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88-670: Although South Station is Boston's primary rail hub, Back Bay maintains high traffic levels due to its location in the Back Bay neighborhood near the Prudential Center development and its access to important Northeast Corridor services. All Amtrak Acela Express and Northeast Regional trains running to and from South Station stop at Back Bay, as does the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited . Four MBTA Commuter Rail routes –

176-629: A parking lot and bowling alley for employees. While the station handled 125,000 passengers each day during World War II , post-war passenger rail traffic declined in the US. In 1959, the New Haven's Old Colony Division–successor of the Old Colony Railroad–which had served the South Shore and Cape Cod , stopped passenger service. The New Haven itself went bankrupt in 1961. South Station was sold to

264-490: A $ 25 million renovation. Similar private management schemes were already in place at North Station and South Station, though without the real estate component. An agreement was signed in late 2014, with the renovation budget increased to $ 32 million. In August 2015, the MBTA began paying Boston Properties a subsidy (as rents from retail spaces had been lower than expected) and agreed to fund some repairs to expansion joints not covered in

352-470: A 51-story, 678-foot (207 m) skyscraper and an expansion of the bus terminal. Construction began in January 2020 and is expected to take four years. The tower is being built on foundations put in place when the station was last renovated. The project will include an expansion of the outdoor waiting area with a new arched roof, a roof covering the entire platform area, a new entrance from Dorchester Avenue, and

440-569: A Mikado-type engine that was typical to the New Haven. The name of the Hartford Yard Goats Minor League Baseball team reflects the old New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad history and the design of its logo is based on the original NYNHH logo. The team plays in downtown Hartford at Dunkin' Donuts Park , which is adjacent to Hartford Yard , originally built by NYNHH. NH introduced ideas for passenger rail travel, including early use of restaurant and parlor cars in

528-539: A four-track maximum-service plan, estimated to cost $ 21.5 billion and three double-track routes ranging in cost from $ 12.3 to 14.7 billion. South Station expansion was estimated to cost $ 4.7 billion. These costs are in 2018 dollars and include purchasing additional rolling stock, other required infrastructure improvements and a 3.5% annual inflation rate. New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad ( reporting mark NH ), commonly known as The Consolidated , or simply as

616-671: A lease of the Shore Line Railway (leased in 1870 by the New York and New Haven Railroad). The company later leased more lines and systems, eventually forming a virtual monopoly in New England south of the Boston and Albany Railroad . In 1882, the railroad leased the Boston, New York and Airline Railroad, the last railroad in New Haven not controlled by the NYNH&;H. This new acquisition gave

704-656: A major intermodal domestic transportation hub, with service to the Greater Boston region and the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. It is used by thousands of commuter rail and intercity rail passengers daily. Connections to the rapid transit Red Line and bus rapid transit Silver Line are made through the adjacent subway station . The station was renamed for former Massachusetts governor Michael S. Dukakis in November 2014, though maps and station signs continue to use

792-494: A more direct connection to the bus terminal. The South Station head house and wings incorporate Neoclassical architecture . The building's symmetry and stone façade are common to the style. The granite came from nearby quarries in New England. The main doorways are located in a section that protrudes from the curving shape of the building. The doors are housed under tall arches that give the impression of grandeur while also making

880-427: A network of low-density branch lines that could not pay their own maintenance and operating costs. The freight business was short-haul, requiring switching costs that could not be recovered in short-distance rates. They operated major commuter train services in New York and Boston (as well as New Haven, Hartford and Providence), but these had always lost money; though heavily patronized, these services operated only during

968-480: A northbound commuter train running along the Providence/Stoughton Line was involved in a collision with a northbound Night Owl train. The accident, which occurred at the west end of Back Bay, injured 453 people, although there were no fatalities. On September 22, 2006, the MBTA began allowing free inbound travel from Back Bay to South Station. This change was to allow travel from Back Bay hotels to

