Beacon Park Yard

Last updated
The yard in 2012 shortly before closure Beacon Park Rail Yard.jpg
The yard in 2012 shortly before closure
Beacon Park Yard in 2024, reopened as a transfer facility Beacon Park Yard in August 2024.jpg
Beacon Park Yard in 2024, reopened as a transfer facility

Beacon Park Yard was a CSX Transportation rail yard in Allston, Boston, now owned by Harvard University. The yard opened in 1890 on the site of a former trotting park, from which it took its name. It was closed in 2013 following the relocation of the yard's container operations to Worcester, Massachusetts and opening of a transload facility in Westborough, Massachusetts. Plans for the yard include relocation of the Massachusetts Turnpike Allston exit, construction of a new MBTA commuter rail station, a major real estate development, and possibly a rail layover yard.

Contents

In 2023, Harvard reopened part of the freight yard to haul away contaminated dirt being excavated to build its nearby Enterprise Research Campus. [1]

History

Rail usage

Freight cars in Beacon Park Yard around 1900 Freight cars in Beacon Park Yard, circa 1900.jpg
Freight cars in Beacon Park Yard around 1900

The Boston and Worcester Railroad (B&W) began operating through Allston in 1834. [2] The railroad established car shops near Cambridge Street by the mid-1840s. [3] Beacon Trotting Park opened east of Cambridge Street in 1864 on land just north of the railroad. [4] In 1890, the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A), successor to the B&W, bought the land for use as a rail yard, named Beacon Park Yard after the trotting park. [4] The B&A became part of the New York Central Railroad in 1900. [2]

In 1958, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority bought the rail line east of Route 128, including the rail yard and freight sidings, from the NYC for construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike. [2] The Turnpike was routed along the north edge of the yard, with a toll plaza and interchange to Cambridge Street and Soldiers Field Road there. A truck tunnel was built under the Turnpike at the west end of the yard to provide access from Cambridge Street, and a set of ramps provided yard access to and from the westbound Turnpike. This enabled use of the yard for transload operations, where freight was transferred from long-distance freight trains to local trucks in the yard. The NYC became part of Penn Central on February 1, 1968, which in turn became Conrail on April 1, 1976. [5] When Conrail was broken up in 2000, freight operations on the line, including Beacon Park Yard, became part of CSX Transportation. [6]

Closure and redevelopment plans

Container trains at Beacon Park Yard in 2010 Filleted container train at Beacon Yard.jpg
Container trains at Beacon Park Yard in 2010

In the late 1990s, Harvard University began planning a major expansion southward in Lower Allston, where substantial parcels of marginal industrial and derelict land could be redeveloped for academic, research, and commercial use. In 2000, the university purchased 47 acres (19 ha) of "Allston Landing North" - land north of Cambridge Street, and between Cambridge Street and the Turnpike - from the Turnpike Authority. [7] In April 2003, the university purchased 91 acres (37 ha) of "Allston Landing South" - including Beacon Park Yard, the Worcester mainline tracks, the Turnpike mainline and interchange, and CSX's engine yard - from the Turnpike Authority for $75 million despite the objections of local politicians including Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. [7] Although both purchase agreements granted permanent easements to CSX and MassDOT, the objectors expressed concerns that wealthy Harvard would attempt to buy out CSX and disrupt freight service to Boston. [8]

In 1998, a new station in Allston-Brighton began to be considered as part of the Urban Ring planning process. In 2007, the City of Boston allocated $500,000 in funding for the Allston Multimodal Station Study. [9] The study analyzed both commuter rail and DMU local service along the corridor, with potential stops at Faneuil, Market Street, Everett Street, Cambridge Street, West (Ashford Street) inside Beacon Park Yard, and Commonwealth Avenue. It recommended an Everett Street stop, with stations at the other locations to come later. [10]

In September 2009, MassDOT reached a major agreement with CSX and Harvard over several railroad properties in the state. The state bought the outer Framingham/Worcester Line, Track 61, the Grand Junction Railroad, and several branch lines needed for South Coast Rail from CSX. The state also partially funded a new container yard in Worcester and a transload facility in Westborough, which allowed CSX to eventually vacate Beacon Park Yard for redevelopment. [11] [12] The state inherited CSX's easements, requiring Harvard to petition the state before developing any property; because of this, Harvard did not include the site in its 2007 master plan. [13]

