West Concord station

Last updated

West Concord
Outbound train at West Concord station, May 2017.JPG
An outbound train at West Concord station in 2017
General information
LocationCommonwealth Avenue and Main Street
West Concord, Concord, Massachusetts
Owned by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority [1]
Line(s) Fitchburg Line
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Construction
Parking146 spaces ($4.00 daily)
Bicycle facilities10 spaces
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone5
History
Opened1871
Rebuilt1894
Previous namesUnion Station, Concord Junction
Passengers
2018359 (weekday average boardings) [2]
Services
Preceding station MBTA.svg MBTA Following station
South Acton
toward Wachusett
Fitchburg Line Concord
Union Station
West Concord station
Coordinates 42°27′22.94″N71°23′32.54″W / 42.4563722°N 71.3923722°W / 42.4563722; -71.3923722
Built1894
Architectural style Queen Anne style
NRHP reference No. 89000143 [3]
Added to NRHPMarch 2, 1989

West Concord station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station located in West Concord, Massachusetts. It is served by the Fitchburg Line. The station has two side platforms serving the line's two tracks, with mini-high platforms for accessibility. The adjacent station building, now a restaurant, is not used for railroad purposes.

Contents

Concord Junction station opened in 1871 at the junction of the Fitchburg Railroad and the Framingham and Lowell Railroad, replacing an earlier station at Damon Mill to the west. It soon became an important railroad junction, and a new union station was built in 1894. Passenger service declined during the 20th century, though commuter service to Boston was retained. The station and surrounding village were renamed as West Concord in 1927. The interior of the station building was restored in the 1980s; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 as Union Station. The exterior was restored with the original tri-color paint scheme in the 2000s. Since 1990, the building has been used as a restaurant, Club Car Cafe.

History

Union Station

An early-20th-century postcard of Concord Junction Concord Junction station postcard.jpg
An early-20th-century postcard of Concord Junction

The Fitchburg Railroad opened through Concord in 1844; a station was located at Damon Mill west of the modern station location. [4] When the Framingham and Lowell Railroad (F&L) opened in 1871, Concord Junction station was established where the two lines crossed in the Warnerville section of Concord. [5] :88 [6] :3 The small station was soon joined by a freight house, engine house, and turntable. [7] The Nashua, Acton and Boston Railroad opened in 1873, with trackage rights over the F&L to Concord Junction. The railroad offered Concord Junction–Nashua service timed to meet Fitchburg Railroad trains, making Concord Junction an important transfer point. [8] In 1882, the state legislature allowed the installation of automatic signals when different railroads crossed at grade. Since 1855, trains had been required to stop at such crossings. [9] Signals were installed at Concord Junction in 1884. [10]

Industrial activity in Concord soon clustered around the three railroad lines; by the 1890s, Concord Junction was a busier village center than Concord itself, with 125 trains stopping per day. The new Union Station opened in January 1894; the older wooden station was reused as a boardinghouse on Derby Street. [11] The single-story L-shaped Queen Anne style structure incorporated a passenger waiting room, freight office, and a baggage room in three separate buildings under one roof. [7] A bay window protruded from the right angle of the station to give the stationmaster views down the rail lines. The asymmetrical design, slate roof, eyelid dormers, stained glass windows, and bright three-color paint scheme were unusual for the area. Among the regular passengers at the station was John F. Fitzgerald, who frequently used it between 1897 and 1903. [4]

Decline

The preserved diamond crossing Former diamond at West Concord station, May 2017.JPG
The preserved diamond crossing

The Nashua, Acton and Boston became part of the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1895, followed by the Fitchburg Railroad in 1900. The F&L went through several ownership changes; it was acquired by the Old Colony Railroad in 1879, which was leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1893. Passenger service declined in the 20th century; service to Nashua ended in 1924, and the line was abandoned the next year. Passenger service on the F&L ended in 1933, though north-south freight service through Concord Junction continued. [8] At that time, the freight office (the northwest part of the station) and part of the roof were demolished. [7] With passenger service only remaining on the Fitchburg mainline, in 1927 the station and village became known as West Concord. [8] [12] Intercity service past Fitchburg ended in 1960, leaving only commuter service to West Concord. [5]

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was formed in 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter rail operations. This public funding stabilized remaining service on the Boston and Maine system in 1965. [13] :353 The station building was reused as a restaurant by 1968. [14] [11] The MBTA bought the Boston and Maine commuter assets in 1976. [13] :357 [1] In 1982, a faux-brick exterior was added to the building and the space between the waiting room and baggage room was enclosed. [4] [7] Freight service on the ex-F&L from West Concord south to South Sudbury ended that year. [8] The diamond crossing was soon removed and moved slightly south, where it was put on display in a small park. [4]

Preservation

The restored station building in 2017 West Concord station facing southwest, May 2017.JPG
The restored station building in 2017

The station building fell into private ownership and hosted a pizza restaurant for a time; when the restaurant closed, the building was locked and did not provide passenger accommodations. In 1987, MBTA riders urged the town to purchase the building, which would help to restore access to the waiting room and restrooms, and the MBTA indicated that they would enforce a 1964 deed that required public access regardless of ownership. [15] Representatives visited other stations nearby, including Hartford, Connecticut, to consult on how a station like West Concord could be renovated. [16] Following successful appeals, a group of residents renovated the interior of the station. [11] In 1989, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Union Station. [3] The Club Car Cafe opened in the building in 1990; it provides a waiting room for passengers during weekday commute hours. [11] [7] [17]

Freight service north of West Concord ended in 1993; the north-south line has since been converted to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. [8] Mini-high platforms were installed shortly after the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, making West Concord one of the first MBTA Commuter Rail stations to become accessible. [18] [19] The Friends of the West Concord Depot group formed in 2006 to support renovations of the deteriorated station building. [11] The town and the MBTA split the cost of exterior renovations, which restored the original tri-color exterior design. [1] The renovations were completed around 2009. [20]

See also

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 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">Boston and Lowell Railroad</span> Former railroad in Massachusetts, United States

The Boston and Lowell Railroad was a railroad that operated in Massachusetts in the United States. It was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in the state. The line later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division.

