Attleboro station (Massachusetts) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Attleboro
Northbound view along tracks
Location	75 South Main Street Attleboro, Massachusetts
Coordinates	41°56′29″N 71°17′06″W / 41.9413°N 71.2849°W / 41.9413; -71.2849
Owned by	MBTA
Line(s)	Northeast Corridor Attleboro Branch
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Connections	GATRA: 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 24
Construction
Parking	796 spaces
Bicycle facilities	28 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	7
History
Opened	1835
Rebuilt	1906–1908
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	1,547 (weekday average boardings)
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station South Attleboro toward Wickford Junction Providence/​Stoughton Line Mansfield toward South Station South Attleboro toward Providence Providence/​Stoughton Line (Special events) Mansfield toward Foxboro
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Providence toward New York Cape Codder 1986–1989 Taunton toward Hyannis Preceding station Cape Cod and Hyannis Railroad Following station Terminus Attleboro Branch (1988) Taunton toward Hyannis or Falmouth Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station Pawtucket-Central Falls toward New Haven Shore Line Mansfield toward Boston
Northbound and Southbound Stations
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	1 and 3 Mill St., Attleboro, Massachusetts
Built	1906
Architect	Edward Hagel
Architectural style	Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No.	88003128
Added to NRHP	January 5, 1989

Attleboro is a busy commuter train station in Attleboro, Massachusetts. It's part of the MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line. This line helps people travel by train to and from places like Boston. In 2018, Attleboro was the fourth busiest station outside of Boston, with about 1,547 riders each weekday.

Attleboro has had train service in its downtown area since 1835. The two main station buildings, one for northbound trains and one for southbound, were built between 1906 and 1908. These buildings are now private businesses. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 because of their history. Today, MBTA trains stop at platforms just south of these old buildings.

Attleboro is also an important place to switch between trains and buses. Seven different bus routes meet at the nearby Attleboro Intermodal Transportation Center. This makes it easy for people to connect to different parts of the area.

Station History

The original station in 1906

Early postcard of the northbound building

A Conrail freight train passes the closed station buildings in 1983

How Train Service Began

The very first train station in Attleboro was a fancy Victorian Gothic building. It was located north of Mill Street, where the train tracks crossed the road at the same level. Train service from Boston to Providence started in June 1835.

Later, two different train lines branched off from Attleboro. One opened in January 1870, and another, connecting to Taunton, opened in August 1871. Over the years, different railroad companies managed these lines.

One of the old train lines, called the Attleboro Branch Railroad, later became an interurban trolley line. This was like a streetcar that traveled between towns. People called it the "Gee Whiz Line." It ran from June 1903 until 1932. Now, the town plans to turn part of this old trolley path into a fun trail for walking and biking.

Building the New Station

In 1891, people in Attleboro asked the railroad company to make the train crossings safer. At the time, trains crossed roads at the same level, which could be dangerous. So, in 1905, the railroad decided to build a long bridge, called a viaduct, to carry the train tracks above the roads.

This big project removed 13 dangerous road crossings. It also made the train line four tracks wide through Attleboro. This was one of the few places where the railroad had four tracks. During this project, two new, large station buildings were constructed. These buildings were designed in the Romanesque style. The northbound building opened in 1906, and the larger southbound building opened two years later.

Attleboro Station Today

Train service to Taunton stopped in 1958. Some special summer trains to Cape Cod continued until 1964. In 1979, regular MBTA train service to Providence was cut back to Attleboro. Then, on February 20, 1981, all train service to Attleboro was stopped completely.

However, train service slowly came back. From 1986 to 1988, Amtrak's Cape Codder train stopped here during the summers. Other special trains also ran from Attleboro to Hyannis in 1988.

Regular MBTA rush hour service to Providence started again on February 1, 1988. Later, in 1990, trains also began stopping at [[{{{station}}} (MBTA station)|{{{station}}}]]. On January 5, 1989, the historic station buildings were officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1989, the MBTA started a project to make the station accessible for everyone. This included adding special mini-high platforms. By late 1990, the station was fully accessible.

Since 1994, Attleboro has also been a stop for special MBTA trains going to Foxboro Stadium for events. In 2013, the Attleboro Intermodal Transportation Center opened. This new center helps people easily switch between local buses and the commuter train, making travel even more convenient.

Getting Around by Bus

Attleboro Intermodal Transportation Center viewed from the southbound MBTA platforms

The GATRA runs seven local bus routes that connect to the Attleboro station. This makes it easy to get to many places in the area. Here are the routes:

• Route 10 - Attleboro to North Attleboro
• Route 12 - South Attleboro to Attleboro
• Route 14 - Attleboro to Plainville
• Route 15 - Oak Hill
• Route 16 - Seekonk to Attleboro
• Route 18 - Attleboro, Norton, and Taunton
• Route 24 - Attleboro to Pawtucket