Fall River station

Fall River station

Company type	MBTA Commuter Rail station
Industry	Transportation
Founded	March 24, 2025 (2025-03-24)
Headquarters	Fall River, Massachusetts , United States
Products	Commuter rail service

Fall River station (marked as Fall River Depot) operates as an MBTA Commuter Rail stop located in the northern sector of Fall River, Massachusetts. It commenced service on March 24, 2025, as a component of the initial stage of the South Coast Rail initiative and functions as the southern endpoint of the Fall River Branch on the Fall River/New Bedford Line. The station is equipped with a single side platform positioned on the western side of the Fall River Secondary rail line and offers a park and ride facility.

The arrival of the Fall River Railroad in 1845 marked the beginning of rail service to the city. In 1867, Bowenville station was inaugurated under the Old Colony Railroad banner and later became the eastern terminus for the Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad in 1875. A replacement station designed by Bradford Gilbert opened its doors in 1891 and remained operational until passenger trains ceased in 1958. Following extensive planning spanning over ten years, construction of the current station started in 2020.

Station design

Situated roughly north of downtown near where Route 79 intersects with President Avenue (U.S. Route 6), Fall River station features a -long elevated side platform adjacent to the west side of the single main track on the Fall River Secondary. To the east of this track lies a freight passing siding. The station complex includes a parking area accommodating 220 vehicles with an additional kiss-and-ride zone accessible via Davol Street. Pedestrian access is provided through a ramp and stairs leading to Pearce Street on the northern side. A canopy shelters part of the platform near the entrance to the parking lot.

Initial stations

The Fall River Railroad began operations between Myricks and Fall River on June 9, 1845, subsequently connecting to the Old Colony Railroad at South Braintree by December 1846. The original Fall River depot was a two-story structure situated at the southern portal of a tunnel beneath Central Street. Prior to tunnel completion in September 1845, a temporary station located north of this site was utilized. Starting October 1847, the Fall River and Old Colony railroads launched the Boston–Fall River Boat Train, linking passengers with steamship services at Fall River Wharf, which led to closing the Central Street facility. The two companies merged into the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad in 1854, and by 1858, the initial station was repurposed for coal storage.

In 1862, work commenced on extending rail service southward toward Newport, Rhode Island, necessitating demolition of the first depot. This new line opened in November 1863 alongside a rebranding to the Old Colony and Newport Railway. Disputes regarding station locations resulted in two facilities: one at Ferry Street in Fall River’s South End (opened mid-1864) and another planned near Turner Street in the North End that was never activated.

The opening of the Dighton and Somerset Railroad occurred in 1866, connecting with Fall River’s mainline at Somerset Junction just north of town. On August 12, 1867, trains started servicing Bowenville station in northern Fall River, housed within a wooden structure named after the adjacent Bowen family estate. When renamed in 1872, Bowenville became part of Old Colony Railroad operations. A new Bowenville depot was constructed early in 1874 and expanded four years later; it was positioned east of the tracks between Turner Street and Old Colony Street.

On December 6, 1875, a branch line from the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad—the Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad—opened across Slade's Ferry Bridge connecting to Fall River’s mainline north of Bowenville. By 1882, this segment between Somerset Junction and Central Street tunnel had been double-tracked; during this period, Maple Street station—no longer in use—was dismantled.

1891 station

In July 1880, the Globe Street Railway introduced its initial horsecar route along North Main Street, linking Bowenville with downtown Fall River, with a brief extension to Bowenville station added that November. This connection quickly elevated Bowenville to become the principal railroad station in Fall River, coinciding with the city's expansion toward the north. Around 1883, the Old Colony Railroad intended to construct a new station on Pearce Street but encountered conflicts with municipal authorities regarding the establishment of a grade crossing at that location. Although Pearce Street had been legally established in 1873, the railroad obstructed passage across its tracks.

By May 1886, city aldermen directed the railroad to dismantle fences and permit access at the crossing; however, Old Colony pursued legal injunctions to block this action. According to reports from state railroad commissioners, Bowenville station managed approximately two-thirds of the city's rail traffic but was deemed insufficient; they also cautioned that a nearby grade crossing could pose safety risks. The railroad further contemplated acquiring adjacent property owned by Fall River Iron Works to develop a centralized passenger terminal and freight yard.

