Manchester
I was gonna do the Beverly Farms/Prides Crossing combo during the morning rush one day in the summer, but nope – the conductor decided to just skip Beverly Farms, which is a flag stop, without asking anyone if they were getting off there. I ended up at Manchester instead with only a few minutes to do the fastest, worst review I’ve ever made of a station – I had to use a lot of Google Maps to help me with this one.
 |
| Hurry up hurry up hurry up! |
Oh great, it’s another station with degenerate mini-highs. They have nothing on them, and that’s all I have to say. They’re not falling apart, which I guess is a plus. This station apparently has 71 parking spaces – I think they might be in that decrepit-looking lot to the left in the picture above, but I could be wrong. Either way, it’s free parking, so I guess the quality of the lot can be excused to some degree. There’s also a bike rack on either platform.
 |
| Looking down the foggy platform. |
Manchester actually has shelters on both of its platforms, which is great. In fact, the outbound side gets a larger one than the inbound side! It’s wooden, and it’s not in the best shape at this point, and it probably doesn’t have to be there, but I guess it’s nice. The inbound platform, meanwhile, gets a lot of unsheltered benches and a single glorified bus shelter with nothing under it. Aw…
 |
| Wait, uhhhh, EXCUSE ME? |
Now, despite Manchester being between two level crossings, they do not go down when the train is stopped. Why’s that? Because the train has to stop for them whenever it leaves the station. That’s right, there are actually stop signs for each level crossing, and the train has to sit there and wait for them to go down. This just baffles me – is there seriously no way the level crossing can lower as the train is leaving so it doesn’t have to stop?
 |
| Get outta here! |
Station: Manchester
Ridership: Normal ridership at Manchester is average for the Rockport Line, with 307 inbound riders per weekday. However, in the summer, that number spikes up a lot with people going to the beach.
Pros: It’s accessible, it has free parking, and it’s in a very good location as we’ll soon see. That’s about all that’s good about it, though.
Cons: I really must complain about the shelter situation. So the outbound side gets the big wooden shelter with benches under it, while all the inbound side gets is a little hut with nothing under it? Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Did I mention the station gets packed in the summer? Also, it goes without saying, but the mini-highs are barebones and negatively affect the waiting experience for passengers. Finally, the level crossing situation is awful, and I would be very surprised if modern gates don’t have the ability to allow trains to go through without stopping. Perhaps a renovation is needed.
Nearby and Noteworthy: The station is located right in downtown Manchester, which in itself looks like a lovely place, but that’s not why it’s in a good location. No, Manchester’s true ace in the hole is that it’s about a ten-minute walk from Singing Beach. That is a huge draw for it in the warmer months!
Final Verdict: 5/10
Okay, okay, the station is really a 4, but I’ll throw in an extra point because it’s so close to the beach. Seriously, though, this is not the kind of place summer passengers should be forced to wait at, let alone commuter passengers! At least put a bench under the tiny inbound shelter! Or heck, how about renovating the mini-highs and giving them shelter and a bench? Geez Louise, and the level crossings…don’t get me started.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Beverly Farms
A mere 0.8 miles away from Prides Crossing, we have a station that actually gets, you know, service. What does Beverly Farms have to offer over its microstation cousin? We’ll find out.
 |
| The platform. |
Okay, the outbound side of Beverly Farms has basically nothing, so we don’t have to talk about it. Meanwhile, the inbound side surprisingly has a lot in common with Prides Crossing. Most of it is bare, but the part that’s sheltered is done so by the station building, which is occupied by a private business (Boston Bagel Company) that owns most of the parking! Wow, that’s freakishly similar.
 |
| I see those mini-highs! We’ll get to those… |
Under the shelter there are benches, a wastebasket, and a community board. Moving down the platform, there isn’t much until the mini-highs aside from a small bike rack. The mini-high platforms are completely bare, but in their defense, they aren’t falling apart! They still suck, though. Finally, though most of the parking is for bagel patrons only, there are apparently 25 spaces reserved for the Commuter Rail, and I’m pretty sure they’re free. It’s not a lot, but it’s something!
 |
| A closer look at the mini-highs (my train picture was awful). |
Station: Beverly Farms
Ridership: This station gets low ridership, with only 207 inbound riders per weekday. It’s too bad, because the area around here is so nice!
Pros: Honestly, this is kinda like the better version of Prides Crossing. It has two platforms, it has actual mini-highs, there’s a bit of station parking for both cars and bikes, and though I have nothing against Prides Crossing Confections, Boston Bagel Company seems like a much better business for morning commuters.
Cons: It’s a pretty barebones station, especially with the unsheltered mini-highs with nothing on them – “at least they’re not falling apart” is not an argument that helps them out. It also looks to me like there could be more room for commuter parking, but I could be wrong. Regardless, there isn’t much of it. Finally, it’s weird that Beverly Farms is in Zone 5 when it’s in the same town as Zone 4 stations.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Wow, apparently the village of Beverly Farms is awesome! It has such diverse and charming buildings, and there are so many varied small businesses! Heck, even the Dunkin’ Donuts had some character, but don’t get your coffee there – use its local competitor, Half Baked. Gosh, there’s even a book shop!
