Bradford station

Bradford
Bradford
	Bradford station platforms in May 2012
Location	10 Railroad Avenue; Bradford, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°46′01″N 71°05′18″W / 42.76694°N 71.08833°WCoordinates: 42°46′01″N 71°05′18″W / 42.76694°N 71.08833°W
Owned by	MBTA
Line(s)	Western Route
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	MVRTA: 14
Construction
Parking	303 spaces ($2.00 fee); 9 accessible spaces
Bicycle facilities	12 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	7
Passengers
2018	170 (weekday average boardings)
Services

Bradford station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Bradford, Massachusetts. It serves the Haverhill Line. The Haverhill Line's layover yard is located adjacent to the station.

History[]

A postcard of the former Bradford station building, which is still extant

The Boston and Portland Railroad opened to Bradford, across the Merrimack River from Haverhill, on October 26, 1837.^[2]^: 5 It was the terminus of the line until the January 1, 1840 extension across the river and into New Hampshire. The Boston and Portland became the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1843.^[2]^: 6

The Newburyport Railroad opened its Haverhill Branch between Georgetown and Bradford on September 22, 1851, with regular service beginning the next month.^[2]^: 25 The B&M obtained control of the Newburyport in 1855 and leased it in 1860.^[3]^: 302 The B&M built a new depot building in the 1870s, likely as part of a double-tracking project.^[4] It was raised 8 feet (2.4 m) in 1904–05 as part of a grade crossing elimination project.^[5]

Passenger service on the Haverhill Branch ended in 1933, though a short segment to a paper mill remained in freight use until 1982.^[3]^: 302 The B&M sold the depot for commercial reuse in the 1960s, though service to Bradford continued until the last remaining Haverhill round trip was canceled in April 1976.^[4]^[6] MBTA Commuter Rail service resumed on December 17, 1979.^[6] Mini-high platforms for accessibility were added around 1992.^[7]

References[]

^ Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019). "2018 Commuter Rail Counts". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
^ ^a ^b ^c Bradlee, Francis Boardman Crowninshield (1921). The Boston and Maine Railroad; a history of the main road, with its tributary lines. Essex Institute – via Internet Archive.
^ ^a ^b Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2 ed.). Branch Line Press. ISBN 9780942147124.
^ ^a ^b Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 134. ISBN 9780942147087.
^ "Haverhill's $750,000 Job". Boston Globe. December 3, 1905. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
^ MBTA : ACCESS; The Guide to Accessible Services and Facilities. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 1992. p. 15 – via Internet Archive.