Charles/MGH (MBTA station)
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| Charles/MGH Station | |||||||||||
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 An MBTA Red Line train bound for Alewife. |
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| Address | 170 Charles St. Boston, MA 02114-3253 |
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| Coordinates | 42°21′41″N 71°04′17″W / 42.3613°N 71.0714°WCoordinates: 42°21′41″N 71°04′17″W / 42.3613°N 71.0714°W | ||||||||||
| Lines | MBTA Subway Red Line |
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| Platforms | side platforms | ||||||||||
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| Opened | February 27, 1932 | ||||||||||
| Rebuilt | February 17, 2007 | ||||||||||
| Accessible |  |
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| Owned by | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority | ||||||||||
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Charles/MGH Station is located at the intersection of Cambridge Street and Charles Street, in Boston, Massachusetts. The rapid transit station is on the MBTA Red Line and is elevated, being located at the Boston side of the Longfellow Bridge, which carries the Red Line along with vehicle traffic across the Charles River. Trains return to the Red Line tunnel just south of the station.
A new headhouse for Charles/MGH station opened on February 17, 2007, a half block east of its former location. The new headhouse contains escalators and elevators, making the station accessible to persons with disabilities for the first time.[1]
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[edit] Proposed Blue Line connection
Future plans for the station include a new, underground terminus for the Blue Line below the elevated station.[2] Currently, there is no direct connection between the Red and Blue lines. As part of a September 2008 lawsuit settlement, the state agreed to fully design the project but is no longer bound by an earlier commitment to build it and, as of mid-2009, there is no funding to do so. The extension would be carried by a short tunnel west from Bowdoin station under Cambridge Street. The Bowdoin station itself is slated to be closed once renovations to the Government Center are complete. A new turnaround loop would be constructed to replace the one at Bowdoin.
[edit] Inside the Station
Upon entering the station
- Ticket machines are located to the left and right.
- Turnstiles are directly in front of you.
- The platform for Outbound trains (to Alewife) are to the left (after the turnstiles).
- The platform for Inbound trains (to Braintree or Ashmont) are to the right (after the turnstiles).
Upon exiting the train (Outbound)
- The doors will open to the right.
- The station exit will be to the right
- The last car will be the closest to the exit.
Upon exiting the train (Inbound)
- The doors will open to the right.
- The station exit will be to the left.
- The front car will be the closest to the exit.
[edit] Attractions
Across the street from the station is the former Charles Street Jail (which has been converted into a hotel), the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), all of which serve as prominent landmarks in the area. The station is also situated at the border of the Boston neighborhood of Beacon Hill. Other attractions include:
- the Charles River Esplanade
- Community Boating
- Hatch Shell
- Shops and restaurants on Charles Street and Cambridge Street.
The Red line at Charles/MGH station has been featured in many episodes of Cheers.
[edit] Bus connections
Charles MGH Station is one of the only stations on the Red Line that does not have at least one bus connection.
[edit] References
- ^ Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. "Charles/MGH Renovation". http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/?id=982. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
- ^ Daniel, Mac (2006-11-30). "State agrees to design link between Red and Blue lines". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/11/30/state_agrees_to_design_link_between_red_and_blue_lines/. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
