suburban service in 1958–1960 as commuters began using new expressways. The B&M became unprofitable in 1958 and moved to shed its money-losing passenger operations. Four branch lines were cut that May, and most stations in
20828-566: The region, Penn Central (PC), declared bankruptcy in 1970, after less than three years of existence. Formed in 1968 by the merger of the New York Central Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad (and supplemented in 1969 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad ), the PC was created with almost no plans to merge the varied corporate cultures, and the resulting company was a hopelessly-entangled mess. At its lowest point, PC
20992-455: The rest of the locomotive. It was numbered #1976 in homage to the year of Conrail's creation. In August 2023, MTA Metro–North Railroad unveiled locomotive #201, a GE P32AC-DM , wrapped in a yellow and blue scheme worn by Conrail's EMD FL9 units between 1976 and 1982. In October 2024, New Jersey Transit unveiled EMD GP40PH-2B #4208 in Conrail blue with the "can opener" logo, similar to Norfolk Southern #8098. NJT stated that Conrail
21156-562: The service across the line's varied terrain. On October 2, 2008, the state government announced an agreement with CSX Transportation for the purchase and upgrade of several of CSX's freight lines in the state. CSX agreed to sell the Framingham-to-Worcester section of the Worcester Line , its lines from Taunton to Fall River and New Bedford for use by the South Coast Rail project, the Grand Junction Branch , and
21320-507: The service expansion. The increase to 20 weekday and 9 weekend round trips to Worcester took place on March 10, 2014. The MBTA has long been planning to speed travel times on the line by adding a second main track through Beacon Park Yard – the only single-track section of the line. The former second track through the yard was turned into a yard lead with no through service in the 1950s. In November 2013, MassDOT announced plans to spend $ 15 million through 2014 and 2015 to improve travel times on
21484-491: The service was improved through increased capital investment , the economic basis of the railroad would be improved. During its first seven years, Conrail proved to be highly unprofitable, despite receiving billions of dollars of assistance from Congress. The corporation declared enormous losses on its federal income tax returns from 1976 through 1982, resulting in an accumulated net operating loss of $ 2.2 billion during that period. Congress once again reacted with support by passing
21648-449: The services becoming profitable. At the recommendation of the MTC, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was created on August 3, 1964, with a 78-municipality funding and service district. The MBTA was to build rapid transit extensions (as planned in 1947) along some lines, with the others to be subsidized or allowed to be discontinued. Most remaining lines ran to points outside
21812-556: The sprawling downtown terminals. Most stations outside downtown Boston have one or two side platforms or a single island platform . Standard MBTA platforms are about 800 feet (240 m) long – enough for a nine-car train – and a minimum of 12 feet (3.7 m) wide for side platforms and 22 feet (6.7 m) wide for island platforms. 110 active stations are accessible , including all terminals and all stations with rapid transit connections; 26 are not. The MBTA uses 48-inch (1,200 mm)-high platforms for accessible level boarding, as
21976-651: The state agreed to build a set of transit projects as part of the settlement of a lawsuit by the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) over auto emissions from the Central Artery/Tunnel Project ( Big Dig ). Among these project were extensions of the Framingham Line to Worcester and the Ipswich/Rockport Line to Newburyport, restoration of the Old Colony Lines , and addition of 20,000 park and ride spaces outside
22140-446: The stations. The bus shuttle ended service on August 27, 2021, as route 505 bus service resumed two days later. By October 2022, the line had 10,606 daily riders – 57% of pre-COVID ridership. The "Heart to Hub" trains were converted to regular express trains effective October 2, 2023. A morning "Heart to Hub" round trip was re-added on May 20, 2024. An accessibility reconstruction of Natick Center station began in March 2020, followed by
22304-560: The successful bidder. After considerable debate in Congress, the Conrail Privatization Act of 1986 was signed into law by President Reagan on October 21, 1986. However, in August 1986, Norfolk Southern had withdrawn its bid citing Congressional delays and taxation changes. The government decided that its interest in Conrail would then be sold by the then-largest initial public offering in US history. The sale
22468-508: The system to have Positive Train Control activated was the inner Worcester Line on August 15, 2020. Most of the southside lines already had cab signals for automatic train control (ATC) prior to PTC implementation, but the northside lines did not. Cab signals on the southside were completed in 2020; cab signals on the northside will be completed in 2023. Temporary bus replacements for several lines took place between 2017 and 2022 during PTC and ATC construction and testing. Weekday service
22632-407: The system. Most Ipswich/Rockport line stations were made accessible during the 1984–85 closure, and renovations followed at other stations. South Station was made accessible in the late 1980s, Back Bay during the Southwest Corridor project, and North Station in the early 1990s, providing accessibility at the main downtown Boston stations. By 1992, 44 commuter rail stations were accessible. In 1991,
22796-602: The third quarter of 2024, making it the fifth-busiest commuter rail system in the U.S. , behind the three New York-area systems and the Chicago-area system . The line's characteristic purple-trimmed coaches operate as far south as North Kingstown, Rhode Island , and as far north as Newburyport and as far west as Fitchburg , both in Massachusetts . Trains originate at two major terminals in Boston – South Station and North Station . The only connection between
