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Green Line D branch

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Green Line D branch
Company typeLight rail corridor
IndustryPublic transportation
PredecessorBoston and Albany Railroad Highland branch
Founded1959-07-04
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
,
United States
Area served
Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Newton, Somerville, Massachusetts
ProductsLight rail transit service
OwnerMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Websitewww.mbta.com/schedules/green-line

The Green Line D branch, frequently referred to as the Highland branch or Riverside Line, is a light rail corridor that serves the communities of Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Newton, and Somerville, Massachusetts. Managed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), it forms an integral part of the Green Line. This route operates predominantly on a grade-separated surface right-of-way stretching from Riverside station to Fenway station. Beyond Fenway, it joins the tunnel used by the C branch west of , continuing through the Boylston Street subway and Tremont Street subway before reaching . Among all Green Line branches, it stands as the longest and experiences the highest passenger volume.

As of June 2024, trains run every 6 to 8 minutes during weekday rush periods and at intervals ranging from 7 to 13 minutes during off-peak times,[1] with a fleet comprising between 13 and 19 trains (equivalent to 26 to 38 light rail vehicles).[2]

Unlike other Green Line branches that originated from streetcar routes, the D branch traces its roots to the former Boston and Albany Railroad Highland branch. Constructed over several decades between 1848 and 1886, it functioned as a commuter rail line until its closure in 1958. Subsequently, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority transformed it into a rapid transit streetcar line, reopening service on July 4, 1959. Ownership transitioned to the MBTA in 1964; the Tremont Street subway was officially designated as the Green Line in 1965, with this route being labeled as the D branch two years later in 1967.

Significant reconstruction projects took place during the mid-1970s, again in 2007, and from 2018 through 2020. The downtown terminus shifted multiple times among , Government Center, North Station, and , before extending to in September 2022 as part of the Green Line Extension initiative. Between 2001 and 2024, all thirteen surface stations underwent renovations to achieve full accessibility compliance.

Commuter rail

The surface portion currently served by the D branch was originally part of the Highland branch operated by the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A). The stretch running from Brookline Junction to was initially constructed in 1848 by the B&A’s predecessor, the Boston and Worcester Railroad.[3] In 1852, the Charles River Branch Railroad extended this line to reach Newton Upper Falls, eventually continuing all the way to Woonsocket, Rhode Island.[3] In 1883, B&A acquired ownership of the segment between Brookline Village and Cook Street (located in Newton Highlands) from the New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE). A brief extension connecting to on the B&A mainline was completed in 1886. The B&A operated a bidirectional “Newton Circuit” loop service utilizing both the Highland branch and mainline tracks, while NY&NE maintained operations east of Cook Street on this branch.[3] In 1906, NY&NE’s successor—the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad—redirected most of its trains via a newly constructed cutoff between and .[3] Between 1905 and 1907, grade crossings along this route were systematically eliminated.[4] Passenger services south of Cook Street were discontinued in 1927; however, a segment remains active today as part of the Needham Line.[3] The entire line ceased passenger operations on May 31, 1958.[5]

Transition to Light Rail

The idea of transforming the Highland branch into a rapid transit line dates back to 1913, with intentions to link trains to downtown via the then-newly constructed Boylston Street subway. In 1924, state authorities initiated planning for an expanded Boston rapid transit network, which included converting much of the Highland branch into a rapid transit route connected to a Huntington Avenue subway at Brookline Village.

By 1943, a commission headed by Arthur W. Coolidge proposed nine suburban rapid transit expansions utilizing existing railroad corridors. The Highland branch was designated for conversion using low-floor vehicles compatible with the streetcar subway system, with plans for a spur extending to . Projected costs in 1941 dollars were approximately $1.544 million for the Riverside segment and an additional $424,000 for the Needham spur.

On June 20, 1957, legislation empowered the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to purchase and convert the Highland branch for an amount not exceeding $9.2 million. The MTA Advisory Board approved the initiative on October 1, followed by state regulatory clearance by December. Early in 1958, the Interstate Commerce Commission granted abandonment approval. The Boston & Albany Railroad operated its final passenger service on May 31, 1958. Subsequently, Perini Corporation secured a $7.0 million contract for main construction on June 9, and the MTA acquired the line on June 24 for $600,000.

Construction commenced on July 10, 1958. The project capitalized on existing railroad infrastructure—such as bridges and tracks—requiring only a new tunnel to connect Fenway station with the Beacon Street Line subway. Utilizing streetcar vehicles reduced expenses compared to third-rail rapid transit, which would have necessitated extensive subway modifications. Of twelve stations, ten were retained; Riverside and Woodland stations were relocated, and a new Fenway Park station was introduced at Park Drive. Stations mostly featured modest shelters or platforms; Riverside included a larger brick waiting area. Most former station buildings were removed to create parking facilities totaling nearly 2,600 spaces at major stations.