Final Verdict: 6/10
Despite the awesome town center right next to it, the station of Beverly Farms isn’t the best. The mini-highs subtract points, as do the limited parking spaces. It’s not lacking in character, but imagine how much more it could have with nice wooden sheltered mini-high platforms! It also doesn’t have the Democrat and Republican benches of Prides Crossing, which, let’s be real, are more iconic than anything Beverly Farms has to offer.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Montserrat
Wow, I totally forgot to post this after North Beverly, but anyway…this is going in reverse from what I actually did one summer day, but I walked from Montserrat to North Beverly in half an hour! Who knew they were within somewhat close walking distance?
 |
| Well, here we are. |
Okay, Montserrat’s platform is pretty barebones. The inbound side is basically just a “modern” Commuter Rail shelter, and that’s about it. There’s practically nothing on the outbound side aside from a few newspaper boxes and a wastebasket, although it does inexplicably continue past the level crossing with Spring Street! I don’t know why the heck that’s the case, but if you want to be unique and wait on the other side of a level crossing, you can.
 |
| Oh, come on! |
I’ll just briefly mention Montserrat’s parking lot, which is pretty small with just 117 spaces. I will say that it’s nice they were able to even fit a lot in the middle of this residential neighborhood, so we’ll take what we can get. Oh, also, the station mini-highs are awful. They’re not quite as decrepit as North Beverly’s, but they’re close and they still have nothing on them.
 |
| Heading off into the foggy abyss. |
Station: Montserrat
Ridership: Wow…did you guys know that this is the second-busiest station on the whole independent section of the Rockport Line? Yeah, only Gloucester has higher ridership that this weird little station in the middle of a residential area. So, how many people per day does the second-busiest station on the Rockport Line get? Oh…356. Okay, clearly the Rockport Line gets less ridership than I realized.
Pros: It has your basic amenities, and there isn’t much more you need platform-wise than the shelter on the inbound side. It’s a short enough platform that the shelter is pretty close to the mini-high.
Cons: Obviously, the mini-high platforms are terrible. Other than that, there’s the fact that when trains are stopped here, they block traffic at two level crossings instead of just one! Speaking of level crossings, I must ask again why part of the outbound platform is past one of them…
Nearby and Noteworthy: There’s a tiny shopping plaza near the station with a pizza joint, a convenience store, and a few other similar establishments. That’s about it.
Final Verdict: 4/10
You know, Montserrat is probably of similar quality to North Beverly, but I find myself liking it just a bit more. Maybe it’s that the surrounding area is nicer? That’s all I can really think of, since I do find this station has a tiny bit of charm. Just a little bit.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Mishawum
In the 90s, Mishawum was on top of the world. With its attractive highway location, it had a huge parking lot, a Logan Express bus connection, and tons of riders. Then, in 2001, Anderson/Woburn opened up. All of a sudden, Mishawum became almost completely obsolete, and now it gets just three trains in each direction every weekday – it’s a ghost station. A WBUR crew and I came here to check it out – also, hello to any folks who came from there!
 |
| The platforms. |
Well, I have to say that this is probably the highest-quality microstation on the Commuter Rail, but that’s only because of its past. The station has really nice wooden shelters on both sides, although the inbound one is (sensibly) far longer. The wastebaskets seemed like they hadn’t been emptied in a while, yet the station map was surprisingly up-to-date – someone actually came here to put on a sticker with Boston Landing on it! Something completely out of date, though, was the old honor boxes on the inbound side for a parking lot that doesn’t even exist anymore.
 |
| Welcome to the Graveyard of Random Train Stuff. |
We can use the one crossing to get to the outbound platform, which I doubt anyone has used since Mishawum became a microstation – why would someone go outbound from here? As such, the shelter here isn’t quite as nice, experiencing paint chipping on its columns. Wait, does that mean someone repainted the inbound side? That’s dedication! Also, the outbound platform has a bunch of…stuff behind its shelter. It’s just there, not really bothering anyone, I guess.
.
 |
| Okay…can we all agree that the font on that left sign is horrible? |
Despite a promising T sign up on Mishawum Road, the outbound staircase is – ahem – “closed for repair.” Yeah, okay. Keep telling us that in your orange sign with a really gross font on it. Look, this affects no one, but these stairs are obviously never getting repaired. I will say that a nice modern sign on Mishawum Road points toward the other entrance with promises of accessibility, but we’ll see how that goes later…
 |
| Well, that is indeed accessible. |
I’ll say that the station’s one open entrance is wheelchair accessible, and surprisingly nice. There’s a long ramp that twists its way down to the station, as well as a staircase alternative for those who are able to use it. The passage is well-lit despite a few broken lights, and it gets the job done really well. Why is it so nice? Because the T built it in 2010. That’s right, it took until 2018 for the MBTA to close Wollaston, a subway station with over 4,500 riders a day, for accessibility improvements, but Mishawum with its six Commuter Rail trains per day got this brand new entrance eight years ago! WHAT??
 |
| The plot thickens. |
Coming out of the station, we arrive in a land of office parks, most prominently a Northern Bank that seems to have opened up recently. But what are these six spaces in the bank’s parking lot for? “MBTA Drop Off Only”? Do people actually get dropped off here? Based on the reverse commuting structure of the station, the only way that would make sense is if someone got their coworker to drive them here after work. Even if some folks do that, is it really necessary to dedicate six spaces to drop-offs? Also, someone locked their bike up here – I have no idea what their commute would be like, but more power to them. Maybe they exclusively use it to get from Mishawum to their workplace!
