Swampscott station
| Company type | Train station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | 1868 |
| Headquarters | Swampscott, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Commuter rail services (Newburyport/Rockport Line) |
Swampscott station is a historic train depot situated in Swampscott, Massachusetts, close to the boundary with Lynn. It operates on the MBTA Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line and serves as an accessible park-and-ride location catering to residents of Swampscott and nearby Marblehead. The depot building, exemplifying Stick/Eastlake architectural style and erected in 1868 for the Eastern Railroad, is no longer in service but remains a significant historic structure. In 1998, it was officially recognized on the National Register of Historic Places under the name Swampscott Railroad Depot.
History
The station's present-day structure was built in 1868 for the Eastern Railroad and was designed by Boston craftsman George W. Cram. Passenger ticket sales at the station ceased on February 22, 1952.
During a snowstorm on February 28, 1956, a southbound commuter train traveling from Salem to Boston collided with a stationary local train running from Portsmouth to Boston just north of the station. The accident, caused by excessive speed on the part of the engineer, led to 13 fatalities and injured 283 individuals.
By 1977, the facility was occupied by the Jaycees. In the 1980s, community initiatives prevented its demolition temporarily. A town committee collected $15,000 in 1997 to refurbish the exterior, although interior restoration was not undertaken. On August 28, 1998, the station gained placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
Attempts to sell the property to developers occurred in 2005 and again in 2010 when proposals for adaptive reuse were solicited; however, redevelopment efforts have been impeded by a lack of interior improvements. A municipal report issued in 2012 advocated for mixed-use redevelopment along with enhanced pedestrian connectivity between platforms. That year, the station appeared as "Stanton Station" in the movie Grown Ups 2.
Rail trail
A municipal report from 2004 recommended transportation enhancements including improved pedestrian and bicycle routes to the station through a mixed-use trail following the former Swampscott Branch rail corridor. Service on this branch ended in 1959 after the Boston & Maine Railroad discontinued financially unviable lines. The northern segment located in Marblehead was transformed into the Marblehead Rail Trail along what was once the Marblehead Branch extending to South Salem. In 2012, local authorities pursued eminent domain to acquire part of this corridor near the station from National Grid, which supported trail development but imposed stringent conditions for its conversion.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
- MBTA Commuter Rail stations in Essex County, Massachusetts
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1868
- Former Boston and Maine Railroad stations
- National Register of Historic Places in Essex County, Massachusetts
- 1868 establishments in Massachusetts
- Buildings and structures in Swampscott, Massachusetts