The
Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR) Co. serves as the
regional railSuburban commuter railroad or commuter railway a passenger rail transport service between a city center, and outer suburbs and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis. Trains operate following a schedule, at speeds varying from 50 to...
arm of the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation AuthorityThe Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is "a body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
, in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. MBCR is joint partnership of three transportation companies including: Veolia Transportation,
BombardierBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier Inc.. Bombardier Transportation is the world’s largest company in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters is in Berlin, Germany....
and Alternate Concepts, Inc. MBCR was chosen by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)'s Board of Directors to manage and operate the commuter rail system in eastern Massachusetts, taking over the previous venture between the MBTA and
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
, on July 1, 2003.
The original operating contract of MBCR covered a span of five years. In December 2008 the MBTA's Board of Directors voted to extended the contract of MBCR for an additional period of three years expiring in June 2011.
The commuter rail system is the
fifth-busiest commuter rail in the country, after only New York and Chicago systems. The line's characteristic purple-trimmed coaches run as far south as
Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, and one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the estimated second or third largest city in the New England region...
, and as far north as
NewburyportNewburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 38 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 17,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
and as far west as
WorcesterWorcester is a city in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. Having a population of 172,648 in the 2000 census, Worcester is ranked the second or third largest city in New England. It is the county seat of Worcester County....
, both in
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
. The trains have two
terminalTerminal Station is a 1953 film English language film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
stops in Boston—South Station and North Station—both transportation hubs offering connections to
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
, local bus and subway lines. As of FY2007, daily weekday ridership was 143,700.
Current lines
The eight lines of the Commuter Rail leaving from South Station, from southeast to west:
- Greenbush Line
The Greenbush Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system. The line restores service along the New Haven Railroad's Greenbush Branch, from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the towns of Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham, Cohasset, and Scituate on the South Shore of Boston...
, to GreenbushScituate is a small seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Cape Cod Bay midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 17,863 at the 2000 census....
- Old Colony Lines, to Plymouth and Kingston / Route 3
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. As of 2000 it had a population of 11,780.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people. Even before the Mayflower had landed in Plymouth the Wampanoags were...
and to MiddleboroughMiddleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,941 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts.Middleborough is frequently written as...
/LakevilleLakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
- Fairmount Line
The Fairmount Line or Dorchester Branch is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Except for a short portion in Milton, it lies entirely within Boston, progressing in a southwesterly trajectory, passing through the neighborhoods of Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park...
, to ReadvilleReadville is a part of Boston, considered either a part of the Hyde Park neighborhood or a neighborhood in its own right. Hyde Park surrounds Readville much like a donut, with Readville as the hole. It is served by Readville station on the MBTA Commuter Rail. It is on the original alignment of...
, with trains continuing along the Providence/Stoughton and Franklin Lines
- Providence/Stoughton Line
The Providence/Stoughton Line is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system running southwest from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The main line was originally built by the Boston and Providence Rail Road, and now carries service between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island...
, to StoughtonStoughton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 27,149 at the 2000 census. The Town of Stoughton is located approximately equidistant from Boston, Providence, and Cape Cod.- History :...
and to Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, and one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the estimated second or third largest city in the New England region...
- Franklin Line
The Franklin Line of MBTA Commuter Rail travels in a northeasterly direction toward Boston, Massachusetts from Franklin, Massachusetts. Its stops include : Forge Park/495, Dean College/Franklin, Norfolk, Walpole, Plimptonville, Windsor Gardens, Norwood Central, Norwood Depot, Islington, Dedham...
, to Forge Park–495
- Needham Line
The Needham Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running west from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the Boston neighborhoods ofRoxbury,Jamaica Plain,Roslindale,West Roxbury, and the town ofNeedham....
, to Needham HeightsNeedham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,911 at the 2000 census. The population as of August 10, 2008 is 31,834.- History :...
- Framingham/Worcester Line
The Framingham/Worcester Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running west from Boston, Massachusetts to Worcester, Massachusetts, though some trains terminate at Framingham, Massachusetts...
, to WorcesterWorcester is a city in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. Having a population of 172,648 in the 2000 census, Worcester is ranked the second or third largest city in New England. It is the county seat of Worcester County....
Trains run to
FoxboroFoxboro station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system is only used for special events, such as New England Patriots football games, at nearby Gillette Stadium. It lies on a freight line between Mansfield and Framingham, owned by CSX as their Framingham Subdivision...
for certain special events at
Gillette StadiumGillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, residing 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston that serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution soccer team. The facility opened in...
, via a spur between the Providence/Stoughton Line and Franklin Line.
The four lines of the Commuter Rail leaving from North Station, from west to northeast:
- Fitchburg Line
The Fitchburg Line is an MBTA line that runs from Boston's North Station to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The line is along the tracks of the former Fitchburg Railroad, which was a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, United States, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. It is one of the...
, to FitchburgFitchburg is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,102 at the 2000 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State College as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...
- Lowell 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 Boston and Lowell Railroad, and later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in...
