by Andrew Grahl and Raymond Mercado/photos as noted
Scheduled passenger trains returned to Fall River and New Bedford, Mass., on Monday, March 24, 2025, for the first time in 67 years. This $1.1 billion extension, called South Coast Rail, adds six stations to the MBTA commuter network, linking these communities to Boston by rail. South Coast Rail returns passenger service to these former Old Colony Lines that were abandoned by the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad in September 1958.
Opening Day
With approximately 100 railfans and local citizens waiting to be part of history, the first train, led by Rotem-built cab car 1827 and pushed by MPI HSP-46 2021, departed New Bedford as train 2002 at exactly 4:37 a.m. Approximately 15 miles west, in Fall River, train 1906, led by Rotem-built cab car 1813 and pushed by F40PH-3C 1061, departed at 5:05 a.m.
ABOVE: MBTA HSP-46 2021 is pulling out of the layup yard, and will soon push northbound train 2002, the 4:27 a.m. departure from New Bedford, Monday, March 24, 2025. Approximately 100 passengers were waiting to ride the first scheduled passenger train to depart New Bedford. —Andrew Grahl
Modest ceremonies were held at New Bedford and at Fall River, the latter where Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and MBTA General Manager and CEO Philip Eng, along with a host of politicians and dignitaries, cut a ceremonial ribbon. Following the ceremony, dignitaries rode the 10:38 a.m. train from Fall River to the official Opening Ceremony in East Taunton. Held in a large tent, the ceremony was open to the public and featured refreshments, souvenirs and a larger ribbon cutting before the dignitaries took to the podium.
The Lines
South Coast Rail extends the MBTA’s Middleborough/Lakeville line to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford, Mass. With the South Coast Rail extension, the line was renamed the Fall River & New Bedford Line. The former Middleborough/Lakeville station was renamed Lakeville, and will remain open only for the seasonal Cape Flyer trains to Cape Cod.
Trains now travel the Middleborough Secondary to East Taunton. The new Middleborough station is located on the Middleborough Secondary at the Pilgrim Junction Wye. Trains travel west to Cotley Junction, where the line turns south into East Taunton station. Continuing south, at Myricks Junction, the line splits into the Fall River Secondary and the New Bedford Main Line.
ABOVE: MBTA F40PH-3C 1069 and HSP-46s 2021 and 2028 pose on a beautiful morning at the Wamsutta Layover in New Bedford, Mass., Sunday, March 23, 2025. —Raymond Mercado
Stations on the 12.1-mile long Fall River Secondary include Freetown and Fall River. Parking lots are available at both with 170 spaces at Freetown and 513 at Fall River. A train storage/layup yard was built just north of Fall River, called Weaver’s Cove Layover.
Stations on the 18.5-mile long New Bedford Main Line including Church Street with 354 parking spots, and the terminal in New Bedford. A storage yard was built just north of the New Bedford terminal called Wamsutta Layover. New Bedford station features a 250-foot long pedestrian bridge to cross Route 18 and access the town. A large parking lot exists here for commuters and New Bedford tourists. Parking is free at all South Coast Rail stations until April 30, 2025…
ABOVE: One of the last trains is destined for Middleborough/Lakeville station before the grand opening of the new Midleborough station upon the advent of South Coast Rail. F40PH-3C 1068 is framed with former Mass Coastal/Cape Cod Central E9AMs 2400 and 2402, Sunday, March 23, 2025. The E-units are awaiting movement by CSX to Larry’s Truck & Electric in Ohio. The MBTA train is headed south through Pilgrim Junction on the Cape Main Line to the Middleborough/Lakeville station, which as of March 24, is renamed Lakeville and served only by seasonal Cape Flyer trains to Hyannis. Trains to New Bedford and Fall River now use the Middleborough Secondary, curving to the left closest to the MBTA train. In the background is CSX’s Middleborough freight yard. —Andrew Grahl