MassDOT selects Palmer site for future train station

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) on Feb. 3 announced South of Palmer Yard as the best site for the future Palmer train station.

The site selection is a necessary step to advancing West-East Rail, a proposed intercity passenger-rail project that would improve connections between western and eastern Massachusetts. West-East Rail is part of MassDOT's larger Compass Rail vision to enhance intercity passenger-rail service within the state.

Based on the comparative evaluation of sites for the station, the South of Palmer site offers the amount of property needed for a platform to accommodate Americans with Disability Act (ADA) needs and passenger train length.

Additionally, of nine alternative sites evaluated, the South of Palmer Yard was a preferred site because it will have fewer permit requirements and be more affordable to build, according to a MassDOT press release.

“The South of Palmer Yard location has great potential as a future stop within the Compass Rail network, and the local stakeholders’ feedback has been invaluable in helping us reach an informed decision,” said MassDOT Rail and Transit Administrator Meredith Slesinger. “The site’s strategic location within Palmer and its cost-effective geography are significant benefits for the community both short- and long-term.”

The project team will now begin to develop a conceptual design which will allow MassDOT to engage with railway owner CSX, the site property owner, and proposed service operator, Amtrak, on the feasibility of constructing a future station, MassDOT officials said.