Taunton station (Old Colony Railroad) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taunton
The historic Old Colony Railroad Station building. A new MBTA platform would be built just to the north.
Location	Off Dean Street Taunton, Massachusetts
Coordinates	41°54′16″N 71°4′56″W / 41.90444°N 71.08222°W / 41.90444; -71.08222
Owned by	Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Line(s)	Dean Street Industrial Track
Platforms	1 side platform (proposed)
Tracks	1 (current) 2 (proposed)
Construction
Parking	209 (proposed)
Bicycle facilities	8 spaces (proposed)
Disabled access	Yes
History
Opened	1866
Opening	2030 (proposed)
Closed	1897
Rebuilt	1876
Previous names	Dean Street
Services
Preceding station MBTA Following station East Taunton toward Battleship Cove or New Bedford South Coast Rail 2030 (proposed) Raynham Place toward South Station
Old Colony Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	Taunton, Massachusetts
Built	1876
Architectural style	Italianate
MPS	Taunton MRA
NRHP reference No.	84002192
Added to NRHP	July 5, 1984

The Old Colony Railroad Station is an old train station in Taunton, Massachusetts. It's a special building with a unique style called Italianate. This historic station, also known as Dean Street, might soon have a new, modern train station next to it. This new station, called Taunton, is planned to open around 2030. It's part of a big plan called the South Coast Rail project.

History of the Old Colony Station

The very first train station in Taunton was built in 1866. It was part of the Dighton and Somerset Railroad. This railroad was owned by the Old Colony & Newport Railway.

The station was first going to be called "Taunton." But in 1865, before it even opened, its name was changed to Dean Street. This happened because another station, Taunton Central station, was finished across town.

The Historic Building

The station building you see today was built in 1876. It's a special brick building with an Italianate design. This means it has a style inspired by Italian architecture. It's the only old train station left in the city.

The new train platform is planned to be built just north of the old station building.

The building has a main roof that slopes down on all sides. It has fancy decorations called "modillioned eave" and "corbelled cornice." There's also a steep central part of the roof. At the level where the trains used to be, another roof is held up by big wooden supports. The corners of the building have stone blocks that make them stand out.

In 1984, this building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical place.

Changes Over Time

Around 1882, the Old Colony company started to use Taunton Central station more. They moved many train services there. By 1895, only one special train, the Boat Train, still stopped at Dean Street.

All train service to the Dean Street station ended around 1897. Even though trains stopped coming, the station still appeared on local maps for some time. In 1932, the train tracks from Dean Street to Raynham were no longer used.

A New Station for the Future

A new train station, called Taunton, is planned for this spot. It will be part of the MBTA Commuter Rail system. This new station is expected to open by 2030. It's part of the second phase of the South Coast Rail project.

The plan is to build a long platform, about 800 feet (244 meters) long. This platform will be just north of the old historic building. It will serve one track for passenger trains. Another track will be added for freight trains to pass by. This passing track was added later to the plans. It's important because it allows wider freight trains to use the line.