VHB was recently awarded a new assignment with MassDOT to conduct an alternatives analysis for a passenger rail station in Palmer, MA.
Palmer boasts a vibrant history closely tied to the railroad. In the 19th century, Palmer emerged as a crucial railroad junction with lines converging from Boston, Albany, Worcester, and northern New England. The existing historic Palmer Railroad Station (designed by famed architect H.H. Richardson and also known as Union Station) was constructed in 1884 and stands as a symbol of the town’s deep-rooted railroad legacy. The railroads transformed Palmer into a thriving industrial hub, drawing businesses and fueling its growth and development.
Today, the town remains a key railroad junction at the crossroads of CSX’s east-west corridor from Boston, MA, to Albany, NY, and New England Central’s north-south corridor from New London, CT, to Burlington, VT, and Canada. Both freight and passenger trains pass through the community daily, though passenger service to Palmer Station ceased in 1971.
VHB will be working with MassDOT’s Rail & Transit Division to evaluate the station site selection that will allow intercity passenger service to be reintroduced to this region of the Commonwealth.
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