Winchester Highlands station

The Boston and Lowell Railroad (B&L) opened between its namesake cities in 1835. Most intermediate stations were added by 1850, though some were added later when demand arose.{{cite book |title=The Rail Lines of Southern New England |edition=2 |last=Karr |first=Ronald Dale |publisher=Branch Line Press |year=2017 |isbn=9780942147124 |pages=283}}{{cite book |title=Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years |author1=Humphrey, Thomas J. |author2=Clark, Norton D. |publisher=Boston Street Railway Association |year=1985 |isbn=9780685412947 |pages=55–57}} North Winchester station, a flag stop with a smaller wooden shelter, was opened by 1864. North Winchester was a tiny village with just 14 houses at that time, and the station was not always listed in timetables.{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/details/WinStar_010435_032935/page/n2 |title=Old Relic Rescued |date=January 18, 1935 |page=4 |newspaper=The Winchester Star}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115433067/boston-evening-transcript/ |title=For Sale in Winchester [advertisement] |newspaper=Boston Evening Transcript |date=June 19, 1872 |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GHsqAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA56 |title=ABC Pathfinder Railway Guide |date=August 1877 |page=56 |publisher=New England Railway Publishing Company |via=Google Books}} The shelter was on the west side of the tracks just south of Cross Street.{{cite map |url=https://wardmapsgifts.com/collections/atlas-of-middlesex-county-massachusetts-1889 |map-url=https://wardmapsgifts.com/products/winchester-massachusetts-1892 |map=Part of Town of Winchester |title=Atlas of Middlesex County, Massachusetts |publisher=George H. Walker & Co. |year=1889 |pages=134–135 |via=Ward Maps |scale=1:3,000}}

In the 1870s, residents of Winchester Highlands petitioned the B&L for a new station building, but the railroad was not willing to bear the cost. Aaron C. Bell, a local real estate developer, constructed a two-story house on the west side of the tracks north of Cross Street. The upper level served as the station (as the tracks were on an embankment); the lower level housed the station agent and his family.{{cite book |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006254867 |title=History of Winchester, Massachusetts |first=Henry Smith |last=Chapman |year=1936 |publisher=Town of Winchester |pages=241–242}} The station was built on land belonging to Eli Cooper, who had been the engineer of the first train to run on the B&L. It was believed to be the only privately owned railroad station on the line.

Bell affixed a gilded wooden bell emblem engraved with the 1877 construction date to the station. It was dedicated on December 31, 1877, at which time the station was renamed as Winchester Highlands.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115433078/the-boston-globe/ |title=Scraps From Suburban Towns |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=January 2, 1878 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}} Despite the name change, the station was still commonly known as North Winchester into the 1880s.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115433104/the-boston-globe/ |title=Before the Railroad Commissioners |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=August 17, 1883 |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115434299/the-boston-globe/ |title=Killed a Man Without Knowing It |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=March 6, 1884 |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} A church prayer group (which later became the Second Congregational Church of Winchester) held meetings in the station from 1881 until their own chapel was completed in 1887.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85332218/the-boston-globe/ |title=Winchester |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=May 5, 1931 |page=23 |via=Newspapers.com}} The original shelter was extant until at least 1889.

File:Derailment at Winchester Highlands (1), May 1923.jpg

The B&L became part of the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) in 1887 as its Southern Division. Most local service was routed over the nearby Woburn Loop after its 1885 completion, so Winchester Highlands station only saw limited service. It was served by six daily round trips in 1917 (mostly peak-hour Stoneham Branch and {{bts|Wilmington}} locals), with a slight reduction by 1929.{{cite book |title-link=:commons:File:Boston and Maine Railroad 1917 timetable.pdf |title=Local Train Service |date=September 30, 1917 |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |pages=39–42 |via=Wikimedia Commons}}{{cite book |title-link=:commons:File:Boston and Maine Railroad 1929 timetable.pdf |title=Time Tables |date=September 29, 1929 |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |pages=28–31 |via=Wikimedia Commons}} Twenty-four passengers were injured when a southbound train from Concord derailed near the station on May 23, 1923. The train's consist of newer steel cars, rather than older wooden cars, was credited with preventing deaths.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85685742/the-boston-globe/ |title=Train Derailed at Winchester |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=May 23, 1923 |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85685711/the-boston-globe/ 13] |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85685554/the-boston-globe/ |title=Wreck Causes Injuries to 24 |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=May 24, 1923 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}

