Dean Street station (Massachusetts)

Dean Street station

Company type	Former railroad station
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1876
Fate	Closed to passenger service circa 1897
Headquarters	Taunton, Massachusetts , United States

Dean Street station is a historic former railroad depot situated near Dean Street (US Route 44) in Taunton, Massachusetts. Constructed in 1876, this Italianate-style brick edifice replaced an earlier station built in 1866. It accommodated passenger rail service until the late 19th century and was recognized in 1984 on the National Register of Historic Places under the name Old Colony Railroad Station.

As part of phase two of the South Coast Rail initiative, a new MBTA Commuter Rail stop called Taunton station—separate from the defunct Taunton Central station on Oak Street—is planned to be located close to the original Dean Street site.

History

The initial Taunton depot commenced operations in 1866 alongside the Dighton and Somerset Railroad, which was under the ownership of the Old Colony & Newport Railway. Prior to its opening, it was renamed Dean Street in 1865 to distinguish it from the existing Taunton Central station.

The 1876 structure remains the only surviving railroad station in Taunton. Architectural features include a hip roof adorned with modillioned eaves, a corbelled cornice, a pronounced central gable, and stone quoining at the corners. Additionally, a second roof at track level is upheld by substantial wooden brackets. This building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Following the inauguration of the Whittenton Branch in 1882, Old Colony began concentrating rail traffic at Taunton Central, relegating Dean Street to primarily through trains. By 1895, only the Boat Train continued to stop at Dean Street. Passenger service ceased around 1897, and the rail segment between Dean Street and Raynham was abandoned in 1932.

South Coast Rail

By 2009, plans for the South Coast Rail project proposed reestablishing MBTA Commuter Rail service connecting Boston with Fall River and New Bedford via the old Dighton and Somerset line. The 2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement examined routing options either through Dean Street or along the Whittenton Branch. Ultimately, the 2013 Final Environmental Impact Statement endorsed the route passing near Dean Street with a new Taunton station. Initial designs featured an 800-foot-long high-level platform positioned north of the historic building serving a single passenger track, with provisions for adding a freight passing track later to accommodate oversized freight trains.

Due to budgetary constraints in 2017, a modified plan was introduced proposing interim service through Middleborough by 2022 and full service via Stoughton by 2030. This adjustment drew criticism from local authorities, including officials from Taunton displeased with delays affecting their station's opening. The January 2018 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report reviewed multiple options for Taunton-area stations and ultimately selected a new East Taunton station near the previously suggested southern location because it offered reduced costs and shorter travel durations.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Taunton, Massachusetts
• List of Old Colony Railroad stations