Manchester is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. Located in Downtown Manchester, it serves the Newburyport/Rockport Line. Although the official name is "Manchester", the station is signed as "Manchester by the Sea".
Manchester By The Sea | |||||||||||
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An outbound train at Manchester station in 2014 | |||||||||||
General information | |||||||||||
Location | 40 Beach Street Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 42°34′26″N 70°46′09″W | ||||||||||
Owned by | MBTA | ||||||||||
Line(s) | Gloucester Branch | ||||||||||
Platforms | 2 side platforms | ||||||||||
Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
Construction | |||||||||||
Parking | 71 spaces (free) 6 accessible spaces | ||||||||||
Bicycle facilities | 7 spaces | ||||||||||
Disabled access | Yes | ||||||||||
Other information | |||||||||||
Fare zone | 6 | ||||||||||
Passengers | |||||||||||
2018 | 198 (weekday average boardings)[1] | ||||||||||
Services | |||||||||||
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A small parking area is provided for local commuters. The station is accessible, with mini-high platforms at the outbound end of the platform.[2]
The Gloucester Branch opened from Beverly to Manchester in August 1847. It was extended to Gloucester station in December 1847, and to Rockport in November 1861.[3] The line later passed to the Eastern Railroad, which itself was absorbed by the Boston and Maine Railroad.
The original passenger station was replaced by a newer station in 1895. Neither survive, but the original freight house is present and used as a community center.[4] West Manchester station, which was located on Boardman Street, was closed in early 1940.[5]
When the MBTA was formed in August 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter service, Manchester was the northeast limit of its funding district. On January 18, 1965, the Boston & Maine cut Gloucester Branch service back to Manchester. After Gloucester and Rockport reached funding deals to subsidize out-of-district operations, full service was returned to Rockport on June 28, 1965.[6] The 1895-built station was demolished by 1977 and replaced by a laundromat.[7]
Media related to Manchester station (MBTA) at Wikimedia Commons
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