Beachmont (MBTA station)

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BEACHMONT
File:Beachmont station.JPG
Beachmont station in 2012
Location 630 Winthrop Avenue at 1 Bennington Street
Revere, Massachusetts
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Line(s) Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Platforms 2 side platforms
Tracks 2
Construction
Parking 430 spaces ($5.00 fee)
6 accessible spaces
Bicycle facilities 6 spaces
Disabled access Yes
History
Opened January 19, 1954 (Blue Line)[2]
Closed January 27, 1940 (BRB&L)[1]
Rebuilt June 24, 1995[2]
Traffic
Passengers (2013) 3,045 (weekday average boardings)[3]
Services
Preceding station   MBTA.svg MBTA   Following station
toward Bowdoin
 Blue Line
toward Wonderland

Beachmont is an elevated rapid transit station on the MBTA Blue Line, located above Winthrop Avenue in the Beachmont neighborhood of Revere, Massachusetts.

The station, located on an overpass above Winthrop Avenue, is one of a small number of elevated rapid transit stations remaining in the MBTA system. (The only others are Charles/MGH, Science Park, Malden Center, Wollaston and Fields Corner.) Boston once had several elevated lines, but the Atlantic Avenue Elevated, Charlestown Elevated, Washington Street Elevated, and Causeway Elevated were all torn down in favor of subway and surface-level lines.

Beachmont station is fully handicapped accessible, with elevators from the lobby to the platforms.

History

BRB&L

File:Beachmont station postcard.jpg
Beachmont station on an early postcard

The narrow gauge Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad (BRB&L) opened from East Boston to Lynn on July 29, 1875; no station was originally present at Winthrop Avenue.[4] Beachmont station opened later at the Winthrop Avenue grade crossing, with a station building located southeast of the crossing. Ocean Pier station at Dolphin Avenue was open for several years in the 1880s, likely to compete with a competitor - the Eastern Railroad-backed Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad - which operated in 1884 and 1885.[1][5][6]

By 1928 the line was electrified, with pre-pay stations - more a rapid transit line than a conventional railroad.[7] However, due to the Great Depression, the BRB&L shut down on January 27, 1940.[1]

Rapid transit

In 1941, the Boston Elevated Railway bought the BRB&L right of way from Day Square to Revere Beach for use as a high-speed trolley line similar to the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line; these plans were delayed by the onset of World War II.[8] However, the 1926 Report on Improved Transportation Facilities and 1945–47 Coolidge Commission Report recommended that the East Boston Tunnel line, which had been converted to rapid transit from streetcars in 1924, be extended to Lynn via the BBRB&L route rather than using it for a trolley line.[9][10]

In 1947, the newly formed Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.) decided to build to Lynn as a rapid transit line, and construction began in October 1948.[8] The first part of the Revere Extension opened to Orient Heights in January 1952 and Suffolk Downs in April 1952; the second phase (cut short due to limited funds) opened to Wonderland on January 19, 1954 with intermediate stations at Beachmont and Revere Beach.[8][2] Unlike its predecessor, this Beachmont station was elevated to eliminate the grade crossing of Winthrop Avenue.

Renovations

The station was closed for approximately one year starting on June 25, 1994, as the station was rebuilt along with the Suffolk Downs, Revere Beach and Wonderland stations as part of the Blue Line Modernization Program. Blue Line service temporarily ended at Orient Heights and buses served the closed stations during the $467 million improvement project to upgrade four stations on the line.[11][2] Beachmont station was completely rebuilt at a cost of $27 million; it reopened along with the other stations on June 24, 1995.[12]

The station was closed while additional platform repair work was performed from September 8 through November 25, 2008.[2]

Bus connections

Beachmont station is served by one MBTA Bus route, with runs below the station on Winthrop Avenue:[13]

  • 119 Northgate - Beachmont Station via Revere Center & Cooledge Housing

Platform layout

Platform level Side platform, doors will open on the right
Southbound ← Blue Line toward Bowdoin or Government Center (Suffolk Downs)
Northbound → Blue Line toward Wonderland (Revere Beach) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
Ground - Exit/Entrance

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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