Greenbush Line
Encyclopedia
The Greenbush Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail
system. The 18 miles (29 km) 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. Prior to 2007, the last passenger trains to use this branch of the Old Colony Railroad
ran in 1959.
The MBTA has since restored service, beginning on October 31, 2007.
The station stops along the Greenbush Line are: South Station
, JFK/UMass
, Quincy Center
, Weymouth Landing, East Weymouth
, West Hingham
, Nantasket Junction
, Cohasset
, North Scituate
and Greenbush
.
which built tracks from Braintree
to Cohasset
in 1849 on which trains ran operated by the Old Colony Railroad
. In 1867 expansion of the line south of Cohasset was started eventually extending to Kingston
in 1874. In March 1893 most of the lines of the Old Colony Railroad, including Greenbush, were taken over by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. Under the control of the New Haven Railroad the rail lines set all-time records for number of passengers. The popularity of the train was short-lived, however. Cutbacks in service due to World War I were not restored afterwards due to the increasing popularity of the automobile. The New Haven Railroad went bankrupt in 1935 and kept only a few passenger trains running due to a court order. Service south of Greenbush was discontinued in 1939. The railroad enjoyed a brief uptick in traffic in World War II
with the construction of the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot
and the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex
. While the number of daily trips was increased after World War II, and modern diesel trains were introduced in the 1950s, the New Haven Railroad continued to lose money on the service and announced all trains would cease running in 1958. Only an emergency subsidy by the state kept trains running until June 30, 1959 when the Southeast Expressway opened and all passenger train service ended. Freight trains continued to use the line as far south as the Hingham Lumber Yard located, where the new Nantasket Junction station has just been built, until 1979. All service was terminated in 1983.
During the early 1980s, officials from the South Shore area became speaking in support of the restoration of passenger rail service in the area; in 1985, then-Governor Michael Dukakis
voiced support for the proposals. In 1990, as part of environmental mitigation
for the Big Dig
project, both the Greenbush and Old Colony lines were submitted the federal government in order to receive funding for the Big Dig. Both Old Colony lines were granted federal funds, but due to local opposition to the Greenbush Line, the state did not receive funds for its construction. While the Old Colony lines were opened in 1997, it took another decade for the Greenbush line to enter service, at a final cost of $534 million.
Construction of the line began in 2003 and was completed on February 6, 2007. The first test train ran on May 19, 2007. It opened for service on October 31, 2007. The extension of MBTA
rail service along this branch is intended to reduce congestion plaguing South Shore commuters in recent years along the Southeast Expressway
, Route 3 and Route 3A. The line has 3,100 parking spaces, and is eventually expected to provide 8,600 one-way rides daily, diverting approximately 5,000 of those trips from automobiles.
As of March 2008, there are still outstanding construction projects.
By 2010, despite predictions of 4,200 passengers a day riding the train by three years after its opening, the MBTA said that only an average of 2,133 people per weekday were using the service. These passengers were more likely to have switched to the train from the MBTA commuter ferries, rather than the predicted car users.
Starting April 30, 2011 weekend service was suspended to allow replacement of concrete ties with wooden ties on the Old Colony Mainline. The Greenbush branch does not need tie replacement. The MBTA is in a legal battle with Rocla Concreate to recover the cost of replacing the ties. The company claims they are no longer under warranty.
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. The 18 miles (29 km) line restores service along the New Haven Railroad's Greenbush Branch, from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the towns of Braintree
Braintree, Massachusetts
The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744...
, Weymouth
Weymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
, Hingham
Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
, Cohasset
Cohasset, Massachusetts
Cohasset is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, though it is not contiguous with the main body of the county. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, and Scituate
Scituate, Massachusetts
Scituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....
on the South Shore of Boston. Prior to 2007, the last passenger trains to use this branch of the 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...
ran in 1959.
The MBTA has since restored service, beginning on October 31, 2007.
