Ballardvale station

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title: "Ballardvale station" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["former-boston-and-maine-railroad-stations", "mbta-commuter-rail-stations-in-essex-county,-massachusetts", "railway-stations-in-the-united-states-opened-in-1836", "buildings-and-structures-in-andover,-massachusetts"] description: "Train station in Andover, Massachusetts, US" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballardvale_station" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Train station in Andover, Massachusetts, US ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox station"]

Field	Value
style	MBTA
name	Ballardvale
image	Ballardvale MBTA Station, Ballardvale MA.jpg
image_caption	A train at Ballardvale station in 2013
address	195 Andover Street
borough	Andover, Massachusetts
coordinates
line	Western Route
platform	1 side platform
tracks	1
parking	115 spaces ($4.00 daily)
bicycle	9 spaces
passengers	167 daily boardings
pass_year	2024
opened	; April 2, 1976
closed	December 17, 1979
rebuilt	1849, 1950
accessible	Yes
zone	4
services	{{Adjacent stations
line1	Haverhill
line2	Haverhill
mapframe	yes
mapframe-zoom	12
mapframe-marker-color	#
mapframe-marker	rail
::

| style=MBTA | name=Ballardvale | image=Ballardvale MBTA Station, Ballardvale MA.jpg | image_caption=A train at Ballardvale station in 2013 | address=195 Andover Street | borough=Andover, Massachusetts | coordinates= | line=Western Route | other= | platform=1 side platform | tracks=1 | parking=115 spaces ($4.00 daily) | bicycle=9 spaces | passengers=167 daily boardings | pass_year=2024 | opened=; April 2, 1976 | closed=December 17, 1979 | rebuilt=1849, 1950 | accessible=Yes | owned= | zone=4 | services= {{Adjacent stations|system1=MBTA |line1=Haverhill|left1=North Wilmington|right1=Andover |line2=Haverhill|left2=North Station|right2=Andover|note-mid2=limited service via Wildcat Branch | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 12 | mapframe-marker-color = # | mapframe-marker = rail

Ballardvale station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station on the Haverhill Line, located in the Ballardvale village of Andover, Massachusetts. The station has a single side platform serving a single track.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Ballardvale_station_postcard.jpg" caption="Postcard of the second Ballardvale station"] ::

The Andover and Haverhill Railroad opened through Ballardvale in 1836. In 1849, the Boston and Maine Railroad moved the line about 0.5 miles west to its present alignment as part of a lengthy relocation to serve the growing mill city of Lawrence. The original depot was converted to a residence.

A two-story Italianate depot was built in 1849 at the Andover Street crossing to serve as the new Ballardvale station. A baggage room was added around 1893. In 1950, it was cut in half, moved 150 feet, and converted to a private residence. The baggage room was detached and served as the station shelter for some time.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) was formed in 1964 to subsidize suburban commuter rail service. Andover was outside the MBTA district. On January 4, 1965, the B&M discontinued most interstate service. The only service north of Haverhill was a single Boston–Dover round trip. On January 18, 1965, the B&M discontinued almost all remaining intrastate service outside the MBTA district. This left only the Dover round trip serving Andover. It was cut to Haverhill on June 30, 1967, with Andover and the other towns outside the district subsidizing the train.

In November 1974, North Andover and Andover declined to renew their subsidies. Service to North Andover station ended on November 15 that year. Days before, Andover commuters and businesses raised funds to continue service until April 1975. On April 7, 1975, town residents voted "overwhelmingly" to reimburse the commuters and subsidize service for an additional year. The town declined to subsidize further service, and the three Andover stops (Shawsheen, , and Ballardvale) were dropped effective April 2, 1976. The round trip, by then stopping just at Lawrence, Bradford and Haverhill, was ended on June 30, 1976.

The MBTA purchased most of the B&M commuter assets, including the Western Route, on December 27, 1976. Planning began in 1978 for restoration of Haverhill service using the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority as a funding intermediary. Haverhill Line service returned on December 17, 1979, including the resumption of the Ballardvale stop.

In January 1989, the MBTA allocated $770,000 for new parking lots and accessible mini-high platforms at Ballardvale and Andover. The platforms at the two stations were constructed in 1992. Ballardvale station was left as single track after the 2010–2017 double-tracking project. However, the MBTA plans to reconstruct the station and add a second track.

References

References

1. {{MBTA Commuter Rail 2024 ridership
2. LaPointe, Gary. "Essex County". Railroad Stations in Massachusetts.
3. Roy, John H. Jr.. (2007). "A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses". Branch Line Press.
4. (January 2, 1965). "B&M Posts Notices On Rail Curbs". The Bangor Daily News.
5. Hanron, Robert B.. (January 16, 1965). "B&M Switches Monday". The Boston Globe.
6. (June 30, 1967). "Last B&M Train to New Hampshire". Transcript-Telegram.
7. Carr, Robert B.. (November 13, 1974). "Two towns lose MBTA rail service". Boston Globe.
8. (April 9, 1975). "Andover votes to support commuters who paid their own way". Boston Globe.
9. (April 1, 1976). "End of Commuting". Boston Globe.
10. (July 2, 1976). "B&M Lawrence, Haverhill runs closed". The Berkshire Eagle.
11. {{NETransit
12. (1985). "Boston's Commuter Rail: The First 150 Years". Boston Street Railway Association.
13. Ackerman, Jerry. (January 19, 1989). "MBTA picks architect for South Station terminal". The Boston Globe.
14. Iudica, Doreen E.. (August 2, 1992). "Advocates push for train access". Boston Globe.
15. (June 1992). "MBTA : ACCESS; The Guide to Accessible Services and Facilities". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
16. Sawers, Alistair. (January 25, 2021). "Regional/Urban Rail Transformation Update". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
17. Hughes, Madeline. (January 11, 2021). "Andover receives $70M for better roads, train service". Andover Townsman.

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