By Shandana Mufti and Nicole Leonard
The MBTA was created as a way to subsidize a commuter rail system struggling to serve Metropolitan Boston, starting in 1964.
Previously, unsubsidized service had been provided by the Boston & Maine Railroad; the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad; and the New York Central.
Boston & Maine Railroad provided the Rockport, Lowell, and Fitchburg lines.
New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad provided the Providence and Stoughton commuter lines.
New York Central provided the Worcester line.
On Oct. 8, 1974, the commuter lines adopted the color purple.
In 1987, Amtrak took over the MBTA contract to run the commuter rail system. In 2003, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company took over the contract from Amtrak.
Pictured: MBTA station in Framingham.
All historical information was gathered from the Boston Street Railway Association, Inc. and the Boston Globe.
Fairmount Line
Serves: Eastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 8
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 264,309
The Boston and New York Central Railroad opened the Fairmount Line, then called the “Midland Railroad,’’ in 1855 as one of Boston’s first passenger railroads. In 1944, passenger service was shut down due to competing railways that caused ridership to dip. Freight service continued on the line. The MBTA reopened it for passenger service in 1979.
Pictured: Passengers awaited a commuter rail train at the MBTA Fairmount station in Hyde Park in 2009.
Fitchburg Line
Serves: Northeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: North Station
Stations: 18
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 2,693,313
In 1964, Boston & Maine Railroad provided the Fitchburg line. In 1965, service was discontinued past the West Concord stop going outbound and wasn’t restored until 1980. Shirley station reopened on the line in 1981 after it was last opened in 1965.
Pictured: A passenger on the 5:20 p.m. MBTA Fitchburg commuter rail out of North Station high-fived a MBCR conductor prior to boarding the train in 2011.
Franklin Line
Serves: Southeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 16
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 3,381,150
Following the bankruptcy of Penn Central Transportation Company in 1973, the MBTA acquired right of way for the defunct company’s rail lines, including the Franklin branch. In 1988, the Franklin line was extended to the new Forge Park station.
Pictured: The Forge Park/495 MBTA commuter rail station at the end of the Franklin line.
Greenbush Line
Opened: 2007
Serves: Southeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 10
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 1,376,866
On Oct. 31, 2007, Old Colony service began on the former New Haven Railroad Greenbush line, which was last operated in 1959.
Pictured: A passenger with coffee mug in hand walks to board the train in 2007 at the MBTA Greenbush commuter rail station in Scituate.
Haverhill Line
Serves: Northeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: North Station
Stations: 14
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 2,680,960
In 1967, Boston & Maine Railroad discontinued commuter service north of Haverhill to Dover, N.H. The towns of Haverhill, North Andover, Lawrence, and Andover paid to maintain one rush-hour round-trip from Haverhill to Boston going on the former Dover line. The commuter service was cancelled in 1976 when state funding was withdrawn, but weekday service was restored in 1979.
Pictured: A passenger rushes by one of the new bi-level commuter rail coaches, which was implemented on April 24 on the Haverhill commuter train line. Each new bi-level coach seats 75 more passengers, and will be implemented across the system in the coming months.
Lowell Line
Serves: Northeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: North Station
Stations: 9
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 3,393,357
In 1967, Boston & Maine Railroad discontinued commuter service north of Lowell to Concord, N.H. In 1976, a stop at Tufts University was opened and closed just three years later due to low ridership. An experimental restoration of the Concord, N.H. service was started in January 1980 with a Federal grant, but ended in February the following year when funds were withdrawn.
Pictured: Fans stream into North Station in Boston for the Rolling Rally 2004 World Series parade as they exit a special train for Red Sox fans on the Lowell commuter line.
Middleborough Line
Serves: Southeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 11
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 1,671,904
In 1997, Old Colony service began on the former New Haven Railroad, which was last operated in 1959. The Middleborough line included service at six stops from South Station. In 2001, the commuter rail included a stop at JFK/UMass on select weekday trains.
Pictured: An MBTA police officer guards the commuter rail parking lot at the Middleboro/Lakeville train stop in 2004.
Needham Line
Serves: Metrowest
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 12
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 1,774,831
Following the bankruptcy of Penn Central Transportation Company in 1973, the MBTA acquired right of way for the defunct company’s rail lines, including the Needham branch. The commuter line closed for Southwest Corridor construction in 1979 and did not reopen until 1987.
Pictured: The Needham Center commuter rail station building is on the list that the MBTA wanted to sell in 2012.
Newburyport Line
Opened: 1998
Serves: North Shore
Boston terminal: North Station
Stations: 12
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 2,644,883
Newburyport was a stop in 1964 on the Boston & Maine Railroad route between Boston and Portsmouth, N.H. Boston & Maine Railroad had the option of ending the round-trip service between Newburyport and Boston in 1967, but the town began paying for service. This round-trip was cancelled in 1976 due to a loss of state funding. Service was restored between Ipswich and Newburyport in 1998.
Pictured: Through a cloud of steam, the new commuter rail train service roared into Newburyport on Friday, Oct. 23, 1998 during its official grand opening.
Plymouth-Kingston Line
Serves: South Shore
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 11
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 1,671,904
In 1997, Old Colony service began on the former New Haven Railroad, which was last operated in 1959. The Kingston line included service at six stops from South Station. In 1997, off-peak service began, which included the first service to Plymouth-Cordage station. In 2001, the commuter rail included a stop at JFK/UMass on select weekday trains.
Pictured: An empty MBTA station at noon in 2000 near the Cordage Park Marketplace at the Plymouth commuter rail station.
Providence Line
Serves: Southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 13
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 5,410,219
MBTA began fully subsidizing the Providence line in 1976. Rush-hour service to Providence was discontinued in 1981 due to a withdrawal of support from Rhode Island, and was not restored until 1988. Several Providence trains were extended to include service to the new T.F. Green Airport station in 2010.
Pictured: Commuters rush to board the 4:35 p.m. train to Providence, R.I., in 2005 out of South Station in Boston during the early part of afternoon rush hour.
Rockport Line
Serves: North Shore
Boston terminal: North Station
Stations: 14
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 2,116,445
Boston & Maine Railroad provided the Rockport line as of 1964. A new relocated station opened at Salem on the commuter line in 1987.
Pictured: MBTA commuter rail train pulls out from the Rockport train station on June 23, 2012, on its way to Boston.
Stoughton Line
Serves: Southeastern Massachusetts
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 8
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 1,740,354
Following the bankruptcy of Penn Central Transportation Company in 1973, the MBTA acquired right of way for the defunct company’s rail lines, including the Stoughton branch. The MBTA began fully subsidizing the Stoughton line in 1976.
Pictured: Passengers boarded the 9:36 a.m. train at Stoughton MBTA commuter station in 2006.
Worcester Line
Serves: Central Massachusetts
Boston terminal: South Station
Stations: 17
Annual ridership (July 2012 to June 2013): 4,274,263
New York Central provided the Worcester line as of 1964, until it merged with Pennslyvania Railroad to become Penn Central. The new company discontinued the Worcester-Framingham section of commuter rail service in 1975.
Pictured: Local residents, politicans, MBTA officials, and members of the media watched a Worcester 0utbound MBTA commuter train from the new Westborough stop on its grand opening day on June 24, 2002.
