Waltham (MBTA station)

Waltham is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Fitchburg Line. It is located in downtown Waltham, Massachusetts adjacent to Central Square (Waltham Common). With 610 inbound boardings on an average weekday, it has the second highest ridership on the line (behind South Acton).History and operationsThe station has an unusual configuration, similar to Lincoln. There are 2 side platforms, separated by Moody Street: the eastern platform is used for inbound passengers, and the western platform is used for outbound passengers. Most of the station is located on a short single-track section; after double-tracking was completed from South Acton to Willows in 2014, this became the only single-track section of the Fitchburg Line.Commuter rail service to Waltham station has remained relatively constant since the MBTA was formed in 1964. However, several nearby stops on the Fitchburg Line and the Central Mass Branch were closed in the early years of the MBTA. The 1881-built Central Mass station building at Waltham Highlands, located at Hammond Street and Elson Road, still stands.The former depot building, which included a large clocktower, was torn down in the 1960s. The current building adjacent to the inbound platform is of modern construction. The Waltham Interlocking Tower is located next to Elm Street; it controlled the junction with the Watertown Branch Railroad, which operated passenger service until 1938.