 |
| Uh-oh, we’re getting into illegal territory… |
Now, there is technically another entrance at Mishawum. We weren’t able to go to it, but we saw someone who did and asked them about it. On the southern end of the inbound platform (which is supposed to be “out of service” but the blocker was moved out of the way), it seems like nothing – there are a few graffitied or broken signs, a lone bench, and an abandoned broken bike sitting in the middle of a bunch of overgrowth. However, this person informed us about a secret cut down there that leads to more office parks! It’s not an official entrance, of course, but it’s very helpful for anyone who works down there, saving commuters from a half-mile detour on the road network.
 |
| And here we are. |
So we finally get to the mini-high platforms. Alright, these aren’t so bad. They don’t have any benches, but at least they’re sheltered, and you’ve got both stairs and a ramp to make them accessible. Cool, this station is accessible. Right?
 |
| NO. |
Oh. I see. So once we ascend the weed-ridden stairs to the platform, we find Mishawum’s dirty little secret: the mini-high platforms have no “lips” to the train. The T got rid of them to make another station accessible. Thus, Mishawum…is not. And look, the place gets six trains per day, so normally I wouldn’t be mad about it…except they put the ramps in just two years before getting rid of the lips. That’s right, Mishawum was accessible for a full two years. Gosh, that’s annoying. It also makes this the only MBTA station that was once accessible but now isn’t! UPDATE 8/27/19: It was pointed out to me that the station has actually been accessible since the 90s. Still, it’s not anymore!
 |
| Whoosh! |
Station: Mishawum
Ridership: With six trains per day, you’re gonna get low ridership – 42 inbound riders per weekday kind of ridership. Although is it that bad when you think about it? I mean, split between three trains, that’s 14 people per train. It’s a somewhat substantial number, and it’s clear that there are commuters around here that rely on the train to get to work.
Pros: Like I said, this is the highest-quality microstation on the Commuter Rail. That’s obviously because it hasn’t always been a microstation, but there’s no denying that the 42 people that use it every day benefit from the spacious inbound shelter with plenty of seating. The entrance to the station is also well-designed, even though the ramps are now useless…
Cons: Yeah, the fact that the ramps were built in 2010 only to become obsolete two years later is really annoying. I’m sure it wasn’t cheap to install them, and there are many other capital improvements on the Commuter Rail that would be so much more helpful to far higher amounts of people. Also, more obviously, parts of Mishawum are in disrepair (like the staircase), and the reverse commute schedule limits its usefulness.
Nearby and Noteworthy: The pinnacle of arcade-based entertainment, Dave and Buster’s, opened up to the west of this station a few years ago. You could also go east to the Woburn Mall, which definitely looks like an interesting place to hang out (note: no it doesn’t).
Final Verdict: 4/10
You know, I didn’t think I would go this high, but I’ll vouch for ol’ Mishawum! It has a hardy base of commuters that use it every day, and they have a luxurious waiting experience compared to other microstations like Silver Hill or – ugh! – Hastings. Heck, Mishawum gets more attention than some full-service Commuter Rail stations; it’s far better than North Beverly, for example. Plus, it’s one of the quirkiest stops on the Commuter Rail, what with its drop-off arrangement, its “closed for repairs” font, its miscellaneous stuff on the outbound platform, and everything else I talked about in the review. Obviously Mishawum could be a lot better, and it has enough houses close by that at least some traditional rush hour trips could be well-used, but for a microstation, it’s top of the line.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Once again, hello to anyone who came here from WBUR, and thanks to them for writing an awesome article! I haven’t seen the video yet (I’m publishing this from school wi-fi where YouTube is blocked – eek!) but I’m sure it’s awesome as well.
GUEST POST: Forge Park/495
Mike N. sent in another guest post, this time of the terminus of the Franklin Line:
Thanks to my uncle Robert, I was able to get some footage and review the station at the end of the Franklin Line. Let’s hop right into this review!
The station is very snowy, however the T plowed out the walkways and the platform, so it still has some use. The mini high is indeed very generic, with no benches to sit on, however it is fully sheltered and makes the station accessible, which is a plus. Down the platform, there is nothing but chipping advertisement boards. The other platform is completely bare as well.
Now, to the station building. I don’t know what exactly is inside, because it is closed on weekends, but outside there is a nice shelter, newspaper boxes, and a vending machine. Across from the building is some bike spaces, which were empty because of the snow, but at least the station encourages people to use alternate forms of transportation to get to it. In terms of parking, there is tons of that at Forge Park. There are two massive lots, with the total amount of spaces coming to 716, along with the bike racks. The other platform does indeed have track crossings so people can get to the amenity-filled platform, but when a train is stopped at the station, they have the doors open on both sides, which is convenient if you have to make a mad dash to the train.
Station: Forge Park/495
Pros: This station gets a ton of ridership, has adequate amounts of parking, good amenities, good shelter, it’s accessible, it encourages bikers, and it has some GATRA shuttles that run from here for commuters.
Cons: Not much, but I just wish that there were some benches riddled across the platform, especially because there isn’t one in the mini high. They should add one there too. Also, if they had the station building hours changed a little bit, that would be helpful when it is cold.
Final Verdict: 8/10
This is a nice station.The station building gives the station some pizazz, there is adequate parking, it’s accessible, and it accommodates bikers. I just wish the advertisements weren’t chipping, it kind of drains character from the station. Also, some benches are needed along the platform and under the mini high.
