Needham Line

The Needham Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running west from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, West Roxbury, and the town of Needham.

Operating weekdays only, the stations (from South Station) are: Back Bay, Ruggles, Forest Hills, Roslindale Village, Bellevue, Highland, West Roxbury, Hersey, Needham Junction, Needham Center, and Needham Heights.

The line from Forest Hills to West Roxbury was built in the mid 19th century as part of the Dedham Branch of the Boston and Providence Rail Road. The line from West Roxbury to Needham Heights was built in 1906 as a cutoff; the segment from West Roxbury to Dedham was subsequently abandoned. The remaining line was purchased by the MBTA in 1973.

When the plans to replace the Washington Street Elevated were drawn up in the 1960s, the new Orange Line was planned to continue past Forest Hills to Needham Heights. However, as the project was stalled over the next few decades, funding was found only to complete the replacement portion to Forest Hills in 1987, and so the Needham Line was kept as a locomotive-hauled commuter service. During Southwest Corridor construction from 1979 to 1987, the line was closed.