Construction of the Worcester container yard began in 2011, and CSX vacated Beacon Park Yard in February 2013. [14] [15] CSX demolished buildings, removed old rail cars, and completed soil and groundwater remediation to make the site usable for future development. [7]

In December 2015, Harvard University completed the purchase of an additional 19 acres (77,000 m2) of CSX land north of Cambridge Street for $97.25 million. Harvard's plan is to use the land as a park and later redevelopment. [16]

In 2017 and 2018, the yard was used as a staging area for the replacement of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge over the Massachusetts Turnpike. [17]

In late 2023, the rail yard was partially rebuilt by Harvard and reopened for use as a solid hazardous waste transfer facility to begin the clean up process for the Allston Multimodal Project, [18] starting with Harvard's Enterprise Research Campus. Dirt excavated from construction of new buildings is loaded into containers, which are then trucked to the Beacon Park Yard transfer facility. There, the containers are loaded onto railcars destined for landfills, mostly to Fairport, New York. [1]

Allston Interchange Project

As part of the development of the yard, the state plans to reroute the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) just south of its current alignment within the confines of the old yard, in order to make the road safer and free up 60 acres for development. All-electronic toll collection eliminated the need for toll booths (since demolished) at the interchange, allowing a simpler layout. [19] In September 2014, MassDOT announced that a new commuter rail station, West Station, will be constructed at the south edge of the yard. [20] The plan includes new streets, bicycle paths and more parkland along the Charles River. [21] MBTA plans included in 2013 a layover facility for commuter rail trains, with storage for up to 30 train consists. [22] In April 2024, Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutt mentioned in a speech that she preferred the yard be located on recently purchased property in Widett Circle; [23] MassDOT was also negotiating with Amtrak for layover space. [24] In November 2024, the state indicated plans to have a four-track layover yard at Beacon Park. [25]

See also

Further reading

Sullivan, Kyle; Deusser, Becky; Haberlin, Kim (September 23, 2009). "Massachusetts finalizes agreement with CSX Transportation". Office of the Governor & Lt. Governor. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Boston</span> Overview of transportation in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Transportation in Boston includes roadway, subway, regional rail, air, and sea options for passenger and freight transit in Boston, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) operates the Port of Boston, which includes a container shipping facility in South Boston, and Logan International Airport, in East Boston. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates bus, subway, short-distance rail, and water ferry passenger services throughout the city and region. Amtrak operates passenger rail service to and from major Northeastern cities, and a major bus terminal at South Station is served by varied intercity bus companies. The city is bisected by major highways I-90 and I-93, the intersection of which has undergone a major renovation, nicknamed the Big Dig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allston</span> Neighborhood of Boston in Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Allston is an officially recognized neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was named after the American painter and poet Washington Allston. It comprises the land covered by the zip code 02134. For the most part, Allston is administered collectively with the adjacent neighborhood of Brighton. The two are often referred to together as Allston–Brighton. Boston Police Department District D-14 covers the Allston-Brighton area and a Boston Fire Department Allston station is located in Union Square which houses Engine 41 and Ladder 14. Engine 41 is nicknamed "The Bull" to commemorate the historic stockyards of Allston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MBTA Commuter Rail</span> Greater Boston commuter rail system

The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as 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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North–South Rail Link</span> Proposed rail tunnel connecting Bostons North and South Stations

The North–South Rail Link (NSRL) is a proposed rail tunnel, or pair of tunnels, that would connect North Station and South Station in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, linking rail networks that serve the city's northern suburbs, New Hampshire, and Maine with the rest of the country. The project would build new underground stations near the existing stations, connect them with about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of tunnels, and add other tunnels to link up with existing surface tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverside station (MBTA)</span> Light rail station in Newton, Massachusetts, US

Riverside station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail station located in the Auburndale village of Newton, Massachusetts. It is the western terminal of the Green Line D branch service. The station is located near the interchange of Interstate 95 and the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and serves as a regional park and ride station. West of the station is Riverside Yard, the main maintenance facility and largest storage yard for the Green Line. The station is fully accessible.