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1056-744: A redesign of the South Station interlocking , new commuter rail layover facilities, and the restoration of public access to the adjacent section of Dorchester Avenue and the Fort Point Channel, filling in a missing half-mile segment of the Boston Harborwalk . The station expansion is intended to allow for increases in commuter rail service on the Fairmount Line and Framingham/Worcester Line , addition of South Coast Rail service, and increased Amtrak frequencies. As of October 2014, purchasing of

1144-442: A reorganization plan approved in federal court, without the vast majority of its previous non-railroad interests, and with a number of unprofitable passenger operations on marginal branches replaced with bus service. In 1948, the company operated 644 locomotives, 1,602 passenger cars and 8,796 freight cars on 1,581 miles of track. After 1951, both freight and passenger service lost money. The earlier expansion had left NH with

1232-522: A series of station name changes. The 1987 reconstruction added a waiting area with a 9-foot bronze statue dedicated to civil rights and labor movement pioneer A. Philip Randolph . The area includes various posters with historical photographs and interview excerpts regarding Randolph's career in organizing the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and work with the Civil Rights Movement . In 1990,

1320-626: Is expected in 2026. Bidding for the $ 68.7 million main construction contract opened in September 2022. The MBTA awarded the contract at a higher cost of $ 99 million in March 2023. When the Boston Redevelopment Authority sold South Station to the MBTA in 1977, the BRA retained the air rights over the tracks. The South Station Tower complex, which is being built on the air rights, will include

1408-584: Is located between Dartmouth Street and Clarendon Street; however, there are secondary exits from the platforms onto Dartmouth Street, Clarendon Street, and Columbus Avenue. The Dartmouth Street Underpass connects the Copley Place shopping mall with the main station building. The underpass was closed from March 6, 2016 to June 1, 2017 during construction at Copley Place, during which it was given some refurbishment. The Boston and Worcester Railroad opened from downtown Boston to Newton in 1834, and to Worcester within

1496-506: Is now the Red Line subway was extended from Park Street to South Station in 1913. The train shed, originally one of the largest in the world, was eliminated in a 1930 renovation due to corrosion caused by the nearby ocean's salt air. In the original configuration, two tracks came off each approach to join into a four-track line and then run under the main platforms in a two-track loop. These tracks were never put into service, and later became

1584-522: Is painted in McGinnis-era livery, while the iconic "NH" logo appears on everything from rolling stock, station signage, to tourism materials for the city of New Haven itself. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has painted its diesel commuter rail locomotives used on the non-electrified Danbury and Waterbury Metro-North branches, as well as its Shore Line East operation, in the "McGinnis Scheme," composed of white, black, and orange-red stripes with

1672-443: Is the largest operating hand-wound clock mechanism in New England. The clock is styled after London's Big Ben , and has a 12-foot (3.7 m) wide face. The mechanism weighs over 400 pounds (180 kg). In 2008, the clock underwent a six-week restoration and repair. The clock mechanism was completely disassembled and transported to a nearby workshop, where replacement pieces had to be fabricated by hand. The clock, once one of many in

1760-526: Is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England 's second-largest transportation center after Logan International Airport . Located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square , Boston, Massachusetts , the historic station building was constructed in 1899 to replace the downtown terminals of several railroads. Today, it serves as

1848-947: Is the northern terminus of Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor and is served by the Acela Express , the Northeast Regional , and the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited . It is also the downtown terminus of the nine southern lines of the MBTA Commuter Rail system. An underground subway station serves the Red Line and the Silver Line bus rapid transit system's Waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, and SL3). Local bus service on lines 4, 7, and 11 and rapid service to Nubian on Silver Line route SL4 also stop at South Station. South Station's amenities include: The commuter rail and Amtrak platforms are fully accessible , with level access from

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1936-648: The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and Logan International Airport (using the Silver Line from South Station) without the need to transfer to the Red Line. Until replaced with the CharlieCard Store at Downtown Crossing on August 13, 2012, an MBTA customer service booth for special pass users was located at Back Bay station. The entire Orange Line, including the Orange Line platform at Back Bay station,