At Riverside, a storage yard was developed with a link to Reservoir's existing carhouse; an overhead loop at Reservoir supported short-turn operations. Electrification employed 600 V DC overhead wires powered by a new substation at Cook Street, while existing substations serviced inner segments. Three-aspect color light signaling allowed four-minute train intervals west of Reservoir and two-minute intervals eastward. Testing of trains began on June 11, 1959.

Streetcar operations officially started on July 4, 1959, running one- to three-car PCC trains. By the end of that year, daily ridership increased dramatically from approximately 3,140 before conversion to around 26,000 passengers. Initially, some trains terminated at Reservoir due to demand patterns; however, growing ridership further out soon required all trains to run through to Riverside. Expansion of the Riverside yard continued through early 1961 to accommodate increased service levels, alongside signal improvements that enabled two-minute headways across the system. Initial flat fares of 20 cents were adjusted in 1961: trips west of Reservoir cost 40 cents while rides through Longwood were priced at 30 cents. Service originally ended at , extending (except Sundays) to on November 20, 1961.

The MBTA takeover

In August 1964, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) assumed control from the MTA. The streetcar lines entering the Central Subway were officially named the Green Line on August 26, 1965. By September 10, 1966, Sunday service was extended to Lechmere. In 1967, letter designations were assigned to the five remaining Green Line branches, with the Riverside Line becoming known as the D branch.

During the mid-1970s, tracks were reconstructed to accommodate new Boeing light rail vehicles. From September through December 1973, buses replaced streetcars between Newton Highlands and Riverside, utilizing a temporary loop at Cook Junction for single-ended PCC streetcars. Between June and September 1974, buses operated between Kenmore and Reservoir while the inner line underwent reconstruction; a temporary loop near Reservoir allowed D branch trains to run on the C branch between Reservoir and Kenmore. Station platforms were also rebuilt during these service interruptions. A new maintenance facility at Riverside was inaugurated on July 12, 1976, to support the light rail vehicle fleet.

The MBTA introduced its first LRVs on the D branch starting December 30, 1976. Throughout 1976 and 1977, downtown terminal locations shifted several times; LRVs utilized stub-end tracks whereas PCC streetcars required loops. Beginning December 15, 1977, all LRV trains on the D branch operated from the renovated Canal Street surface terminal at North Station; meanwhile, PCC streetcars continued looping at Government Center until their regular use ceased on March 23, 1978. Terminal configurations evolved into the early 1980s, with rush hour D branch trains terminating at Government Center from June 20, 1987.

The Riverside station sits approximately southeast of the former mainline commuter rail station, which ceased service in 1977. By the 1960s, tracks connecting these stations were largely unused but were employed in the 1970s for delivering LRVs. On October 20, 1996, flooding caused by the Muddy River interrupted Green Line operations; during this period until October 27, D branch trains ran only between Riverside and Brookline Village. Special commuter rail shuttle services operated between South Station and a temporary platform near Riverside from October 23 to 25.

Weekend service on the D branch was extended to Lechmere on March 28, 1997; weekday service followed on June 21 of that year. On June 19, 2004, service was truncated back to Government Center due to demolition of the Causeway Street elevated and the opening of the new underground North Station. Although Green Line service to Lechmere resumed on November 12, 2005, D branch trains continued terminating at Government Center.

21st century

In 2007, track renovations were undertaken to accommodate new Type 8 LRVs that initially faced challenges operating reliably at their intended speeds of . Due to necessary track improvements, the D branch was the final line to receive these vehicles. From June 23 to August 3, 2007, shuttle buses replaced train service between Riverside and Reservoir; from August 4 to August 31, buses covered service between Reservoir and Fenway. On May 28, 2008, a collision occurred near Woodland and Waban stations involving two trains; this accident resulted in the death of the rear train operator. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that operator micro-sleep caused by sleep apnea was a contributing factor.

Starting October 25, 2010, three-car trains began operating on the D branch during peak periods; this practice expanded on March 21, 2011. However, it was discontinued on March 21, 2016 in favor of two-car trains that provided more consistent headways. Between March 22, 2014 and March 22, 2016, Government Center station was closed for reconstruction; during this time frame, D branch trains terminated at Park Street or North Station before resuming normal operations upon reopening.

Between 2018 and 2021, major infrastructure enhancements included installation of a modern signaling system from Beaconsfield to Riverside as well as partial track replacements. Service interruptions involved shuttle buses substituting for trains during evenings and weekends in late 2018 and across multiple weekends and weeknights throughout 2019 and 2020. The Fenway Portal flood protection project reached completion in November 2020. Track and signal work wrapped up in December 2021. In late 2022, three separate nine-day full closures of the D branch allowed for installation of a train protection system along with track replacement between Eliot and Riverside.

