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RAILROAD STATIONS

IN

MASSACHUSETTS

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Railroad Stations in Massachusetts is a site devoted to the history, location, and uses of railroad depots,whether still standing or long gone, throughout the thirteen counties of Massachusetts. Readers are invited to consult the tables and links below and submit additions, corrections, photos, and comments to make this a more detailed, more precise, and more complete site.

A rare but necessary commercial advertisement on this site: John H. Roy Jr.'s comprehensive and painstakingly researched book A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses has been published by Branch Line Press of Pepperell MA. Click here for more information and to order a copy. This book joins Karr's and Lindsell's books as indispensible works on rail lines in southern and northern New England.

Notice: RR Stations in Massachusetts apologizes for the long time between updates. The site has been under some time constraints and has experienced computer issues over the last several months. Thanks for your patience! -- GL

Notice: The Essex freighthouse (Essex County) is scheduled for demolition soon unless someone rescues it. Any ideas? Any word? Contact Channing Howard at howards@howardsvm.com

Recent Updates:

June 10, 2010: Updated Barnstable County [added 7 photos and 3 postcards]; Berkshire County [added West Stockbridge (F), w/ photo; added postcard: West Stockbridge (P)]; Bristol County [added photo: Adamsdale; added postcard: Norton]; Essex County [added Marble Ridge/Andover from "Gone" page, w/ photo]; Hampden County [added link: Springfield]; Hampshire County [added photo: North Amherst (F)]; Middlesex County [added postcards: Littleton, Bedford (P), Lexington, Belmont (Wellington), South Framingham]; Plymouth County [added postcard: Wareham shelter]; Worcester County [added postcards: Leominster, Westboro]; Color Postcard Archive [added postcards: North Harwich, Bournedale (Barns. Co.); Littleton, South Framingham (Mid. Co.); Foxboro {repl.} (Norf. Co.); Mayflower Grove {trolley} (Ply. Co.); Leominster (Worc. Co.)]; Other Stations Page (Gone) [moved Marble Ridge to Essex County page, w/ photo); added Yarmouth {3rd} (Barns. Co.), Raddin, and Pleasant Hill (Ess. Co.) from "Check" page; added postcards: North Harwich (Barns. Co.); Becket {repl.}, Washington (Berk. Co.); Raynham {orig.}, Weld St. (Bris. Co.); Lynn (BRB&L}, Hamilton-Wenham {orig.} (3), Baldpate (2), Byfield, Marblehead (Ess. Co.); Gill, Montague {orig.} (Frank. Co.); Belchertown (Hamps. Co.); Pleasant St./ Stoneham (2), Winter Hill/Somerville, Arlington Hts., Bennett Hall, Lake Boone (Mid. Co.); Foxboro {repl.}, South Braintree, EWest Medway (P), West Medway (F) (Norf. Co.); Scituate, North Scituate {orig.}, Whitman (P), Whitman (F) (Ply. Co.); Winthrop Highlands, Boyleston St. {westbound} (Suff. Co.); Uxbridge (P), North Grafton (Worc. Co.)]; Other Stations Page (Check) [moved Raddin and Pleasant Hill (Ess. Co.) to "Gone" Page; upgraded postcard: Bournedale (Barns. Co.); added postcards: South Harwich (Barns. Co.); Beach Bluff (Ess. Co.); Bedford Springs, Whitneys, Linden, Wedgemere {orig.} (Mid. Co.), Mayflower Grove {trolley}, Westdale (2) (Ply. Co.)]; Further Reference [added two titles to MAArts. sect.; added two titles to MABks. sect.]; Verify Page [removed West Stockbridge (F) query (added to Berkshire Co. page); added two queries: South Billerica, Turnpike]; Field Operatives Page [thanks, Mike! thanks again to the usual suspects!]; Index (Count) Page [1 standing station newly listed: Marble Ridge; 12 stations newly pictured: Raynham {orig.}, Bedford Springs, Pleasant St. Stoneham, Gill, North Amherst (F), Adamsdale, Whitneys, Montague {orig.}, Marble Ridge, Boyleston St. {westbound}, Whitman (F), West Medway (F), Mayflower Grove {trolley}, West Stockbridge (F), South Harwich

December 29, 2009 [see archive]

Stations Still Standing in Massachusetts: Click on a county:

Barnstable	Berkshire	Bristol	Dukes	Essex
Franklin	Hampden	Hampshire	Middlesex	Nantucket
Norfolk	Plymouth	Suffolk	Worcester

Current Total: 304 standing stations listed / 1048 different stations pictured

Other Station Lists, Photos, and Information: Click on the additional link you would like to see (some links not yet created; please check back):

Navigating the Stations:

A few notes if you're planning on visiting these stations:

In this post-9/11 world, be careful not to behave so as to raise suspicions, especially around railroad installations (yards, bridges, structures). Carry identitification and if asked, be forthright about who you are and what your intentions are.

Stations listed as Private are usually someone's home. Some people don't care that you like trains and don't want anyone around taking pictures. Ask first!

Stations listed as Business are just that, and photos can be easily had.

Stations listed as Municipal are local/state run offices such as police, fire, library, highway, and village offices. Hours are usually 9-5 if you want to look around.

Stations listed as Society are owned by a society, and may also contain a museum.

Track is In Use means that there is an active railroad using the tracks. Be careful around the tracks and always ask for permission when on railroad property.

Station Type = Combination, Freight, and Passenger.

"Moved" means that the address given is the current, not the original location of the station. Consult "Notes" column.

If I don't have a piece of information, such as a built date or street, you'll see a ???. Please e-mail me a message if you are able to contribute information to this page. Be sure to include what station you are referring to (railroad and city).

Photos: If you see a camera next to a town or city name, that means there is a photo of that station located in the archive. Click on the camera to see the photo. As I often receive duplicate photos or different views of the same station, I will occasionally rotate different people's photos on the county pages. If you send me a photo scan, please inscribe in small letters at top or bottom a copyright symbol, the year of the photo, and your full name; see the photo above as a example. I occasionally will list multiple camera symbols; on the Counties pages, this usually signifies a current photo plus a black-and-white image from days gone by (for purposes of comparison), while on the Other Stations Page, these signify multiple "historical" black-and-white photos. I believe that all photos included at this site that are not attributed to the individuals who submitted them are in the public domain and that their use does not violate any copyright laws; please write to me if you know this not to be the case for any photo here.

Bloomingdales

Page designed by Gary LaPointe (and Michael Sellers)

Table format and "Navigating the Stations" text designed by Charles Woolever

This site uses GIF images from Ken Houghton's RailImages

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