Indigo Line

The Indigo Line is the name of a proposed service of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority that will incorporate parts of the former Grand Junction Railroad, the Seaport District's Track 61, a spur to the Riverside station and other MBTA Commuter Rail lines. Although it has been talked about for years, mostly in relation to the Fairmount Line, the line was formally proposed in 2014 when the MBTA released its five year capital plan. According to the "MBTA Vision for 2024" proposal, the line would operate diesel multiple units for its rolling stock and would be fully operational in that year.^[1][2]

Background

The term "Indigo Line" dates back to the creation of the Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative, which proposed transforming the Fairmount Line into a rapid transit commuter rail hybrid line.^[3] Most of the infill stations proposed by the initiative have been built, with one more planned, however as of 2015, the line still uses conventional commuter rail equipment.

Indigo lines under consideration

The MBTA Vision for 2024 map shows six possible lines for Indigo DMU service:

• The current Fairmount Line
• South Station to Riverside via the Framingham/Worcester Line and an old right of way from that line to Riverside currently used for trolley operator training
• Back Bay to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center using Track 61
• North Station to the planned West Station using the Grand Junction Railroad, with a new stop in Cambridge
• North Station to Anderson RTC on the Lowell Line
• North Station to Lynn on the Newburyport/Rockport Line

Construction

In September of 2014, it was announced that West Station would begin construction in 2017, with an estimated completion date of 2020. While not directly called the Indigo Line in news releases, it was announced that the station would possibly connect to Kendall Square.^[4][5]

In 2012, plans for a Boston Landing station were announced, with an expected opening in 2014 (which was later revised to 2016). A rebuilt Yawkey station opened in 2014

References

External links

• MBTA 5 year Capital Improvement Plan 2014-2018
• Fairmount Indigo Planning Initiative

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