Kendal Green station

Last updated

Kendal Green
Kendal Green station, Weston MA.jpg
A train arriving at Kendal Green station in February 2024
General information
Location205 Church Street
Weston, Massachusetts, US
Coordinates 42°22′45″N71°16′57″W / 42.37917°N 71.28250°W / 42.37917; -71.28250
Line(s) Fitchburg Route
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Construction
Parking57 spaces (free)
AccessibleNo
Other information
Fare zone3
History
OpenedJune 17, 1844
Rebuilt1896
Previous namesWeston (until c. 1886)
Passengers
2018114 (weekday average boardings) [1]
Services
Preceding station MBTA.svg MBTA Following station
Lincoln
toward Wachusett
Fitchburg Line Brandeis/Roberts
toward North Station
Kendal Green Railroad Station
Kendal Green station
Part of Kendal Green Historic District (ID01000121)
Added to NRHPMarch 1, 2000

Kendal Green station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Weston, Massachusetts, US, served by the Fitchburg Line. The station has a single platform serving two tracks; it is not accessible. It originally opened with the Fitchburg Railroad in 1844 as "Weston"; it was renamed Kendal Green after the green cloth around 1886. A new station building was constructed in 1896. Service passed to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900, and to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the 1970s. The former station building, reused as a private residence, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 as a contributing property to the Kendal Green Historic District.

Contents

Station design

Kendal Green station is located on the north side of the Church Street grade crossing in Weston, about 400 feet (120 m) away from North Avenue (Route 117). The station has a single asphalt side platform on the north side of the two tracks of the Fitchburg Route, with a small paved crossing allowing passengers to board trains on the opposite track. [2] The low-level platform is not accessible. [3] Parking spaces for 57 vehicles are located along Lower Field Road south of Church Street. [4]

The former station building is located adjacent to the platform. It is a single-story hip-roofed clapboard building measuring 20 by 42 feet (6.1 m × 12.8 m), with a polygonal bay in the southern corner. [5] : 12  The structure is privately owned and used as a residence, though the MBTA owns the land; the trackside eaves still offer shelter for passengers. [6] [5] : 12  The trackside windows and doors have been covered for the privacy of the residents. [6]

History

Early history

Kendal Green station on a 1913 postcard Kendal Green station 1913 postcard.jpg
Kendal Green station on a 1913 postcard

The Fitchburg Railroad opened along the Stony Brook valley through Weston on June 17, 1844, with stops at Weston and Silver Hill. [7] : 87  [5] : 6  New residential development occurred around Weston station, but not around Silver Hill. [8] : 8  The original Weston station building, constructed around 1843, was a two-story wooden structure with an apartment for the station master on the second floor. [6] A freight house, no longer extant, was constructed nearby in 1875. [6]

The Central Massachusetts Railroad was constructed through Weston in 1881, with its own Weston station closer to the town center. [6] In 1885–86, a post office was opened to serve the North Avenue area. It was named "Kendal Green" at the suggestion of General James F.B. Marshall, co-founder of the Hampton Institute, who had previously used it as the name of his nearby estate. The name was taken from the Kendal green cloth produced in Kendal, England; Kendal was also the surname of Marshall's grandfather. [5] : 19  The railroad station also took the name Kendal Green around 1886, possibly to avoid confusion with the two Weston stations. [6] [5] : 19 

The railroad built a new station building at Kendal Green in 1896. [6] A single-story wooden structure, it resembled a simpler version of the Central Massachusetts Railroad's stick style Weston station. [5] : 12  The Fitchburg Railroad was acquired by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1900. [7] : 88 

MBTA era

The B&M sold off disused station buildings in the mid 20th century; by 1962, Kendal Green and Weston stations both belonged to the same private owner. [9] The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was formed in 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter rail service. On January 18, 1965, the MBTA began subsidizing some B&M service, including as far as West Concord on the Fitchburg Route. [10] The MBTA bought most B&M commuter rail assets, including the Fitchburg Route, on December 27, 1976. [10]

In 1989, the MBTA considered moving the station to the south to create a park and ride "superstation" for Route 128, similar to Route 128 station. [11] In 1998, the town considered purchasing the former station building to make room for a 40-space parking lot. [12] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 as a contributing property to the Kendal Green Historic District. [5] : 45 

