Auburndale station (MBTA)
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1850s |
| Headquarters | Auburndale, Newton, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Commuter rail service |
| Website | www |
Auburndale station functions as a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Framingham/Worcester Line located in Auburndale, Massachusetts. It sits adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike and is in close proximity to Lasell College. The existing platform, built around 1961, replaced a notable depot designed by H. H. Richardson in 1881. Plans are underway for a full accessibility upgrade.
Inception
The segment of the line between West Newton and Wellesley Hills was inaugurated by the Boston and Worcester Railroad in July 1834.[1] A second rail track was introduced in 1839, and by 1843, fares averaging $60 were established, creating one of the earliest examples of a commuter rail system.[1] Due to growing usage at Newton area stations, a stop at Auburn Dale (later known as Auburndale) was established by the late 1840s.[2][3][4] A new station structure was constructed during 1850–51 at a cost of $1,219.[5] This facility was situated south of the tracks near the junction of Auburn Street and Lexington Street.[6] In 1867, the Boston & Worcester Railroad merged with the Western Railroad to form the Boston & Albany Railroad.[1]
H.H. Richardson design
Beginning in 1881, the Boston & Albany Railroad initiated an extensive improvement program that resulted in over 30 new stations along its primary route and on the Highland branch, which was acquired in 1883. The distinguished architect H. H. Richardson was commissioned to design nine of these stations, starting with Auburndale. Although less elaborate than his stations at Framingham and Palmer, Auburndale received high acclaim; architectural historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock regarded it as "the finest he ever created," while a 1904 publication praised Richardson's depots at Auburndale and Chestnut Hill for establishing "a new benchmark for way-station construction."
The 1881 depot showcased Richardson's hallmark Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style infused with Japanese design elements. Constructed from red and light gray granite, this single-story building featured robust masonry and a prominent roofline. Inside, it housed separate waiting areas for men and women flanking a central ticket counter. A canopy extended over the platform and included a porte-cochère. Built by Norcross Brothers at an expense of $16,290, its landscaping was crafted by Frederick Law Olmsted, who incorporated mature trees, shrubs, and Japanese ivy. A faithful reproduction of this station was erected in 1911 by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway in Orchard Park, New York.
Demolition and later developments
Despite its architectural importance, Richardson’s depot was torn down in 1961 after serving for eight decades. The expansion of the Massachusetts Turnpike from Route 128 into downtown Boston necessitated removing two of the four tracks between Auburndale and downtown Boston. This led to demolition of stations at Auburndale, , , , and Brighton; only the Allston station remained intact. Although Auburndale, West Newton, and Newtonville stations continued operations, their facilities were reduced to basic asphalt platforms accompanied by simple metal shelters. Presently, a single side platform accommodates one track while short asphalt strips serve another track. The platform built in 1961 stretches from Woodland Street to Auburn Street just west of where the original stations once stood.
On January 30, 1981, service at West Newton and Auburndale was reduced to one daily round trip due to budget constraints; however, full service was reinstated on March 16, 1981.
Planned renovations
The current low-level platform and steep stairways at Auburndale station do not meet ADA accessibility requirements. The redevelopment plan includes constructing a high-level platform complemented by elevators or ramps to connect to street level. In 2004, a federal earmark provided $368,000 for preliminary planning, but progress on the project halted thereafter.
Beginning in 2008, Representative Barney Frank secured $3 million dedicated to station design efforts. By July 2013, design plans were 30% complete, estimating construction expenses at $11.5 million. The full design reached completion in January 2017, with construction initially scheduled to start in April of the same year.
The finalized design proposed a full-length high-level platform on the station’s north side, incorporating ramps to facilitate access to the village center. However, situating the platform opposite other Newton stations necessitated installing a new interlocking east of Auburndale. This arrangement drew criticism from transit advocates who warned it could cause operational delays by requiring trains to switch tracks at the station, potentially limiting line capacity. Notably, the MBTA did not perform traffic simulations to evaluate these effects.
Due to these operational concerns, the original proposal was shelved. In 2019, an updated plan introduced uniform north-side platforms across all three Newton stations to reduce potential disruptions. By November 2020, design work had reached 30% completion with intentions to finalize it by spring 2022. Subsequent revisions incorporated two platforms to further mitigate service interruptions; this iteration achieved 30% design status in early 2022 and aimed for full design completion by February 2024.
Geotechnical drilling took place between October and December 2022. Nevertheless, design development was paused at 75% completion in September 2023 as projected costs rose sharply to $255 million.
The MBTA’s application for federal funding submitted in January 2024 was denied. As a result, in April 2024, the agency announced it would prioritize improvements at Newtonville station before resuming work on Auburndale and West Newton stations.
External links
- Former New York Central Railroad stations
- MBTA Commuter Rail stations in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Buildings and structures in Newton, Massachusetts
- Henry Hobson Richardson buildings
- Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Massachusetts
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1881
- Railway stations in the United States opened in the 1850s