West Medford station
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1838 |
| Headquarters | Medford, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Commuter rail services |
West Medford station serves the MBTA Commuter Rail system at West Medford Square in Medford, Massachusetts, positioned on the Lowell Line. The station includes low-level platforms equipped with mini-high sections to accommodate passengers with disabilities.
Early history
During the 1830s, the original Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) traversed what was then rural land in West Medford. The railroad’s right-of-way and a site for a station on High Street were purchased from Peter Chardon Brooks. By 1838, the station known as Medford Gates was operational, named after prominent gates that warned of the nearby grade crossing. In 1847, the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) introduced its Medford branch extending to Medford Square; shortly thereafter, in the early 1850s, the B&L station adopted the name West Medford.[1] A new depot was erected in 1854.[2]
The grade crossing at High Street adjacent to the station, along with another crossing at Canal Street located 0.2 miles southeast, remain the only grade crossings on this segment south of Wilmington. Although there were considerations to remove the High Street crossing in 1932, these plans never came to fruition.[3] The station building constructed in 1886 was torn down during the 1960s.[4] Its ornamental weathervane was preserved and acquired by the Henry Ford Museum in the 1950s.[5]
MBTA era
Prior to December 2020, select trains on the Haverhill Line utilized the Wildcat Branch and inner Lowell Line, making stops at West Medford.[6] This service pattern resumed in April 2021 but without stopping at intermediate stations.[7] Up until May 2023, West Medford and were flag stops outside weekday peak periods; from May 22, 2023 onward, they transitioned to scheduled stops throughout all operating hours.[8]
In 2019, West Medford was identified by the MBTA as a "Tier I" priority for accessibility improvements.[9] During 2024, the MBTA piloted temporary freestanding accessible platform models at Beverly Depot aimed at delivering cost-effective interim accessibility solutions without extensive station reconstruction.[10] West Medford was among the initial four non-accessible stations upgraded with these platforms beginning in 2024.[11] These mini-high platforms became operational on March 10, 2025.[12]
External links
- ↑ ...
- ↑ ...
- ↑ ...
- ↑ ...
- ↑ ...
- ↑ "Lowell Line: Fall/Winter Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 2, 2020.
- ↑ "Haverhill Line 2021 Spring Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Lowell Line Spring/Summer Schedule" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 22, 2023.
- ↑ "Plan for Accessible Transit Infrastructure (PATI)" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. April 1, 2019.
- ↑ "Freestanding Mini-high Platform Initiative" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 23, 2024.
- ↑ "Accessibility Initiatives—December 2024" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. December 6, 2024.
- ↑ "MBTA Completes Accessibility Upgrades at West Medford, Franklin, and Walpole Stations" (Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. March 6, 2025.