593:
613:
completion would be delayed to early 2024 due to supply chain issues and soil conditions requiring modification of a retaining wall design. By
December 2022, construction was 45% complete, with the east ramps nearly finished. By that time, expected completion was further delayed to fall 2024. The east ramps were put into service on February 13, 2023, to access temporary platforms east of Washington Street, allowing the old platforms to be demolished and the new permanent platforms built. The Walnut Street footbridge was closed on March 2, 2023. By November 2023, construction was 70% complete and expected to finish in September 2024. By June 2024, work was still 70% complete, with completion expected in December 2024.
510:
478:
565:
35:
576:; the low platforms do not support level boarding, and passage to street level is via staircases only. Inbound ridership in 2018 was 736 passengers, making Natick Center the second-busiest non-accessible station on the MBTA Commuter Rail system. Flooding of the inbound track and platform during heavy rains is a recurrent problem. In January 2013, the Town of Natick formed a formal committee to advise the town on developing plans for a rebuilt station.
133:
489:, extending outwards from Boston, was completed Natick in August 1834. The line was double tracked through Natick in 1839, by which time a station had been established. Two other stations were located in Natick: Lake Crossing (at Bacon Street on the border with Wellesley to the east) and Walkerville (at Speen Street to the west). Neither lasted long into the 20th century.
254:
588:
for cost and operational reasons, with a third track (to allow freight trains and express passenger trains to pass stopped local trains) able to fit into the wide existing trench as well. The proposal would provide better integration of the station with the surrounding streets, including a deck over
550:
The line was reduced to two tracks through Natick in 1962. Around that time, a large building was built over the 1897 station, with the old station becoming the wine cellar of a liquor store. The original inbound canopy remained for use by the public, though the only station facilities were two bare
608:
After further MBTA review, the island platform design was replaced with two side platforms in 2017. The third center track will not be added as part of initial construction, but space will be left between the two main tracks to add it in the future. The estimated $ 36.5 million contract was put out
612:
In July 2020, the state awarded $ 125,000 for design of the final 1,300-foot (400 m) segment of the
Cochituate Rail Trail, including the connection with the new station. Construction in 2021 included platform supports, drainage, and a retaining wall. In February 2022, the MBTA indicated that
521:
to Lake
Crossing in 1894, and through Natick in 1896. During that construction, the line was realigned north (primarily to eliminate a sharp curve west of downtown) and lowered into a wide cut through downtown Natick to eliminate grade crossings with a number of streets. (Middlesex Avenue and the
555:
in 1982 to provide additional parking. In
October 1997, Natick was identified as a possible site for a parking garage. The MBTA planned a three-story, 300-space garage on town-owned land. The plan was cancelled because of concerns over the financial viability of the garage.
542:
The lightly used
Saxonville Branch never saw more than three daily round trips; passenger service was discontinued effective February 17, 1936. A "bus" – the Saxonville station agent's car – ran to Saxonville until 1943. Freight service continued until the 1980s; the
496:
section of
Framingham on July 4, 1846, with through trains to Boston. Although branch ridership was never high, these trains were timed to allow commuting from Natick for the first time. Stations on the branch included Felchville (at Fisher Street), Cochituate (at
609:
to bid in August 2019. A $ 36.1 million contract was awarded on
November 4, 2019. The 30-month construction period began in March 2020. Demolition of the canopy took place in May 2020. A temporary platform on the south side was installed later in the year.
600:
In July 2014, the MBTA agreed to the town's request to change the station's name as part of a larger rebranding of the Natick Center area. Online maps were changed shortly thereafter, and on
January 12, 2015, the station was officially renamed as
589:
parts of the trench between
Washington Street and Main Street. One option with the new station and a pedestrian-only deck was projected to cost $ 26.0 million, while a deck incorporating a bus loop would add $ 17 million more.
579:
In June 2014, conceptual plans were unveiled for upgrades to make the station fully handicapped accessible with high-level platforms and accessible routes from street level. The rebuilt station was to replace the existing
1444:
551:
platforms. The inbound side of the station is supported by the rear wall of the liquor store, decorated with a colorful mural of the
Downtown Natick area. A second station serving the town opened at
1449:
616:
In June 2021, the MBTA issued a $ 28 million design contract for a project to add a third track from Weston to Framingham, including through Natick Center, with projected completion in 2030.
