North Scituate station
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | October 31, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Scituate , United States |
Area served | Scituate, Massachusetts |
| Products | Commuter rail service on the Greenbush Line |
| Website | www |
North Scituate station functions as a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail network within Scituate, Massachusetts, specifically serving the Greenbush Line. Positioned at 777 Country Way in the village of North Scituate, it acts as the main rail access point for Scituate. In contrast, the nearby Greenbush station primarily operates as a park-and-ride facility catering to neighboring areas. Consistent with other stations along the Greenbush Line, it includes a single, full-length high-level platform that ensures accessible boarding for trains running on the single track.
History
The origins of the Greenbush Line trace back to the South Shore Railroad, which commenced operations to Cohasset in 1849. The Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad, established in 1867 with support from Old Colony, extended the route from Cohasset to Duxbury by 1871, incorporating North Scituate along its path. Within Scituate, additional stops included Egypt at Captain Pierce Road, Scituate (also known as Scituate Harbor) near First Parish Road, and another station located at Driftway.
After experiencing financial instability during the 1870s, the Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad merged with South Shore under the Old Colony Railroad umbrella in 1877. Subsequently, a new freight house was constructed in 1879 alongside an expansion of the passenger station facilities. In 1893, the Old Colony Railroad was leased to the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad.
During the 1930s, ridership declined due to growing automobile competition but saw an uptick during World War II when a nearby naval depot was built. In the postwar period, service frequency increased from four to eight daily trips under Frederick C. Dumaine, Jr., who also introduced modern diesel equipment such as Budd RDCs. Despite these improvements, financial deficits persisted; following Dumaine's departure, plans were announced to terminate service in 1958. State funding extended operations until June 30, 1959; however, with the opening of the Southeast Expressway, passenger rail service ceased. The original Spanish-style station built between 1908 and 1909 near Gannett Road was converted for commercial purposes by 1962.
Efforts to revive Old Colony lines began during the 1980s; this led to reopening of the Plymouth/Kingston and Middleborough/Lakeville Lines in 1997. Although constructing the $534 million Greenbush project faced controversy, it was completed by mid-2007. Full service on North Scituate station and the Greenbush Line started on October 31, 2007, following a ceremonial inaugural train run on October 30.