BOSTON — The board overseeing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has approved work on the next phases of a project to double-track its Franklin Line commuter-rail route.
At Monday’s meeting, the Fiscal and Management Control Board approved a $30 million contract for second-phase work and third-phase preliminary design work. The contract went to commuter rail operator Keolis Commuter Services.
The first phase of the project, adding 4 miles of double track between Walpole and Norfolk, is expected to be complete in spring 2020, the MBTA says. The second phase will add 3½ miles of double track from Norfolk to Frank Street, east of Franklin, and is projected for completion in December 2020. The final phase will add 4 miles from Walpole to Norwood Central. That will complete double-tracking of the 27-mile, 16-station route from South Station to Franklin, Mass.
More details on the project are available here.
There was always one small section of single track (or a gauntlet track) through the tunnel at Walpole. Other than that, it was double-tracked from Boston to well-beyond Franklin. At Franklin, the current MBTA route diverges from the Midland Division onto the Milford branch to serve “Forge Park/495” – a large park and ride facility. The Milford Branch was always single-tracked.
It is unclear how they intend to solve the tunnel at Walpole should they move forward with phase III. It would be impossible to double-track through it without removing the tunnel – which is of historic construction.
The tunnel at Walpole did have a gauntlet track when the line was double track.
“available here” should probably link to:
https://mbta.com/news/2019-11-18/fmcb-approves-franklin-line-double-track-phase-2-work-and-phase-3-preliminary
Charles Landey – Yes, this line was double tracked west of Norwood Central until the early 1940’s. It was part of the New Haven Railroad’s Midland Division which was a through route to Hartford and Waterbury, CT.
Was this line ever double? As of 1968, according to a map I have, it was double to Norwood and single further out. Have no way of knowing what it was before 1968.