22960-526: The transition to a regional rail model, with hourly Boston–Worcester service. Worcester service operates express between Boston Landing and West Natick at peak hours, with hourly Boston–Framingham local trains at those times to provide service to the inner part of the line. Because the single-platform Newton stations can only be served by trains in one direction at peak service levels, a "Newton Connection Railbus" bus shuttle operated between Newton Highlands and Wellesley Farms to provide reverse-peak service to
23124-614: The two halves of the system is the non-revenue Grand Junction Branch . The North–South Rail Link is a proposed tunnel between North Station and South Station to allow through-running service. The system consists of twelve lines – four of which have branches – radiating from downtown Boston . Eight "southside" lines terminate at South Station , with four (Framingham/Worcester, Needham, Franklin/Foxboro, and Providence/Stoughton) also running through Back Bay station . Four "northside" lines terminate at North Station . The Kingston Line and Middleborough/Lakeville Line are often grouped together as
23288-530: The two railroads. In 1997, however, the two railroads struck a compromise agreement to jointly acquire Conrail and split most of its assets between them, with Norfolk Southern acquiring a larger portion of the Conrail network via a larger stock buyout. Under the final agreement approved by the Surface Transportation Board , Norfolk Southern acquired 58 percent of Conrail's assets, including roughly 6,000 Conrail route miles, and CSX received 42 percent of Conrail's assets, including about 3,600 route miles. The buyout
23452-410: The urban core. Peak-hour service to Worcester began in 1994, followed by off-peak and weekend service; four intermediate stations were added in 2000 and 2002. Service on the Old Colony Lines (Middleborough/Lakeville Line and Kingston/Plymouth Line) began in 1997. Newburyport and Rowley opened in 1998. The MBTA Commuter Rail Maintenance Facility , which replaced the ex-B&M Boston Engine Terminal,
23616-620: The wooden approach trestles to the North Station drawbridges . The four northside lines used temporary terminals with rapid transit connections while the trestles were rebuilt. Another bridge fire between Beverly and Salem on November 16, 1984, isolated part of the Ipswich/Rockport Line from the rest of the system. Service to North Station resumed on April 20, 1985; service to Ipswich and Rockport resumed on December 1, 1985. Guilford Transportation Industries purchased
23780-691: Was approved by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) (successor agency to the Interstate Commerce Commission(ICC) and took place on August 22, 1998. Under the control of lawyer-turned-CEO Tim O'Toole , the lines were transferred to two newly formed limited liability companies , to be subsidiaries of Conrail but leased to CSX and Norfolk Southern, respectively New York Central Lines (NYC) and Pennsylvania Lines (PRR). The NYC and PRR reporting marks , which had passed to Conrail, were also transferred to
23944-408: Was bankrupt, but was somewhat stronger financially than the others. It was ruled reorganizable under Chapter 77 on April 30, 1974 (as had the Boston and Maine Railroad ), but on January 9, 1975, with no end to its losses in sight, its trustees reconsidered and asked for inclusion. The Final System Plan assigned a major section of the EL, from northern New Jersey west to northeast Ohio , to be sold to
24108-572: Was called, provided interim funding to the bankrupt railroads and defined a new Consolidated Rail Corporation under the Association of American Railroads ' plan. The 3R Act also formed the United States Railway Association (USRA), another government corporation , taking over the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission with respect to allowing the bankrupt railroads to abandon unprofitable lines. The USRA
24272-472: Was completed in 1987 with a new below-ground alignment for commuter rail, Amtrak, and Orange Line trains. Back Bay and Forest Hills stations were completely rebuilt as transfer stations, and Ruggles opened to serve the growing Longwood Medical Area . The Needham Line, closed since 1979 for construction, was reopened. The Attleboro and Franklin lines had been diverted over the previously freight-only Dorchester Branch during construction; after they returned to
24436-504: Was completed in 1998. Two tenders were submitted in 2003, one from GTI and another from the newly formed Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), a partnership between Connex (later Veolia), Bombardier Transportation and Alternate Concepts, Inc. MBCR won the contract, and took over the MBTA Commuter Rail operation from Amtrak in July 2003. The MBCR contract originally expired in July 2008 but had an additional five-year option; it
24600-491: Was cut back to a single Newburyport round trip. Subsidies began for six lines on January 18; all out-of-district service to Fitchburg , Lowell , Haverhill , Ipswich , and Rockport was discontinued except for three single round trips. Agreements were reached to restore most out-of-district service; after delays due to a lawsuit by the competing Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway , full service returned to Ayer , Lowell, Ipswich, and Rockport on June 28. On June 30, 1967,
24764-459: Was divided between Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation in 1999, all remaining locomotives have been successively repainted, and many remain in service. CR units had unique features such as "Bright Future" blue paint, flashing ditch lights, and Leslie RS-3L horns. Another key spotting feature is ditch lights mounted under the locomotive's front deck. This is a preference different from Norfolk Southern and CSX, which order locomotives with