2024-532: The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) in 1965. Portions of the station were demolished and the land was used to build the Boston South Postal Annex and the Stone and Webster building. In the early 1970s, the BRA developed plans to demolish the rest of the station and replace it with a multi-use development including a new train station, a bus station, a parking garage, and commercial structures. The plan

2112-612: The Hartford and New Haven Railroad , which began service between New Haven and Hartford in 1839 and reached Springfield, Massachusetts , in 1844, and the New York and New Haven Railroad , which opened in 1848 between its namesake cities. The two companies had a history of cooperation; for a time, they jointly leased the New Haven and Northampton Railroad and coordinated their steamship services with each other. An initial merger attempt between

2200-671: The I-93 Dewey Square Tunnel diagonally across from the station between Summer Street and Congress Street. The new bus terminal has direct ramp connections to I-93 and the Massachusetts Turnpike . The renovations, including the bus terminal, cost $ 195 million in 2001 dollars. In September 2017, the Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, which also owns the Faneuil Hall Marketplace , purchased

2288-557: The MBTA , and numerous freight operators such as CSX and the Providence and Worcester Railroad . The majority of the surviving system is now owned publicly by the states of Connecticut , Rhode Island , and Massachusetts , with other surviving segments owned by freight railroads; many abandoned lines have been converted into rail trails . The New Haven system was formed by the merger of two railroads that intersected in New Haven, Connecticut :

2376-555: The Metro-North Railroad ’s New Haven Line and Shore Line East , providing commuter service from Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal as far eastward as New London, Connecticut. The New Haven Line is coded red on Metro-North timetables and system maps, a nod to the red livery used by the New Haven for the last decade of its history. MBTA 's Providence/Stoughton Line provides commuter service between Providence and South Station in Boston. Amtrak took over passenger service on

2464-602: The New Haven , was a railroad that operated principally in the New England region of the United States from 1872 to 1968. Founded by the merger of the New York and New Haven and Hartford and New Haven railroads, the company had near-total dominance of railroad traffic in Southern New England for the first half of the 20th century. Beginning in the 1890s and accelerating in 1903, New York banker J. P. Morgan sought to monopolize New England transportation by arranging

2552-475: The New Haven–Springfield Line in 1976, and was joined by the state of Connecticut's Hartford Line in 2018. On August 28, 1980, American Financial Enterprises, Inc., acquired the remaining assets of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company when the plan for reorganization was approved by the court and the company was reorganized. This brought to an end the 108-year corporate history of

2640-678: The Penn Central system, formed a year earlier by the merger of the New York Central Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad . Already a poorly conceived merger, Penn Central went bankrupt in 1970, becoming the largest U.S. bankruptcy until the Enron Corporation superseded it in 2001. The remnants of the system now comprise Metro-North Railroad 's New Haven Line , much of the northern leg of Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor , Connecticut 's Shore Line East and Hartford Line , parts of

2728-554: The Providence/Stoughton Line , Franklin/Foxboro Line , Needham Line , and Framingham/Worcester Line – also stop at Back Bay, as do the Orange Line subway and several local MBTA bus routes. It is the third-busiest MBTA Commuter Rail station (after North Station and South Station) and the sixth-busiest MBTA subway station. There are 5 tracks serving Amtrak and commuter rail service. Tracks 2, 1, and 3 (in order south to north) serve Amtrak's Acela Express and Northeast Regional plus

Back Bay station - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-470: The mid-Atlantic states , and Montreal , Canada. The bus terminal has its own concession area , and can be entered from the railway platform area or directly from Atlantic Avenue. As a major transfer station offering connections to multiple modes, South Station is expected to see additional passenger throughput as a result of system improvements and a general increase in ridership. The existing underground Red Line and Silver Line stations are adequate for

2904-588: The 98-year lease on the office space and concourse areas of the station from the Blackstone Group for $ 123.2 million. In August 2019, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded MassDOT up to $ 41.2 million to replace much of the Tower 1 interlocking outside South Station. The remaining $ 41 million of the $ 82 million project will be funded by Amtrak and the MBTA. As of January 2021 , completion

