Providence/Stoughton Line

Infobox rail line
name = Providence/Stoughton Line

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image_width = 300px
caption = The MBTA's Orange Line and the Providence/Stoughton Line parallel each other in Boston. The Orange Line is on the left, with the commuter rail station at Ruggles on the right.
type = Commuter rail line
system = Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
status = Operating
locale = Southeastern Massachusetts
Providence, Rhode Island
start = Boston South Station
end = Providence
Stoughton
stations = 14
routes =
ridership =
open =
close =
owner = Amtrak
(Providence to RI/MA state line)
MBTA
(within Massachusetts)
operator = MBCR
character = Elevated and surface-level
stock =
linelength =
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge = 1,435mm (4ft 8½ inches)
el = 25kV 60Hz AC (only used by Amtrak)
speed =
elevation =

infobox rdt|MBTA Commuter Rail Attleboro/Stoughton The Providence/Stoughton Line is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system running southwest from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The main line was originally built by the Boston and Providence Rail Road, and now carries service between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. The Stoughton Branch, built as the Stoughton Branch Railroad, splits at Canton Junction and runs for two more stations to Stoughton, Massachusetts.

History

On December 31, 1968 the recently-formed Penn Central bought the failing New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The MBTA bought the section of the Providence-Boston line in Massachusetts, as well as many other lines including the Stoughton Branch, from Penn Central on January 27, 1973. On April 1, 1976 Conrail took over Penn Central and the commuter rail equipment was sold to the MBTA, though operation continued to be done by Conrail. Full subsidies by the MBTA for the Providence and Stoughton lines began on September 28, 1976, before which the Federal government helped. On March 31, 1977 the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority and Rhode Island Department of Transportation began to subsidize service beyond the MBTA district, and Stoughton began to pay to keep its station open, that cost later going to the Brockton Area Transit Authority.

On November 3, 1979 the line was closed north of Readville for long-term reconstruction as part of the Southwest Corridor project. All trains began using what is now the Fairmount Line, and special shuttle trains connected South Station to Back Bay. The new line, rebuilt below grade with space for three tracks (the old one had been above grade with room for four tracks), opened on October 5, 1987.

On February 20, 1981 the MBTA stopped serving Rhode Island, as funding from the state had ended. Rush-hour service was restored on February 1, 1988. Some off-peak weekday trains were extended to Providence starting on December 11, 2000. Weekend service to Providence has resumed as of July 29, 2006.

Ownership

The MBTA owns the track from Boston to the Rhode Island border. Track in Rhode Island is owned by Amtrak. The entire line is part of what is known as the Northeast Corridor.

Accessibility

All stations but Sharon are handicapped accessible. See also MBTA accessibility.

tation listing

Main Line

South of Providence, the T. F. Green Airport station is planned on the old New York, Providence and Boston Railroad in Warwick.

toughton Branch

External links

* [http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/?route=PROVSTOU MBTA - The Providence/Stoughton Line]

References

* [http://members.aol.com/eddanamta/busfiles/contents.pdf Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district] (PDF)
*Mileposts from [http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/OfficeofSafety/Downloads/Default.asp?page=downloaddbf.asp FRA Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory Files]