In October 1888, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, with Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. presiding, decided in favor of the city’s right to establish the crossing. Despite Old Colony's proposal to erect a new station contingent on abandoning Pearce Street, the grade crossing was opened in December 1888. Subsequently, the railroad suggested constructing a bridge over the tracks at Pearce Street and ultimately proposed in April 1890 to build an underpass beneath President Avenue, develop a new station, and provide compensation for closing Pearce Street. The city agreed to these terms, leading to Pearce Street crossing’s closure in August 1890.

Plans for the new station, designed by Bradford Gilbert, were unveiled in September 1890. Responding to municipal preferences, granite was selected over brick as the primary building material. By this time, Bowenville station accommodated between 2,000 and 3,000 passengers daily. Construction commenced in December 1890. In August 1891, it was announced that the new facility would be designated Fall River as the city's main passenger terminal. The station officially opened on November 9, 1891; meanwhile, the former Bowenville structure was moved and sold. The total expenditure neared $100,000 (equivalent to roughly $3 million today).

Situated east of the railroad tracks between Baylies and Pearce Streets and positioned slightly north of its predecessor, Fall River station occupied an area measuring , featuring rounded corners. Constructed using Milford pink granite accented with brown sandstone from Longmeadow, its exterior woodwork consisted of yellow pine while its roof was covered with purple slate complemented by dark red terracotta trim. A central -square turret topped with a pyramidal roof crowned the building. Passenger trains used a single concrete side platform sheltered by a canopy extending from the roof. To connect with the station’s south end, the Globe Street Railway constructed a spur line from North Main Street.

The principal entrance included a porte-cochère leading into a loggia and ticket counter situated beneath the turret ceiling. Nearby were telegraph and agent offices featuring bay windows facing the tracks. Both men's and women's waiting rooms measured , with dark red oak flooring and wainscoting. The women's waiting area contained an inglenook fireplace flanked by alcoves providing privacy and connected to a retiring room and restroom. The men's waiting room offered an open fireplace along with an adjoining smoking room and bathroom. Restrooms were finished with marble floors and walls. The north section housed baggage and mail facilities; at the south end were locker rooms designated for trainmen and hackmen.

20th century

Between 1902 and 1905, the station was raised by eight feet as part of a project that removed eleven grade crossings within Fall River. From 1900 until 1934, the New Haven Railroad provided electrified passenger service connecting Providence and Fall River. Passenger routes to Providence and Taunton were discontinued in 1932, while service to Newport ended in 1938 following the 88 stations case, which resulted in Fall River becoming a terminal point. Operations were halted between 1949 and 1952 before ultimately ceasing on September 5, 1958.

South Coast Rail

In September 2008, MassDOT selected Fall River Depot near Davol Street as one of eighteen prospective stations for the South Coast Rail initiative. The design proposed in 2009 featured a single side platform measuring 730 feet, accompanied by a passing track for freight trains and a two-level parking structure on the west side. This layout was retained in the 2013 Final Environmental Impact Report, which also included plans for transit-oriented mixed-use development surrounding the station. On June 11, 2010, the state purchased the Fall River Subdivision along with other CSX rail lines to facilitate this project.

Due to budgetary constraints, the plan was modified in 2017 to provide initial service through Middleborough by 2024 and complete service via Stoughton by 2029. The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report released in January 2018 revised parking arrangements because of prior developments occupying the originally intended site for the parking deck; it proposed a west-side parking lot during Phase 1 with potential expansion eastward at a later stage.

In May 2020, the MBTA awarded a $159 million contract for work on the Fall River Secondary segment, which includes Fall River station, aiming for service commencement in November 2023. That year saw the demolition of two former industrial buildings to make room for station facilities and parking areas. By February 2022, construction had reached approximately 32% completion, with foundational work on platforms and retaining walls underway; progress advanced to about 90% by October 2022, including installation of platforms and canopies. Substantial completion was declared in December 2022.

The station's opening was postponed to mid-2024 as of September 2023 and further delayed until May 2025 by June 2024; nonetheless, Fall River station itself was finished by that time. Regular service officially began on March 24, 2025.

External links

• MBTA – Fall River Depot