2992-471: The B&;A's Columbus Avenue station. Back Bay station opened on September 19, 1899 – the same day that Providence Division trains began using South Station. The next year, the B&A replaced Columbus Avenue station with the westbound-only Trinity Place and eastbound-only Huntington Avenue stations. The current Back Bay Station opened on May 4, 1987, as part of the Orange Line's Southwest Corridor project and

3080-473: The Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which only became defunct in 1989. Morgan and Mellen achieved a complete monopoly of transportation in southern New England, purchasing other railroads and steamship and trolley lines. More than 100 independent railroads eventually became part of the system before and during these years, reaching 2,131 miles at its 1929 peak. Substantial improvements to the system were made during

3168-536: The Boston and Providence and leased the Old Colony Railroad ), the New York and New England Railroad , and the Boston and Albany formed the Boston Terminal Company to consolidate their four terminals into a new union station . Simultaneous with the construction of the resulting South Station in 1899, the New Haven also built its first Back Bay Station just east of Dartmouth Street to compete with

3256-521: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts was awarded a $ 32.5 million grant from the federal government to begin planning for this expansion. After deliberations, a $ 43 million contract (including $ 10.5 million in state funds) was awarded in August 2012. The planning project will advance the new station area, including a possible passenger mezzanine over the platforms, to the 30% design level. Other elements include

3344-572: The Connecticut Public Utilities Commission in February 1960 if the company's survival was in imminent danger, the New Haven's comptroller replied, "Yes, even with the best of management". Continuing financial problems forced the New Haven into bankruptcy on July 7, 1961, and federal court judge Robert P. Anderson assumed trusteeship . The railroad reported it would have only $ 9,262,000 in funds to cover expenses of $ 33,480,000 at

3432-474: The MBTA claimed it lacked the financial resources to fully upgrade the ventilation system. In 2010, the MBTA announced that it had secured $ 3.0 million in federal stimulus money to improve the ventilation in the lobby. While MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said there was no health threat, a scientist at the Clean Air Task Force, a Boston-based nonprofit pollution research group stated, "Honestly, down on

3520-606: The MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line , Franklin/Foxboro Line , and Needham Line . Tracks 5 and 7 serve the Framingham/Worcester Line and the Lake Shore Limited from a separate island platform. Tracks 1 and 2 are considered the primary mainline tracks; the track numbering scheme used in the Boston area uses only odd numbers for additional tracks on the Track 1 side (hence Tracks 3, 5, and 7) and even numbers for tracks on

3608-763: The Mellen years, including electrification between New York and New Haven . Morgan and Mellen went further and attempted to acquire or neutralize competition from other railroads in New England, including the New York Central 's Boston and Albany Railroad, the Rutland Railroad , the Maine Central Railroad , and the Boston and Maine Railroad . But the Morgan-Mellen expansion left the company overextended and financially weak. In 1914, 21 directors and ex-directors of

Back Bay station - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-520: The NH was purchased by PC, which operated the train. Other passenger trains: Beginning November 21, 1914, the railroad operated special trains to bring football fans to and from the new Yale Bowl stadium in New Haven. Passengers rode extra trains from Springfield, Boston, and especially New York to the New Haven Union Station, where they transferred to trolleys for the 2-mile (3.2 km) ride to

3784-491: The NH's acquisition of 50 companies, including other railroads and steamship lines, and building a network of electrified trolley lines that provided interurban transportation for all of southern New England. By 1912, the New Haven operated more than 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of track, with 120,000 employees, and practically monopolized traffic in a wide swath from Boston to New York City. This quest for monopoly angered Progressive Era reformers, alienated public opinion, raised

3872-768: The New Haven Railroad a connection to Willimantic, Connecticut . Two more companies, the Naugatuck Railroad and the Connecticut Valley Railroad , were leased by the New Haven in 1887. With these two leases, the New Haven was in control of 10 of the 22 railroads in Connecticut at the time. Around the beginning of the 20th century, New York investors led by J. P. Morgan gained control, and in 1903 installed Charles S. Mellen as President. Charles Francis Murphy's New York Contracting and Trucking company

