Red Line (trunk)
JFK/UMass station
Originally called "Columbia", JFK/UMass Station was expanded after the Braintree Branch was constructed in order to allow South Shore riders easy access to the nearby UMass–Boston campus. The Old Colony commuter rail stop was also added late in the process for the reopening of those lines; originally it was planned that commuter trains would not stop between Quincy Center and South Station. A man was killed after these photos were taken when one of the stairways down from Columbia Road collapsed. North of the station, Columbia Junction provides the only access to the Red Line's inconveniently located Cabot Yard, the overnight storage and maintenance facility for the Braintree Branch.
JFK/UMass station
This very odd station configuration, with separate but parallel platforms for the Braintree and Ashmont branches, was built this way because Greater Boston was really, really racist; the branches should have diverged south of Savin Hill (the four tracks run parallel all the way) but management thought that South Shore suburbanites wouldn't take the Red Line to the financial district if their trains stopped in a Black neighborhood. As a result, the newer Old Colony commuter rail suffers from a severe bottleneck here was the five tracks are squeezed in next to the Southeast Expressway. Both Red Line branches took over rights of way belonging to the Old Colony Railroad or its predecessors.
JFK/UMass station
Looking north along the southbound Braintree platform, with the Ashmont platforms off to the left and the station building above center.
JFK/UMass station
Looking southeast from the Braintree platform over at the Old Colony platform, showing a more modern departure sign.
JFK/UMass station
Looking northeast at the commuter-rail platform and a rather confusing set of ramps as an Alewife-bound train departs the station. Barely visible beyond the commuter platform is a bus stop for various MBTA routes.
JFK/UMass station
Looking north from the south end of the Braintree branch platform; the Braintree and Ashmont branch platforms are offset by a good bit, for no obvious reason.
JFK/UMass station
Notice the treads missing from the closed stairway. Why is it even still standing?
JFK/UMass station
North end of the Braintree platform as seen from the Ashmont side
JFK/UMass station
Maintenance overall at this station seems to leave rather much to be desired.