Blandford Street station is a surface-level light rail station on the MBTA's Green LineB branch located in Boston, Massachusetts. The station is located in the center median of Commonwealth Avenue at Silber Way and Blandford Mall, about 2 blocks west of Kenmore Square, near the east end of Boston University. The station consists of two low side platforms, which serve the B branch's two tracks. The station is the first station outbound on the B branch after it splits off from the C and D branches at Kenmore.
Blandford Street
Blandford Street station facing Kenmore Square in September 2013
Blandford Street is the seventh-busiest surface stop on the B branch, averaging 1,540 boardings per weekday.[1] Although a number of the Green Line surface stops were upgraded with slightly raised platforms around 2003 to allow level boarding on Type 8 low-floor trams, Blandford Street was not among them, and it is not accessible.[1]
An outbound car exits the Blandford Street Portal bound for Braves Field in 1943
The Commonwealth Avenue line was originally served by surface streetcars beginning in 1896 as part of what would later become the Green Line A branch. On October 3, 1914, the Boylston Street subway was opened to the Kenmore Portal just east of Kenmore Square, allowing streetcars to enter and run underground into the Tremont Street subway. In October 1932, Kenmore station was built, and the modern Blandford Street Portal was built just east of Blandford Street.[2]
The name "Blandford Street" for the station is an anachronism, as Blandford Street no longer exists as such. The street, along with Cummington and Hinsdale streets, was bought by Boston University in June 2012 for use as a pedestrian mall.[3] On July 30, 2012, BU closed these roadways to most automobile traffic and renamed Blandford Street as Blandford Mall.[4] However, the station is still named Blandford Street.
Pocket track
A train sitting on the pocket track
A pocket track just west of the station between Blandford Mall and Granby Street is used for several operational purposes. Neither the C nor D branches have similar pocket tracks, so the Blandford Street pocket track is a primary location to store trains on the west end of the Central Subway without blocking revenue service tracks.[1] The pocket track opened on June 30, 1931, replacing a former surface crossover at Kenmore station.[5]: 59
It is frequently used as a layover point for trains during the middle of the day and overnight, and to temporarily store disabled cars. During Red Sox games and other major events at Fenway Park, extra trains are stored on the pocket track to provide extra service from Kenmore to Park Street to handle exiting crowds. An experimental four-car post-game train operated on April 9, 2011 used the track as a staging point.[2]
The pocket track is also used to short turn westbound service from the central subway, such as when the B branch is not operating due to maintenance, accidents, or weather conditions. Run as Directed (RAD) trains, which provide additional capacity in the subway during peak periods, often operate from Blandford Street. RAD service began on January 1, 1977 and was intensified from July 24, 1982 to September 10, 1982 when the C branch was closed for maintenance.[2] During the closure of the Huntington Avenue subway, beginning December 28, 1985, regular scheduled service was run between Blandford Street and Lechmere. On July 26, 1986 this reverted to RAD service, which was intensified on December 26, 1986 with use of other cutbacks (which, unlike Blandford Street, do not have pocket tracks).[2] RAD service was greatly reduced on September 10, 1988, but increased again from Blandford Street on September 1, 2008.[2]
^Rocheleau, Matt (3 July 2012). "BU buys 3 on-campus streets near Kenmore, plans pedestrian mall". Boston Globe. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
^"New Pedestrian Mall Slated for Charles River Campus". Bostonia. Boston University Alumni. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
^Clarke, Bradley H.; Cummings, O.R. (1997). Tremont Street Subway: A Century of Public Service. Boston Street Railway Association. ISBN0938315048.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blandford Street station.