3960-523: The Providence & Worcester, Bay Colony, Boston & Maine, Connecticut Central, Pioneer Valley, Housatonic and Connecticut Southern railroads. Those lines still operated by Conrail in 1999 became part of CSX Transportation as the result of the breakup of the Conrail system. The state of Connecticut frequently alludes to the New Haven in its modern transportation projects; much of the state’s commuter equipment

4048-461: The Track 2 side. The Orange Line tracks and platform lie between these two groups of mainline rail tracks. Back Bay is fully accessible. The station has full-length high-level platforms on the three Northeast Corridor tracks, and a mini-high platform for the Worcester Line tracks. Elevators are available to access all platforms from the street-level station building. The main station building

4136-415: The authentic script-lettering insignia of the original "New York, New Haven and Hartford" railroad on the tenders of its resident steam locomotives, 2-8-0 Consolidation type Number 97 and 2-8-2 Mikado type number 40. There is a third steam locomotive in restoration to running order; a Chinese SY-class Mikado, formerly known as the 1658, it is being renumbered and painted as New Haven 3025, and is to be based on

4224-433: The brash Patrick B. McGinnis led a proxy fight against incumbent president Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine Jr. , vowing to return more of the company's profit to shareholders. McGinnis won control of the railroad and appointed Arthur V. McGowan, a longtime acquaintance, Vice President. McGinnis attempted to accomplish many of his financial goals by deferring all but the most essential maintenance. Under McGinnis, Knoll Associates

4312-503: The building a more distinctive and accessible main entrance from Atlantic Avenue, Summer Street, and Dewey Square. A similar concept is also seen in the Santa Maria della Pace in Rome, Italy. This church did not directly influence South Station, but the designs clearly share the same effects on the immediate area. In the 1980s, with South Station in disrepair, a great effort began to revitalize

4400-416: The building appear smaller from far away. This visual trick is common in classical buildings and is further amplified by the oversized windows and large balustrade on the third floor and roof. Above the doorways are classical Ionic order columns that ostensibly hold up the frieze and pediment. Uncommon for Ionic order columns is the lack of fluting , which is usually used to draw the eye upward, increasing

4488-467: The city, is a hallmark of a bygone era—something that commuters rely on to make their trains, and which visitors admire for its historical presence. The stone eagle that sits atop the clock is 8 feet (2.4 m) wide and weighs over eight tons. The eagle imitates the figurines commonly placed atop classically styled buildings. The curved shape of the building facade pushes its presence into the surrounding area, making it much more prominent. This also gives

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4576-620: The completion of the Big Dig and the Rose Kennedy Greenway , South Station has become an even more important feature in the area. The Greenway provides a pedestrian-friendly connection between South Station and North Station . Two works of public art, installed as part of the Arts on the Line program, are located inside South Station: South Station is served by heavy rail, rapid transit, and bus. It

4664-402: The concourse. As of 2019, final designs are due to be submitted in 2020, and the work is expected to take until at least 2022. Boston Properties (later BXP) purchased the adjacent parking garage in 2010. In 2014, the company began negotiating with the state for the right to build an air rights development atop the station and garage parcels, in exchange for managing the station and completing

4752-556: The concourse. The station work was then scheduled to begin in 2017 pending BRA approval. By 2019, construction was planned to begin in 2021. In 2024, BXP indicated that the tower project was on hold. Plans for wayfinding signage, lighting, and other station improvements for the Orange Line station were completed by May 2021. On September 26, 2021, nine people were injured when an escalator at the station malfunctioned. South Station South Station , officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station ,

4840-539: The corporation. Penn Central was bankrupt by 1970 and the New Haven corporate entity remained in existence throughout the 1970s as the Trustee of the Estate pursued just payment from Penn Central for the New Haven's assets. Leased by the New Haven since before 1900, the Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W) successfully exited its lease under Penn Central and resumed operating its own line in 1973. A substantial portion of