Prides Crossing
Oho, a microstation! How many trains per day does Prides Crossing get? Three in the morning and five in the evening. Unlike your typical Hastings, though, Prides Crossing actually has itself some amenities. Let’s see what they are…
 |
| Okay, then. Huh. |
Well, it certainly wasn’t a good start to get let out in the middle of a level crossing. Josh and I headed out here in mid-December (although I still have a lot of summer backlog to get to, don’t get excited), so getting led out into the cold in the middle of a level crossing was a big shock, to say the least. But I’m sure the rest of the station is better!
 |
| Hey, it’s something. |
Okay, obviously there are some drawbacks to Prides Crossing’s platform arrangement. For one thing, it’s not accessible. For another, there’s only one of them. Yes, people have to cross the tracks on an asphalt slab in order to board inbound trains in the morning. But hey, the platform has some degree of shelter and some benches and wastebaskets. There’s even a motion-sensored light that was very helpful for taking these night pictures!
 |
| The building, seen from across the street. |
The reason Prides Crossing has the shelter and the light is because the station building is actually a private business: Prides Crossing Confections, a candy shop. And sure, that means that there’s no station parking here (it’s reserved for the shop), but overall the arrangement seems to work pretty well. It even has those famous Democrat and Republican benches, that most classic feature of Prides Crossing!
 |
| A train blazing across the level crossing. |
Station: Prides Crossing
Ridership: Obviously, this one doesn’t get very high ridership. In fact, it’s the third least-used station on the Commuter Rail, getting just 20, count ’em, 20 inbound riders per weekday. Only Silver Hill and Plimptonville get worse ridership.
Pros: You know what, it has a building. It has some benches. For a microstation, this is leagues above the norm!
Cons: Obviously there’s the schedule: eight trains per day is awful. The reason it gets such limited service is because it’s less than a mile – a mere three-minute drive – away from the next stop, Beverly Farms. I mean, if that’s the case, I guess the schedule makes sense, but it’s still a very limited service.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Prides Crossing Confections has the best candy ever according to the majority of its Google reviews, so give it a shot, I guess. You’ll probably have to walk from Beverly Farms because of Prides Crossing’s schedule, but don’t worry – it’s less than a 15-minute walk.
Final Verdict: 3/10
Obviously it wasn’t going to score too well. The schedule is limited, the station is incredibly close to the next one, and despite having a lot of amenities for a microstation, there’s only one platform and no parking. Like any microstation, though, it was great fun to visit! Also, on a completely random note, did you know that it actually has a bus connection? The CATA Beverly Shuttle runs past this station on Saturday mornings only! Believe me, we will look at that crazy route soon.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Beverly
Beverly: the point where the Newburyport and Rockport Line come together, as well as the third-busiest station on the whole Commuter Rail. So why is it so subpar?
 |
| Looking down the platform. |
We’ll start with a good part: the platforms. I gotta say, the shelter to busyness ratio is really well-done! The outbound side gets a simple “modern” Commuter Rail shelter, while the inbound side is covered by a long building that now houses a restaurant. I think that’s perfect – I’m sure this station does get outbound ridership so it’s good to give those passengers a shelter, but of course more amenities should be, and thus are, given to the inbound side.
 |
| On the inbound side. |
There are plenty of amenities underneath that shelter, too. You’ve got multiple benches, wastebaskets, and newspaper boxes along the whole thing, and even a bike rack further down! There’s car parking on either side of the station, but I think it might be for town residents only because of the new lot the T built. We’ll get to that.
 |
| OH NO!!!! |
The third-busiest station on the Commuter Rail. The third-busiest station on the whole Commuter Rail. And these are the mini-highs it gets. They’re falling apart. They have nothing on them aside from one solitary bench on the inbound side. Really??? I mean, when the T was building its new fancy parking lot here, they couldn’t have thrown in some new mini-high platforms? These are awful.
 |
| The entrance to the parking garage. |
Using the one crossing in the middle of the station (which in itself is annoying – there couldn’t be a second one near the garage?), we can cross over to the outbound side. From here, there’s the entrance to the Beverly Depot Parking Garage. It’s a long footbridge with grilled fence-walls that seem to trap and kill a barbaric amount of houseflies!
 |
| Inside the garage. |
It’s strange having this brand new, modern parking garage in an otherwise old and primitive station. The three-story building has a total of 500 spaces and some fancy machines that take special Beverly Garage smart cards. Overnight parking is even allowed – indeed, you can park here for as long as you want. Too bad the lot still suffers from severe underusage, and as recently as September 2015 it was barely half-full on weekdays.
 |
| A train receding into the distance. |
Station: Beverly
Ridership: Like I said, this is the third-busiest station on the Commuter Rail, getting a massive 2,058 inbound riders per weekday in 2013. That’s huge. It’s more than even some subway stations in Boston!
Pros: The low-level platforms are well-executed, with good amounts of shelter for both sides of the station. Despite its underusage, the new parking lot is a nice inclusion to the station, and having too much space is better than too little, especially if the station is right in a downtown like Beverly – it’s not like it’s a sprawling lot or anything. As ridership grows, more people will presumably use the garage.