MBTA – Blandford Street
Station from Blandford Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
March 09, 2023
blandford, street, station, surface, level, light, rail, station, mbta, green, line, branch, located, boston, massachusetts, station, located, center, median, commonwealth, avenue, silber, blandford, mall, about, blocks, west, kenmore, square, near, east, bost. Blandford Street station is a surface level light rail station on the MBTA s Green Line B branch located in Boston Massachusetts The station is located in the center median of Commonwealth Avenue at Silber Way and Blandford Mall about 2 blocks west of Kenmore Square near the east end of Boston University The station consists of two low side platforms which serve the B branch s two tracks The station is the first station outbound on the B branch after it splits off from the C and D branches at Kenmore Blandford StreetBlandford Street station facing Kenmore Square in September 2013General informationLocationCommonwealth Avenue and Silber WayBoston MassachusettsCoordinates42 20 57 N 71 06 01 W 42 349126 N 71 100235 W 42 349126 71 100235 Coordinates 42 20 57 N 71 06 01 W 42 349126 N 71 100235 W 42 349126 71 100235Platforms2 side platformsTracks2ConnectionsMBTA bus 57 57A 193HistoryOpened1896 1896 Passengers20111 540 weekday average boardings 1 ServicesPreceding station MBTA Following stationBoston University Easttoward Boston College Green LineB branch Kenmoretoward Government CenterFormer servicesPreceding station MBTA Following stationBoston University Easttoward Watertown Green LineA branchDiscontinued 1969 Kenmoretoward Park StreetLocationBlandford Street is the seventh busiest surface stop on the B branch averaging 1 540 boardings per weekday 1 Although a number of the Green Line surface stops were upgraded with slightly raised platforms around 2003 to allow level boarding on Type 8 low floor trams Blandford Street was not among them and it is not accessible 1 Contents 1 History 1 1 Pocket track 2 References 3 External linksHistory Edit An outbound car exits the Blandford Street Portal bound for Braves Field in 1943 The Commonwealth Avenue line was originally served by surface streetcars beginning in 1896 as part of what would later become the Green Line A branch On October 3 1914 the Boylston Street subway was opened to the Kenmore Portal just east of Kenmore Square allowing streetcars to enter and run underground into the Tremont Street subway In October 1932 Kenmore station was built and the modern Blandford Street Portal was built just east of Blandford Street 2 The name Blandford Street for the station is an anachronism as Blandford Street no longer exists as such The street along with Cummington and Hinsdale streets was bought by Boston University in June 2012 for use as a pedestrian mall 3 On July 30 2012 BU closed these roadways to most automobile traffic and renamed Blandford Street as Blandford Mall 4 However the station is still named Blandford Street Pocket track Edit A train sitting on the pocket track A pocket track just west of the station between Blandford Mall and Granby Street is used for several operational purposes Neither the C nor D branches have similar pocket tracks so the Blandford Street pocket track is a primary location to store trains on the west end of the Central Subway without blocking revenue service tracks 1 The pocket track opened on June 30 1931 replacing a former surface crossover at Kenmore station 5 59 It is frequently used as a layover point for trains during the middle of the day and overnight and to temporarily store disabled cars During Red Sox games and other major events at Fenway Park extra trains are stored on the pocket track to provide extra service from Kenmore to Park Street to handle exiting crowds An experimental four car post game train operated on April 9 2011 used the track as a staging point 2 The pocket track is also used to short turn westbound service from the central subway such as when the B branch is not operating due to maintenance accidents or weather conditions Run as Directed RAD trains which provide additional capacity in the subway during peak periods often operate from Blandford Street RAD service began on January 1 1977 and was intensified from July 24 1982 to September 10 1982 when the C branch was closed for maintenance 2 During the closure of the Huntington Avenue subway beginning December 28 1985 regular scheduled service was run between Blandford Street and Lechmere On July 26 1986 this reverted to RAD service which was intensified on December 26 1986 with use of other cutbacks which unlike Blandford Street do not have pocket tracks 2 RAD service was greatly reduced on September 10 1988 but increased again from Blandford Street on September 1 2008 2 References Edit a b c d Ridership and Service Statistics PDF 14th ed Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 2014 a b c d e Belcher Jonathan Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district PDF Boston Street Railway Association Rocheleau Matt 3 July 2012 BU buys 3 on campus streets near Kenmore plans pedestrian mall Boston Globe Retrieved 16 August 2012 New Pedestrian Mall Slated for Charles River Campus Bostonia Boston University Alumni 30 July 2012 Retrieved 16 August 2012 Clarke Bradley H Cummings O R 1997 Tremont Street Subway A Century of Public Service Boston Street Railway Association ISBN 0938315048 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Blandford Street station MBTA Blandford Street Station from Blandford Street entrance from Google Maps Street View Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blandford Street station amp oldid 1138282429, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
