Cohasset station
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | October 31, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Cohasset, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | Greenbush Line |
| Products | Commuter rail services |
Cohasset station operates as an MBTA Commuter Rail stop situated in Cohasset, Massachusetts, serving passengers on the Greenbush Line. Positioned just off Chief Justice Cushing Highway (Route 3A), to the west of downtown Cohasset, this station commenced operations on October 31, 2007, marking the return of rail service to the region after a hiatus since 1959. The facility is designed to be fully accessible.
History
The arrival of the South Shore Railroad in Cohasset dates back to January 1, 1849. By 1878, control of the line had transferred to the Old Colony Railroad. Within Cohasset, four stations were managed by the Old Colony and subsequently by the New Haven Railroad: North Cohasset (Nantasket), King Street (Black Rock), Cohasset at Pleasant Street, and Beechwood. However, none occupied the current station’s location. The present site was historically significant as the junction point with the Whitney Spur, which provided service to the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex between 1941 and 1962. A new station building was erected in Cohasset during 1884–85. Passenger operations on the Old Colony Division ceased on July 30, 1959. By 1962, the original station structure had been moved and repurposed into a paint shop.
Following the closure of the Annex in 1962, its grounds were purchased by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and converted into Wompatuck State Park starting in 1969. In a land exchange agreement in 2003, DCR transferred property designated for the station and parking facilities to the MBTA, which in turn developed a rail trail along the former rail spur. The reopening of the Greenbush Line in 2007 included this station as a park-and-ride location featuring ample parking but initially limited pedestrian pathways. Concurrently, the Whitney Spur Rail Trail was established to connect the station directly with Wompatuck State Park.
At first, access from the trail to the park’s northwest area was restricted by a gate due to unsafe abandoned buildings. Demolition work commenced in April 2014, and by November of that year, this section was opened with the gate removed. As a result, twenty parking spaces at Cohasset station were allocated specifically for park visitors, improving integration between public transit options and recreational facilities.