Norwood to Boston in Few Steps a Reality With New Commuter Rail Stops-April 10, 1971

11 Apr 1971, Sun The Boston Globe

Imagine walking out of your apartment, stepping a few yards and boarding a train to Boston

Convenient? You bet.

This is the situation now for residents of 1000-unit Windsor Gardens complex in Norwood.

After several years’ dealings with transportation officials, the management of the complex finally got approval to have two Penn Central trains stop during weekday mornings on the way to Boston.

The first, at 7:34, is boarded mainly by workers, while the second, 10:03 is for executives and shoppers.

The new station, in use two weeks, is expected to “lift a mile of traffic off the Southeast Expressway a day,” according to Wilfred C. Chesebrough, director of the Norwood Transportation Committee.

“It was our objective to show, at a local level, with the cooperation of Windsor Gardens, local officials and the MBTA itself, how innovative and constructive thinking could do something to solve transportation problems,” Chesebrough added.

On a cold, raw morning last week 28 persons turned out for the early-morning run to Boston. All arrived well before the 7:34 departure time.

They were still there at 7:35, 7:40 and at 8.00. Then the exodus started. By the time the train arrived at 8:07, only two passengers were there to board.

One of those who walked off was Fred White of 401 Buckminster drive, in the Gardens complex.

“I’ll be late today, all because of the train. When it arrives on time, the system is really great. I can’t think of anything worse than driving over the Expressway into Boston.”

“This way, I can buy a weekly ticket—10 rides— for only 65 cents more than it would cost me to park the car in the city.

“And I don’t have the driving problems of getting the car in and out of the city. This way, the wives get the cars for the day, so there’s another feature for them.”

“It really is a great system—if only the train ran when it was supposed to,” he added, leaving the station.