24928-568: Was effective from March 26, 1987, when Conrail's stock, worth $ 1.65 billion, was sold to private investors. Conrail inherited the commuter rail operations of its predecessor lines. It relinquished several during the 1970s, including the Erie Cleveland–Youngstown service (discontinued in 1977), the Pennsylvania Railroad Chicago–Valparaiso service (transferred to Amtrak in 1979), and the services within
25092-577: Was expensive, and Conrail faced financial difficulty. As mentioned above, significant projects took place to reduce trackage, oftentimes removing double-track with automatic block signals in favor of single track with centralized traffic control (CTC). Conrail also installed CTC across much of the former PRR multi-track mainline, which had relied on local towers to operate signals and control track. Conrail spent its entire existence installing tri-light signals (using NORAC rules) across much of its system. Many Conrail-installed signaling locations were removed in
25256-459: Was incorporated on February 1, 1974, and Edward G. Jordan, an insurance executive from California , was named president on March 18 by Nixon. Arthur D. Lewis of Eastern Air Lines was appointed chairman on April 30, and the remainder of the board was named on May 30 and sworn in on July 11. Under the 3R Act, the USRA was to create a "Final System Plan" to decide which lines should be included in
25420-480: Was kept on the line, thus ending direct connections from Boston to Springfield, Pittsfield, and Albany. In mid-May, Amtrak added the Boston-New Haven Bay State . The train struggled to find consistent ridership, with frequent changes of schedule and destination. In 1973, the westbound trip operated as a quasi-commuter train. The Bay State was canceled on March 1, 1975. On January 27, 1973,
25584-416: Was largely unusable to the decommissioning of 3G networks . Mobile ticketing was introduced on the northside lines on November 12, 2012, and on the southside lines on November 28. Positive Train Control was implemented on the entire system per a federal mandate, which required installation by the end of 2018 with the possibility of a two-year extension. Construction began in 2017. The final segment of
25748-418: Was later extended three years to July 2011 and then another two to July 2013. After concerns about on-time performance, the 2011 extension increased the fine for late trains from $ 100 to $ 300. The MBTA considered running the service directly rather than contracting it out, but this "public option" was rejected in 2012. In August 2012, MBCR and Keolis were the two bidders for the contract. On January 8, 2014,
25912-524: Was losing over $ 1 million a day and trains were becoming lost all over the railroad. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes damaged the rundown Northeast railway network and threatened the solvency of other railroads, including the somewhat more solvent Erie Lackawanna (EL). In mid-1973, officials with the bankrupt Penn Central threatened to liquidate and cease operations by year's end if they did not receive government aid by October 1. This threat to US freight and passenger traffic galvanized Congress to quickly create
26076-500: Was paused at 75% completion in September 2023 because project costs had risen to $ 255 million. In April 2024, the MBTA indicated that it would proceed with Newtonville before the two other stations, with platform lengths shorter than the MBTA standard to reduce construction costs. In November 2024, the state committed to the reconstruction of Newtonville station. MBTA Commuter Rail [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The MBTA Commuter Rail ( reporting mark MBTX ) system serves as
26240-461: Was planned to open in 2020. Plans for DMU service were cancelled in 2015, and West Station was delayed to 2040. On May 23, 2016, the MBTA began running a single daily round trip – inbound in the morning rush, outbound in the late evening – with no intermediate stops between Yawkey (later renamed to Lansdowne) and Worcester. Branded "HeartToHub", the trips were scheduled for travel times of under one hour between Back Bay and Worcester, slightly faster than
26404-411: Was retired between 1979 and 1989. 33 ex-B&M RDCs were converted to locomotive-hauled coaches (designated BTC-2 and CTC-2) in 1980 and 1982; they were retired by 1989. This left all MBTA service operated by locomotives and coaches purchased new by the MBTA. At several points since, the MBTA or its contract operator has temporarily leased locomotives when needed. Some passenger equipment acquired new by
26568-483: Was slower than expected; by 1971, the only extension in service was the first portion of the Red Line Braintree Branch on the Old Colony mainline. In 1972, as part of a funding shift from highways to transit, Governor Francis Sargent initiated a Commuter Rail Improvement Program. On October 8, 1974, the MBTA began using purple to represent the commuter rail system, as had been done in 1965 with
26732-408: Was substantially cut on March 17, 2020, due to reduced ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic . On June 22, service was increased to 85% of normal weekday levels. Changes effective November 2 reduced peak service and increased off-peak service, providing more consistent midday headways on some lines; Foxboro pilot service was suspended. In November 2020, as part of service cuts during the pandemic,
26896-413: Was under Crane's leadership that Conrail truly became a profitable operation. Soon after Crane took office in 1981 he shed another 4,400 miles from the Conrail system in the following two years, which accounted for only 1% of the railroad's overall traffic and 2% of its profits while saving it millions of dollars in maintenance costs. NERSA relieved Conrail of its requirement to provide commuter service on
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