, to LowellLowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 105,167. It is the fifth largest city in the state...
- Haverhill/Reading Line
The Haverhill/Reading Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns ofMalden,Melrose,Wakefield,Reading,Wilmington,Andover,Lawrence,North Andover, andHaverhill....
, to HaverhillHaverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 58,969 at the 2000 census.-Early History:The town was founded in 1640 by settlers from Newbury, and was originally known as Pentucket, which is the native American word for "place of the winding river."The town...
- Newburyport/Rockport Line
The Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg runs through Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, to Beverly. From there, a northern...
, to NewburyportNewburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 38 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 17,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
and RockportRockport is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,767 at the 2000 census. Rockport is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula. It is directly east of Gloucester, Massachusetts and surrounded on three sides by the...
Operational history
In 1973, the MBTA bought various Commuter Rail lines from private owners.
The
Boston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
was contracted to run service on the
Lowell LineThe Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in...
and other North-side lines, which it had formerly owned, while the Penn Central, and later Conrail, operated the remaining southern lines. Later, Conrail ceased subsidized passenger rail services, and the Boston and Maine won the contract for the entire system. After bankruptcy, the B&M continued to run and fulfill its contract under the protection of the Federal Bankruptcy Court, in the hopes that a reorganization could make it profitable again. It emerged from the court's protection when newly formed Guilford Transportation Industries (GTI) bought it, in 1983. GTI let the contract expire in 1986.
In 1986–2003, Amtrak managed all of Boston's Commuter Rail. MBTA observers see Amtrak as having been a reliable manager/operator; but the National Passenger Railroad Corporation sometimes experienced strained relations with the MBTA. Quibbles centered on equipment failures, crewing issues about the number of conductors per train, and responsibility for late trains. Because of these issues, and Amtrak's repeated statements that the MBTA contract was unreasonable, few were surprised at Amtrak's decision not to bid again for the MBTA Commuter Rail contract when at its 2003 renewal.
When the MBTA asked for tenders on the Commuter Rail operation contract, Amtrak did not bid. Two tenders were submitted, from Guilford Rail System and from the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), the latter of which won, taking over the MBTA Commuter Rail operation from Amtrak in July 2003. The MBCR contract originally expired in July 2008; it has since been extended to July 2011.
The MBCR is a joint venture of Veolia Transportation North America (formerly
Connex-eCommerce:* an application package known as "FIS CONNEX™" for the Electronic Funds Transfer industry from EFD , now a subsidiary of Fidelity National Information Services.-Healthcare:...
);
Bombardier TransportationBombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Bombardier Inc.. Bombardier Transportation is the world’s largest company in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters is in Berlin, Germany....
, which has manufactured some of the vehicles in the MBTA fleet; and Alternate Concepts, Inc., majority owner of Paul Revere Transportation, which operates some bus lines under contract from the MBTA. Richard A. Davey currently serves as the MBCR's General Manager.
Some freight train companies lease the right to operate on MBTA-owned track, including the
Providence and Worcester RailroadThe Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City...
,
CSX TransportationCSX Transportation is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the CSX Corporation and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is one of the three Class I railroads serving most of the East Coast, the other two being the Norfolk Southern Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway...
, the
Bay Colony RailroadThe Bay Colony Railroad is a shortline railroad operating in Massachusetts.The BCLR operates in the Millis - Milford - Needham Corridor. In addition to moving freight for its customers, Bay Colony also performs AAR-certified repairs on rolling stock and contract track construction projects for...
,
Pan Am RailwaysPan Am Railways , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates a Class II regional railroad covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
(formerly Guilford Rail System), and Fore River Transportation.
Expansion and improvements
Several extensions of and improvements to the MBTA Commuter Rail network are in debate or under way.
South Station Lines
A controversial extension of the Stoughton Line is proposed to
Taunton, MassachusettsTaunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located 40 miles south of Boston, 18 miles east of Providence, 18 miles north of Fall River and 25 miles west of Plymouth...
,
Fall River, MassachusettsFall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and 12 miles south of Taunton. The city's population was 91,938 during the 2000 census, making it the eighth largest...
, and
New Bedford, MassachusettsNew Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located 51 miles south of Boston, 28 miles southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about 12 miles east of Fall River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 93,768, making it the seventh-largest in the...
. Critics argue that building the extension does not make economic sense.
A Providence Line extension to
T. F. Green AirportT. F. Green Airport Station is an intermodal station under construction in Warwick, Rhode Island on the Northeast Corridor, extending the Providence/Stoughton Line south from Providence...
, in
Warwick, Rhode IslandWarwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 85,808 at the 2000 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
, is being constructed.
In September 2009,
CSX TransportationCSX Transportation is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the CSX Corporation and headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. It is one of the three Class I railroads serving most of the East Coast, the other two being the Norfolk Southern Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway...
and the commonwealth finalized a $100 million agreement to purchase CSX's Framingham to Worcester tracks, as well as some other track, to improve service on the Framingham/ Worcester Line. A liability issue that had held up the agreement was resloved.