Cons: Why does the third-busiest station on the whole Commuter Rail system look like…like this? It is not okay that a station with this much ridership has to deal with those empty decrepit mini-high platforms. I mean, they’re annoying at stations like Montserrat and North Beverly, but those stops get a fraction of Bevery’s ridership.
Nearby and Noteworthy: You’ve gotta walk a few blocks to Cabot Street, but once you get there, you’ll find a pretty town center with a variety of small businesses.
Final Verdict: 5/10
Let it be known that in most other situations, Beverly would probably get away with a 6. However, because its ridership is so high, the abysmal mini-high platforms are that much more unacceptable. It’s even more infuriating that the T gave this station a modern parking lot, yet in the process of building it no one ever looked over at the mini-highs and said, “Huh, those kinda suck…maybe we should replace them.” The rest of the station is fine, good even, but the mini-highs are inexcusable.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
North Beverly
Oh God, ew. We’ve taken a sharp turn for the worst since our last review, and all it took was a 4 minute train ride! Welp…here’s North Beverly.
 |
| Oh boy, great start! |
We begin with the station parking lot, which is tiny (87 spaces) and, at least in the summer, very sandy. And you know how some stations have a little plaza between the parking lot and the platform? Well, there’s nothing like that at North Beverly: you’ve got one level passage, one staircase, and one…I guess it could be called a “plaza”? It’s a grassy uneven surface with a few newspaper boxes on its perimeter, and if you’re willing to climb over a bunch of wooden rods, there’s a bike rack!
 |
| On the platform. |
There isn’t much to say about North Beverly’s low-level platforms. The outbound side is basically nothing, so we’ll just write it off as that. The inbound side does have stuff, including a typical “modern” Commuter Rail shelter and…what’s that further down the tracks? Oh no, it’s a BUS SHELTER! I hate it when they put those in Commuter Rail stations!
 |
| Bottom of the barrel. |
And here we are at the mini-high platforms! Well, on the plus side, they do make the station accessible. On the minus side, these are the absolute worst things ever! Barring the fact that they have nothing on them, not even shelter, these mini-highs have some serious Mansfield Syndrome. Not only are they falling apart (little chunks of the platforms have fallen to the ground), but the wood slabs they stuck on top of them to try to make them more accessible are just recipes for someone tripping and falling onto the tracks. Heck, one of the railings has even come loose. I have so many pictures of how decrepit these things are!
 |
| Mm-hmm. |
 |
| Oh, that’s normal. |
 |
| Look, platform remains. What, it makes perfect sense! |
 |
| Okay, I’ll drop the facade…PLEASE GET ME OUT OF HERE! |
Station: North Beverly
Ridership: The station gets 292 inbound riders per weekday, which is less than Rowley, but apparently it’s low enough to justify making it a flag stop at all times outside of rush hour. I still will never understand why Rowley isn’t one on weekends.
Pros: It has parking…some basic amenities…accessibility…oh, it has an MBTA bus connection! …with the rush hour only 451.
Cons: It’s just so bad. From the weird grassy “plaza” to the dingy bus shelter to the absolutely decrepit mini-highs, there’s very little about North Beverly that isn’t awful. Also, why is it that two stations in the same town are in different fare zones? This is Zone 5, while Beverly Depot is Zone 4!
Nearby and Noteworthy: There are some businesses around here housed in small plazas with parking lots. It’s not pedestrian-friendly, but if you really want something nearby, it does the trick.
Final Verdict: 3/10
There’s nothing worse than bare, falling-apart mini-highs – the presence of those would be enough to drop a station down to a 5 or a 6. North Beverly decides to expand upon the mini-highs’ badness, though, and so we get the bus shelter, the “plaza,” the sandy parking lot, the weird fare zone, and everything else. Great work.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
James Asks…
 |
| Here’s an example of the blurry train effect at South Station. The review is coming… |
Hamilton/Wenham
A modern Commuter Rail station located in a downtown? A modern Commuter Rail station with character? No, no, I simply can’t believe it. And yet, here it is: Hamilton/Wenham.
 |
| Wow, that’s a lot of bikes! |
The station is well-connected to the immediate area by foot, with lots of passageways connecting to attractions on all sides. You’ve got one that runs along the tracks as far as Walnut Road, as well as spurs serving businesses blocks on Bay Road and crossing the parking lot of a small shopping center. I love how expansive the pedestrian connections are, and they’re along attractive and well-marked sidewalks for the most part.
 |
| And just look at this glorious mini-high! |
The mini-high platform at this station is great. And sure, it’s not even that special from an amenity point of view: it only has a bench on it, while a wastebasket sits at the ramp entrance. That’s it. But gosh, it just has so much charm! I adore the fact that it’s made out of wood, and yet since the station was built in 2002, the platform also has lots of modern features, including both stairs and a ramp, and copious railings. It’s simple, but it’s awesome.
 |
| Meh. |
Okay, there isn’t much to say about the rest of the platform. I mean, most if it is just bare asphalt with the occasional wastebasket. There is another wooden shelter, though, and it offers another bench and a wholeeeeeee bunch of random newspaper boxes. The station’s parking lot is pretty standard for a Commuter Rail station with about 200 spaces, but I think it’s awesome that they were able to provide a lot and locate the station in the town center. Why can’t more Commuter Rail stations be like that?
 |
| Goodbye! |
Station: Hamilton/Wenham
Ridership: A part of me was worried this station would have low ridership, but luckily it doesn’t. This is the third-busiest station on the independent section of the Newburyport Line, getting 436 inbound riders per weekday.
