Midland or Dorchester Branch RR Bridge at Readville - Boston, MA - Truss Bridges on Waymarking.com

In Boston's Readville neighborhood is the Readville MBTA Commuter Rail Station, where there is a hundred plus year old truss bridge.

The bridge is located at the rail station - the closest points of entry are off Hyde Park Avenue - either one will due. If you park here, just remember that they do have parking stations to put in money (at the time of writing, it is $4). The bridge is at the south end. Readville Station has three sets of platforms, all of which have views of the bridge. You can approach from the lower level and you will have a view from below. If you walk to the upper level, you will have an end view of the bridge at one platform, and a semi-obstructed view of the side from the other. Another great view - though obstructed by heavy chain-link and plexiglass, is from the pedestrian walkway that also bridges the northeast corridor.

The truss bridge is a single span bridge about 125 ft in length (estimated from the GoogleEarth application). It currently has a single track on it. A picture in the publication, 'The New Haven Railroads's Boston Division,' shows one bridge completely and pieces of a second trestle visible next to it. The image is from 1930. Looking at the GoogleEarth image and my photos the bridge featured in the waymark is the bridge mostly out of the picture.

The book above states that the branch line, known then as the Midland Branch, was raised in 1898 to go over the much busier Boston to Providence line, at that time both owned by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Thus, the bridge probably dates to that year. The line went through periods of abandonment and activity. Currently, the line over the bridge is used both for passenger and freight service. CSX runs freight trains a few times a day, while the MBTA runs trains going from Franklin to Boston along the 'Dorchester Branch' a few times a day.

As with all railroad stations - but particularly with this one - the northeast corridor is very busy and the Accela train rolls through here at sometime high speed. Thus, DON'T WALK OR CROSS THE TRACKS and STAND BACK WELL BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE when you hear the warning.

Source Used:

Liljestrand, Robert A. The New Haven Railroad's Boston Division. Bob's Photo: Boston, 2001.

Date Built: 01/01/1898 Length of Span: 125 ft (est) www: http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/stations/?stopId=170 Parking Coordinates:: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
Log your find with a picture of the bridge with yourself or your GPS in the foreground. This shot does not have to be taken "on" the bridge. The shot should show the "truss" structure of the bridge as well.

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