New Bedford Main Line

New Bedford Main Line
New Bedford Main Line as it passes under Massachusetts Route 24
Overview
Other name(s)	New Bedford Subdivision
Status	Operational
Owner	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Locale	Bristol County, Massachusetts
Termini	Weir Junction New Bedford
Stations	3
Service
Type	Freight rail Commuter rail
System	Massachusetts Coastal Railroad [1] MBTA Commuter Rail
Services	Fall River/New Bedford Line
History
Opened	March 24, 2025 (MBTA service)
Technical
Line length	18.5 miles (29.8 km) [2]
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed	79 miles per hour (127 km/h)
Route map Legend Middleboro Subdivision to Attleboro 13.3 mi 21.4 km Cotley Junction Middleboro Subdivision to Middleborough East Taunton Myricks (closed) Former Middleboro Branch to Middleborough 16.9 mi 27.2 km Myricks Junction Fall River Subdivision East Freetown (closed) Braleys (closed) Acushnet (closed) Church Street 29.2 mi 47 km Mount Pleasant Junction Watuppa Branch to Westport Wamsutta Layover New Bedford Marine Terminal (closed) 31.8 mi 51.2 km This diagram: view talk edit

The New Bedford Main Line, also known as the New Bedford Subdivision, is a passenger and freight railroad line in the U.S. state of Massachusetts owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, with freight operations handled by the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad. ^[3] The line runs from Cotley Junction where it meets the Middleboro Secondary near Weir Village (in Taunton) south to New Bedford ^[4] along a former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad line. The Fall River Secondary branches off at Myricks Junction.

History

Track work for South Coast Rail in 2022

The New Bedford and Taunton Railroad completed the line from Taunton south to New Bedford in 1840. ^[5] It became part of the NYNH&H until 1968. Penn Central took over in 1968, Then Conrail took over in 1976. The New Bedford subdivision was assigned to CSX in 1999 after the breakup of Conrail.

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 Fall River Secondary and New Bedford Secondary for use by the South Coast Rail project, as well as the Grand Junction Branch, the Framingham-to-Worcester section of the Worcester Line, and 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. ^[6] The agreement was signed on September 23, 2009. ^[7] On June 11, 2010, the state and CSX completed the first phase of the agreement, including the transfer of the South Coast Rail lines to MassDOT; the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad assumed freight rights on the two lines. ^[1] The two lines were sold for $21.5 million. ^[8]

The MBTA issued a $403.5 million contract for the Middleborough Secondary and New Bedford Main Line portions of the project on August 24, 2020. The work included reconstruction of the New Bedford Main Line for passenger service and construction of stations at East Taunton, Church Street, and New Bedford. ^[9] Fall River/New Bedford Line service began using the route on March 24, 2025. ^[10]

See also

• List of CSX Transportation lines

References

1. "The Massachusetts Rail Program" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. June 2010. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
2. "Albany Division Timetable No. 4" (PDF). CSX Transportation. November 1, 2004.
3. "Cape Rail cuts track deal for freight". capecodtimes.com. Cape Cod Times. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
4. CSX Timetables: New Bedford Subdivision
5. Hon. Edward Appleton, Railway Commissioner, History of the Railways of Massachusetts, 1871
6. "PATRICK ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE RAIL LINES" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. October 2, 2008.
7. "PATRICK-MURRAY ADMINISTRATION FINALIZES AGREEMENT WITH CSX TRANSPORTATION" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. September 23, 2009.
8. Richmond, Will (June 16, 2010). "State buys 38 miles of track for South Coast Rail". Herald News article.
9. "FMCB Approves $403.5 Million Contract for South Coast Rail Main Line Construction" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. August 24, 2020.
10. "Healey-Driscoll Administration, MassDOT, MBTA Celebrate Launch of South Coast Rail" (Press release). Office of Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. March 24, 2025.