Pros: Oh my gosh, it’s so good! For a modern Commuter Rail station, Hamilton/Wenham completely bucks the trend of what the T usually does. It has many pedestrian connections, its wooden shelters provide character, and it’s located in a downtown area…and there was still room for parking!
Cons: Not much, although it seems like there’s quite a lot of bike demand here. I could see one or even two extra racks getting plenty of usage.
Nearby and Noteworthy: It doesn’t look like the most interesting town center at first, but there are gems to be found. I perused a lovely little souvenir shop, while there are also plenty of local restaurants around that look great.
Final Verdict: 9/10
This is how you build a new Commuter Rail station. The T could’ve easily relocated the station to the middle of the woods and thrown a 1,000 space parking lot next to it, but they didn’t do that. They actually did relocate the station from its old place, but only to move it a little further from the level crossing at Bay Road so it wouldn’t get activated while trains were stopped. Wow, that is amazing! Combine it with all the other perks of this stop and you’ve got yourself the perfect model for what a modern Commuter Rail station should be.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Ipswich
Alright, now we’re getting somewhere! Ipswich is a huge destination in the summer and its station is right in its downtown.
 |
| The barebones mini-high. |
Although it’s accessible, the station is plagued with a truly nothing mini-high platform. I mean, literally nothing – no bench, no wastebasket, just a shelter. And yes, I do know that the mini-highs get even worse elsewhere on the Newburyport/Rockport Lines, but consider that Ipswich is a busy destination and the platform can get crowded in the summer. The situation could be better than this.
 |
| Looking down the platform from the shelter. |
I will say that Ipswich has a nice long shelter that’s very close to the mini-high – for once, I don’t have a problem with low-level seating. It offers two benches, two wastebaskets, a payphone, and a whole bunch of random newspaper boxes. There’s even a sign for the CATA Ipswich-Essex Explorer, the summer-only bus route that runs from here to Crane Beach! The rest of the platform is basically bare, though, so all we have left is the parking lot (170 spaces, and it’s free!) and a single bike rack with eight spaces.
 |
| Yeah, yeah, set off the level crossing. |
Station: Ipswich
Ridership: Barring its namesake station, this is the busiest stop on the independent section of the Newburyport Line, getting an average of 579 inbound riders per weekday. Keep in mind, though, that that’s over the course of a whole year – in the summer, not only do you get commuters, but you also get a good amount of beachgoers.
Pros: The low-level section of the platform offers fine amenities, including a good amount of seating space with lots of reading material in the form of weird random newspapers. Although the parking lot is small, this station is right in the middle of Ipswich’s dense downtown core, which includes many houses. Plus, you can’t beat free parking!
Cons: It would be really nice to have a bench up on that mini-high. Also, would it hurt to throw in another bike rack here? The area around the station seems perfect for encouraging commuters to bike to the train. Finally, some trains set off the level crossing when they stop, which is always a pain.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Ipswich has a vibrant downtown with lots of small businesses in historical buildings, as well as summer events and a riverwalk!
Final Verdict: 6/10
Considering its tourist-heavy ridership during the summer months, this is definitely a barebones affair. However, it’s not that bad when you get down to it: the benches are close to the mini-high, and the platform has plenty of shelter. Also…free parking!!
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Rowley
Why does the first outbound Newburyport train not make Rowley? Geez, what’s a guy gotta do to review the place? Go up to Newburyport and make a mad dash across the platform for the one-minute connection to an inbound train to take one stop going inbound? Yes.
 |
| All that effort for this? |
Okay, it’s a typical modern Commuter Rail station. It’s a high-level platform with plenty of benches and wastebaskets, while on the other side you’ve got a sizeable parking lot with 282 spaces. Other than that, there’s some nice historical information on some of the platform signs, and I found a funny (unintentionally) newspaper that gave me some interesting reading material as I waited for the train to get me out of here.
 |
| Nooooo, take me with you! |
Station: Rowley
Ridership: Okay, wow, Rowley has reallyyyyyy low ridership. I mean, it is one of the least-used full-service Commuter Rail stations on the entire system. 140 inbound riders per day. That’s it. WOW.
Pros: High-level platform, fine amenities, big parking lot…all your normal bits.
Cons: Why the heck is the ridership so low?? Is it because the station’s in the complete middle of nowhere? Granted, the tracks don’t run anywhere near civilization within the town of Rowley, so I guess this location is as good as any. Hey, why isn’t Rowley a flag stop on weekends? Also, of all stations to have this problem, the level crossing here goes down when a train is stopped…
Nearby and Noteworthy: Uhh…a few houses, I guess. A BBQ joint down the road. Have fun!
Final Verdict: 6/10
I mean, it’s fine. The only big problem with Rowley is the fact that all trains are forced to stop here on weekends. Come on, if weekday ridership is so low (and the station is a flag on weekdays), why does the T expect people to use it on weekends? They flag North Beverly, but not this?
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
South Weymouth, Abington, Whitman, and Kingston
Look, it’s four Old Colony stations. No one’s gonna mind if I just bunch them all together in one review, right…?
 |
| Our first stop. |
South Weymouth is as basic an Old Colony station as you can get. It’s just one track with a long high-level platform stretching way out into the woods. There’s a typical shelter that practically everyone waits at, and it has benches and wastebaskets underneath it. It has a good amount of bike parking, as well as a huge 700-space parking lot.
 |
| A Boston-bound train. |
Station: South Weymouth
Ridership: The station gets 532 inbound riders per weekday.