The station stops along the Greenbush Line are: 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...
, JFK/UMass
JFK/UMass (MBTA station)
JFK/UMass Station is located at the intersection of Columbia Road and Morrissey Boulevard, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.Its facilities include:*a platform on the Boston subway's Red Line for the Ashmont Branch...
, Quincy Center
Quincy Center (MBTA station)
Quincy Center is a station on the Red Line subway at 1300 Hancock Street and Washington Street, serving the Quincy Center area of Quincy, Massachusetts. Its other facilities include nearby stops on the MBTA Commuter Rail, Old Colony Lines, and bus connections at street level.-History:Quincy Center...
, Weymouth Landing, East Weymouth
East Weymouth (MBTA station)
East Weymouth Station is a rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Weymouth, Massachusetts. The station, located at 1590 Commercial Street, is the fifth of ten along the MBTA's Greenbush Line, which provides service between Scituate and Boston. The line, which reopened on October 31,...
, West Hingham
West Hingham (MBTA station)
West Hingham Station is a rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Hingham, Massachusetts. The station, located at 20 Fort Hill Street, is the sixth of ten along the MBTA's Greenbush Line, which provides service between Scituate and Boston. The line, which reopened on October 31,...
, Nantasket Junction
Nantasket Junction (MBTA station)
Nantasket Junction Station is a rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Hingham, Massachusetts. The station, located at 190 Summer Street, is the seventh of ten along the MBTA's Greenbush Line, which provides service between Scituate and Boston. The line, which reopened on...
, Cohasset
Cohasset (MBTA station)
Cohasset Station is a rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Cohasset, Massachusetts. The station, located at 115 Chief Justice Cushing Highway , is the eighth of ten along the MBTA's Greenbush Line, which provides service between Scituate and Boston...
, North Scituate
North Scituate (MBTA station)
North Scituate Station is a rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Scituate, Massachusetts. The station, located at 777 Country Way, is the ninth of ten along the MBTA's Greenbush Line, which provides service between Scituate and Boston. The line, which reopened on October 31, 2007, was...
and Greenbush
Greenbush (MBTA station)
Greenbush Station is a rail station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system in the Greenbush section of Scituate, Massachusetts. The station, located at 247 Old Driftway, is the terminus of the MBTA Greenbush Line, which provides service between Scituate and Boston. There are five tracks here with a...
.
History
Before passenger train service stopped in 1959, commuter trains had been using parts of the Greenbush line for over 100 years. Train service was first started by the South Shore RailroadSouth Shore Railroad
The South Shore Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 to provide rail service between Quincy and Duxbury, Massachusetts through the towns of Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Marshfield. The 11.5 mile line opened for service from Braintree to Cohasset, on January 1, 1849...
which built tracks from Braintree
Braintree, Massachusetts
The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744...
to Cohasset
Cohasset
Cohasset can refer to:PlacesIn the United States:*Cohasset, California*Cohasset, Massachusetts**Cohasset **Cohasset Rocks, an alternative name for Minots Ledge, a reef off of Cohasset, Massachusetts*Cohasset, Minnesota...
in 1849 on which trains ran operated by the 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...
. In 1867 expansion of the line south of Cohasset was started eventually extending to Kingston
Kingston, Massachusetts
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...
in 1874. In March 1893 most of the lines of the Old Colony Railroad, including Greenbush, were taken over by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. Under the control of the New Haven Railroad the rail lines set all-time records for number of passengers. The popularity of the train was short-lived, however. Cutbacks in service due to World War I were not restored afterwards due to the increasing popularity of the automobile. The New Haven Railroad went bankrupt in 1935 and kept only a few passenger trains running due to a court order. Service south of Greenbush was discontinued in 1939. The railroad enjoyed a brief uptick in traffic in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the construction of the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot
Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot
The Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot, is a former United States Navy ammunition depot located in Hingham, Massachusetts. At its peak, it employed over 2,400 people. It also consisted of 90 buildings at that time.-History:...
and the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex
Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex
The Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex, sometimes called the “Cohasset Annex” or "Hingham Annex" by local residents, covered sections of the towns of Hingham, Cohasset,Norwell, and Scituate Massachusetts.-Beginnings:...
