Boston & Worcester trolley

The trolley system in Framingham goes back to 1888, when the Union Street Railway Company started its operations with trolley lines along Union Avenue, Concord Street and Howard Street. The trolleys were horse-powered at first but quickly became electrified. In 1898, there were 11 trolley cars, eight being pulled by horses.

In 1901, a new company called Boston and Worcester Street Railway Company (B&W) bought out most of the smaller trolley companies that were operating at the time and proposed a new line that would follow the path of the old Worcester Turnpike dirt road that connected Worcester to Boston, now Route 9. In 1903, the main line was completed and the line that ran from South Framingham to Saxonville bought. The intersection of these two lines became Framingham Junction, home of the B&W headquarters. B&W built a brick depot for its cars in Framingham Centre, what is now the Trolley Square shopping center (on the Route 30 West ramp). They also built a powerhouse in the Mount Wayte Avenue area (still standing but without its tall stack).


The trolley (and railroad) system back in 1910. The two main lines were the East-West line that is now Route 9 and and the line that followed Concord Street from South Framingham all the way up to Saxonville and Wayland. Notice the Milford and Uxbridge Street RR line, not owned by the B&W company. Thanks to the History of Framingham book by Herring.


Framingham Junction at the intersection of the Boston to Worcester line and the South Framingham to Saxonville line. Thanks to Images of America, Framingham.


The trolley depot at Framingham Centre, now the Trolley Square shopping center. Thanks to Images of America, Framingham.


Trolley Square shopping center along the Route 30 West ramp. Thanks to googlemaps.