History Prides Crossing (MBTA station)

the station building , platform pedestrian crossing



the republican , democrat benches, local landmark

in march 1845, eastern railroad received permission build branch line beverly gloucester. gloucester branch opened manchester on august 3, 1847, , gloucester on december 1. prides station opened in 1880; sometime between , 1899, wooden station building constructed. @ point, station s name changed prides crossing.

the eastern railroad became part of boston , maine railroad (b&m) in 1885. on january 18, 1965, newly formed massachusetts bay transportation authority began subsidizing service. mbta bought b&m commuter assets, including gloucester branch, on december 27, 1976.

on august 11, 1981, westbound mbta commuter rail train collided eastbound b&m freight @ prides crossing. cab car leading mbta train thrust air on freight locomotive. 2 trainmen , passenger on freight , engineer on commuter train killed. ntsb determined crash caused 2 dispatchers failing communicate, resulting in 2 trains being put on same track (the second track out of service due construction).

on january 20, 1984, north station approach trestles destroyed fire. gloucester branch trains terminated @ temporary station near sullivan or bussed lynn. on november 16, 1984, beverly draw bridge connecting salem beverly burned, cutting rockport branch , ipswich line rest of system. (all lines running north , west of newburyport abandoned 1984, leaving no route move equipment rest of northside.) shuttle train run rockport beverly depot until january 7, 1985, when replaced bus service. locomotives used trucked danvers repaired @ mbta s main maintenance facility. new bridge opened on december 1, 1985, reconnecting gloucester larger system.

the former station building occupied candy store. original canopies have been cut , enclosed additional space, , main building modified well. on street side of candy store 2 benches labeled republican , democrat , have been local landmarks decades. in 2015, well-worn original benches auctioned charity , replaced replicas.