Silver Hill station

Silver Hill station

Company type	MBTA Commuter Rail station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1844
Headquarters	Weston, Massachusetts , United States
Products	Commuter rail service

Silver Hill station serves as a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line in Weston, Massachusetts. It features a modest shelter, a gravel platform, and a small parking area, but does not offer accessible facilities. In 2018, it recorded the lowest ridership across the MBTA network, with an average of eleven boardings per day. Originally opened in 1844 as part of the initial Fitchburg Railroad, the station withstood a closure attempt by the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1959. Due to low usage and lack of accessibility, the MBTA temporarily shut down Silver Hill in December 2020, transitioning to an indefinite closure from April 2021. The station resumed service on November 18, 2024.

Station design

Situated on Merriam Street approximately from North Avenue (Route 117), Silver Hill is equipped with a single gravel platform located on the northern side of the track. The station does not provide any accessible features. Adjacent to the tracks on the north side lies an unpaved parking area with six spaces, primarily intended for kiss-and-ride passengers. A small wooden shelter with three sides stands next to the platform, accessible via stairs connecting it to the parking lot.

Early history

The Fitchburg Railroad began operations through Weston along the valley of Stony Brook on June 17, 1844, establishing stops at Weston (later renamed Kendal Green) and Silver Hill. The origin of the name "Silver Hill" remains unclear; it may reference local legends about Captain Kidd's treasure or a grove of silver birch trees. Unlike Weston station, Silver Hill experienced minimal immediate development in its vicinity following its opening. In 1900, ownership of the Fitchburg Railroad transferred to the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M).

In 1905, the Weston Land Association initiated development of a garden suburb named Silver Hill, located just south of the station. The original station building was destroyed by fire on March 17, 1893, caused by sparks emitted from a passing locomotive. Its replacement was a modest wooden structure positioned on the north side of the tracks east of Merriam Street, featuring stairs leading down to the platform. This building had been removed by 1977. A wooden bridge constructed in 1926 carried Merriam Street over the railroad tracks.

In December 1958, Silver Hill was listed among eleven Fitchburg Route stations proposed for closure; this group included four commuter rail stops within Waltham and Weston as well as seven stations west of Fitchburg. While Stony Brook and seven western stations ceased operations on June 14, 1959, limited service persisted at Silver Hill along with two other stations.

MBTA era

The creation of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in 1964 aimed to subsidize suburban commuter rail services. Beginning January 18, 1965, MBTA support extended to some Boston and Maine operations including Fitchburg Line service up to West Concord. The MBTA formally acquired most commuter rail assets from B&M, including those on the Fitchburg Line, on December 27, 1976.

In 1979, the original station building was replaced by a three-sided shelter. Although briefly closed on February 1, 1981 due to budget reductions, Silver Hill soon resumed service. The Merriam Street bridge was designated on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 as part of the Silver Hill Historic District.

A study conducted in 2005 for the Fitchburg Line Improvement Project suggested merging Silver Hill with two other Weston stations— and Kendal Green—into an expanded Kendal Green stop to shorten travel times. However, consolidation plans were excluded from preferred options by 2007.

Closure and reopening

By the year 2018, Silver Hill ranked as the MBTA Commuter Rail network's station with the fewest weekday boardings, averaging only 11 passengers. Service was limited to two inbound trips during peak hours and three outbound trips on the Fitchburg Line's total of 19 weekday round trips, with no stops scheduled on weekends. From March through June 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted reduced train schedules that excluded Silver Hill along with other stations offering minimal service.

In November 2020, in response to pandemic-induced service reductions, the MBTA proposed the permanent closure of Silver Hill, Hastings, and four additional stations characterized by low ridership. The decision to close Silver Hill was influenced by its limited patronage and lack of accessibility features, especially given that Kendal Green station lies approximately 1.5 miles to the southeast. When reduced schedules were reinstated in December 2020, Silver Hill remained excluded from service. Subsequently, the MBTA Board approved an indefinite closure for Silver Hill and four other stations effective April 5, 2021.

Service at Silver Hill resumed on November 18, 2024, with a schedule including two inbound and three outbound weekday trains once again stopping at the station.

External links

• MBTA – Silver Hill