History Greenbush Line

1 history

1.1 south shore railroad , old colony railroad
1.2 new haven , service cuts
1.3 restoration of service , controversy
1.4 mbta service

history
south shore railroad , old colony railroad

former braintree station, south shore (left) separated old colony. modern braintree station located mile south along old colony mainline.

before passenger train service stopped in 1959, commuter trains had been using parts of greenbush line on 100 years. train service first started south shore railroad chartered in march 1846 build branch off old colony railroad @ braintree. opened cohasset on january 1, 1849, running 3 round trips per day old colony equipment. south shore separated old colony in 1854. old colony-backed duxbury , cohasset railroad, chartered in 1867, opened south duxbury in 1871 , junction old colony @ kingston in 1874. after economic collapse in 1870s, old colony acquired south shore in 1877 , duxbury , cohasset in 1878 , combined them south shore line.

the nantasket beach railroad opened in 1880 nantasket junction pemberton section of hull in 1880 , joined old colony in 1881. after closing in 1886, reopened in 1888. second track added south shore line in 1890 braintree nantasket junction support nantasket beach service.

in march 1893, old colony railroad , trackage, including south shore line , nantasket beach branch, taken on new york, new haven , hartford railroad.

the new haven , service cuts

lower-level loop platforms @ south station, built planned electrified service on south shore line , other commuter lines



marshfield station in 1860s

the new haven had plans electrify southside commuter lines, , infrastructure built, including lower-level loop platforms @ south station. however, electrification took place on south shore , nantasket beach lines. nantasket beach line electrified in 1895, , trolley service ran on line until 1932. between 1896 , 1899, south shore electrified braintree cohasset, unusual center-of-the-track third rail. however, third rail dangerous @ grade crossings, , south shore returned steam-only service in 1902.

the double track extended greenbush station in scituate 1911, , station used terminus many short turn commuter trains. in 1911, service on line included 8 trains plymouth via kingston, 5 greenbush short-turns, , 9 cohasset short-turns.

under control of new haven railroad, south shore line , others set all-time records number of passengers. popularity of train short-lived, however. cutbacks in service due world war not reversed afterwards, due increasing popularity of automobile. new haven railroad went bankrupt in 1935 , kept few passenger trains running because of court order directing so. service south of greenbush, limited single south duxbury round trip since 1932, discontinued in 1939, after 1938 new england hurricane damaged causeway on north river marshfield.

the railroad enjoyed brief uptick in traffic in world war ii construction of hingham naval ammunition depot , hingham naval ammunition depot annex. number of daily trips increased 4 8 after world war ii under frederick c. dumaine, jr., , modern diesel trains including budd rdcs introduced in 1950s. however, new haven railroad continued lose money on service, , after dumaine ousted railroad announced trains cease running in 1958. emergency subsidy state kept trains running until june 30, 1959 when southeast expressway opened , passenger train service ended. freight trains continued use line far south hingham lumber yard located, nantasket junction station exists, until 1979. service terminated in 1983.

restoration of service , controversy

the trenched portion of greenbush line through hingham



east braintree/weymouth landing station during ceremonies on october 30, 2007

during 1980s, officials south shore area began speaking in support of restoration of passenger rail service in area; in 1985, then-governor michael dukakis voiced support proposals. in 1990, part of environmental mitigation big dig project, both greenbush , old colony lines submitted federal government in order receive funding big dig. both old colony lines granted federal funds, due local opposition state did not receive funds construction of greenbush line. old colony lines prioritized , opened in september 1997.

the old colony lines saw continuous freight usage between 1959 , restoration, freight traffic on greenbush line had not run past nantasket junction since 1963 (except freight traffic hingham naval ammunition depot annex between 1967 , 1972) , west hingham since 1979. in 1983, freight traffic on line except fore river railroad ceased. line abandoned; brush covering rusted-out , missing rails. because residents had gotten used line being abandoned, there more resistance greenbush line being restored old colony lines. greenbush line has 28 grade crossings on 18 miles of track greenbush meets old colony mainline, promoting safety concerns residents , causing mbta roll out major public safety campaign.

residents of communities opposed restoration of service on greenbush branch on grounds increase noise levels , aesthetically mar neighborhoods through new rail service run. concerns raised traffic jams being created @ grade crossings while gates down trains pass. partially result of extensive litigation, mbta worked towns along greenbush route enact several measures mitigate environmental impact of restored train service. these included constructing 890-foot (270 m) long tunnel costing $40 million under downtown hingham, trenched underpass @ weymouth landing, , soundproofing of homes , businesses located near railroad tracks. ultimately, legal , political delays , ensuing mitigation delayed opening of line many years , resulted in increased cost. line cost $534 million - equal cost of 2 old colony lines branches combined.

the extension of mbta commuter rail service intended reduce congestion along southeast expressway, route 3 , route 3a. line built 3,100 parking spaces, , expected provide 8,600 one-way rides daily, diverting approximately 5,000 of trips automobiles.

construction of line began in 2003 , major work completed on february 6, 2007. first test train ran on may 19, 2007. testing of signals along line began in earnest in august 2007 in anticipation of opening line later in fall. ceremonial trains run on october 30, 2007, day before line opened regular service. front of mbta locomotive #1052 painted occasion.

mbta service

east weymouth typical station on line

the greenbush line opened regular passenger service on october 31, 2007, 12 round trips on weekdays , 8 on weekends. minor construction projects, erection of fencing in populated areas, lasted 2008. 7 stations built line similar in construction; each has single 800-foot-long high-level side platform, serving single track. each station has 200 500 parking spaces, except greenbush, houses 1000 spots in order serve commuters driving hanover, norwell, marshfield, , duxbury.

by 2010, despite predictions of 4,200 inbound passengers day (or 8,400 total daily one-way trips) riding train 3 years after opening, mbta said ridership half that. ridership numbers down 2009, when 3,081 inbound riders (6,037 total trips) recorded. these passengers more have switched train mbta commuter ferries, rather predicted car users.

starting on april 30, 2011, weekend service suspended allow replacement of faulty concrete ties wooden ties on old colony mainline. greenbush branch itself, constructed different order of ties, did not need tie replacement. weekend service resumed on december 24, 2011.

on march 28, 2012, mbta announced greenbush line service no longer operate on weekends, needham line , plymouth line. move came part of fare increases , service cuts in order close agency s operating budget shortfall following year. weekend service eliminated beginning july 7, 2012; weekend service kept first week of new fiscal year allow service on july 4th holiday. on october 7, 2014, mbta announced return of weekend service on greenbush line, weekend service on plymouth/kingston line , saturday service on needham line. restored weekend service began on december 27, 2014.