. While the number of daily trips was increased after World War II, and modern diesel trains were introduced in the 1950s, the New Haven Railroad continued to lose money on the service and announced all trains would cease running in 1958. Only an emergency subsidy by the state kept trains running until June 30, 1959 when the Southeast Expressway opened and all passenger train service ended. Freight trains continued to use the line as far south as the Hingham Lumber Yard located, where the new Nantasket Junction station has just been built, until 1979. All service was terminated in 1983.
During the early 1980s, officials from the South Shore area became speaking in support of the restoration of passenger rail service in the area; in 1985, then-Governor Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
voiced support for the proposals. In 1990, as part of environmental mitigation
Environmental mitigation
Environmental mitigation, compensatory mitigation, or mitigation banking, are terms used primarily by the United States government and the related environmental industry to describe projects or programs intended to offset known impacts to an existing historic or natural resource such as a stream,...
for the Big Dig
Big Dig
The Central Artery/Tunnel Project , known unofficially as the Big Dig and as the Big Dug since completion, was a megaproject in Boston that rerouted the Central Artery , the chief highway through the heart of the city, into a 3.5-mile tunnel...
project, both the Greenbush and Old Colony lines were submitted the federal government in order to receive funding for the Big Dig. Both Old Colony lines were granted federal funds, but due to local opposition to the Greenbush Line, the state did not receive funds for its construction. While the Old Colony lines were opened in 1997, it took another decade for the Greenbush line to enter service, at a final cost of $534 million.
Construction of the line began in 2003 and was completed on February 6, 2007. The first test train ran on May 19, 2007. It opened for service on October 31, 2007. The extension of MBTA
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
rail service along this branch is intended to reduce congestion plaguing South Shore commuters in recent years along the Southeast Expressway
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
, Route 3 and Route 3A. The line has 3,100 parking spaces, and is eventually expected to provide 8,600 one-way rides daily, diverting approximately 5,000 of those trips from automobiles.
As of March 2008, there are still outstanding construction projects.
By 2010, despite predictions of 4,200 passengers a day riding the train by three years after its opening, the MBTA said that only an average of 2,133 people per weekday were using the service. These passengers were more likely to have switched to the train from the MBTA commuter ferries, rather than the predicted car users.
Starting April 30, 2011 weekend service was suspended to allow replacement of concrete ties with wooden ties on the Old Colony Mainline. The Greenbush branch does not need tie replacement. The MBTA is in a legal battle with Rocla Concreate to recover the cost of replacing the ties. The company claims they are no longer under warranty.
Controversy
The proposal proved highly controversial, with residents of some communities opposing restoration of service on the Greenbush branch on the grounds that it would increase noise levels and aesthetically mar the neighborhoods through which the new rail service was to run. As a result of these complaints, the MBTA worked to first re-establish commuter rail on the other two Old Colony Lines. Service was restored to them in 1997. Partially as a result of extensive litigation, the MBTA then worked with the towns along the Greenbush route to enact several measures to mitigate the environmental impact of the restored train service. These included constructing an 800 feet (243.8 m) long tunnel under downtown Hingham, another underpass at Weymouth Landing, and the soundproofing of homes and businesses located near the railroad tracks. Testing of the signals along the line began in earnest in August 2007 in anticipation of opening the line later in the fall. Ultimately, the legal and political delays and ensuing mitigation delayed the opening of the line for many years and resulted in a greatly increased cost.Further reading
- Mun, Wynne, "Excerpts from Capstone Report to the Rappaport Institute: The Greenbush Line", The Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, John F. Kennedy School of GovernmentJohn F. Kennedy School of GovernmentThe John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, 2006.