1454:
1198:
1439:
1230:
1419:
1124:
993:
1248:
67:
592:
1012:
257:
253:
1389:
272:
1191:
1319:
938:"Independent State Auditor's Report on Certain Activities of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority: July 1, 1996 to July 31, 2001"
136:
937:
1034:
523:
492:
Improvements to the station building were made around 1845. The 3.87-mile (6.23 km) Saxonville Branch opened from Natick to the
920:
896:
850:
665:
1215:
1147:
1101:
1082:
1390:"MBTA Contract No. C72PS01: Worcester Line Track and Stations Accessibility Improvements (P0261) Design and Engineering Services"
1173:
345:
1336:
1132:
699:
1354:
486:
1371:
605:. In March 2016, $ 4 million for completing design of the station was included in a draft 2017–2021 MBTA capital plan.
1360:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Department of System-Wide Accessibility. November 27, 2023. p. 6.
1302:
353:
1325:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Department of System-Wide Accessibility. December 6, 2022. p. 6.
1267:
1414:
1252:
531:
493:
449:
330:
280:
102:
817:
518:
363:
287:
1020:
464:
station on the system, it is undergoing a major accessibility renovation and modernization from 2020 to 2024.
716:
509:
498:
477:
453:
1083:"Natick Center MBTA Commuter Rail Station: Feasibility Study and Conceptual Design for Upgrades (Draft)"
544:
445:
381:
376:
55:
34:
564:
1056:
522:
Middlesex Path now lie on the original alignment.) A new granite and brownstone station designed by
552:
267:
1284:
1231:"Long-awaited $ 40 million reconstruction of the Natick Center commuter rail station is underway"
978:
970:
782:
766:
750:
441:
340:
1273:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Department of System-Wide Accessibility. p. 7.
944:
1038:
892:
846:
695:
661:
866:
585:
527:
1109:
1086:
913:
637:
457:
1433:
1340:
581:
573:
368:
292:
113:
530:(who had designed nine stations for the B&A in the 1880s), opened in 1897. The
1106:
Natick Center MBTA Commuter Rail Station Improvements Implementation Plan (Draft)
798:
732:
452:. The station, located below grade in a wide cut adjacent to North Main Street (
1218:(Press release). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 4, 2019.
461:
1409:
82:
69:
1339:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. March 21, 2023. Archived from
140:
1216:"FMCB Approves Contract for Major Improvements at Natick Center Station"
843:
A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses
1377:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 25, 2024. p. 6.
1251:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. June 2020. Archived from
481:
Early station and Saxonville Branch engine house on an 1877 aerial map
825:
HAER No. MA-108: Boston & Albany Railroad: Marion Street Bridge
1420:
Natick Center station from North Avenue on Google Maps Street View
591:
563:
508:
476:
1197:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. August 30, 2019.
1445:
MBTA Commuter Rail stations in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
827:. Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service.
1415:
MBTA – Natick Center Accessibility Improvements Project Page
943:. Auditor of the Commonwealth. April 3, 2002. Archived from
784:
Report of the Directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad
768:
Report of the Directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad
752:
Report of the Directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad
1424:
873:. February 15, 1936. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
787:. Boston and Worcester Railroad. June 7, 1847. p. 13.
771:. Boston and Worcester Railroad. June 1, 1846. p. 10.
755:. Boston and Worcester Railroad. June 2, 1845. p. 10.
1125:"MBTA Commuter Rail Station Now 'Natick Center Station'"
39:
Natick Center station in 2023 during reconstruction work
994:"Heavy rains cause commuter rail delays, snarl commute"
1287:. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. July 2020. p. 6.
891:. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 39, 61.
460:
serving the line's two tracks. The second-busiest non-
1355:"System-Wide Accessibility Initiatives—November 2023"
1320:"System-Wide Accessibility Initiatives—December 2022"
1268:"System-Wide Accessibility Initiatives—November 2020"
660:. Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 21–25.
329:
251:
1450:
Railway stations in the United States opened in 1834
1013:"Storm causes flooding on MBTA Commuter Rail tracks"
887:Humphrey, Thomas J. & Clark, Norton D. (1986).
656:Humphrey, Thomas J. & Clark, Norton D. (1985).
