This is one of the least-served stations on the entire Commuter Rail! With only two trips in the morning and three trips in the afternoon, clearly Silver Hill is a station for commuters only. But what it lacks in service, it makes up for with lots of charm!
The road leading to the station. |
As you walk toward Silver Hill (which my friend Nathan and I were doing), the area has a certain…feel to it. You know…all the houses around are huge, and there are long-ish sections of woods between each one. This is Weston, after all – one of the wealthiest towns in Massachusetts.
Wow…such glorious amenities! |
So…the parking here is a bit dubious. The MBTA website says it has none, but that patch of gravel next to the station is most definitely used by cars. Of course, there’s no rhyme or reason to it – some people park forwards, some park backwards, and some just use it as a pick-up area. The station also has a bike rack, which is locked to the fence (arguably not a necessary precaution in Weston, but I digress).
How charming! |
Yes, the platform is unpaved. Yes, you have to cross the outbound track to get to the inbound side with no crossing whatsoever. But…it sure is a lovely place, isn’t it? The wooden road bridge over the station adds lots of character, while the shelter is awesome. It feels so rustic inside, and it may only have a single bench, but it gets the job done really well! There’s a great sign on the shelter too, saying that the station has had continuous service since 1844. Wow!
A train blazing through! |
Station: Silver Hill
Ridership: Oh boy, get ready for this: a whole 15 people per day! Don’t get me wrong, it makes perfect sense since it gets so few trips. On another note, Nathan and I got an outbound train from here and went one stop to Lincoln – quite possibly the first time such a trip was ever made in history! The conductor gave us a strange look…
Pros: Ahh, it’s just so charming. It really feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere when you wait here, right down to the wooden bridge, stairs, and shelter. Also, the parking here is free, and I’m sure that lot will never get full!
Cons: This place is still in really bad shape. The platform isn’t paved at all aside from the shelter, and even the tracks are in subpar condition here. Having to walk across them to the inbound side is annoying without pavement, as well. Yes, we’re talking about 15 people per day here, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is below the minimum one would expect for a Commuter Rail station.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Do you like big houses? Great! That’s basically all you’ll see out here!
Final Verdict: 3/10 (sorry!)
Look, I’m gonna admit that I fell in love with Silver Hill’s immense charm while I was here. It really is an awesome place to hang out. But…you guys understand why I gave it a 3, right? It’s just so basic and it gets so few trains that it’s just…a 3. However, I will say that the limited service it gets makes the station a true hidden gem, and it’s most definitely worth checking out.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
I'll have to check Silver Hill out someday when I go to Walden Pond. Kendall Green as well. I like my hometown station Worcester:)
I'll have to check Silver Hill out someday when I go to Walden Pond. Kendall Green as well. I like my hometown station Worcester:)
Nice Article.
Silver Hill and Hastings are for the Weston 'elite'. They want them bar bones, keeps them hidden from us common commuter scum
Do you think you could do a ranking of your top X favorite and least favorite stations/bus lines. Not the best and worst ones, specifically your favorites regardless of whether they are objectively good. I’d find that really interesting, since there can be such significantly differences between your score and how you personally feel about a transit route/stop.