4928-523: The cost of acquiring other companies and increased the railroad's construction costs. The company's debt soared from $ 14 million in 1903 to $ 242 million in 1913, while the advent of automobiles, trucks and buses reduced its profits. Also in 1913, the federal government filed an antitrust lawsuit that forced the NH to divest its trolley systems. The line became bankrupt in 1935. It emerged from bankruptcy, albeit reduced in scope, in 1947, only to go bankrupt again in 1961. In 1969, its rail assets were merged with

5016-424: The dead-end storage capacity for trains at South Station. Prominent NSRL supporters include former Governor Michael S. Dukakis (Democrat) and former Governor William F. Weld (Republican), who have made joint public appearances regarding this issue. Based on their advocacy, MassDOT agreed to fund a $ 2 million study in February 2016. The NSRL reevaluation report was released in June 2018. Its tunnel options included

5104-468: The demolition of the postal facility and take 5 years to complete. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs approved the FEIR on August 12, 2016. The South Station Expansion Project has been opposed by a number of transportation advocates, community groups, and environmental groups, many of which instead advocate building a North–South Rail Link (NSRL) through connection to North Station and points beyond, rather than expanding

5192-467: The eventual construction of an office building and bus station above the tracks. This renovation also added direct access to the Red Line subway station from inside the surface station lobby; previously, the only access was via street stairwells. The Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig) occupied almost all of the building's office space beginning in July 1988. After some delays, an inter-city bus terminal opened in October 1995, replacing one on top of

5280-410: The former New Haven main line between New York and Boston was transferred to Amtrak in 1976 and now forms the northern leg of the electrified Northeast Corridor , hosting high-speed Acela Express and regional rail service. The main line between New Rochelle and New Haven is jointly owned by the state of Connecticut and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York, and is served by

5368-530: The four separate terminals remained. The Boston Terminal Company, established in 1897, was charged with the task of consolidating service from the four terminals at a single terminal (a union station ). South Station opened in 1899 at a cost of $ 3.6 million (1899 dollars). The architects were Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge of Boston, and the construction was undertaken by the engineering firm of Westinghouse, Church, Kerr & Co. The station opened on January 1 for use by Old Colony Division and Midland Division trains,

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5456-402: The grandeur of the facade. The numerous projections and recessions on the façade attribute to the planar quality of the building, while also creating interesting shading and lighting patterns on the stone and within the building. Inside, a coffered ceiling adorns the terminal and protects travelers from the rain and snow. Constructed over 100 years ago, the clock on top of the main head house

5544-481: The iconic NH logo. Although a new livery was introduced with the opening of the Hartford Line commuter service in 2018, much of its equipment is shared with Shore Line East , of which some continue to bear the McGinnis livery and the rest have been repainted into the new " CT Rail " livery. All of these lines were formerly owned by the New Haven. The Valley Railroad , a preservation line based in Essex, Connecticut that runs both steam and diesel traction, has painted

5632-419: The interior of a never-built design for articulated commuter coaches. When McGinnis departed in 1956, he left the company financially wrecked, a situation exacerbated by severe damage from the 1955 Connecticut floods . In 1959, the New Haven discontinued passenger service on the Old Colony Railroad network in southeastern Massachusetts. That year, the company reported close to $ 11 million in losses. Asked by

5720-408: The latter of which had been using the Old Colony terminal since August 22, 1896 to allow for construction. B&A trains began using South Station on July 23, followed by Providence Division trains on September 10 (along with the opening of Back Bay station ). It became the busiest station in New England by 1913. A stop on the Atlantic Avenue Elevated served South Station from 1901 to 1938; what

5808-580: The main station entrance and the waiting area onto the high-level platforms. Elevators are provided for step free access to the subway station . The bus station can be reached via the track 1 platform. Boston's main inter-city bus terminal, the South Station Bus Terminal , is housed in a separate building built over the train platforms along Atlantic Avenue. The bus terminal hosts service by Greyhound , Peter Pan , and other bus companies; to all of New England , New York City , upstate New York , Atlantic City ( New Jersey ), Philadelphia , Washington, D.C. ,