The bell was torn off the building by a storm in January 1935. It was brought to the office of a local newspaper, and later presented to the Winchester Historical Society. The bridge over Cross Street adjacent to the station was rebuilt in 1939.{{cite web |url={{MACRIS|wnt.905}} |title=Historic Structure Inventory Form |work=MBTA Historical Property Survey, Phase II |date=November 1987 |first=Charles |last=Scott |via=Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System}} The station building was replaced with a small shelter around 1943 to reduce the B&M tax bill.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85683800/the-boston-globe/ |title=Winchester |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=November 2, 1942 |page=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85682231/the-boston-globe/ |title=B.& M. Wants Shelters Instead of 13 Stations |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=December 15, 1942 |page=34 |via=Newspapers.com}} The old building was demolished.{{cite web |url=https://www.winchester.us/DocumentCenter/View/6725/Four-Railroad-Depots |title=The Evolution of Winchester's Four Railroad Depots |first=Ellen |last=Knight |date=2021 |publisher=Town of Winchester}}{{cite book |title=A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses |last=Roy |first=John H. Jr. |publisher=Branch Line Press |year=2007 |isbn=9780942147087 |page=115}} Stoneham Branch service ended on May 18, 1958, after which Winchester Highlands was served by {{bts|Lowell}} trains.{{citation |title-link=:commons:File:April 1962 Boston and Maine Railroad timetable.pdf |date=April 29, 1962 |title=Passenger Train Schedules |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |via=Wikimedia Commons}} Service continued to decline during the mid-20th century: 4 round trips in 1946, {{frac|2|1|2}} in 1952 (two southbound trains and three northbound trains), and {{frac|1|1|2}} in 1957.{{cite book |title=Northern New England Travel Guide |title-link=:commons:File:Boston and Maine Railroad 1946 timetable.pdf |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |date=April 28, 1946 |via=Wikimedia Commons |chapter=Table 52}}{{citation |title-link=:commons:File:April 1952 Boston and Maine Railroad timetable.pdf |date=April 27, 1952 |title=Passenger Train Schedules |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |via=Wikimedia Commons |pages=22–25}}{{citation |title-link=:commons:File:October 1957 Boston and Maine Railroad timetable.pdf |date=October 27, 1957 |title=Complete Rail Schedule |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |via=Wikimedia Commons |pages=24–25}}

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The B&M sold the Winchester Highlands station lot, as well as the Winchester and {{bts|Wedgemere}} station buildings, in 1964. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was created that year to subsidize suburban commuter rail service. Subsidies for a number of B&M lines, including the Southern Division service as far as Wilmington, began on January 18, 1965. Subsidies for all Lowell service began on June 28; it became the Lowell Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system. In 1967, the MBTA proposed to modernize Winchester Highlands as a park and ride facility.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85390761/the-boston-globe/ |first=A.S. |last=Plotkin |title=MBTA May Trim Some Commuter Runs |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=August 17, 1967 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Cross Street station had just 13 daily boardings in a 1972 count; all walked to the station, as no parking was available.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/planforacquisiti00mass/page/32/mode/1up |title=Plan for Acquisition and Use of Railroad Rights of Way |date=December 1972 |page=32 |author=Thomas K. Dyer, Inc. |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}} By that time, only a single inbound trip and two outbound trips were scheduled to stop at Winchester Highlands.{{citation |title-link=:commons:File:July 1974 Boston and Maine Railroad timetable.pdf |date=July 1, 1974 |title=Timetable No. 20 |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |via=Wikimedia Commons}} In July 1976, the MBTA removed the deteriorated outbound platform and stairs. The agency warned that unless the town paid to repair the station – a cost estimated at $12,125 ({{inflation|US-GDP|12125|1976|fmt=eq|r=-3}}) – the station might be closed.{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/details/WinStar_080576_082676 |title=Town’s train service may be phased out or curtailed |page=1 |newspaper=Winchester Star |date=August 5, 1976}} Outbound trains ceased to stop later that year, leaving just the single inbound stop.{{cite book |title-link=:commons:File:B&M system timetable, November 1976.pdf |title=Timetable No. 21 |date=November 28, 1976 |publisher=Boston and Maine Railroad |chapter=Table 1 |via=Wikimedia Commons}}

The B&M commuter rail assets were purchased by the MBTA on December 27, 1976. The peak-hour-only stops at Winchester Highlands on the Lowell Line plus {{bts|Clematis Brook}} and {{bts|Beaver Brook}} on the South Acton Line were discontinued on May 30, 1978, due to low ridership. At the time, all three stations had three or fewer boardings per day.{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/details/WinStar_050478_052578/page/n101 |page=4 |title=Tulips are better than none |newspaper=Winchester Star |date=May 25, 1978}}{{NETransit}} The shelter built in 1943 is no longer extant.

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Category:MBTA Commuter Rail stations in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Category:Buildings and structures in Winchester, Massachusetts

Category:Former MBTA stations in Massachusetts

Category:Railway stations in the United States closed in 1978

Category:Former Boston and Maine Railroad stations

Category:Demolished railway stations in the United States