Wildcat Branch

Wildcat Branch
Wildcat Branch
	Wildcat Branch as seen from the former Salem Street station site
Route map
Route map
	Haverhill Line
	to Haverhill
	Haverhill Line
	to North Station
	Lowell Line
	to Lowell
	Lowell Line
	to North Station
Wilmington Junction detail
	Haverhill Line
	to Haverhill
	Wilmington Junction
	Salem & Lowell Branch
	Haverhill Line
	to North Station
	This diagram: view ; talk ; edit ;

Last updated October 19, 2024

The Wildcat Branch is a single track railroad branch line which connects the MBTA Lowell Line in Wilmington, Massachusetts to the MBTA Haverhill Line at Wilmington Junction. The total length of the branch line from the connection with the Lowell Line to the merge with the Haverhill Line is 2.88 miles (4.63 km). It was operated from 1836 to 1848, then rebuilt in 1874, and has been used since.

The branch's name is in reference to Wilmington's high school mascot, the Wildcats. The entire length of the current branch line is within the town of Wilmington.

History

Original line

The Boston and Lowell Railroad was chartered on June 5, 1830, and opened between its namesake cities on June 24, 1835. On March 15, 1833, while the B&L was under construction, the Andover and Wilmington Railroad was incorporated to build a branch line from Wilmington to Andover.^[1] The A&W opened on August 8, 1836; it became the Andover & Haverhill Railroad which was quickly merged into the nascent Boston and Maine Railroad.^[2] By 1843 the B&M ran from Wilmington to Portland, Maine; however, it was still dependent on the B&L to reach Boston. The B&M opened a new route (the Western Route) from Wilmington Junction (three miles north of Wilmington) to Boston via Reading in July 1845, thus negating the need for the original line between Wilmington and Wilmington Junction. The B&L operated the line for three years; its abandonment in 1848 was the first railroad abandonment in New England.^[1]^[3]

Rebuilt line

In 1874, the B&L rebuilt the line; some sections are on the original grade, while others are slightly west. Rather than connecting to the B&M mainline, this Wilmington Branch paralleled the Western Route to a new Wilmington Junction station at the junction with the Salem and Lowell Branch. This gave the B&L a route to Lowell via the S&L and the Lowell and Lawrence Railroad.^[1] The B&L was merged into the B&M at the end of the 19th century. Passenger service on the S&L was abandoned west of Wilmington Junction in 1924 and east of it in 1932, but the branch was used to run some service to Haverhill and beyond as it avoided slow grade crossings in Malden and Wakefield. It still connects to the Western Route at Wilmington Junction and runs parallel to it for half a mile.

Cutbacks

On June 14, 1959, the B&M introduced a series of service cutbacks, including the abandonment of the north half of the Woburn Loop. The Western Route was abandoned from Reading to Wilmington Junction; all service to Haverhill and beyond was rerouted via the Wilmington Branch. North Wilmington on the Western Route was replaced with Salem Street station, the first station ever built on the Wilmington Branch.^[2] When the newly formed MBTA began funding B&M commuter service in January 1965, state subsidies were provided only for service to Reading on the Western Route and Wilmington on the Lowell Line; local governments were required to fund out-of-district service. Salem Street was closed on June 30, 1967, as the B&M cut all service on the line except for a single round trip to Haverhill.^[4] That single trip was cut in June 1976.^[4]

Modern service

The MBTA bought the B&M commuter rail assets, including the Wildcat Branch, on December 27, 1976.^[4] The Reading line was re-extended to Haverhill as the Haverhill/Reading Line on December 17, 1979. Most trains on the line use the Western Route via Reading; however, the line south of Reading is single-tracked in many locations due to the 1970s construction of the Haymarket North Extension of the MBTA Orange Line subway and has numerous grade crossings, so some express trips run via the Wildcat and the lower Lowell Line.^[4] Amtrak Downeaster service to Maine began on December 14, 2001; all Downeaster service uses the Wildcat except during service disruptions such as construction.^[4]

Regular MBTA service via the Wildcat Branch ran until December 2020 and resumed in April 2021.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8] From September 9 to November 5, 2023, all outer Haverhill Line service was routed over the Wildcat Branch during signal work on the inner part of the Haverhill Line.^[9] Beginning May 20, 2024, weekday midday inbound trains were again temporarily routed over the Wildcat Branch during construction work.^[10]^[11]

The line also carries some freight service by CSX Transportation (formerly Pan Am Railways), primarily the train "DOBO" (Dover, New Hampshire, to Boston), which mainly hauls sand and gravel from the New Hampshire Northcoast railroad to the Boston Sand and Gravel facility in Somerville.^{[ citation needed ]}

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston and Maine Railroad</span> Former railroad in New England

The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. It was chartered in 1835, and became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983.

Anderson Regional Transportation Center (RTC) (noted on MBTA schedules and maps as Anderson/Woburn, and on Amtrak schedules and maps as Woburn–Anderson) is a train and bus station located at 100 Atlantic Avenue, off Commerce Way, in Woburn, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. It can be accessed from Exit 30 off Interstate 93 or Exit 54 (Washington Street) from southbound Interstate 95/Route 128.

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).

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.

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.

Malden Center station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit station in Malden, Massachusetts. Located on an elevated grade above Pleasant Street in downtown Malden, it serves the rapid transit Orange Line and the MBTA Commuter Rail Haverhill Line. The station has one island platform for the two Orange Line tracks and a single side platform for the single commuter rail track. Two busways are used by 12 MBTA bus routes.

The Lowell Line is a commuter rail service of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north–south between Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts. It is 25.4 miles (40.9 km) long, with nine stations including the terminals at North Station and Lowell station. All stations are accessible except for West Medford and Mishawum.

