Needham Junction station

NEEDHAM JUNCTION
Needham Junction station in March 2016
Location	51 Junction Street Needham, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°16′23″N 71°14′12″W / 42.2730°N 71.2366°W / 42.2730; -71.2366Coordinates: 42°16′23″N 71°14′12″W / 42.2730°N 71.2366°W / 42.2730; -71.2366
Owned by	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Line(s)	Needham Line
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Connections	MBTA Bus: 59
Construction
Parking	175 spaces ($4.00 fee) 4 accessible spaces
Bicycle facilities	6 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	2
History
Opened	November 4, 1906
Closed	October 13, 1979–October 19, 1987
Previous names	West Street
Traffic
Passengers (2013)	400 (weekday inbound average)
Services
Preceding station   MBTA   Following station Needham Center toward Needham Heights Needham Line Hersey toward South Station
Former services Preceding station   MBTA   Following station Charles River toward Millis Millis Branch Closed 1967 Bird's Hill toward South Station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Millis toward Woonsocket Charles River Line Bird's Hill toward Back Bay

Needham Junction station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Needham, Massachusetts. It serves the Needham Line. It is located on Junction Street near Chestnut Street in the southwestern part of Needham. It opened in 1906 when the New Haven Railroad built the Needham Cutoff to connect the Charles River Railroad to its main line. The station is fully handicapped accessible.

On June 1, 1853, the Charles River Branch Railroad was extended from Newton Upper Falls into Needham as the first stage of a line to Dover and beyond. The railroad was not able to follow its original plan to go through the East Village, Needham's historical center, because one landowner refused to sell; instead, it was routed to Great Plain station in Great Plain Village further to the east. The line was extended to Medway on November 18, 1861 and to Woonsocket on November 16, 1863.

The New Haven Railroad opened its Needham Cutoff from West Roxbury to Needham Junction on November 4, 1906, allowing trains from the former Charles River Branch Railroad to reach Boston without needing to use the rival Boston and Albany Railroad's Highland Branch. A wye was constructed at Needham Junction, allowing trains from Needham to use the cutoff as well. West Street station opened with the cutoff on November 4, 1906; it is positioned east of the junction, so as to only serve trains running on the cutoff. No station had previously been located in the area. A large granolithic platform with a canopy over much of its length was completed in 1911, by which point it was known as Needham Junction.