Orient Heights station

File:Orient Heights undivided back postcard.jpg

The narrow gauge Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad (BRB&L) opened from East Boston to Lynn on July 29, 1875.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KygwAQAAMAAJ |title=The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Narrow Gauge Railroad |last=Bradlee |first=Francis Boardman Crowninshield |year=1921 |publisher=Essex Institute |via=Google Books |pages=4–5}} The BRB&L opened with Winthrop station located near Saratoga Street.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77703387/the-boston-globe/ |title=The New Road to Lynn |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=July 21, 1875 |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}

The station was renamed as Winthrop Junction in 1877 when the Boston, Winthrop, and Point Shirley Railroad opened to Winthrop Center, and again as Orient Heights in April 1892.{{cite book |title=Narrow Gauge: The Story of the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad |year=1980 |publisher=Boston Street Railway Association |last=Stanley |first=Robert C.}}{{rp|12}} The station was the junction between the main line and the Winthrop Center branch during its short operation from 1877 to 1885, and between the main line and the Winthrop Loop after the latter's 1888 opening.{{cite book |title=The Rail Lines of Southern New England |last=Karr |first=Ronald Dale |publisher=Branch Line Press |year=1995 |isbn=0942147022 |pages=268–271}}

The state railroad commissioners began considering elimination of the Saratoga Street grade crossing adjacent to the station in 1909.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73502990/the-boston-globe/ |title=East Boston |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=September 29, 1909 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} Construction of a bridge carrying the street over the tracks began on October 6, 1912, and it opened on September 18, 1913. Nearby residents were opposed to the bridge because the 5% grade of its approaches, which required a team of horses to aid heavy vehicles.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73504740/the-boston-globe/ |title=East Boston |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=October 7, 1912 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73504770/the-boston-globe/ |title=East Boston |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=September 22, 1913 |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}

By 1928 the line was electrified, with pre-pay stations - more a rapid transit line than a conventional railroad.{{cite journal |url=https://archive.org/stream/electricrailwayj72mcgrrich#page/990/mode/2up |title="Narrow Gage" Electrified for Economy |journal=Electric Railway Journal |date=December 8, 1928 |volume=72 |issue=23 |pages=991–998 |via=Internet Archive}} However, due to the Great Depression, the BRB&L shut down on January 27, 1940.

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File:Orient Heights station.jpg

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.{{cite book |title=Boston's Blue Line |last=Cheney |first=Frank |year=2003 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738535760 |pages=8, 64, 83}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://ntl.bts.gov/DOCS/boston.html |title=The Transportation Plan for the Boston Region - Volume 2 |date=15 November 1993 |publisher=National Transportation Library |author=Central Transportation Planning Staff |access-date=3 July 2012 |archive-date=21 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021045641/http://ntl.bts.gov/DOCS/boston.html |url-status=dead }}{{citation |title=Boston Rapid Transit System & Proposed Extensions 1945 - Metropolitan Transit Recess Commission Air View |year=1945 |author=Boston Elevated Railway and Boston Department of Public Utilities |via=Wikimedia Commons}}

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. The first part of the Revere Extension opened to Orient Heights on January 5, 1952, with intermediate stations at {{bts|Airport}} and Day Square.{{NETransit}} The station was the terminus of the line until April 21, 1952, when {{bts|Suffolk Downs}} station opened. Until September 1972, some trains terminated at Orient Heights rather than {{bts|Wonderland}} to provide more frequent service on the inner part of the line. The MTA began charging for parking at its stations, including Orient Heights, on November 2, 1953.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172415276/ |title=Parks Fill M.T.A. Lots Despite Fee |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=November 2, 1953 |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/172301842/ 7] |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/annualreportofbo1953metr/page/n12 |pages=5, 6 |title=Seventh Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Transit Authority |year=1954 |publisher=Metropolitan Transit Authority}}

During temporary construction and track work on the outer section of the line and during severe weather conditions, Orient Heights is sometimes used as the terminus, as its busways can accommodate the replacement bus service. From February 1 to December 16, 1981, Orient Heights–Wonderland buses operated on Sundays due to budget cuts. From June 25, 1994 to June 24, 1995, Orient Heights was the terminus at all times to permit reconstruction of the outer stations as part of the Blue Line Modernization Program.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39025579/the_boston_globe/ |title=MBTA to begin $467 million Blue Line project |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=March 20, 1994 |first=Andrew |last=Blake |via=Newspapers.com}} ([https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39025765/the_boston_globe/ second page]) {{open access}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39026158/the_boston_globe/ |title=Blue Line stations set to reopen after $467m upgrade |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=June 18, 1995 |first=Andrew |last=Blake |via=Newspapers.com}} ([https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39026284/the_boston_globe/ second page]) {{open access}}

File:Orient Heights inbound elevator shaft January 2013.JPG

Orient Heights was the last Blue Line station in East Boston to be rebuilt for accessibility. (The only others on the line were Government Center and Bowdoin, both in downtown Boston). Due to this distinction, it was the last remaining station in the MBTA that still had a 1967 system map, which showed the Charlestown and Washington Street Elevateds on the Orange Line and the Green Line A branch.

On October 5, 2011, the MBTA announced a $51 million reconstruction of the crumbling station, expected to be paid for mostly by the Federal Transit Administration.{{cite news |title=MBTA board OK's millions for stations |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/10/06/t_invests_in_new_blue_line_orange_line_stations/?camp=pm |newspaper=Boston Globe |author=Moskowitz, Eric |date=October 6, 2011 |access-date=December 24, 2015}}{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/east_boston/2013/02/mbta_to_close_orient_heights_s.html |title=MBTA to close Orient Heights subway station on Blue Line for nearly 7 months |author=Rocheleau, Matt |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=February 25, 2013 |access-date=March 1, 2013}} Much of the station was demolished in May 2012, with passengers using temporary platforms.{{cite press release |title=MBTA Construction Advisory for Orient Heights Blue Line Station |url=https://www.eastboston.com/Archives/MBTA/2012-0516OHRenovationAdvisory.html |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |date=May 2012 |via=EastBoston.com}} The station closed on March 23, 2013, so that the remainder of the old station could be demolished and the new station built. Bus shuttles operated from {{bts|Suffolk Downs}} during the closure, which ended on November 23, 2013.{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/east_boston/2013/11/mbta_to_reopen_orient_heights_subway_station_after_8-month_c.html |title=MBTA set to reopen Orient Heights subway station after 8-month closure |author=Rocheleau, Matt |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=November 25, 2013 |access-date=November 25, 2013}}

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Category:Former Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad stations

Category:Blue Line (MBTA) stations

Category:Railway stations in Boston

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1952

Category:East Boston

Category:Bus stations in Boston

Category:Railway stations in the United States closed in 1940