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    MassDOT selects South of Palmer Yard as best site for future Palmer train station

    Feb. 4, 2025
    The site, located about a half mile from downtown Palmer, Mass., was chosen following months of extensive review that included community engagement and feedback from local stakeholders.
    Related To: Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

    The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has selected South of Palmer Yard as the best site for the future Palmer train station, a critical milestone in the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s efforts to advance West-East Rail. MassDOT notes that the site, located about a half mile from downtown Palmer, Mass., was chosen following months of extensive review that included community engagement and feedback from local stakeholders.  

    According to MassDOT, based on the comparative evaluation of sites, the site offers the amount of property needed for a platform to accommodate ADA needs and passenger train length. Of nine alternative sites evaluated, MassDOT says the site will have fewer permit requirements and will be more affordable to build. The site will now advance to the conceptual design phase. 

    “We’re thrilled to have reached another milestone for West-East Rail and our efforts to expand rail service across the state with the selection of a preferred site for Palmer Station. This is going to be a major boost for Western Mass and for our state’s economy,” said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. “We’re grateful for all of the input we received from community members that helped us choose the best site for the station.”   

    “We are very pleased to see ongoing progress in the advancement of the Compass Rail program, which will give residents the passenger rail connectivity they need and deserve,” said MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “Throughout the planning and design phase for Palmer Station, we have been committed to working with the community to make a site selection that reflects their needs in the decades ahead. We appreciate all the feedback and look forward to continuing this dialogue.”  

    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.   

    According to MassDOT, Compass Rail is made up of existing and proposed West-East and North-South services intersecting at a robust hub in Springfield, Mass. Compass Rail – Passenger Rail for the Commonwealth – is a vision for intercity passenger rail within Massachusetts and beyond. MassDOT says the goal of Compass Rail is to enhance mobility, expand transportation choice and support economic development goals through transportation investments. 

    Existing services supported and managed by MassDOT under the Compass Rail banner include the following Amtrak-operated routes: 

    • Vermonter between Washington, D.C., and St. Albans, VT., with Massachusetts stops in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield. 
    • Valley Flyer between New Haven, Conn., and Greenfield, with Massachusetts stops in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield. 
    • Hartford Line and Northeast Regional between Springfield and New Haven or Washington, D.C. 
    • Berkshire Flyer, a seasonal, pilot service, between Pittsfield and New York City. 

    MassDOT notes West-East Rail represents proposed, new Compass Rail services that focus on improved connections between western and eastern Massachusetts. These routes include: 

    • Inland Route to operate between Boston and New Haven via Springfield. 
    • Boston and Albany Corridor via Pittsfield. 

    According to MassDOT, it is expected that future passenger service through Palmer would be included in the proposed West-East routes, which would be operated by Amtrak and would include an Inland Route between Boston and New Haven through Springfield and a Boston and Albany route. Both routes would use the Boston and Albany Line owned and operated by CSX Transportation.  

    “We are excited to see West-East Rail mark this milestone and move forward with the conceptual design of the project. We look forward to being a partner in helping to create more transportation options for residents here in Palmer and western Massachusetts,” said Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Kimberly H. Robinson. 

    “We are pleased to see that there is forward movement on a station in Palmer. I thank everyone on the steering committee and community members who gave feedback about this process. We look forward to working with MassDOT on this next phase,” said Palmer Town Manager Brad Brothers.