Community College station is a rapid transit station on the MBTA Orange Line in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located in the Charlestown neighborhood off Austin Street near New Rutherford Avenue (MA-99), under the double-decked elevated structure carrying Interstate 93 to the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge. The station is named for the adjacent Bunker Hill Community College. The station opened in April 1975, replacing the City Square and Thompson Square stations of the Charlestown Elevated. It was made accessible around 2005.

The Haverhill Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts to Haverhill. The service operates on the Western Route of the former Boston and Maine Railroad, which extends north to Portland, Maine, though MBTA commuter rail service has not continued north of Massachusetts since 1967.

Haverhill station is an intercity and regional rail station located in downtown Haverhill, Massachusetts, United States. It is served by Amtrak's Downeaster service and the MBTA Commuter Rail Haverhill/Reading Line; it is the northern terminus of MBTA service on the line. Haverhill is one of two major hubs for MVRTA local bus service; the Washington Square Transit Center is located 1⁄5 mile (0.3 km) east of the rail station.

Melrose Highlands station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station on the Haverhill Line located in the Melrose Highlands neighborhood of Melrose, Massachusetts. It is the most used station in the city, and was originally planned to be a station on the cancelled extension of the Orange Line to Reading. The station is accessible.

Wilmington station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Wilmington, Massachusetts served by the Lowell Line. It is located near the intersection of Main Street and Church Street in Wilmington's town center. The station is accessible, with mini-high platforms serving both tracks.

West Medford station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Medford, Massachusetts. It serves the Lowell Line, and is located at West Medford Square.

The Senator Patricia McGovern Transportation Center, also known as the McGovern Transportation Center or simply Lawrence station, is a transit station in Lawrence, Massachusetts. It serves the MBTA Commuter Rail Haverhill Line and Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority local bus service. The station, which opened in 2005, is the latest of seven distinct stations located in Lawrence since 1848; it is located in the city's Gateway District.

Andover station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Andover, Massachusetts. It serves the Haverhill Line. The station has one platform with a mini-high platform for handicapped accessibility serving one track, while the second track lacks a platform. The previous station building, used from 1907 to 1959, is still extant; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as Third Railroad Station.

Reading station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Reading, Massachusetts. It serves the Haverhill/Reading Line. It is located at Lincoln and High Streets on the western fringe of Reading's central business district. The station's historic depot building was built in 1870 by the Boston and Maine Railroad. The station was the terminus of the line from 1959 until the re-extension to Haverhill station in 1979.

North Wilmington station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in North Wilmington, Massachusetts. It serves the Haverhill Line, and is located off Middlesex Avenue (Route 62). It has some of the most limited station faculties on the MBTA system – a single short non-accessible platform serving the line's single track at the location, with a small parking lot and shelter for passengers. North Wilmington served by most Boston–Haverhill trains except for a small number that use the Wildcat Branch. It is a flag stop except during weekday peak hours.

Ballardvale station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station on the Haverhill Line, located in the Ballardvale village of Andover, Massachusetts. The station has a single side platform serving a single track.

Salem Street station was a short-lived commuter rail station in Wilmington, Massachusetts in use from 1959 to 1967. It was located at the Salem Street crossing. It was established by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) as the sole stop on the Wildcat Branch, in the wake of a restructuring brought on by service cuts. In 1965, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority started funding MBTA Commuter Rail service on the B&M routes, but closed Salem Street in 1967.

Woburn station was a railroad station on the Woburn Branch, part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Lowell Line.

References

1 2 3 Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 229–242. ISBN 0942147022.
1 2 Humphrey, Thomas J. & Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 55–70. ISBN 9780685412947.
↑ Karr, Ronald Dale (2010). Lost Railroads of New England (Third ed.). Branch Line Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780942147117.
1 2 3 4 5 Belcher, Jonathan (22 March 2014). "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). NETransit. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
↑ "Lowell Line: Fall/Winter Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 2, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2020.
↑ "2020/2021 Reduced Service Schedule: Lowell Line" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 14, 2020.
↑ "Haverhill Line 2021 Spring Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 5, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2021.
↑ "Lowell Line 2021 Spring Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 5, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2021.
↑ "Service Disruption September 9 to November 5 on Haverhill Commuter Rail Line" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. August 10, 2023.
↑ "Haverhill Line Spring/Summer Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 20, 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2024.
↑ "June Service Changes: MBTA Continues Repair Work to Improve Reliability Across the System" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 20, 2024.

External links

KML file (edit • help)

Template:Attached KML/Wildcat Branch

KML is from Wikidata

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.

[sne-1] 1 2 3 Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 229–242. ISBN 0942147022.

[150years-2] 1 2 Humphrey, Thomas J. & Clark, Norton D. (1985). Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 55–70. ISBN 9780685412947.

[abandoned-3] Karr, Ronald Dale (2010). Lost Railroads of New England (Third ed.). Branch Line Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780942147117.

[netransit-4] 1 2 3 4 5 Belcher, Jonathan (22 March 2014). "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). NETransit. Retrieved 30 August 2014.

[5] "Lowell Line: Fall/Winter Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 2, 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 30, 2020.

[6] "2020/2021 Reduced Service Schedule: Lowell Line" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 14, 2020.

[7] "Haverhill Line 2021 Spring Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 5, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2021.

[8] "Lowell Line 2021 Spring Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 5, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2021.

[9] "Service Disruption September 9 to November 5 on Haverhill Commuter Rail Line" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. August 10, 2023.

[10] "Haverhill Line Spring/Summer Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 20, 2024. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2024.

[11] "June Service Changes: MBTA Continues Repair Work to Improve Reliability Across the System" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 20, 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]