Plimptonville station
OK, so it's (just barely) more a platform than Hastings.
Windsor Gardens station
Running the second track through here, although it should be done eventually, is a challenge, because the station is inaccessible and not readily relocatable; it served 250 residents of the adjoining apartment complex a day in 2018.
Windsor Gardens station
Originally the apartment complex was itself called "Windsor Gardens", but as is the way of these things, the complex changed hands several times and a subsequent landlord wanted to "update" by changing the name. The station remains "Windsor Gardens" regardless. This was one of the last stations to open under New Haven Railroad ownership.
Windsor Gardens station
Plenty of room for that second track, except that the station's in the way.
Norwood Central station
Just past the end of the platform is the new 198-unit Avalon Norwood apartment complex, with an interesting adaptive reuse of an old brick chimney as a cell site.
Norwood Central station
It's a full-length but low-level platform
Norwood Central station
Note the (smal) solar canopy over part of the east parking lot.
Norwood Central station
Space is apparently for lease in the station building, since it's not actually used as a station any more.
Norwood Central station
The usual mini-highs at the south ends of the platforms
Norwood Central station
It looks like there may be one remaining freight customer on the barely-serviceable industrial branch at far left. If the double-track project resumes, they'll have to relocate that switch heater out of the way...
Norwood Central station
Norwood Depot station
Seen across Railroad Ave. from the ocean of parking, The Crossings is a 105-unit condo complex built in 2004.
Norwood Depot station
The parking lot just keeeeeeeeps on going...
Norwood Depot station
At least it's a full-length platform
Norwood Depot station
I'd be shocked if those aren't boxcar loading doors for a freight siding that was lifted when the station was expanded. The building belongs to an industrial equipment supplier.
Norwood Depot station
The inboun track has a shelter in addition to the mini-high
Norwood Depot station
More wooden mini-highs, but not the same design as at Waltham.
Islington station
This tiny little station with only a dozen or so parking spaces nonetheless gets more than a hundred passengers a day, one presumes mostly people walking in from the surrounding residential neighborhood.
Islington station
There's a lot less to the outbound side of the station, and I think — although I didn't go there to see for myself — that the residential development is less dense on that side as well.
Islington station
Another fully inaccessible station with a pedestrian grade crossings and under-length platforms, sigh.
Islington station
That's pretty substandard even by the standards of low-volume MBTA stations.
Islington station
A little bit more parking on the opposite side of the shelter
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Oh look, it's an ocean of parking, and it's suddenly snowing really hard!
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
At this point I gave up because it's just impossible to photograph outdoors in the wind-blown wet snow like this. (The squall eventually passed, but not until I had already driven home.)
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Returning to Dedham on a much nicer day, it's still the same ocean of parking.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
On the other side of the tracks, Jefferson at Dedham Station is a large apartment complex built in the mid-2000s. Out of frame to the south, another apartment complex also fronts the station.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
A sadly standard MBTA station design of the early 1990s with mostly low platforms, pedestrian grade crossings, and, at the very far end of the platforms, mini-highs for the absolute least-effort ADA compliance. This station opened in 1990 and replaced another station, Rust Craft, located nearby, which served a greeting-card factory; that's Rustcraft Road running parallel to the tracks on the right. The old station closed in 1978 due to low ridership; the new station was built by the developer of the office park after which it is named.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Off to the south of the Jefferson complex is AvalonBay's "Avalon Station 250" complex.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Yes, that paddle sign really does say "KISS & RIDE".
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Looking south at the two mini-high platforms; luckily you can't hear the roar of Route 128 (on the overpass) just beyond the station limits.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Another weird one-off wooden mini-high, probably attributable in this case to the station having been built by a private developer before the MBTA developed proper standards for such things.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
You can see the mini-highs here are wood planking on top of a steel beams on a pile foundation.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
This low-level platform edge treatment is really looking like it's 30 years old and needs to be replaced. The yellow strip is substandard; current regulations require a tactile edge treatment.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
Not really much to see to the north of the station
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
So ... there's a "kiss & ride" ... but there's also a chain-link fence forcing passengers to walk all the way around to the southern end of the platform.
Dedham Corporate Center/128 station
No such fence between the inbound platform and the ocean of parking... I wonder why...
Endicott station
Endicott is a tiny little non-accessible station with a small parking area restricted to residents.
Endicott station
Although the station itself is inaccessible, the town has thoughtfully provided this ramp from street level to the platform, which when I was there was used by a family on bikes crossing to the other side of the station.
Endicott station
Looking north along the low-level platforms
Endicott station
A pedestrian (and bike, apparently) grade crossing but no mini-highs here, so the station is not accessible.