Dighton and Somerset Railroad
The Dighton and Somerset Railroad, currently referred to as the Dean Street Industrial Track, is a railroad that ran between Fall River and Braintree, Massachusetts. It opened in 1866; from the 1890s to the 1930s and again in the late 1950s, it was the primary rail route from Boston to the South Coast. Passenger service ended in stages with the final regular service in 1958, though freight service on two short segments continues into the 21st century. MBTA Commuter Rail service is proposed to be extended onto the northern part of the line around 2030 as part of the South Coast Rail project.
Overview
Massachusetts, United States
1863–1865
Old Colony and Newport Railway (1865),
Old Colony Railroad (1872),
New Haven Railroad (1893)
4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
South Coast Rail[edit]
In the 1980s, the state began considering the expansion of MBTA Commuter Rail service to the South Coast cities of Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford. By 1988, the MBTA was tentatively planning to extend service to Taunton via Stoughton and the former Dighton and Somerset.[10] The first serious study, completed in January 1990, concluded that the Stoughton Branch was the most viable route.[11] The March 1995 Expanded Feasibility Study concluded that both the Stoughton and Attleboro routes would be viable and that a partial Stoughton Branch extension to North Easton would be most cost-effective.[11] A route through Attleboro was nearly built beginning in 1995; however, in 1997 the Expanded Alternatives Analysis showed vastly increased costs - $410M via Attleboro, $426M via Stoughton, or $312M via Middleborough. The report recommended the Stoughton route as the most cost-effective due to its high ridership, despite the higher cost.[12][13]
Based on an April 1999 analysis of South Station operations, the July 1999 Draft Environmental Impact Report concluded that the Stoughton route was the only viable route, with projected service of 20 trains per day to each of Fall River and New Bedford.[14][15] The Draft Environmental Statement certificate was received in November 2000; the EPA confirmed that Stoughton was the only practical route but required a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).[16] The FEIS was released in April 2002 and approved in August; however, in July 2002 the MBTA revised the project cost to $600 million with an opening date of 2007.[12][16] Due to ballooning costs, Governor Romney's administration suspended the Growth Task Force and stopped project planning in November 2002; the environmental approval process was stopped in May 2003.[16]
Planning restarted several years later; the Phase 2 Alternatives Analysis Report (which indicated electric or diesel service through Stoughton as the best choice) was released in September 2009.[17] The Army Corps of Engineers released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in March 2011.[18] Concurring with previous documents it recommended that South Coast Rail be routed through Stoughton, citing in particular the need to add a billion-dollar fourth track from Back Bay to Forest Hills to accommodate service through Attleboro. However, the DEIS differed from the previous reports by strongly recommending that service be electric.[18]
In June 2016, MBTA announced that the project cost had been revised to $3.42 billion, with completion not expected until 2030. The substantial delay and increase in cost caused officials to consider alternate plans, including an earlier, interim addition of service to New Bedford via Middleborough.[19] In March 2017, the state announced a revised plan intended to provide service sooner: Phase 1 would follow the Middleborough route and open in 2024; Phase 2 would follow the original route through Stoughton (including electrification) and open in 2029.[20][21] By June 2017, the planned completion dates were changed to Phase 1 in 2022 and Phase 2 in 2030. The revised plan has attracted criticism from several directions, including Stoughton, Easton, and Raynham officials who have long been opposed to the Dighton and Somerset line being reactivated through their towns.[22]
Conversion to rail trail[edit]
A 7-mile (11.3 km) segment of the former D&S mainline that runs between Weir Junction and Dighton is currently planned for rail trail conversion as a part of Phase 1 of the Taunton River Trail project. As planned, the Taunton River Trail would consist of over 22 miles (35.4 km) of continuous off-road and on-road multi-use paths that will connect the communities of Taunton, Dighton, and Somerset along the Taunton River. Once complete, it will also intersect with the South Coast Bikeway at the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Somerset; additionally, a rail with trail connection is under consideration as a link to the Norton/Mansfield Rail Trail via the Middleboro Secondary.[23][24][25]
In June 2023, the town of Dighton was awarded a $74,000 MassTrails grant to advance construction of Phase 1 of the rail trail through Sweets Knoll State Park.[26][27]