North Station Lines
There is a proposal to build a South Salem Commuter Rail station in
Salem, MassachusettsSalem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, to improve access to
Salem State CollegeSalem State College is a four-year public institution of higher learning located in the city of Salem, Massachusetts. As of 2006, SSC had 7,296 undergraduate and 2,567 graduate/continuing education students, for a total student body enrollment of 9,863. The College offers Bachelors, Masters,...
, as well as to extend Commuter Rail to
Peabody, MassachusettsPeabody is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,129. Peabody is located in Boston's North Shore suburban area.- History :...
and
Danvers, MassachusettsDanvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, Danvers is most widely known for its association with the 1692 Salem witch trials.-History:...
.
There is a plan to upgrade the
Fitchburg LineThe Fitchburg Line is an MBTA line that runs from Boston's North Station to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The line is along the tracks of the former Fitchburg Railroad, which was a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, United States, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. It is one of the...
to have cab signaling and to construct a second track between South Acton, and Ayer Junction, which is shared with freight traffic, so that the Fitchburg to Boston trip will be able to take only about an hour.
The state Secretary of Transportation James Aloisi has also indicated support for commuter service from Worcester to North Station via Clinton and Ayer, presumably along the
Worcester, Nashua and Rochester RailroadThe Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad was a railroad line that was to link the city of Worcester, Massachusetts to the city of Portland, Maine via the New Hampshire cities of Nashua and Rochester, by merging several small railroads together....
right of way, owned by
Pan Am RailwaysPan Am Railways , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates a Class II regional railroad covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
as of 2009.
The state of
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
has created the New Hampshire Rail Authority and allocated money to build platforms at Nashua and Manchester. However, the current plan is for passengers heading from these New Hampshire stations to have to change trains in Lowell, Massachusetts when traveling to Boston.
An article in the
Eagle Tribune claims that Massachusetts is negotiating to buy property which has the potential to extend the Haverhill Line to
Plaistow, New HampshirePlaistow is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 7,747 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is , rhyming with now, though in the past it was pronounced , rhyming with no.- History :...
. Funding is available, and Plaistow is potentially interested, but wants to better understand the potential drawbacks of being the location of the layover station.
North-South Rail Link
No direct connection exists between the two downtown terminals; to travel from one station to the other, passengers must use the MBTA subway or the street. While passengers using the Providence/Stoughton, Framingham/Worcester, Franklin, and Needham lines can transfer to and from North Station at
Back BayBack Bay Station, located at 145 Dartmouth Street, between Stuart Street and Columbus Avenue, is a train station in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston...
via the
Orange LineThe Orange Line is one of the four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It extends from Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain, Boston in the south to Oak Grove in Malden, Massachusetts in the north. It meets the Red Line at Downtown Crossing, the Blue Line at State, and the Green...
subway, all other passengers have to change subway trains at either
Park StreetPark Street Station of the MBTA, located at the intersection of Park Street and Tremont Street in Boston at a corner of Boston Common, is the main transfer point between the Green Line and the Red Line...
or
Downtown CrossingDowntown Crossing Station of the MBTA, located at the corner of Washington Street and Summer Street and the corner of Chauncey Street and Summer Street in Boston, is the main transfer point between the Orange Line and the Red Line....
stations. A
North-South Rail LinkThe North-South Rail Link is the name for a proposed approximately 1.5 mile -long pair of rail tunnels below downtown Boston, Massachusetts....
has been proposed to unite the two halves of the Commuter Rail system; but, because of the high cost, Massachusetts has, as of May 2006, withdrawn its sponsorship of the proposal. Train cars are transferred between the two halves of the system via the
Grand Junction RailroadThe Grand Junction Railroad was an 8.55-mile long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston...
, which is not used for passenger service.
Equipment
MBTA Commuter Rail service from both stations is provided by
push-pull trainPush-pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end. A push-pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a second control cab at the rear of the train...
s powered by
diesel locomotiveA Diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a Diesel engine. Several types have been developed, the principal distinction being in the means by which the prime mover's mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels .-Overview:Early internal combustion...
s, although some of the lines run on the electrified
Northeast CorridorThe Northeast Corridor is the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency. The route is fully electrified and serves a densely urbanized string of cities from Washington, D.C., in the south through Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, Newark, New...
. Newer
EMD F40PHThe General Motors Electro-Motive Division model F40PH is a 4-axle 3000 horsepower B-B diesel-electric locomotive intended for passenger service, built from 1976 onwards.-History:...
and F40PH-2C locomotives and
Kawasakiis an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shozo Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
bi-level passenger cars are typically used for trains that originate from South Station with EMD GP40MC locomotives, older F40PHs and single-level passenger cars used from North Station. The railroad also operates one
EMD GP9An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
and a GP40 as work locomotives. 75 new bi-levels are also on order from
RotemHyundai Rotem is a South Korean company manufacturing rolling stock, defense products and plant equipment. It is part of the Hyundai Motor Group...
.
See also
External links