Passenger Rail Beyond Worcester: MassDOT Study Reveals Proposals

WORCESTER, MA — MassDOT this week released a draft of a long-awaited study on how to bring passenger rail service to the biggest cities in the state west of Worcester — an idea that could have big economic and environmental benefits, according to transportation officials.

The draft East-West Passenger Rail Study looks at ways to extend passenger service between Worcester, Springfield and Pittsfield, with stops in smaller communities like Palmer and Lee along the way.

Today, only Amtrak serves riders between Worcester and the New York border. Those trains run along Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited route to Chicago. That service was reduced to only three trips per week on Oct. 12 due to coronavirus slowdowns.

One of the main obstacles to the project is infrastructure. West of Worcester — the terminus of the Framingham-Worcester MBTA line — trains travel along tracks owned by CSX Transportation and have to share space with freight trains.

The study highlights that the Mass Pike corridor offers an option for a new rail line since the land is owned by MassDOT. The corridor is also straighter, and thus faster, than the CSX railway.

Building a new line would come at a high cost, but expanding rail service to Western Massachusetts could reduce Mass Pike traffic, and allow commuters to access more affordable housing options, the study says.

The study came up with six different passenger rail plans, which the study committee narrowed down to three preferred proposals:

• One proposal (alternative 3) would use existing tracks between Boston and Pittsfield, which includes the MBTA line between Worcester and South Station — plus the CSX tracks west of Worcester. This is a cheaper option, but with long travel times: more than 2 hours from Boston to Springfield, and close to 3-1/2 hours to Pittsfield.
• A second proposal (alternative 4) would also use the MBTA tracks, but would build a new railway between Worcester and Springfield. Trains would use the CSX tracks between Springfield and Pittsfield.
• A third option (alternative 4/5) would combine several proposals into one. Trains would travel along the same path as alternative 4, but there would be high-speed segments built into the Worcester to Springfield stretch. This option comes with the highest cost, but offer the fastest travel times.