Kingston station (Massachusetts)

Last updated
Kingston
Kingston Route 3 MBTA station, Kingston MA.jpg
Kingston station in January 2013
General information
Location194 Marion Drive
Kingston, Massachusetts
Coordinates 41°58′36″N70°43′24″W / 41.9768°N 70.7233°W / 41.9768; -70.7233
Line(s)Kingston Branch
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
ConnectionsAiga bus trans.svg GATRA: Freedom Link, Liberty Link, SAIL
Construction
Parking1,039 spaces ($4.00 fee)
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone8
History
OpenedSeptember 29, 1997 [1]
Passengers
2018657 (weekday average boardings) [2]
Services
Preceding station MBTA.svg MBTA Following station
Halifax Kingston Line Terminus
Services at pre-1959 station
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Plympton
toward Boston
Boston–​Plymouth Cordage
toward Plymouth
Island Creek
toward Boston
South Shore Line
Service ended 1938
Location
Kingston station (Massachusetts)

Kingston station (formerly Kingston/Route 3) 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.

Contents

The station consists of a single side platform serving the single track. Marion Drive, the access road for the station parking lot, crosses the line at grade just east of the platform. The Kingston layover yard is located just west of the station.

History

The former Kingston station, now a restaurant, in February 2013 Solstice, Kingston MA.jpg
The former Kingston station, now a restaurant, in February 2013

The Old Colony Railroad's Kingston station was located in downtown Kingston off Summer Street (Route 3A). The original station was replaced in 1889. [3] It was the southern terminus of the South Shore Line until 1938. Boston–Plymouth service ended in 1959, though the station is still extant and used as a restaurant.

The station was built to provide a park and ride station for Route 3 so that traffic to the station would not go through downtown Kingston. A completely new right of way – the first new section of mainline rail in the state since the Needham cutoff in 1906 – was constructed along Route 3 and through unused land. The spur passes under the Route 3/3A interchange in a lengthy tunnel. A layover yard for Plymouth/Kingston Line service is located just past the station. Peak service began on September 29, 1997, with off-peak and weekend service beginning on November 29. [1]

In October 2011, the MBTA began construction of a $2.5 million wind turbine to supply energy to the station and layover facility. [4] The 120-foot (37 m)-tall turbine, which was completed in January 2012, only produces about 60% of the energy it was expected to. [5] [6] The MBTA called the station "Kingston/Route 3" in some materials until around 2016. [7]

The fork at the end of the line created operational issues – a single train cannot serve both terminal stations efficiently. Three daily trips formerly ran to both Kingston and Plymouth sequentially, which doubled travel time from Kingston to Boston during much of the day. Between Kingston and Plymouth, the train simultaneously acted as an inbound train (from the first station to Boston) and an outbound train (from Boston to the second station). Keolis and the MBTA planned to address the unusual routing during schedule changes in late 2015, but did not do so. [8] Plymouth station was indefinitely closed on April 5, 2021, as part of service cuts, with all trains terminating at Kingston. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JFK/UMass station</span> Transit station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

JFK/UMass station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transfer station, located adjacent to the Columbia Point area of Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts. It is served by the rapid transit Red Line; the Greenbush Line, Kingston/Plymouth Line, and Middleborough/Lakeville Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, and three MBTA bus routes. The station is named for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the University of Massachusetts Boston, both located nearby on Columbia Point.

<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 134 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">Lowell Line</span> MBTA Commuter Rail line

The Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the New Hampshire Main Line of the Boston & Lowell Railroad and later operated as part of the Boston & Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in Massachusetts.

<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">Braintree station (MBTA)</span> Transit station in Braintree, Massachusetts, US

Braintree station is an intermodal transit station in Braintree, Massachusetts. It serves the MBTA's Red Line and the MBTA Commuter Rail Old Colony Lines as well as MBTA buses.

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

Quincy Center station is an intermodal transit station in Quincy, Massachusetts. It is a transfer station between the MBTA Red Line subway, MBTA Commuter Rail's Old Colony Lines and Greenbush Line, and a number of MBTA bus routes. It is located between Hancock Street and Burgin Parkway in the Quincy Center district. Opened in 1971, the station was covered by a large parking garage which was closed in 2012 due to structural problems and removed several years later. The station is accessible on all modes.

