South Coast Rail Clog (Effects on the whole Middleboro Main Line & Old Colony Service)

Once the new station opens, it stays open indefinitely while the old station will be used for seasonal capeflyer service. Don’t believe me, watch the YouTube video about the evolution of bostons commuter rail network.

Middleborough/Lakeville Station will in fact remain open for Seasonal CapeFlyer service, and if the Commuter Rail is ever expanded to Bourne, it would be reopened for regular Commuter Rail service, the question is, if that happens, then what will happen to the downtown Middleborough Station they are building now?

Depends which way SCR is running if/when Cape service ever happens. If it doesn't see active service they'll likely mothball it for a while. Oak Grove has been sitting unused on the Haverhill Line for well over a decade but still looks decent enough to use in a pinch. Too bad they didn't build the new platform like the one at Canton Junction so it could serve either side. Probably couldn't justify the cost of replacing the existing station.

Well, the current proposal is for Cape Commuter Rail service to open in conjunction with SCR Phase II, if that happens then the Middleborough Station will only be in service for a measly 7 years (2023 - 2030), at that point, why build it at all? unless SCR Phase I is the only thing they actually intend on building or they foresee massive delays on Phase II (neither of which would be surprising) then I can't see the point of building a standard MBTA 800 foot all high level platform station with 500 parking spots only for it to be abandoned in 7 years. I think this just shows that there is no real intention of expanding Commuter Rail to Cape Cod, despite the fact that Bourne is paying the MBTA to be in their district and has been since 2016.

Trinnau wrote: ↑Mon Jan 03, 2022 9:48 pm Too bad they didn't build the new platform like the one at Canton Junction so it could serve either side.

This is the intent. The area around the Middleboro facility is slated to change significantly, and the current station will be abandoned for all services through and terminating.

I think what will end up happening is eventually the current middleboro station will be used for trains heading to Bourne and the layover station to be used first for south coast trains, then terminating trains if it all works out according to schedule. Let’s see what ends up happening when the time comes.