Nearby and Noteworthy: It’s a mostly industrial area around the station. Uhh…CVS?
Final Verdict: 7/10
It’s the classic Old Colony Station. Not much else to say.
 |
| This looks familiar already. |
Alright, Abington’s way different. Wanna know why? Because the platform is above the parking lot! And passengers have to take stairs or a ramp to get up to it! Okay, yeah, it’s the same thing. I will say that I like the path from the level crossing with Centre Ave to the station, but that level crossing also goes down when trains are stopped at the station, so…win-lose situation? As usual, plenty of bike parking and a big car lot with just over 400 spaces.
 |
| Not much growth happening in that green spot, huh? |
Station: Abington
Ridership: This is the second-busiest stop on the Kingston/Plymouth Line, with 625 people per weekday.
Nearby and Noteworthy: While the old Abington Station is in a town center-like area (and was probably the cause of its growth), this new one the T built has…basically nothing around it aside from a convenience store.
Final Verdict: 7/10
It’s another classic Old Colony. Sure, there’s the level crossing issue and the fact that the station was purposely built away from a downtown for more parking, but it’s not enough to take points away.
 |
| Okay, this is something different! |
At first glance, Whitman seems like a normal station – it’s single track with that classic high-level platform stretching way out into the hinterlands. The only thing that seems unique about it is the fact that its 208 parking spaces are split between two lots, one on each side of the station. However, Whitman has something special up its sleeve: an old roundhouse converted into a park! At least, I think it’s a park…I couldn’t tell if I was supposed to be in there or not, and it definitely didn’t go out of its way to be safe, but hey, it was awesome!
 |
| The MassDOT train coming in. |
Station: Whitman
Ridership: This one gets 563 inbound riders per weekday, making it the third-busiest stop on the line.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Heyyy, there are actually a few restaurants around here! And a convenience store! And a computer repair shop! We’re getting somewhere!!
Final Verdict: 8/10
Sure, I’ll throw in an extra point for the park. That’s a nice unique touch that puts Whitman a step above other Old Colony stations.
 |
| Andddddd it’s boring again. |
Finally, we’ve got Kingston. It’s really just another Old Colony station, except its single track high-level platform has two shelters! Fancy. It also has a gigantic parking lot with 1,039 spaces, and its proximity to Route 3 makes it a good park-and-ride for commuters from further down the South Shore. Other points of interest include a few wind turbines, a sign advertising a café that doesn’t seem to exist anymore, and a map that shows trains to Foxboro going the wrong way.
 |
| I think these old NABI buses are gone now, but they were cool when they were here! |
Station: Kingston
Ridership: As the busiest station on the line, this stop gets 683 riders per weekday. The lot is clearly far bigger than it needs to be right now!
Nearby and Noteworthy: Absolutely nothing interesting, from what I can see. The Kingston Collection mall is a 20 minute walk away.
Final Verdict: 7/10
Yup, it’s another classic Old Colony. Alright, glad I got these stations out of the way!
BAT: Rockland Flex (Flexible Route, Rockland to Brockton)
No, of course I didn’t forget about the BAT’s Rockland Flex service! It’s a little minibus route that goes from Rockland to…I guess technically Brockton, but it’s not the BAT Centre. Instead, the bus starts at Signature Healthcare… (also, for the record, I know I still have to do the BSU service, too)
 |
| A BAT minibus…I never thought I’d see the day… |
This was a pretty interesting minibus. For one thing, it put its jiggly wheelchair lift in the front of the vehicle, which actually makes a lot more sense for the driver and for convenience of boarding. It also meant that they could clear a big space in the front of the vehicle for wheelchairs, meaning that the farebox (complete with CharlieCard support) didn’t eliminate a seat pair!
 |
| Inside the bus. |
We headed out from Signature Healthcare and followed the 5 down Centre Street. There were some suburban businesses at first, but it soon became houses mixed with industrial buildings. They continued as we entered Abington and the street became Brockton Ave, then we deviated into Walmart, where someone – a loyal rider, given her familiarity with the driver – got on.
 |
| The Walmart parking lot. |
Whereas the 5 ends here at Walmart, we sped off into the great unknown of Abington. Seeing me taking pictures, the passenger and the driver started to tell me about the route and how it works – the bus will pick a passenger up at any point in Rockland, but only in Rockland, and in other towns it will only stop at timepoint stops. Also, in Rockland, passengers can call in before 4 PM the previous day to deviate the bus to where they want to be picked up. If the website is to be believed, there’s apparently no distance limit!
 |
| Splitting off from another road. |
There was a section of woods, then it was just a mixture of everything: there were houses, businesses, and industrial buildings. We turned onto Washington Street in what appeared to be an Abington Center-type place: there were dense houses, and a few of them contained businesses. Just after leaving the “center,” we turned onto Centre Ave, at first passing mostly houses and a lake.
 |
| A side street. |
There were a few businesses around Abington Station, and we crossed the Commuter Rail track at street level. I asked the driver if the station was a big ridership generator; he said he gets a few commuters who use it every day, but he’s not allowed to drop them off at Abington. Huh? Well, the answer became clear after we drove for a little while longer and pulled into a Stop & Shop. Since this is a timepoint stop and Abington isn’t, the driver is forced to drop people off here and make them walk to the station!
