I generally find the Old Colony Commuter Rail stops to be pretty boring. It seems like they’re usually just bland platforms with big parking lots. Is East Weymouth any different? Well, at least it’s elevated.
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| I mean…okay, it’s kind of elevated. |
Outside, the station has a few little amenities. There are a few bike spaces, and further down there’s a payphone and some newspaper boxes. An especially cool feature is this little alarm that sounds a siren when a train’s approaching. I hope it doesn’t bother the neighbors…
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| The platform. |
This is a single-track station, so there’s only one platform. And what a generic platform it is. I mean, I didn’t expect anything different. The sheltered portion has benches and wastebaskets, while the long part of the platform that isn’t sheltered is largely uninteresting.
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| A marshy view. |
The station is right next to a marsh, though, meaning there’s a nice view from the platform. However, the station is also right next to an electricity substation. This means that there are huge pylons that go right over the platform, and they’re surprisingly noisy. Noisy as in there’s always a gentle hum of electricity whenever you’re waiting here. Calming or annoying? You be the judge.
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| It’s amazing how organized all those cars look. |
As this is an Old Colony station, it of course has a huge parking lot. With 335 spaces, there’s room for lots of cars here. The station also has what appears to be a bus shelter, though the nearest bus (the 222) doesn’t directly serve the station, stopping a few blocks away. Perhaps it’s a shelter for people who get picked up here, in which case…that’s a nice touch.
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| A train coming into the station. |
Station: East Weymouth
Ridership: This is the third busiest station on the Greenbush Line, with an average of 405 riders per weekday. There weren’t too many people at the station when I was there, but that’s because we were waiting for an inbound train in the evening rush hour. The train wasn’t crowded, either.
Pros: The platform is high level, with stairs and a ramp both going up to the elevated station, making it accessible. The parking lot is huge considering East Weymouth’s ridership, plus it has some nice amenities (I particularly like that siren thing). I also like the marsh view from the station – it just makes everything seem more peaceful.
Cons: But something that isn’t peaceful is the electricity running overhead. Seriously, when you’re waiting here, there’s always that hum of power running through. Personally, I find it kind of annoying. I also wish that bus-train connections were better advertised, both at the station with signage and on the 222 with announcements. Currently, neither of these exist.
Nearby and Noteworthy: This is the closest station to Jackson Square, which as I’ve mentioned before, seems relatively interesting.
Final Verdict: 8/10
Well, I came to like this station a lot more than I thought I would. And it’s not just because it’s elevated, though that marshy view does play a big part in my appreciation of East Weymouth. But also, the station has a big parking lot, great amenities, and is accessible. Sure, the electricity may be a little annoying and the connections could be better advertised, but when you get right down to it, this is a pretty good station.
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