Stoughton station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stoughton
1888-built Stoughton station building in 2016
Location	45 Wyman Street, Stoughton, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°7′27″N 71°5′58″W / 42.12417°N 71.09944°W / 42.12417; -71.09944
Owned by	MBTA
Line(s)	Stoughton Branch
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
Connections	BAT: 14
Construction
Parking	333 spaces ($4.00 fee)
Bicycle facilities	6 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	4
History
Opened	1845
Rebuilt	1888
Previous names	Stoughton Central (until November 1, 1896)
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	917 (weekday average boardings)
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station Terminus Providence/​Stoughton Line Canton Center toward South Station North Easton toward Battleship Cove or New Bedford South Coast Rail Phase 2 2030 (proposed)
Former services Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station Stoughton Junction toward Taunton Stoughton Branch West Stoughton toward Canton Junction
Stoughton Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Area	less than one acre
Built	1888
Architect	Charles Brigham
Architectural style	Romanesque Revival
NRHP reference No.	74000384
Added to NRHP	January 21, 1974

Stoughton is a busy train station located in downtown Stoughton, Massachusetts. It is part of the MBTA Commuter Rail system. This station is the last stop on the Stoughton Branch of the Providence/Stoughton Line.

Many people use Stoughton station to travel. It has a large parking lot for riders who drive there. The station is also close to Massachusetts Route 24, a major highway. Stoughton station has one platform for trains. This platform is split by Wyman Street. It also has a special "mini-high" section. This part helps people with wheelchairs or strollers get on and off the train easily.

History of Stoughton Station

A Penn Central Budd RDC train at Stoughton in 1971

The original station building was built a long time ago in 1888. It was built for a company called the Old Colony Railroad. This historic building is very important. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1974. This means it is a special place that should be protected.

In December 2018, the government of Massachusetts announced good news. They gave $75,000 to help fix up the old station building. This money will help keep the historic station looking great for many years.

Future Plans for the Station

There are exciting plans to make Stoughton station even better. These plans are part of a big project called South Coast Rail. This project aims to extend the train line further south. It will connect Stoughton to more cities along the South Coast by 2030.

Adding More Tracks and Platforms

To handle more trains, a second track will be added through the station. This will allow trains to go in both directions more easily. Two new platforms will also be built. These new platforms will be located south of Wyman Street. This way, trains will not block the street crossing when they stop.

New Platform Design

At first, engineers thought it would be hard to build long platforms. This was because of a sharp curve in the tracks. They planned to build shorter "mini-high" platforms. These would be about 45 feet long at the end of each platform.

However, newer plans have changed. The tracks will be moved a little bit to the west. This will allow for full-length, high-level platforms. These longer platforms will be built one block south at Brock Street. A bridge will connect them for people to walk over.

Parking and Community Concerns

A new parking area is also planned. It will have almost twice as many spaces as the current lot. The old train tracks and parking areas might be used for other things.

Some people in the town of Stoughton are concerned about these plans. They worry that more trains will pass through downtown Stoughton. This could cause more traffic at the street crossings.