A February 2005 study for the Fitchburg Line Improvement Project recommended consolidation of the three Weston stations (Silver Hill, Hastings, and Kendal Green) into a single expanded Kendal Green station to reduce travel times, as did a September 2005 preliminary implementation plan. [4] [13] However, by 2007, the preferred alternative did not include station consolidation. [14] Silver Hill and Hastings were temporarily closed in December 2020 due to low ridership, which was made permanent in April 2021, but Kendal Green station was not modified. [15] [16] [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porter station</span> Transit station in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US

Porter station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) transit station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It serves the Red Line rapid transit line, the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line, and several MBTA bus lines. Located at Porter Square at the intersection of Massachusetts and Somerville Avenues, the station provides rapid transit access to northern Cambridge and the western portions of Somerville. Porter is 14 minutes from Park Street on the Red Line, and about 10 minutes from North Station on commuter rail trains. Several local MBTA bus routes also stop at the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Station</span> Train station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

North Station is a commuter rail and intercity rail terminal station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is served by four MBTA Commuter Rail lines – the Fitchburg Line, Haverhill Line, Lowell Line, and Newburyport/Rockport Line – and the Amtrak Downeaster intercity service. The concourse is located under the TD Garden arena, with the platforms extending north towards drawbridges over the Charles River. The eponymous subway station, served by the Green Line and Orange Line, is connected to the concourse with an underground passageway.

<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">Oak Grove station</span> Transit station in Malden, Massachusetts, US

Oak Grove station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit station in the northern section of Malden, Massachusetts, just south of the Melrose border. It is the northern terminus of the rapid transit Orange Line and a stop on the Haverhill Line commuter rail service. The accessible station has a 788-space park and ride lot and is served by three MBTA bus routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitchburg Line</span> MBTA Commuter Rail line

The Fitchburg Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system which runs from Boston's North Station to Wachusett station in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The line is along the tracks of the former Fitchburg Railroad, which was built across northern Massachusetts, United States, in the 1840s. Winter weekend service includes a specially equipped seasonal "ski train" to Wachusett Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stony Brook station (Boston and Maine Railroad)</span>

Stony Brook station was a Boston and Maine Railroad station in Weston, Massachusetts along what is currently the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Fitchburg Line. The station was located adjacent to the Upper Post Road (US-20), with a building on the inbound (southwest) side of the tracks. It was named for Stony Brook, which runs through Weston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newburyport/Rockport Line</span> Commuter rail service in Massachusetts, US

The Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg, operating via the Eastern Route of the former Boston and Maine Railroad, serves Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly. From there, a northern branch continues via the Eastern Route to serve Hamilton, Ipswich, Rowley, and Newburyport, while other trains operate east from Beverly via the Gloucester Branch, serving Manchester, Gloucester, and Rockport. A bicycle coach is offered on the Rockport branch during the summer. With over 11,000 daily riders in October 2022, the line is the second-busiest on the system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Hill station</span> Former railway station in Weston, Massachusetts, US

Silver Hill station was an MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line station in Weston, Massachusetts, United States. The station had a small shelter, parking area, and a gravel boarding area; it was not accessible. It was the least-used station in the entire MBTA system in 2018, with an average of just eleven daily boardings. Silver Hill station opened in 1844 as one of the original stops on the Fitchburg Railroad. The Boston and Maine Railroad unsuccessfully attempted to close the station in 1959. It remained in use until its temporary closure by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in December 2020 due to low ridership and a lack of accessibility, with indefinite closure effective April 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belmont Center station</span> Train station in Belmont, Massachusetts, US

Belmont Center station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Belmont, Massachusetts, USA. It serves the Fitchburg Line. It is situated at the intersection of Common Street, Concord Avenue, and Leonard Street adjacent to Belmont's town center. It is one of two railroad stations located in Belmont, the other being Waverley station located in Waverley Square.

