Norwood Central station

Norwood Central
A suburban railway station with a yellow brick station building
Norwood Central station in June 2010
General information
Location164 Broadway
Norwood, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°11′20″N 71°12′00″W / 42.18875°N 71.19990°W / 42.18875; -71.19990
Line(s)Franklin Branch
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Construction
Parking781 spaces ($4.00 fee)
Bicycle facilities27 spaces
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone3
History
Openedc. 1852
Rebuilt1899, c. 1990
Previous namesDedham Middle, Everett's
Passengers
20181,041 (weekday average boardings)[1]
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Windsor Gardens Franklin/​Foxboro Line Norwood Depot
Former services
Preceding station MBTA Following station
Foxboro
Terminus
Foxboro event service Dedham Corporate Center
(1995–2010)
Readville
(1986–1988)
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Plimptonville
toward Blackstone
Midland Line Norwood
toward Boston
Morrills
toward Providence
Wrentham Branch
Location
Map

Norwood Central station is an MBTA Commuter Rail Franklin/Foxboro Line station located near downtown Norwood, Massachusetts. The station has two side platforms serving the two tracks of the Franklin Branch, each with a mini-high section for accessibility. It serves as a park-and-ride location for Boston's southwest suburbs; with 1,041 daily riders it is the busiest station on the line outside Boston. The former station building, a one-story yellow brick structure, has been converted to commercial use.

The Norfolk County Railroad opened through South Dedham (now Norwood) in 1849. Dedham Middle station opened around 1852, and a small station building was constructed in 1865. The station was renamed Everett's by 1856 and Norwood Central in the 1870s. In 1875, the line became part of the New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE), which built its main shops adjacent to Norwood Central. The Old Colony Railroad opened its Wrentham Branch to Norwood in 1892. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the Old Colony in 1893 and obtained control of the NY&NE in 1895.

The New Haven eliminated an adjacent grade crossing in 1896 and built a new station structure in 1899, ending a decade-long controversy. As rail travel declined, Norwood Shops closed around 1930 and Wrentham Branch service ended in 1938. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began subsidizing service in 1966 and purchased the line in 1973. Under the MBTA, renovations to the station were made around 1977 and 1990. Along with Franklin Line commuter rail service, Norwood Central was a stop for Foxboro Stadium special events trains from 1986 to 1988 and 1995 to 2010.

  1. ^ Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.