Well, I think this is officially my favorite Needham Line station. Yes, Hersey is by far the most isolated one, and the only one without a bus connection, but those only add to its tranquility. Oh, and the station is also in the middle of a golf course. We are most definitely in the suburbs…
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| Woah… |
The mini-high at Hersey is amazing, especially for the Needham Line. It’s big! It’s sheltered! And it has two whole benches! Oh man, it’s absolutely wonderful. I’m so happy there’s at least one Needham Line station with some common sense. Beyond the mini-high, there’s a small level crossing meant for golf carts, which is pretty funny.
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| The station shelter. |
Most of the rest of the platform is bare aside from some good ol’ fashioned wastebaskets, but eventually you do reach this shelter. It’s a pretty typical Needham Line shelter, but it gets the job done fine. However, it has to be said that there is actually more shelter and more seating offered at the mini-high! This is so unlike the Needham Line!
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| One of the staircases out of the station. |
I absolutely love the staircases that lead up to the station parking lots. They all have these shelters along them that just add so much character! I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about those staircase shelters that I really like. The accessible entrance is down near the mini-high, where a pedestrian crossing leads across the track.
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| The main entrance. |
The station’s main entrance has quite a lot of “stuff” around it. You’ve got some bike spaces, some newspaper boxes, and a weird bus shelter. Perhaps the shelter is meant for waiting for pick-ups? Or maybe a bus used to come here long ago.
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| The station’s main parking lot. |
Hersey seemed to have a lot of parking, so it was a bit surprising to find out that it’s only 360 spaces. Still, that’s very good for the Needham Line, and it more than covers the station’s weekday needs. There is also a lot of bike space here, not only with the rack near the entrance, but also a sheltered area at the edge of the parking lot.
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| The trees obscure the train a bit as it leaves. |
Station: Hersey
Ridership: This is the third-busiest station on the Needham Line? Wow…I wasn’t expecting that. With 540 riders per weekday, I guess Hersey gets most of its ridership from the fact that it doesn’t have any other stations close to it.
Pros: I mean, it’s the best Needham Line station, plain and simple. It has an amazing mini-high, lots of parking, and feels incredibly tranquil. Adding on to that, did I mention how great the trees are here? They just add so much to the station in terms of character, of which there’s already so much!
Cons: I’m really stretching here, but Hersey is definitely pretty isolated compared to the rest of the Needham Line. If anything, though, that adds to its tranquility.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Um…anyone here like golf? There are also a few businesses outside the station, but they’re nothing special.
Final Verdict: 9/10
Unless West Roxbury proves to be the greatest place ever (which I kinda doubt), Hersey is my favorite Needham Line station. It’s the only one with a proper mini-high, and it feels so tranquil and nice. I’m not sure why anyone would get off here if they didn’t live in the area, but you can walk to Needham Center from here or just get a train going back if you really want to see Hersey. I think it’s worth it.
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