The Grand Junction Railroad is an 8.55-mile (13.76 km) long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts, area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston. The line is notable for its railroad bridge over the Charles River that passes under the Boston University Bridge between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Framingham/Worcester Line</span> MBTA commuter railroad line

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 the line is a mix of local and express trains serving Worcester plus short-turn Framingham locals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Subdivision</span> Railway line in Massachusetts

The Boston Subdivision is a railroad line in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The line runs from Back Bay Station in Boston west to Wilbraham, just east of Springfield. along a former New York Central Railroad line. The line connects with the Northeast Corridor at its east end and continues as the Berkshire Subdivision at its west end. Along the way, the line junctions with the Framingham Subdivision and Fitchburg Subdivision at Framingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Readville station</span> Railway station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Readville station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station located in the Readville section of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is served by the MBTA Commuter Rail Fairmount, Franklin/Foxboro, and Providence/Stoughton Lines. Readville is the outer terminus for most Fairmount service, though some trips continue as Franklin/Foxboro Line trains. The station is located at a multi-level junction, with the Attleboro Line tracks at ground level and the Dorchester Branch above. Franklin/Foxboro Line trains that run on the Northeast Corridor use a connecting track with a separate platform. An MBTA maintenance and storage yard and a CSX Transportation freight yard are located near the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lansdowne station (MBTA)</span> Railway station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Lansdowne station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Boston, Massachusetts. It serves the Framingham/Worcester Line. Lansdowne is located next to the Massachusetts Turnpike in the Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood near Kenmore Square, below grade between Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ayer station</span> Railway station in Ayer, Massachusetts, US

Ayer station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station located off Main Street in the Ayer Main Street Historic District of Ayer, Massachusetts. It serves the Fitchburg Line. There are three tracks through the station, two of which are served by a pair of low-level side platforms, which are not accessible. There is a shelter on the inbound platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockport station</span>

Rockport station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Rockport, Massachusetts. It is the terminus of the Rockport branch of the Newburyport/Rockport Line. The station complex consists of a single side platform with one revenue track plus 4 layover tracks for parked trains and a short stretch of auxiliary track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston station (Massachusetts)</span> Railway station in Kingston, Massachusetts, US

Kingston station is an MBTA Commuter Rail serving the Plymouth/Kingston Line, located off of Massachusetts Route 3 south of downtown Kingston, Massachusetts. It opened in 1997 during the restoration of Old Colony Lines service. Like all stations on the Old Colony Lines, Kingston station is fully accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Coast Rail</span> Railway construction project in Massachusetts

South Coast Rail is a project to build a new southern line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system along several abandoned and freight-only rail lines. The line will restore passenger rail service between Boston and the cities of Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford, via the towns of Berkley, and Freetown, on the south coast of Massachusetts. It includes passenger service to some of the southern lines of the former Old Colony Railroad and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wachusett station</span> Railway station in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, US

Wachusett station is a commuter rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line. It is northwest of the intersection of Massachusetts Route 2 and Route 31 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It serves as the northwestern terminus for Fitchburg Line trains. The opening of Wachusett extended service 4.5 miles (7.2 km) west from Fitchburg on the Pan Am Southern main line, lengthening the Fitchburg Line to 54 miles (87 km). The station was expected to draw 400 daily riders; by 2018, daily ridership was 132.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Landing station</span> Railway station in Brighton, Massachusetts, US

Boston Landing station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is served by the Framingham/Worcester Line. It is located in the Brighton neighborhood just west of the Everett Street bridge, next to the Massachusetts Turnpike. It serves the Allston-Brighton area as well as the Boston Landing development including Warrior Ice Arena. The station is fully accessible, with a single full-length high-level island platform. Elevators and stairs lead to Arthur Street and to the Everett Street bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Track 61 (Boston)</span> Industrial rail terminal track in South Boston, Massachusetts

Track 61 is an industrial rail terminal track in South Boston, Massachusetts, also known as the Boston Terminal Running Track. Track 61 is the last remnant of the vast rail yards that once covered much of the South Boston waterfront. Track 61 legally begins at Summer Street, while the line from Bay Junction to Summer Street is the Boston Terminal Running Track and Terminal Yard. However, the names are frequently used interchangeably.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Station (MBTA)</span> Proposed train stop in Massachusetts

