Needham Junction station

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Coordinates: 42°16′23″N 71°14′12″W / 42.2730°N 71.2366°W / 42.2730; -71.2366
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Needham Junction
59
Construction
Parking175 spaces ($4.00 fee)
Bicycle facilities6 spaces
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone2
History
OpenedNovember 4, 1906[1][2]
ClosedOctober 13, 1979–October 19, 1987[3]
Previous namesWest Street
Passengers
2018366 (weekday average boardings)[4]
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Needham Center
toward Needham Heights
 Needham Line Hersey
toward South Station
Former services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Charles River
toward Millis
 Millis Branch
Closed 1967
 Bird's Hill
toward South Station
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Charles River
toward Woonsocket
 Charles River Line Bird's Hill
toward Boston
Location
Map

Needham Junction station is an

accessible
mini-high platform serving the line's single track.

History

Charles River Railroad

On June 1, 1853, the

Newton Upper Falls into Needham as the first stage of a line to Dover and beyond.[1] The railroad was not able to follow its original plan to go through the East Village, Needham's historical center, because one landowner refused to sell; instead, it was routed to Great Plain station in Great Plain Village further to the east.[2][5] The line was extended to Medway on November 18, 1861 and to Woonsocket on November 16, 1863.[1]

Needham Cutoff

1910 photo of Needham Junction station

The

Needham Cutoff from West Roxbury to Needham Junction on November 4, 1906, allowing trains from the former Charles River Branch Railroad to reach Boston without needing to use the rival Boston and Albany Railroad's Highland branch.[1] A wye was constructed at Needham Junction, allowing trains from Needham to use the cutoff as well. West Street station opened with the cutoff on November 4, 1906; it is positioned east of the junction, so as to only serve trains running on the cutoff.[1][5] No station had previously been located in the area. A large granolithic platform with a canopy over much of its length was completed in 1911, by which point it was known as Needham Junction.[5]

Loop service jointly run by the B&A and the New Haven operated over the cutoff and the Highland branch via Needham from 1911 to 1914; after that, most Needham trains originated at Needham Heights. Service between Newton Highlands and Newton Upper Falls ended in 1927, and between Needham Heights and Newton Upper Falls in 1932, leaving Needham Heights as the terminus of the line.[1]

The West Medway Branch shared the line from Forest Hills to Needham Junction until 1938 and from 1940 to 1955; from 1955 to 1967 the line operated as a shuttle from West Medway (Millis after 1966) to Needham Junction.[1]

MBTA era

The station was closed with the rest of the line from October 13, 1979 to October 19, 1987 during

59 has terminated in a loop at the west end of the station parking lot.[3]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780685412947
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 9780942147087
    .
  3. ^ a b c Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  4. ^ Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
  5. ^ a b c Clarke, George Kuhn (1911). History of Needham, Massachusetts, 1711-1911. University Press. pp. 413–416, 420, 422 – via Internet Archive.

Media related to Needham Junction station at Wikimedia Commons

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