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

The Greenbush Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system which serves the South Shore region of Massachusetts. The 27.6-mile (44.4 km) line runs from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns of Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham, Cohasset, and Scituate to the Greenbush neighborhood in southern Scituate. There are ten stations along the line. From South Station, to Quincy Center, service operates in conjunction with the Old Colony Lines commuter rail service via the Old Colony Main Line. From Weymouth Landing/East Braintree to Greenbush, trains utilize the Greenbush Branch, the former South Shore Railroad line that was later incorporated into the Old Colony Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Colony Lines</span> Commuter rail lines in Massachusetts, US

The Old Colony Lines are a pair of branches of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, connecting downtown Boston, Massachusetts with the South Shore and cranberry-farming country to the south and southeast. The two branches operate concurrently for 10 miles (16 km) via the Old Colony Mainline from South Station to Braintree station. The Middleborough/Lakeville Line then winds south through Holbrook, Brockton, Bridgewater, Middleborough, and Lakeville via the Middleborough Main Line and Cape Main Line. The Kingston Line heads southeast to serve Weymouth, Abington, Whitman, Hanson, Halifax, and Kingston by way of the Plymouth branch. Limited service to Plymouth was provided prior to April 2021 but was cut due to low ridership and budget constraints. The Greenbush Line, which was also part of the Old Colony Division, was reactivated in 2007 as a separate project.

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

The Haverhill Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns of Malden, Melrose, Wakefield, Reading, Wilmington, Andover, North Andover, Lawrence, and Haverhill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence/Stoughton Line</span> Line of the Boston MBTA Commuter Rail system

The Providence/Stoughton Line is an MBTA Commuter Rail service in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, primarily serving the southwestern suburbs of Boston. Most service runs entirely on the Northeast Corridor between South Station in Boston and Providence station or Wickford Junction station in Rhode Island, while the Stoughton Branch splits at Canton Junction and terminates at Stoughton. It is the longest MBTA Commuter Rail line, and the only one that operates outside Massachusetts. The line is the busiest on the MBTA Commuter Rail system, with 17,648 daily boardings in an October 2022 count.

<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">Greenbush station</span> Railway station in Scituate, Massachusetts, US

Greenbush station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Scituate, Massachusetts. Located in the Greenbush section of Scituate, it is the terminus of the Greenbush Line.

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

Brockton station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Brockton, Massachusetts. It serves the MBTA Middleborough/Lakeville Line and is a stop on the seasonal CapeFLYER service. The station has a single accessible full-length high-level platform that serves the line's two tracks. It is located adjacent to the BAT Centre, the primary hub for Brockton Area Transit Authority local bus service.

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

Bridgewater station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, served by the Middleborough/Lakeville Line. It is located on the east end of the Bridgewater State University campus along the Middleborough Main Line.

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

Middleborough/Lakeville station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Lakeville, Massachusetts, just south of the Middleborough border. It is the southern terminus of the Middleborough/Lakeville Line; it is also an intermediate stop for seasonal CapeFlyer service to Cape Cod. Middleborough/Lakeville has a single full-length high-level side platform serving the line's single track.

<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">Plymouth station (MBTA)</span> Former railway station in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Plymouth station is a closed MBTA Commuter Rail station in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It served the Plymouth/Kingston Line and was located in the Cordage Park complex of North Plymouth. Plymouth was one terminus of the MBTA's Kingston/Plymouth Line, along with Kingston/Route 3 station in nearby Kingston, Massachusetts. Plymouth station provided non-peak service to Boston's South Station, as well as some peak service, which ran in addition to peak trips to Kingston. Most trains on the line served only Kingston station; service to and ridership from Plymouth were thus very limited. Due to this limited ridership and service, as well as due to the fact that trains had to reverse in and out of the station in order to serve it, Plymouth station was indefinitely closed in April 2021.

<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 has been planned to 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 would restore 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">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 2024 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.

References

  1. 1 2 Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  2. Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
  3. Twenty-Sixth Annual Report of the Old Colony Railroad Co. to the Stockholders. Old Colony Railroad Company. November 1889. p. 7.
  4. "Patrick-Murray Administration Breaks Ground on Kingston Wind Turbine Program to Boost State's Energy Efficiency" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. October 25, 2011.
  5. Simpson, Neal (August 18, 2012). "South Shore fertile ground for wind turbines". Patriot Ledger.
  6. Tellier, Steve (October 3, 2019). "7Investigates: MBTA Wind Turbines". WHDH.
  7. "Kingston/Route 3". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  8. Dungca, Nicole (October 4, 2015). "Rail trip from Kingston shows MBTA's 'scheduling anomalies'". Boston Globe. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  9. "Spring 2021 Service Changes". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. February 2021. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021.
  10. "Kingston Line Spring 2021 Schedule, Effective April 5th, 2021" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 5, 2021.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Kingston/Route 3 station at Wikimedia Commons