<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.

The Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad was a railroad company chartered in 1845 and opened in 1846 that operated in eastern Massachusetts. It and its successors provided passenger service until 1977 and freight service until 1980 or early 1981.

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

Union Station, also known as Walpole station, is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Walpole, Massachusetts. It is located at the crossing of the Franklin Branch and Framingham Secondary just west of downtown Walpole. The station has one side platform on the Franklin Branch serving the Franklin/Foxboro Line service. Unlike most MBTA stations, Walpole station is not accessible.

<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">Concord station (Massachusetts)</span> Railroad station in Concord, Massachusetts

Concord station is a commuter rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line located in downtown Concord, Massachusetts. It has two side platforms, which are low-level and not accessible, serving the line's two tracks.

<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">Waltham station</span> Railroad station in Waltham, Massachusetts, US

Waltham station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Waltham, Massachusetts, served by the Fitchburg Line. It is located in downtown Waltham adjacent to Central Square. The station is the transit hub of Waltham, with MBTA bus routes 61, 70, 553, 554, 556, and 558 stopping on Carter Street adjacent to the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kendal Green station</span> MBTA Commuter Rail station in Weston, Massachusetts

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.

<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">Shirley station (MBTA)</span> Train station in Shirley, Massachusetts, US

Shirley station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Shirley, Massachusetts. It serves the Fitchburg Line, and is located in the village center. The station consists of a short low-level platform with an asphalt patch for passengers to cross the tracks, plus a small wooden shelter on the inbound side. Shirley station is not accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Leominster station</span> Railroad station in Leominster, Massachusetts, US

North Leominster station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Leominster, Massachusetts. It serves the Fitchburg Line. It is located at 34 Nashua Street, east of Main Street. The station, which is accessible, has two side platforms to serve the line's two tracks. There is a small freight yard adjacent to the parking lot and mainline tracks on the south end of the inbound platform. A garage opened in 2014 to nearly triple parking capacity at the station, which serves as a park-and-ride stop for Route 2 and I-190, to a total of 436 spaces.

<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">Framingham station</span> MBTA and Amtrak railroad station in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Framingham station is a historic Boston and Albany Railroad station located in downtown Framingham, Massachusetts. Designed by noted American architect H. H. Richardson, it was one of the last of the railroad stations he designed in the northeastern United States to be built. The station, built in 1884–85, served as a major stop on the B&A Main Line as well as a hub for branch lines to Milford, Mansfield, Fitchburg, and Lowell. After years of deterioration, the station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as the Framingham Railroad Station, and restored a decade later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedford Depot</span> Railroad depot in Bedford, Massachusetts

Bedford Depot is a historic railroad depot in Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. Bedford was the junction of the Reformatory Branch and the Lexington Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad; it saw passenger service until 1977 as the stub of the Lexington Branch. The original 1874 depot and 1877 freight house are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; along with a restored Budd Rail Diesel Car, they form the centerpieces of the Bedford Depot Park.

<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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Concord Community Preservation Committee (June 21, 2007). "2008 Community Preservation Plan Draft". Town of Concord. pp. 60, 69. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011.
  2. Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
  3. 1 2 "National Register Information System  Union Station (#89000143)". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 McGinley Hart & Associates (November 24, 1987). "Historic Structure Inventory Form". MBTA Historical Property Survey, Phase II via MACRIS.
  5. 1 2 Humphrey, Thomas J.; Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. ISBN   9780685412947.
  6. ttl-architects (August 2013). "Historic and Cultural Resources Survey of West Concord". Town of Concord, Massachusetts.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 265. ISBN   9780942147087.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2 ed.). Branch Line Press. pp. 246–252, 263–270. ISBN   9780942147124.
  9. Twentieth Annual Report of the Old Colony Railroad Co. to the Stockholders. Old Colony Railroad Company. November 1883. p. 8.
  10. Twenty-First Annual Report of the Old Colony Railroad Co. to the Stockholders. Old Colony Railroad Company. November 1884. p. 7.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Kehoe, Dorrie (Spring 2007). "Renewal of West Concord Depot". The Concord Magazine. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011.
  12. "Strongly in Favor of "West Concord"". The Boston Globe. May 26, 1927. p. 7 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  13. 1 2 Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association. Page numbers are accurate to the July 5, 2020 version .
  14. O'Connell, Richard W. (August 18, 1968). "Old railroad depots take on new careers". Boston Globe. p. A-1 via Newspapers.com.
  15. Pave, Marvin (March 5, 1987). "Riders want town to restore old depot". The Boston Globe. p. 30 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  16. "Out-of-state group to tour train station". Hartford Courant. November 13, 1987. p. 33 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  17. "Right on track". The Boston Globe. November 15, 1992. p. 344 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  18. Operations Directorate Planning Division (November 1990). "Ridership and Service Statistics" (3 ed.). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. pp. 1–5 via Internet Archive.
  19. MBTA : ACCESS; The Guide to Accessible Services and Facilities. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 1992. p. 15 via Internet Archive.
  20. "Historic Districts Commission". 2009 Annual Report. Town of Concord. 2009. p. 80.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to West Concord station at Wikimedia Commons