New Bedford station

New Bedford station

Company type	Commuter rail station
Industry	Transportation
Founded	March 24, 2025 (2025-03-24)
Headquarters	New Bedford, Massachusetts , United States
Products	Commuter rail services

New Bedford station is a commuter rail stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail network located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It commenced operations on March 24, 2025, marking the initial stage of the South Coast Rail initiative. This station functions as the southern terminus of the New Bedford Branch on the Fall River/New Bedford Line. The facility includes a single side platform positioned on the west side of the New Bedford Main Line and is accompanied by a park-and-ride facility. Pedestrian access across Route 18 is facilitated by a footbridge.

The rail link connecting New Bedford and Taunton was originally established in July 1840, featuring an Egyptian Revival style station in downtown New Bedford, designed by architect Russell Warren. After undergoing multiple consolidations, the route became part of the Old Colony Railroad in 1879 and subsequently joined the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1893. The original building was replaced in 1886 by a Romanesque-style station. Passenger train operations ended in 1958. Following extensive planning over more than ten years, construction of the present-day station began in 2020.

Station design

Situated roughly north of New Bedford’s city center, the station lies to the east of both the Route 18 expressway and Acushnet Avenue. It offers an accessible high-level side platform stretching , located on the east side of the north–south running New Bedford Subdivision. The track layout at this point consists of a single mainline track alongside a freight siding. A canopy covering extends along part of the platform for shelter. Positioned between Acushnet Avenue and the platform is a parking area accommodating 352 vehicles, along with 22 bicycle spots and a designated kiss-and-ride zone. Pedestrians can use a footbridge spanning Route 18 and Acushnet Avenue to reach Purchase Street from the parking lot’s northwest corner. This bridge measures in length and features a tied arch main span with two elevators situated at its eastern end. Immediately north of the station lies the Wamsutta Layover. At a distance of from Boston, New Bedford ranks as the second-farthest station within the MBTA system, following .

Former service

The rail connection known as the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad began operations between its two namesake cities in July 1840. In downtown New Bedford, an Egyptian Revival station designed by architect Russell Warren was located at Pearl Street. A brief extension reaching New Bedford Wharf was added in July 1873 to serve New York-bound steamships; however, Pearl Street remained the principal station for city passengers. The Fall River Railroad’s Watuppa Branch opened in December 1875, running from Fall River to Mount Pleasant Junction north of downtown Fall River.

Over time, service was consolidated under several companies: first the New Bedford Railroad (1874), then the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad (1876), followed by the Old Colony Railroad (1879), and ultimately absorbed by the New Haven Railroad in 1893. Regular commuter service connecting New Bedford to Boston commenced only in 1885. On June 21, 1886, the Old Colony Railroad inaugurated a new Romanesque stone station east of Pearl Street, designed by Henry Paston Clark.

Around 1908, grade crossings within New Bedford were removed. The Watuppa Branch experienced declining use due to competition from electric streetcars during the 1890s; passenger service on this branch ended entirely by 1918. Service to New Bedford Wharf diminished over time and ceased by the mid-1950s. All remaining passenger rail service between Boston and New Bedford concluded on September 5, 1958.

South Coast Rail

In September 2008, MassDOT pinpointed 18 possible station locations for the South Coast Rail initiative, including two sites within downtown New Bedford: Whale's Tooth (a ferry parking area) and the State Pier Maritime Terminal. Ultimately, only Whale's Tooth was chosen; the 2010 design proposed a single side platform accompanied by a station building and bus plaza positioned at the northern edge of the parking lot, along with reconstruction of the existing footbridge spanning Route 18. A 2009 corridor planning document anticipated transit-oriented mixed-use development along Route 18 near this station.

On June 11, 2010, the state purchased the New Bedford Subdivision along with other CSX rail lines. The 2013 Final Environmental Impact Report designated the Wamsutta layover yard to the north of the station, incorporating a second track to facilitate yard access and freight train passage. Plans no longer included a station building or bus plaza; instead, the current footbridge was slated for reuse.

In response to budgetary constraints, the project was adjusted in 2017 to initiate early service through Middleborough by 2024, with full service via Stoughton anticipated by 2029. The station's name was changed from Whale's Tooth to New Bedford in 2019 to improve clarity. Additionally, a new footbridge at Willis Street was introduced, featuring two truss spans and a ramp connecting to the station.

The MBTA awarded a $403.5 million contract in August 2020 to construct the Middleborough Secondary and New Bedford Secondary segments, which included building New Bedford station; this work was projected to require 37 months. The line was initially expected to commence operations in late 2023. By November 2021, construction had reached 18% completion with work on New Bedford station underway; by August 2022, progress had advanced to 53%. In December 2022, a $21.3 million contract was awarded for the new footbridge, redesigning it as a single tied arch span.

Bridge construction began in May 2023. The South Coast Rail opening was postponed to mid-2024; at that time, New Bedford station was reported as 94% complete and expected to be finished by year-end. Installation of the footbridge span commenced in February 2024 with completion scheduled for late that year. In June 2024, the opening date was further delayed to May 2025; New Bedford station had then reached 97% completion and was projected to be finalized by July.

In November 2024, legislation officially named the bridge "Andre Lopes Korean War Veteran Overpass" in tribute to a local war hero. The elevator shaft will showcase Equinox, an artwork created by Tracy Silva Barbosa. By December 2024, bridge construction was approximately 75% complete, increasing to 85% by February 2025 with an anticipated opening concurrent with the station. The existing footbridge is planned for demolition during spring. Rail service officially began on March 24, 2025.

External links

• MBTA – New Bedford