<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">Littleton/Route 495 station</span> Rail station in Littleton, Massachusetts, US

Littleton/Route 495 station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Littleton, Massachusetts. It serves the Fitchburg Line. The station is located at the intersection of Grimes Lane and Foster Street near Route 2 and I-495 and serves as a park-and-ride station for both highways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waverley station (MBTA)</span> Railroad station in Belmont, Massachusetts, US

Waverley station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Belmont, Massachusetts. It serves the Fitchburg Line. It is located below grade in Waverley Square in the triangle of Trapelo Road, Lexington Street, and Church Street in western Belmont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hastings station (MBTA)</span> Former railway station in Weston, Massachusetts, US

Hastings station was an MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line station in Weston, Massachusetts. The station had a small parking area but no platforms; passengers boarded trains from the Viles Street grade crossing. It was originally opened in the 1890s to serve the adjacent Hook & Hastings organ factory. The factory closed in 1935, but the station remained open with limited service. It was temporarily closed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in December 2020 due to its low ridership and lack of accessibility; indefinite closure became effective in April 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitchburg Intermodal Transportation Center</span> Regional rail and bus station

The Fitchburg Intermodal Transportation Center is a regional rail and bus station located in downtown Fitchburg, Massachusetts. It is a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line and a hub for Montachusett Regional Transit Authority local and intercity bus routes.

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

Union Station is a railway station located at Washington Square in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts. It is the western terminus of the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line and a stop for the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited service. A bus terminal adjacent to the station is the hub for Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) local bus service; it is also used by PVTA, MART, Peter Pan, and Greyhound intercity buses.

<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">Union Square station (Somerville)</span> Light rail station in Somerville, Massachusetts, US

Union Square station is a light rail station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line located in the Union Square neighborhood of southeastern Somerville, Massachusetts. The accessible terminal station has a single island platform serving the two tracks of the Union Square Branch, which parallels the Fitchburg Line. It opened on March 21, 2022, as part of the Green Line Extension (GLX), which added two northern branches to the Green Line.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates subway, bus, commuter rail, and ferry service in the Greater Boston region. Boston has some of the highest rates of non-motorized commuting in the United States, including high bicycle usage. The MBTA offers certain provisions for riders wishing to make part of their trips by bicycle. The agency allows bicycles to be carried on all fixed-route services except the Green Line and the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line light rail lines, although they are restricted on the commuter rail and heavy rail subway services at peak hours. Bicycle storage areas are offered at many stations, with "Pedal and Park" locking bicycle cages at certain high-usage stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelsea station (MBTA)</span> Intermodal transit station in Chelsea, Massachusetts, US

Chelsea station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit station located adjacent to the Mystic Mall in Chelsea, Massachusetts. It is the terminus of the SL3 route of the MBTA Silver Line bus rapid transit (BRT) network, and is served by the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail. The accessible station has a loop with two small platforms for the Silver Line, and two full-length side platforms for commuter rail trains.

References

  1. ↑ Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
  2. ↑ Held, Patrick R. (2010). "Massachusetts Bay Colony Railroad Track Charts" (PDF). Johns Hopkins Association for Computing Machinery. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Ridership and Service Statistics" (PDF) (14th ed.). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2014.
  4. 1 2 McMahon Associates (February 2005). "Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line Service Expansion Study" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. pp. 7, 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 18, 2006.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fox, Pamela (January 2001). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Kendal Green Historic District". National Park Service – via Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 174. ISBN   9780942147087.
  7. 1 2 Humphrey, Thomas J.; Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. ISBN   9780685412947.
  8. ↑ Fox, Pamela (June 2004). National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Silver Hill Historic District. File Unit: National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Massachusetts, 1964 - 2012. National Park Service.
  9. ↑ "Few Trains, But Stations Still Busy". Boston Globe. February 16, 1962. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  11. ↑ Ackerman, Jerry (October 23, 1989). "Breakaway poles to be tried this week". The Boston Globe. p. 18 Metro – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. ↑ Gregg, John (November 1, 1998). "Parking scarcity makes commuting by train tough". The Boston Globe. pp. West 1, 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Branch Improvements". Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line Improvement Implementation Plan. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 2005. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Fitchburg Rail Line Improvement Project Alternatives Analysis" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 2007.
  15. ↑ "Commuter Rail to Temporarily Operate Reduced Service Schedule Starting December 14" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ "2020/2021 Reduced Service Schedule: Fitchburg Line" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 14, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 9, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Spring 2021 Service Changes". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. February 2021. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Kendal Green station at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.