Foxboro (MBTA station)
Encyclopedia
Foxboro 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
. The line was part of the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad, Old Colony Railroad
, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
and finally Conrail until 1998, when it passed to CSX. The line connects to the MBTA's Franklin Line
at Walpole
and the Providence/Stoughton Line
at Mansfield
Trains come from Boston's South Station
via the Franklin Line and from Providence
via the Providence/Stoughton Line. Franklin Line trains make stops at Back Bay
, Dedham Corporate Center, and Norwood Central
. Providence Line trains make stops at South Attleboro
, Attleboro
, and Mansfield
. The service started with the opening of Foxboro Stadium
in August 1971; Providence service ended soon but was brought back in 1994.
In September 2010, the MBTA completed a study to determine the feasibility of extending fulltime commuter rail service to Foxboro via the Franklin Line. The study looked at extending some Fairmount Line
service to Foxboro, running shuttle trains from Foxboro to Walpole, or a combination of both. No determination has been made as to if or when this service would begin.
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
system is only used for special events, such as New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
football games, at nearby Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
. It lies on a freight line between Mansfield
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Mansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population is 23,184. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island....
and Framingham
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
, owned by CSX as their Framingham Subdivision
Framingham Subdivision
The Framingham Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The line runs from Mansfield northwest to Framingham along a former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad line...
. The line was part of the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad, Old Colony Railroad
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston to points such as Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Fitchburg, Lowell and Cape Cod...
, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
and finally Conrail until 1998, when it passed to CSX. The line connects to the MBTA's Franklin Line
Franklin Line
The Franklin Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail runs from Boston's South Station in a southwesterly direction toward Franklin, Massachusetts. Most Franklin Line trains connect to the Providence/Stoughton Line at Readville though some weekday trains use the Fairmount Line to access South Station...
at Walpole
Walpole (MBTA station)
Walpole is a station along the MBTA Commuter Rail's Franklin Line from Franklin, Massachusetts to Boston, Massachusetts. The station is located in Walpole, Massachusetts near the town center....
and the Providence/Stoughton Line
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 T. F. Green Airport, Rhode Island...
at Mansfield
Mansfield (MBTA station)
Mansfield is a commuter rail station on the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The station was rebuilt in 2004, and is the second replacement station for Mansfield. It is also the south end of a former Old Colony Railroad line that runs north through Walpole and...
Trains come from Boston's South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
via the Franklin Line and from Providence
Providence (Amtrak station)
Providence Station is a railroad station in Providence, Rhode Island and is served by Amtrak and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority . The station has four tracks for passenger service, with a fifth track passing through for Providence and Worcester Railroad freight trains...
via the Providence/Stoughton Line. Franklin Line trains make stops at Back Bay
Back Bay (MBTA station)
Back Bay station, located at 145 Dartmouth Street, between Stuart Street and Columbus Avenue, is a train station in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston...
, Dedham Corporate Center, and Norwood Central
Norwood Central (MBTA station)
Norwood Central is a station on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Franklin Line from Franklin, Massachusetts to Boston, Massachusetts. The station is located in Norwood, Massachusetts. The station has a parking lot with 782 spaces, including 16 accessible spaces; as of 2009, spaces cost $4.00 each....
. Providence Line trains make stops at South Attleboro
South Attleboro (MBTA station)
South Attleboro is the southernmost station in Massachusetts on the Providence/Stoughton Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail, and was the southernmost station on weekends, until June 29, 2006, when Rhode Island began funding weekend service to Providence...
, Attleboro
Attleboro (MBTA station)
Attleboro is a commuter rail station on the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line located in Attleboro, Massachusetts.The two station buildings were originally built in 1906 and 1908 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Later in the 20th Century, the station was both an MBTA and Amtrak...
, and Mansfield
Mansfield (MBTA station)
Mansfield is a commuter rail station on the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line located in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The station was rebuilt in 2004, and is the second replacement station for Mansfield. It is also the south end of a former Old Colony Railroad line that runs north through Walpole and...
. The service started with the opening of Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts...
in August 1971; Providence service ended soon but was brought back in 1994.
In September 2010, the MBTA completed a study to determine the feasibility of extending fulltime commuter rail service to Foxboro via the Franklin Line. The study looked at extending some Fairmount Line
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...
service to Foxboro, running shuttle trains from Foxboro to Walpole, or a combination of both. No determination has been made as to if or when this service would begin.