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Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad

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Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad
Company typeRailroad
IndustryRail transport
Founded1845
Defunct1867
FateRenamed Lexington and Arlington Railroad
Headquarters
West Cambridge (now Arlington), Massachusetts
,
United States

The Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad was incorporated in 1845 and commenced operations the following year, serving the eastern region of Massachusetts. Passenger transportation continued under this line and its successors until 1977, while freight operations lasted until approximately 1980 or early 1981.

History

Constructed as a single-track route during 1845–46,[1][2] the railroad linked Lexington Center with the Fitchburg Railroad (currently the MBTA Fitchburg Line) in West Cambridge,[3] near what is now Alewife Station. Following West Cambridge's renaming to Arlington, Massachusetts in 1867, the railroad adopted the new name Lexington and Arlington Railroad.[4]

In 1870, the Boston and Lowell Railroad took ownership of the line and established a connection to their primary route at Somerville Junction, which would later constitute much of the Fitchburg Cutoff Path. This alignment passed through North Cambridge and West Somerville (Davis Square), with a station at Somerville Junction commemorated by an adjacent park.[5] To extend service from Lexington to Bedford, Massachusetts and onward to Concord, Massachusetts Center (Lowell Road), Boston and Lowell created the Middlesex Central Railroad subsidiary, which began operations in 1873.[4] The designation "Reformatory Branch" was assigned after a further extension from Concord Center to Concord Prison was opened in 1879.[4] This branch line continued approximately half a mile further to "Concord Junction," where it connected with other rail networks.

The independent Billerica and Bedford Railroad constructed a narrow-gauge connecting track in 1877 but declared bankruptcy by 1878.[6] In 1885, Middlesex Central acquired this right-of-way to develop a standard-gauge extension from Bedford; this segment between North Billerica and Boston became known as the Lexington Branch.[4] By 1888, Willow Street and Somerville Highlands stations were merged into a single facility at Highland Road.

The Boston and Maine Railroad purchased Boston and Lowell in 1887. Around 1885–86, double tracks were installed between Somerville Junction and Lexington but were removed by 1927,[7] reverting the branch to single-track status before its closure.[8] By 1900, grade crossings between Arlington Center and Arlington Heights had been eliminated along with station upgrades.[9]

At the dawn of the twentieth century, there were nineteen daily round-trip trains passing through Arlington.[2] In January 1926, B&M proposed significant reductions in service; however, after negotiations with local governments, five daily round trips were maintained, including one extending to Lowell.[10][11][12] Two trains were given the names Patriot and Paul Revere Express.[13]

During late 1926 to early 1927, B&M redirected passenger traffic over a renovated route between East Arlington and the Fitchburg mainline amid Boston terminal reconstruction; as a result, the Fitchburg Cutoff became dedicated to freight services only with several stations closing.[14]

Passenger operations on the Reformatory Branch ceased following state approval in April 1926;[15] freight traffic on part of this segment ended by February 1927. Service beyond Bedford to North Billerica terminated on December 31, 1931.[4] Steam locomotives were replaced by diesel-powered trains on remaining routes by 1956.[4] Due to declining ridership caused by frequent bus competition, all four Arlington stations closed in 1958,[16] although Arlington Centre reopened in October 1965 followed by Lake Street in March 1968.[17]

By 1962, Boston and Maine abandoned track segments north and west of Bedford; subsequently, Bedford acquired local rights-of-way in 1963.[4] By 1965, the MBTA began subsidizing a single daily Budd Rail Diesel Car service between Boston and Bedford.[4] On December 26, 1976, MBTA purchased rights-of-way and rolling stock from B&M (which retained freight operating rights), initially contracting operations back to B&M. Passenger services ceased after a snowstorm disrupted service beginning January 10, 1977.

In March 1979, B&M filed for abandonment of the branch; hearings took place during 1980.[18] The Interstate Commerce Commission authorized discontinuation of freight services. The final freight train ran around late 1980 or January 31, 1981,[4] after which the tracks were disconnected from the main line.

A notable court ruling in 1980 mandated restoration of the Lexington Branch after construction of Alewife station’s parking garage interfered with the right-of-way.[19] As part of an agreement signed in 1981 that included MBTA support for converting the corridor into a bikeway, Arlington permitted use of some land for staging activities related to Red Line expansion.[4]

Route maps

[left]: Complete alignment of the Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad along with its successors.
Template:Left 		[right]: The Lexington Branch's ultimate layout during MBTA operation, winter 1976–77.
Template:MBTA Lexington Branch


Rail trails

In 1991, the right-of-way was preserved through railbanking, ensuring the possibility of reactivating rail service in the future if necessary.

The Minuteman Bikeway, inaugurated in 1993 and running from Alewife to Bedford, displays a Boston and Maine Rail Diesel Car (RDC) at Bedford Depot Park as a historical exhibit.

The Alewife Linear Park, which incorporates sections known as the Somerville Community Path and Cambridge Linear Park, traces the Lexington Branch corridor from Somerville nearly to Alewife. Primary access is available at Massachusetts Avenue near the former North Cambridge station site.

Connecting at Bedford Depot, the Bedford Narrow Gauge Rail Trail extends northward toward Billerica, passing by Fawn Lake. While the Minuteman Bikeway terminates at South Road, the Narrow Gauge Trail begins at Loomis Street; Bedford's Department of Public Works intends to construct a direct sidewalk link between these points. Named after the historic Billerica and Bedford Railroad, this trail features a period-appropriate reconstruction near Loomis Street. The surface is paved from Loomis Street to Great Road, transitioning to a stone-dusted path thereafter, stretching approximately five miles until reaching the Bedford/Billerica boundary before continuing onto private land. The Bedford segment was developed in 1998.

The Reformatory Branch Rail Trail follows the former right-of-way starting at Railroad Avenue by Bedford Depot Park and proceeds to Concord, traversing areas including the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Former bridges crossing the Sudbury River and Assabet River near Egg Rock have been removed. This unimproved dirt path covers roughly four miles up to Lowell Road in Concord, with an additional 2.5 miles extending beyond to Concord State Prison.

Both the Narrow Gauge and Reformatory Branch Rail Trails are incorporated into the Bay Circuit Trail and Greenway, contributing to enhanced regional trail connectivity.

External links

  1. ↑ Atlas of the City of Cambridge, Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins & Co. (1873)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ The area north of the Fitchburg Line is now part of North Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named bedford
  5. ↑ The park was dedicated on September 25, 2008.
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named tracking
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 150years
  17. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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