Natick Center

  West Natick

Wellesley Square  

 

Natick Center is a below-grade station on the Framingham/Worcester Line located in an open cut with trees lining the sides of the station. The station was just named Natick until January 12, 2015 when the surrounding community requested to rename the station Natick Center. The station area used to be on the Boston and Albany mainline with four tracks, these tracks were reduced down to two through Natick in 1962. Today there are proposals to re-add a third middle track to allow express trains to pass local trains stopped at this station.

The station originally had two low-level side platforms with the clear remains of the original platforms for the former four-track line alongside the low-level platforms. The original depot was removed in the 1960s, but the Inbound platform still contained the original canopy structure from the original depot. The train platforms were exclusively accessed via a single staircase near their eastern ends connected via a pedestrian bridge, connecting disbursed sections of Walnut Street.

As part of renovations to make the station wheelchair accessible, construction began with the destruction of the historic canopy in May 2020. In February 2023, new east ramps down to the station from the pedestrian bridge of Washington Street, were partially opened, and connecting to temporary staircases on what will become the switchback down to end of the new high-level platform. These staircases lead down to very short (1 to 2 doors) temporary platforms, at the eastern end of the station. This was the configuration when I visited the station in June 2024, with portions of the new high-level platforms already visible.

Once construction is complete, the new platform will begin with a switch-backing ramp next to a staircase down to the eastern end of high-level platform, the new high-level platforms will have a main entrance via a single elevator and a staircase down to a restored Walnut Street pedestrian bridge near the western end of the platforms.
Photos 1-40 taken on June 19, 2024

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A Natick Center sign on the temporary platform

Passengers step off on the temporary walkway to leave the platform

The sign for the one station exit, beyond the end of the new high-level platform to South Ave, Washington St

Lheooking along the side of the embankment, covered in rocks on the short walkway to leave the temproary platform

Looking down on F40 #1029, passing HSP46 #2008

Looking down on what will be end of the ramp/staircase to the eastern end of the high-level platform

Sign for Track 2 on an infomration panel at the only platform entrance during construction

The Natick Center information panel along the entrance to Track 1

The top of the ramp, the only way down (no canopy yet) to the temporary platform

Looking down on an Inbound train slowly leaving the station, while wrong-railing

Looking across to the new high-level platform, and low-level platforms in the distance

A T Lolipop and Track 1 Information panel

Sign that the Station is Not Currently Accessible and Do Not Lock Bicycles to Rail

A historic church, the T Lolipop, and Track 1 entrance to Natick Center

Sign for Outbound Track 1

Looking across to the the new high-level platform (and elevator shafts) in the distance

Looking down on what will become the canopy on the new Inbound high-level platform

Looking across to one of the single station entrances

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Last Updated: October 24, 2024 This website is not affiliated with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Their official website is here This Website is maintained and copyright © 2011, Jeremiah Cox. Please do not remote link images or copy them from this website without permission.