Accessibility

During the late 1990s, Riverside station underwent reconstruction to include raised platforms, facilitating accessible boarding for Type 8 light rail vehicles. Temporary portable lifts were installed at Reservoir and Brookline Village stations, while Brookline Hills received a permanent upgrade by 2003. Around the same time, Newton Centre, Reservoir, and Fenway stations were modified with raised platforms to improve accessibility. Woodland station was reconstructed in 2006 to meet accessibility standards, followed by upgrades at Longwood and Brookline Village in 2009. From September 2019 until January 2022, Brookline Hills was rebuilt as part of an expansion project for Brookline High School.

Newton Highlands saw temporary accessibility enhancements between 2019 and 2020, with the complete reconstruction design finalized in 2023. By late 2022, design work was completed for the remaining four stops lacking accessibility—Beaconsfield, Chestnut Hill, Eliot, and Waban. These stations achieved a "generally accessible" status upon completion of work in October 2024. Comprehensive reconstructions to accommodate the new Type 10 vehicles are scheduled to begin in 2026 for these four locations, with Newton Highlands planned for reconstruction in 2027.

Green Line Extension

Initial proposals for the Green Line Extension involved extending the D branch through a renovated Lechmere station to reach Medford/Tufts station, including several intermediate stops. However, in April 2021, the MBTA updated these plans by extending the D branch only as far as , while assigning the E branch to serve Medford/Tufts. The selection of D and E branches reflected their service to the Longwood Medical Area, with the D branch allocated to the shorter Union Square Branch due to its longer western segment.

On October 24, 2021, the D branch was temporarily extended to North Station ahead of the official opening of the extension. The Union Square Branch began operations on March 21, 2022, initially served by the E branch. Between August 6 and August 20, 2022, during track maintenance on the western section of the E branch, Union Square was served by C branch trains and short-turn D branch trains from Reservoir. From August 22 to September 18, 2022, service was truncated to Government Center to finalize integration work on the Medford Branch and related infrastructure. After reopening, most D branch trains and some E branch trains operated to Union Square; starting November 1, 2022, E branch trains commenced non-revenue testing to Medford/Tufts, leaving Union Square served exclusively by the D branch.

The Union Square Branch was closed from September 18 to October 12, 2023, for repairs on Squires Bridge spanning the tracks. This closure was initially scheduled for July 18 to August 28 but was postponed and shortened following public feedback.

Station listing

Location Station Opened Notes and connections
Somerville Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 March 21, 2022 Template:Ric: Template:MBTA bus links
East Cambridge Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric: Template:MBTA bus links
Template:Bus icon Template:MBTA other buses
Original surface station operated July 10, 1922 – May 23, 2020.
West End Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 August 20, 1955
North End Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 June 28, 2004 Template:Ric: Template:Ric
Template:Rint MBTA Commuter Rail: Fitchburg, Lowell, Haverhill, Newburyport/Rockport
Template:Ric: Template:MBTA bus links
Template:Rint Amtrak: Downeaster
Template:Bus icon Template:MBTA other buses
Original surface station operated September 3, 1898 – March 27, 1997; elevated station June 1, 1912 – June 24, 2004.
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 September 3, 1898 Template:Ric: Template:Ric
Template:Ric: Template:MBTA bus links
Downtown Boston Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric: Template:Ric
Template:Ric: Template:MBTA bus links
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 September 1, 1897 \u00a0Template:Ric: Red, Silver (SL5)
Template:Ric MBTA Bus: Template:MBTA bus links Park Street
At Downtown Crossing: Orange subway; MBTA buses
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Subway Silver SL5 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Boylston
Back Bay Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 November 13, 1921 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Arlington
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 October 3, 1914 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Copley Square
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Hynes Convention Center
Fenway–Kenmore Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 October 23, 1932 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Kenmore
At Lansdowne: Framingham/Worcester Line
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 July 4, 1959 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Fenway
Brookline Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Brookline Village
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Brookline Hills
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Reservoir
At Cleveland Circle: Green Line C branch
Newton Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Newton Centre
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 Template:Ric MBTA Bus Newton Highlands
128 Business Council buses available
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
Disabled access
  1. REDIRECT Template:Boston transportation system
 \u00a0MWRTA buses serve Woodland station
\u00a0Disabled access Template:Bts Riverside \u00a0MBTA Bus Riverside
MWRTA buses also connect here


External links

  1. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named sne
  4. ↑ Whitney, Walter C. "Grade Crossing Abolition at Newton Highlands and Newton Centre, Mass." The Engineering Record, November 30, 1907.
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named dana
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