5896-427: The morning and evening rush hours , and were unable to recover their infrastructure costs. The demise of the New Haven was likely hastened by the 1958 opening of the Connecticut Turnpike , largely paralleling the railroad’s mainline across the state, and the subsequent construction of other interstate highways. With decades of inadequate investment, the New Haven could not compete against automobiles or trucks. In 1954,

5984-437: The near future, but the surface-level commuter rail and Amtrak platforms are at capacity. A proposed relocation of the Boston General Mail Facility, which is located on Dorchester Avenue next to the station tracks, would allow for increased capacity at South Station. Seven more tracks are planned to be added to the existing thirteen tracks, allowing increased use by both MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains. In October 2010,

6072-411: The next several years. The Boston and Providence Railroad opened from Park Square to East Providence later that year. The two lines crossed on causeways in the Back Bay, then still used as a mill pond . Around 1880, the Boston and Albany Railroad (descendant of the B&W) opened its Columbus Avenue station to serve new developments on the filled bay. In 1897, the New Haven Railroad (which owned

6160-466: The original agreement. Boston Properties filed notice with the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) in December 2015, beginning the permitting process. Plans for the station and development were released in March 2016. The station renovation would include restoration of the original architecture, relocation of the Orange Line entrances, expanded waiting areas in the main concourse, renovated bathrooms, improved ventilation, and new retail spaces surrounding

6248-586: The outside air. A petition drive in 2000 gathered complaints about the then-"longstanding" issue. Studies in 2006 and 2008 showed that "the air was many, many times below air-quality standards" due to trapped diesel exhaust and soot. An earlier study showed elevated levels of carbon monoxide , formaldehyde , particulates , and oxides of nitrogen , though it noted that there is no regulated standard to meet for indoor air quality in public spaces. Though simple changes were made regarding scheduling, and checking to make sure train engines were running properly, in 2008

6336-671: The platform it was some of the worst air quality I've measured." Additionally passengers and clerks working in the station have complained. The MBTA said then that it would complete an improved ventilation system by 2012. On October 8, 2014, Amtrak removed its customer service and ticketing agents from the station due to the persistent air quality issues. Back Bay was to be an unstaffed station "until further notice" as improvements are made. Amtrak personnel returned in 2015, but Amtrak pulled them again effective October 1, 2016. The station has remained unstaffed since then, though two Quik-Trak kiosks are available. However, baggage cannot be checked at

6424-601: The postal facility is in limbo, as the Postal Service is not willing to accept the amount offered by the state. Part of this deal would include moving the facility to South Boston, with MassPort taking some of the Post Office's parking lot located across Fort Point Channel. The Final Environmental Impact Report for the South Station Expansion Project was released on June 30, 2016. The project would begin with

6512-608: The railroad were indicted for "conspiracy to monopolize interstate commerce by acquiring the control of practically all the transportation facilities of New England." In 1925, the railroad created the New England Transportation Company as a subsidiary to operate buses and trucks on routes where rail service was no longer profitable. Under the stress of the Great Depression the company became bankrupt in 1935, remaining in trusteeship until 1947. Common stock

6600-426: The shorter "South Station". When the railroads serving Boston were first laid out and built, each one stopped at its own terminal. The four terminals serving the south-side railroads were as follows: By the late 19th century, the New England, Old Colony, and Boston & Providence had been acquired by the New York & New Haven Railroad , while the B&A was acquired by the New York Central Railroad . However,

6688-417: The station using Federal funding. The revitalization included addition of two wings that extend from each side of the head house, constructed with granite from the same quarries to provide a consistent appearance. Renovation and expansion was completed in 1989, reinvigorating the area with a vital transportation link and a strong focal point. Office buildings began rising nearby, expanding the downtown area. With

6776-481: The station. Despite being unstaffed, it remains one of the busiest Amtrak stations in the country. In 2018, it was the fourth-busiest Amtrak station in New England (behind South Station, Providence and New Haven Union ) and the 16th-busiest nationwide. A $ 10 million ventilation project, funded equally by MassDOT and Boston Properties, was bid in 2016. The work will improve ventilation at the platform level and add " air curtains " to prevent exhaust fumes from reaching