 |
| The back of the Stop & Shop. |
It turned out that this was a double deviation – we also had to serve a Target within the same complex. But with that out of the way, we came back onto Centre Ave, and after a few more small shopping plazas, it got mostly residential and we entered Rockland. Merging with Market Street, we curved around past lots of suburban businesses with parking lots before sailing past some houses to get to an Ocean State Job Lot deviation.
 |
| A residential area along the way. |
We headed back down Market Street, then we turned onto Concord Street, entering a residential neighborhood. “Hey, free pool table!” the driver exclaimed as we went by some furniture someone had left outside their house. Next, we turned onto John A. Dunn Memorial Drive, which led us past a housing development called Studley Court. We then made our way into – ahem – “Rockland Plaza,” one of the most barebones shopping plazas I’ve ever had the misfortune of having to deviate to. It consisted of a liquor shop, a laundromat, and a huge church in a generic shopping plaza building.
 |
| Geez… |
We headed up Union Street from there, which was lined with pretty dense houses. Eventually those houses turned into businesses, and we were in Rockland Center. There wasn’t much on offer, but it was better than nothing. Finally, we looped around at the Rockland Community Center, and that was the end of the route.
 |
| Taking a layover. |
On the way back, I asked the driver if he could let me off at Abington Station, but of course, I had to get off at Stop & Shop instead. As I began the trek down Centre Ave, I heard a flurry of horn toots. The bus sailed past and the driver stuck his head out the window yelling, “THERE HE IS! THERE HE IS!” Wow, what an awesome guy!
 |
| Bye! |
BAT Route: Rockland Flex (Flexible Route, Rockland to Brockton)
Ridership: I can’t find any exact numbers, but signs point to very low. My round trip had just three other people, although I will say that they all knew the driver and seemed to be loyal riders – the route has, for lack of a better term, a cult following.
Pros: This is the only bus route that serves Rockland, so I guess that’s something. Also, I hope I’ve made it clear that the driver on this route was fantastic. He was funny, talkative, and accommodating, and he made this ride great.
Cons: Aw geez…the route just isn’t very good, is it? It serves as a little Rockland circulator, but it only connects up the center of town without serving any residential areas. And sure, I guess it can be “flexed” for that purpose, but it’s a real pain to have to do it the day before. Even though the schedule doesn’t cater to commuters at all, it seems like people do use it for that purpose, but it’s like the route is working against them! There’s no stop at Abington, and service begins too late and ends too early. Oh, and the schedule: it’s every hour and fifteen minutes, weekdays only. What’s the problem with that? It doesn’t time with the 5! Okay, that’s an overstatement – most of the trips do time. Still, I think it would be best if the schedule made it more clear which ones you can use to transfer, and in which direction.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Apparently Rockland is a rather boring town. Sorry, Rockland!
Final Verdict: 3/10
Ehhhhh…if I didn’t have such a great experience riding the route, it might’ve even been a 2. This route just doesn’t seem very useful, serving mostly retail and few residential areas. Flexing is annoying to use, so I can’t see many people doing it, and the route seems to get commuter traffic but it makes their trip as hard as possible. It could probably just be replaced with a public dial-a-ride service within the town of Rockland.
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
BAT: Brockton Route 5 (Brockton Hospital via Centre Street)
Alright, our final BAT route! It’s another typical one, just running out to the eastern sections of the city and a little bit into Abington. Let’s take a look at the 5.
 |
| Getting on at the BAT Centre one last time. |
We went down Commercial Street, lined with weird buildings and parking lots, then we turned onto Crescent Street. After passing a bunch of different types of scenery, we turned onto Lyman Street, which was residential aside from a cemetery and a church. Next, we turned onto Centre Street, passing houses, businesses and a school.
 |
| A mixed-use intersection. |
Eventually, it was time for a double deviation: first, we went into Signature Healthcare, a big hospital. Right after that, we had a jog via Libby Street and Quincy Street to serve the Brockton Multi Services Center. Back on Centre Street, it was residential aside from a few weird industrial buildings, then the road became Brockton Ave as we entered Abington. Finally, we pulled into the Abington Walmart and the final BAT route was completed.
 |
| Getting ready to go back. |
BAT Route: Brockton Route 5 (Brockton Hospital via Centre Street)
Ridership: The route got about 500 passengers per weekday in 2014 while netting around 235 and 160 people per Saturday and Sunday, respectively. I will say that my ride had about 15 people going one-way, which is much higher than the 2014 numbers would suggest, so perhaps ridership has gone up.
Pros: The route connects up the important destinations of Signature Healthcare and Walmart to the Bat Centre, while running with the typical pulse schedule. Not much else to say!
Cons: Not much, aside from the route map appearing to show a deviation that we didn’t do – it looks like it serves some shopping plaza.
Nearby and Noteworthy: Walmart, I guess. There isn’t much along this one.
Final Verdict: 7/10
It’s just a typical BAT route, and that’s about it. Alright, well, that’s it for the BAT! Right? It’s not like they have a weird minibus flex shuttle that I have to review, right? Nope…
Latest MBTA News: Service Updates
Kudos to the T for sticking it out through the horrible storm today. Check that service updates link for more information on how it’s doing, as tomorrow won’t be much better.