Night Owl

Dover Street station platform - looking South along the Mainline at the Cathedral in the early 1980s. Historic American Engineering Record.

From 1903 to 1987 rapid transit service was provided to the Boston neighborhoods of the South End, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain by an elevated railway above Washington Street.

Emerging from the subway downtown, the train passed through five stations before its final stop at Forest Hills Station: Dover Street, Northampton Street, Dudley Square, Egleston Square and Green Street.

The stations and elevated structure which dominated the environment of Washington St for 84 years was replaced in 1987 by the current Orange Line along the Southwest Corridor. The structure and stations were subsequently demolished.

Washington Street Elevated Links:

Boston Elevated Railway, Historic American Engineering Record

Unparalleled photographic survey of the Washington Street Elevated a few years before it was demolished.

NYCSubway.org MBTA Orange Line

History and photos of the current and previous Orange Line routes.

Washington St Elevated RR

Photo tour of the Washington Street Elevated line in 1987.

Orange Line Memories

Overview of the Washington Street Elevated.

Orange Line Replaced Old Railroad Embankment

Overview of the original railroad embankment that was depressed to create the current route of the Orange Line.

Remembering Forest Hills Station

Overview of the original station.

Forest Hills Commuter Rail Station

Photo of the station in 1971.

Old Forest Hills Orange Line

Photo of the Elevated Orange Line Station.

Northampton Station

Photo of Northampton Station at it's current location at the Seashore Trolley Museum

Boston's Canceled Highways

Maps and renderings of the canceled Southwest Express, construction for which cleared the new Orange line right of way

WGBH 10'clock News

3.5 minute news report on the last day of the Washington Street Elevated route.