6864-548: The steam era, and more during the transition to diesel. NH was a pioneer in many ways; in streamliners with the Comet , in the use of diesel multiple units (DMUs) in the U.S. with both Budd's regular Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs) and the all-RDC Roger Williams trainset, in the use of rail-adapted buses, in lightweight trains such as the Train X -equipped Dan'l Webster , and in experimentation with Talgo -type (passive tilt) equipment on

6952-518: The storied railroad, and the end to the 19-year saga of its second bankruptcy reorganization. American Financial Enterprises would become the largest single stockholder of Penn Central Company shares by the mid-1990s, controlling 32% of the stock of the company. Freight operations on former New Haven lines passed to Conrail with its government-overseen creation on April 1, 1976. During the subsequent 23 years, Conrail withdrew from much of that territory, abandoning some track and handing other lines over to

7040-625: The train John Quincy Adams . An audacious experiment was the UAC TurboTrain , which with passive tilt , turbine engines and light weight attempted to revolutionize medium—distance railway travel in the U.S. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation , the Turbo Train holds the U.S. railway speed record of 170 mph, set in 1968. The NH never operated the Turbo in revenue service, as

7128-511: The two in 1870 was rejected by the Connecticut General Assembly , largely over fears that the merged railroad would form a monopoly. But the legislature approved a second attempt just two years later, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was formed on July 24, 1872. The newly-combined railroad owned a main line from New York City to Springfield via New Haven and Hartford, and also reached New London, Connecticut via

7216-472: The year's end. Company president George Alpert blamed "government subsidies direct and indirect to our competitors, and inequitable taxes" for the railroad's deficits, pointing to billions of dollars in federal funding for highways and airports. At the insistence of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the New Haven was merged into Penn Central on December 31, 1968, ending rail operations by

7304-544: Was awarded a $ 6 million contract in 1904 to build rail lines in the Bronx for the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad. An executive at the railroad said the contract was awarded to avoid friction with New York City’s Tammany Hall political machine. In response to this contract, the New York State Legislature amended the city's charter so that franchise-awarding power was removed from the city council and given to

7392-413: Was closed from August 19 to September 18, 2022, during maintenance work. Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail service to the station was not changed. Back Bay station has suffered from poor air quality since its opening; passengers with lung conditions have been advised to avoid the station. Much of the commuter rail infrastructure at Back Bay is covered and enclosed, and so diesel fumes cannot escape quickly to

7480-431: Was dedicated by Governor Michael Dukakis . It replaced the 1899-built and 1929-rebuilt ex- New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad station of the same name, of which some remnants can still be found at the eastern end of the present station facilities, including a carved stone embedded in the brick wall on the east side of Columbus Avenue. The reopened station had South End as a secondary name, approved in 1985 as part of

7568-507: Was never realized, and South Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 1978, the BRA sold what was left of the station to the MBTA, though the BRA retained air rights over the station. Funding was obtained for a major renovation of the station that was completed in 1989. A total of 13 tracks became available, all with high level platforms and some capable of handling 12-car trains. Piers were installed for

7656-559: Was retained to design a new visual identity for the company. Green and gold trim on rolling stock was replaced by black, red-orange and white, accompanied by a stylized "NH" emblem. Knoll employed architect Marcel Breuer to design the interiors and exterior styling of the three experimental trainsets – the Dan'l Webster , John Quincy Adams , and Roger Williams – that were ordered in 1955. Breuer also designed new station buildings for Rye and New London , neither of which were built, as well as

7744-692: Was voided and creditors assumed control. During the 88 stations case , the railroad closed 88 stations in Massachusetts and 5 in Rhode Island in 1938, and unsuccessfully attempted to abandon the Boston-area portion of the Old Colony Division. The twelve-year reorganization resulted in "eight Supreme Court decisions, fourteen circuit court decisions, five district court decisions, and eleven ICC reports." The railroad emerged in September 1947 under

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