420:
239:
223:
214:
206:
191:
178:
173:
165:
160:
152:
147:
127:
119:
108:
98:
61:
49:
44:
21:
1303:"Natick Center Station Accessibility Improvements"
1249:"Natick Center Station Accessibility Improvements"
1148:"MBTA eyes money for Natick Center station design"
805:. F.W. Beers & Co. 1875 – via Ward Maps.
739:. F.W. Beers & Co. 1875 – via Ward Maps.
517:The B&A extended third and fourth tracks from
501:on the Natick/Framingham border), and Saxonville.
1455:Buildings and structures in Natick, Massachusetts
971:"Parking scarcity makes commuting by train tough"
914:"Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district"
1174:"Natick Center train station design progressing"
882:
880:
992:Rosen, Andy; Roberts, Sarah (August 21, 2015).
1057:"MBTA backs Natick Center station name change"
636:Central Transportation Planning Staff (2019).
1395:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
1308:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
640:. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
8:
658:Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years
568:Natick Center station before reconstruction
1440:Former Boston and Albany Railroad stations
1296:
1294:
1050:
1048:
651:
649:
647:
631:
629:
417:
323:
312:
245:
33:
18:
16:Train station in Natick, Massachusetts, US
836:
834:
818:"WRITTEN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE DATA"
334:
326:
261:
248:
1100:McMahon Associates; URS (18 June 2014).
1081:McMahon Associates; URS (15 June 2014).
932:
930:
513:Early postcard of the 1897-built station
1204:from the original on September 6, 2019.
1123:Arsenault, Charlene (12 January 2015).
867:"Bus to Take Place of Saxonville Train"
803:County Atlas of Middlesex Massachusetts
737:County Atlas of Middlesex Massachusetts
694:. Branch Line Press. pp. 278–283.
625:
1266:Brelsford, Laura (November 30, 2020).
1011:Henrich, Michael (30 September 2015).
889:Boston's Commuter Rail: Second Section
845:. Branch Line Press. pp. 302–03.
692:The Rail Lines of Southern New England
1372:"Accessibility Initiatives—June 2024"
685:
683:
681:
679:
677:
132:
7:
718:The Boston Almanac for the Year 1838
547:has been built on the right-of-way.
1337:"Alerts: Framingham/Worcester Line"
1229:Malachowski, Jeff (April 8, 2020).
1172:Benson, Brian (December 17, 2017).
139:: 10, 11, Natick Commuter Shuttle,
524:Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr.
14:
1035:"MBTA Station Advisory Committee"
921:Boston Street Railway Association
1388:Kelly, Maribel (June 21, 2021).
1108:. Town of Natick. Archived from
1085:. Town of Natick. Archived from
1037:. Town of Natick. Archived from
969:Gregg, John (November 1, 1998).
252:
156:71 spaces (town permit required)
131:
1301:Doherty, John (February 2022).
1146:Benson, Brian (26 March 2016).
1055:Benson, Brian (4 August 2014).
596:Construction work in March 2022
487:Boston & Worcester Railroad
227:736 (weekday average boardings)
210:Natick (until January 12, 2015)
1285:"2020 MassTrails Grant Awards"
1:
572:Natick Center station is not
196:
182:
816:Healey, John (August 1990).
981:– via Newspapers.com.
638:"2018 Commuter Rail Counts"
534:acquired the line in 1900.
1471:
1102:"Implementation Framework"
690:Karr, Ronald Dale (1995).
354:Boston and Albany Railroad
281:Framingham/​Worcester Line
841:Roy, John H. Jr. (2007).
532:New York Central Railroad
450:Framingham/Worcester Line
427:
416:
412:
408:
331:New York Central Railroad
311:
307:
303:
244:
235:
231:
219:
32:
715:Dickinson, S.N. (1838).
597:
569:
514:
482:
1425:Cochituate Rail Trail
1135:on 30 September 2015.
1112:on 30 September 2015.
1089:on 30 September 2015.
1041:on 30 September 2015.
1023:on 30 September 2015.
595:
567:
545:Cochituate Rail Trail
512:
480:
446:Natick, Massachusetts
438:Natick Center station
56:Natick, Massachusetts
1410:MBTA – Natick Center
1235:Metrowest Daily News
1178:Metrowest Daily News
1152:Metrowest Daily News
1061:MetroWest Daily News
1192:"Notice to Bidders"
977:. pp. West 1,
912:Belcher, Jonathan.