West Station is a planned station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line, to be located in the former Beacon Park Yard in Allston, Massachusetts. It was initially proposed as part of a project to straighten the Massachusetts Turnpike through the yard, allowing much of the land to be redeveloped. As of 2024, plans for the station have not proceeded beyond conceptual studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middleborough station</span> Rail station in Middleborough, Massachusetts, US

Middleborough station is an under-construction MBTA Commuter Rail station in Middleborough, Massachusetts. It is expected to open in May 2025 as part of the South Coast Rail project, replacing Middleborough/Lakeville station for regular service. The station will have a single side platform located inside the wye between the Middleborough Main Line and the Middleboro Secondary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East-West Passenger Rail</span> Massachusetts east-to-west rail project

East-West Rail is a proposed intercity passenger rail project that would provide new service between Boston and western Massachusetts, with stops including Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Amtrak's Albany–Rensselaer station in New York. The 171-mile (275 km) route between Boston and Albany would use the former mainline of the Boston and Albany Railroad, which is now owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority and CSX Transportation.

References

  1. 1 2 Bruce Mohl (May 21, 2024). "Beacon Park Yard back in operation". Commonwealth Beacon.
  2. 1 2 3 Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 278–282. ISBN   0942147022.
  3. Report of the Directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad. Boston and Worcester Railroad. June 7, 1847. p. 6.
  4. 1 2 "Important Allston Brighton Dates". Brighton Allston Historical Society. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  5. Belcher, Jonathan (27 June 2015). "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district 1964-2015" (PDF). NETransit. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  6. "CSX Transportation, Inc. Beacon Park Yard in Allston, MA: Response to Comments on Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)" (PDF). United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2005. p. 10. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Harvard University (17 August 2015). "I-90 Allston Interchange Task Force Meeting" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  8. Pasternack, Alex L.; Schuker, Lauren A.E. (11 April 2003). "Officials Irked by Land Deal: Despite protests, board approves Harvard bid". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  9. Elowitt, Karen (26 April 2007). "Allston could get commuter rail station". Wicked Local. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  10. "Allston Multimodal Station Study" (PDF). Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  11. "PATRICK-MURRAY ADMINISTRATION FINALIZES AGREEMENT WITH CSX TRANSPORTATION" (Press release). The Official Website of the Governor of Massachusetts. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  12. Kyle Cheney (23 September 2009). "Harvard will be allowed to purchase and develop Beacon Park Yard". Wicked Local . Gatehouse Media, Inc. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  13. Quach, Michelle L.; Zhu, Peter F. (25 September 2009). "State To Take Over Allston Railyards: Move potentially opens up Harvard-owned land for long-term development". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  14. Kotsopoulos, Nick (June 17, 2013). "CSX project wrap-up means money for city". Telegram & Gazette . Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  15. Dyer, John (14 February 2011). "Land at a premium, railroad exploits its air space". Boston Globe. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  16. Carlock, Catherine (16 December 2015). "Harvard completes Allston Landing acquisition with $97M land buy". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  17. Picon, Andres (July 20, 2018). "Commonwealth Avenue bridge replacement project to begin Thursday". Boston Globe.
  18. Dun & Bradstreet entry on Viasant
  19. Rocheleau, Matt (23 October 2013). "Photos: Conceptual designs of project to straighten Mass. Pike in Allston". Boston Globe. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  20. Dungca, Nicole (30 September 2014). "New transit station to connect Allston to downtown". Boston Globe. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  21. Allston Interchange Presentation, MassDOT, June 27, 2016
  22. "MBTA Layover Facility Alternatives Analysis Report, March 2013" (PDF).
  23. Bruce Mohl (April 18, 2024). "Transportation secretary gives 'unfiltered' take on challenges". Commonwealth Magazine.
  24. Jon Chesto (30 September 2024). "Amtrak and the MBTA are looking to increase passenger service. But where to park the trains?". The Boston Globe .
  25. Chesto, Jon (November 26, 2024). "State officials want to save space for train parking in Allston despite neighborhood concerns". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024.

42°21′21.89″N71°7′22.24″W / 42.3560806°N 71.1228444°W / 42.3560806; -71.1228444