Prides Crossing station
| Company type | Former commuter rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation / Rail transport |
| Founded | 1879 |
| Fate | Indefinitely closed April 5, 2021 |
| Headquarters | Beverly, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Commuter rail service |
Prides Crossing station was once a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail network along the Newburyport/Rockport Line, situated within the village of Prides Crossing, in Beverly, Massachusetts. Established as a flag stop by the Eastern Railroad during the mid-1800s, a wooden station building in the stick style was erected circa 1880, coinciding with the area's growth as a summer retreat for affluent families. The Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) took over the Eastern Railroad in 1885 and managed commuter services until the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) assumed operations in the 1970s. By 1981, service was limited to peak travel times. Due to minimal passenger use and accessibility shortcomings, the station was temporarily closed in December 2020, with an indefinite closure declared in April 2021. The historic station building, which has not been used for railroad purposes since the mid-1900s, currently functions as a private commercial space.
Station design
Situated just west of the Hale Street crossing on Route 127 along the Gloucester Branch, Prides Crossing featured a single low-level side platform located on the southern side of two tracks. Passengers accessed trains on the northern track via an asphalt crossing. The station did not meet accessibility standards.
The one-story wooden station house, designed in the stick style, is positioned beside the platform on its southern side and is presently occupied by a private enterprise. Original platform canopies were partially removed and enclosed to create additional interior space, with alterations made to the main structure accordingly. Two benches facing the street, labeled "Democrats" and "Republicans," have served as recognizable local fixtures for many years. In 2015, these original benches were auctioned off to benefit charity and replaced with faithful reproductions.
Early history
In March 1845, authorization was granted for the Eastern Railroad to construct a branch line extending from Beverly to Gloucester. This Gloucester Branch commenced service to on August 3, 1847, and later extended to by December 1 of that year. By the 1850s, several flag stops were established throughout Beverly, including one at Prides (also known as Prides Crossing). The site derived its name from John Pride, who received a land grant there in 1636. Initially, the station consisted of a modest shelter and was staffed by a flagman whose attentiveness was reportedly lacking.
Around 1879–1880, a small wooden station building—referred to as Beverly's "tiniest"—was constructed. Starting in the 1870s, residents could commute from stops along the Gloucester Branch. Prides Crossing became favored by wealthy individuals such as William Loring, who developed summer residences nearby during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Prominent figures like William Henry Moore and industrialist Henry Clay Frick maintained private sidings near this station for their personal railroad cars. The concrete shelter built for Frick's railcar Westmoreland, which has since been converted into a private home, remains at 49 Thissell Street.
Following its acquisition by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1885, Prides Crossing began appearing in public timetables only during the early twentieth century. After fire damage affected interior woodwork in 1903, Moore offered financial support for constructing a new stone station contingent upon renaming it "Moores Crossing." Between 1924 and 1926, train service was reduced from eighteen inbound and sixteen outbound trips daily to six each way. This reduction created challenges for nearby estate owners who depended on domestic staff commuting by rail. Additionally, part of the station’s canopy was removed during the 1940s.
MBTA era
During the mid-1900s, the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) either sold or leased numerous unused station buildings; by 1962, Prides Crossing had been repurposed as an ice cream shop, and by 1968, it functioned as a general store. Established in 1964 to provide financial support for suburban commuter rail services, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began subsidizing certain B&M operations in 1965, including those on the Gloucester Branch. In 1976, the MBTA took ownership of most B&M commuter rail assets, encompassing the Gloucester Branch. Due to budgetary constraints, weekend and midday stops at Prides Crossing were discontinued in 1981, resulting in service limited to peak hours only. Nevertheless, express trains during peak times continued to serve the affluent North Shore communities throughout the 1980s.
On August 11, 1981, a tragic collision occurred at Prides Crossing involving a westbound MBTA commuter train and an eastbound B&M freight train, causing four fatalities. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that dispatcher errors in communication led to both trains being routed onto the same track during a period of single-track operation necessitated by construction.
In January 1984, a fire damaged the approach trestles to North Station, compelling Gloucester Branch trains to terminate near or operate bus substitutions from . Later that year, another fire severely damaged the Beverly Draw bridge linking Salem and Beverly, effectively isolating the Rockport Branch and Ipswich Line from the rest of the network. Shuttle services ran between Rockport and Beverly Depot until January 1985 when buses replaced them entirely. Locomotives required transportation by truck to Danvers for repairs at the MBTA’s primary maintenance facility. Throughout this interruption, most stations along the disconnected segments underwent accessibility improvements; however, Prides Crossing was excluded due to its low passenger usage. The bridge was restored and reopened in December 1985, reestablishing full network connectivity.
Closure
By 2018, Prides Crossing was identified as having the third-lowest ridership within the MBTA Commuter Rail system, averaging only 15 daily boardings—surpassed only by Plimptonville and Silver Hill stations. Weekday service consisted solely of three inbound and five outbound peak-hour trips on the Gloucester Branch, with no weekend stops scheduled. In November 2020, amid service reductions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the MBTA proposed permanently closing Prides Crossing along with five other stations characterized by minimal patronage and lack of accessibility features—particularly given that Beverly Farms station, which is accessible, lies just 0.7 miles away.
Reduced timetables were implemented starting December 14, 2020, reflecting limited workforce availability and excluding Prides Crossing from active service. On that same day, the MBTA Board authorized an indefinite closure for Prides Crossing as well as four additional stations. These closures officially commenced on April 5, 2021, as part of a broader strategy to streamline commuter rail operations during the pandemic period.
External links
- MBTA – Prides Crossing
- Prides Crossing Confections (Current occupant of station building)
- Station on Google Maps Street View