103:Worcester Main Line
83:42.2858°N 71.3472°W
79: /
45:General information
1343:on March 21, 2023.
598:
570:
515:
505:Longfellow station
483:
442:MBTA Commuter Rail
389:Saxonville Branch
335:Following station
327:Preceding station
262:Following station
249:Preceding station
1255:on June 24, 2020.
499:Commonwealth Road
435:
434:
431:
430:
404:
403:
400:
399:
299:
298:
161:Other information
88:42.2858; -71.3472
1462:
1397:
1396:
1394:
1385:
1379:
1378:
1376:
1368:
1362:
1361:
1359:
1351:
1345:
1344:
1333:
1327:
1326:
1324:
1316:
1310:
1309:
1307:
1298:
1289:
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1275:
1274:
1272:
1263:
1257:
1256:
1245:
1239:
1238:
1226:
1220:
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1212:
1206:
1205:
1203:
1196:
1188:
1182:
1181:
1169:
1163:
1162:
1160:
1158:
1143:
1137:
1136:
1131:. Archived from
1120:
1114:
1113:
1097:
1091:
1090:
1078:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1067:
1052:
1043:
1042:
1031:
1025:
1024:
1019:. Archived from
1008:
1002:
1001:
989:
983:
982:
975:The Boston Globe
966:
960:
959:
957:
955:
949:
942:
934:
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918:
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822:
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747:
741:
740:
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723:
722:
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706:
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687:
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653:
642:
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633:
418:
324:
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288:Wellesley Square
256:
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135:
134:
94:
93:
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19:
1470:
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1406:
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1400:
1392:
1387:
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1374:
1370:
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1357:
1353:
1352:
1348:
1335:
1334:
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1299:
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1278:
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1265:
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1228:
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1209:
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1117:
1099:
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1079:
1075:
1065:
1063:
1054:
1053:
1046:
1033:
1032:
1028:
1010:
1009:
1005:
991:
990:
986:
968:
967:
963:
953:
951:
950:on June 8, 2017
947:
940:
936:
935:
928:
916:
911:
910:
906:
899:
886:
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878:
865:
864:
860:
853:
840:
839:
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820:
815:
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797:
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765:
764:
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749:
748:
744:
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709:
702:
689:
688:
675:
668:
655:
654:
645:
635:
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627:
622:
586:island platform
562:
540:
528:H.H. Richardson
526:, a student of
507:
475:
470:
423:
384:
371:
358:
348:
318:
317:Former services
295:
275:
199:
185:
143:Express Shuttle
87:
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73:
70:
68:
66:
65:
54:
53:1 Walnut Street
40:
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27:
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11:
5:
1468:
1466:
1458:
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1452:
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1427:
1422:
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1405:
1404:External links
1402:
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582:side platforms
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560:Reconstruction
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769:
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746:
743:
738:
734:
728:
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721:. p. 50.
720:
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669:
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603:Natick Center
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1129:Natick Patch
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1017:FOX25 Boston
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148:Construction
954:October 24,
553:West Natick
456:), has two
444:station in
268:West Natick
202:, 2020–2024
200: 1962
186: 1839
128:Connections
86: /
62:Coordinates
1434:Categories
1066:12 January
701:0942147022
620:References
574:accessible
494:Saxonville
462:accessible
382:Saxonville
377:Felchville
341:Framingham
215:Passengers
74:71°20′50″W
71:42°17′09″N
519:Riverside
364:Wellesley
357:Main Line
273:Worcester
166:Fare zone
141:MathWorks
109:Platforms
1199:Archived
1157:26 March
733:"Natick"
584:with an
454:Route 27
422:Location
395:Terminus
240:Services
50:Location
538:Decline
468:History
380:toward
367:toward
344:toward
291:toward
271:toward
192:Rebuilt
174:History
153:Parking
99:Line(s)
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440:is an
369:Boston
346:Albany
195:1897,
179:Opened
120:Tracks
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137:MWRTA
1159:2016
1068:2015
956:2019
893:ISBN
847:ISBN
696:ISBN
662:ISBN
485:The
258:MBTA
224:2018
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