Newburyport/Rockport Line

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Newburyport/Rockport Lines
Train #172 entering Central Square-Lynn, bound for North Station.
Info
Type	Commuter Rail
Locale	Greater Boston
Terminals	North Station Newburyport or Rockport
No. of stations	11 (Newburyport) 13 (Rockport)
Service routes	2
Operation
Owner	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Operator(s)	MBCR
Character	Elevated and surface-level
Rolling stock	Commuter rail cars
Technical
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
Line map North Station Fitchburg, Lowell & Haverhill/Reading Lines Chelsea Saugus Draw River Works (General Electric employees only) Saugus Branch Lynn Swampscott Original Salem station Salem Tunnel Salem Beverly Draw Beverly Depot North Beverly Hamilton/Wenham Ipswich Rowley Newburyport Montserrat Prides Crossing Beverly Farms Manchester West Gloucester Gloucester Draw Gloucester Rockport

The Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg runs through Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, to Beverly. From there, a northern branch of the line runs through Hamilton, Ipswich, Rowley and Newburyport. The line also branches east from Beverly, serving Manchester, Gloucester and Rockport.

[edit] History

The line uses tracks owned in the 19th century by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M), which leased the tracks to such companies as Eastern Railroad until the MBTA subsidized, and then acquired, B&M in the 1970s. During the first two decades of the MBTA's operation of the line, service ran to Ipswich; in 1998, service was extended to Newburyport.

[edit] Station Listing

North Station - Terminus and connection with MBTA Orange Line and Green Line, as well as Amtrak Downeaster service to Maine and some local MBTA bus connections.

Chelsea station connects to buses 112 and 114.

River Works station is accessible during weekdays to employees of the nearby General Electric plant.

Central Square/Lynn is a rail and bus hub in downtown Lynn, near the Lynn campus of North Shore Community College. Buses routes include 425, 426, 429, 433, 436, 437, 439, 441, 442, 448, 449, 455, and 469.

Swampscott station services residential Swampscott; tickets can be purchased at Fiori's Variety, just down the street. The 441/448 bus to Marblehead, and the 455/459 bus to Salem leave here.

Salem station is near the Route 107 traffic circle, where bus lines 450, 451, 458/468, 455/459, and 718 are immediately available. A large proportion of commuters on the Newburyport/Rockport Line make use of Salem Station, and tickets may be purchased at Red Lion Smoke Shop. During the days leading up to Halloween, Salem Station is an especially popular destination, and the rail-cars are standing-room only on the night of the holiday.

Beverly Depot is on the edge of downtown Beverly between Rantoul Street and the Bass River; it is the closest station to Montserrat College of Art and the Cabot Street Cinema Theatre. Tickets are sold at a nearby dry cleaner, Depot Cleaners. The former station house has been converted into the Beverly Depot Restaurant. It connects to the Beverly Shoppers Shuttle bus line.

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Montserrat station is close to Beverly Hospital, and lies on Route 22 leading north to Essex. Tickets may be purchased at the nearby convenience store.

Prides Crossing station serves the village of Prides Crossing, between Beverly Cove and Beverly Farms, and is close to Endicott College.

Beverly Farms station serves the small residential village of Beverly Farms, and is the closest station to Gordon College in Wenham.

Manchester-by-the-Sea tickets may be purchased at Richdale's, and is close to Singing Beach.

West Gloucester station is close to Cape Ann Industrial Park, and is the closest station to the village of Magnolia, which can be reached by CATA bus.

Gloucester station is also near CATA buses that reach downtown Gloucester and Magnolia.

Rockport station is near CATA buses that reach downtown Rockport and Good Harbor Beach. Plans to improve this station are described at [1].

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North Beverly station lies on Route 1A among the shops that line Enon Street. Bus 451 travels to Salem.

Hamilton/Wenham station lies between the Wenham and Hamilton town centers, and tickets may be purchased at the Hamilton Convenience Store.

Ipswich station tickets can be purchased at Richdale's on Market Street. Ipswich Essex Explorer provides weekend service during the summer to Crane Beach, downtown Essex and other nearby attractions.

Rowley station is on the eastern outskirts of town, with connections to MVRTA buses, serving the Merrimack Valley.

Newburyport has connections with MVRTA buses.

[edit] External links

• MBTA.com: Newburyport/Rockport Line
• Rail history database

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