Malden Center

In December of 1975, the Orange Line was extended north to Malden Center. This station is a little different in its setup, as it is elevated, so the lobby is set up differently. The third track here is used by the Haverhill Line, which stops here, using the second platform that was set up for the Orange Line. Because of this, not all doors can be used to board commuter rail trains at Malden Center, as the platform length is set up for 6-car Orange Line trains, not longer commuter rail trains. However, this was the first station in the commuter rail system to have full high level platforms, because the platform height was built to support Orange Line trains, which are the same height as commuter rail cars. The Reading (later Haverhill) line used this platform beginning in 1977 through 1979 and from 1985 to today. This station allows for easy transfers between the Haverhill and Orange Lines, although the transfer is redundant, as one can transfer between Haverhill and Orange again at North Station, and from my experience being on the Haverhill Line, most people usually ride the train to North Station and switch there instead, as both stations are in Zone 1A.

The Orange Line platform is a center platform serving both Orange Line tracks, which is separate from the Haverhill Line platform, which is a side platform. Malden Center, located in bustling downtown Malden, is the busiest northern Orange Line station and the largest bus hub of any of the northern Orange Line stations. When Malden Center first opened in December of 1975, a double entry and single exit fare was charged here, since Malden was 5 miles away from Boston. This was also the fare system at Oak Grove when it opened as well. In 1980, after a fare restructure, these stations now only had a single entry fare and no exit fare like the rest of the Orange Line stations. As of 2018, all subway stations have one entrance fare and no exit fare. Although with the new CharlieCard II (aka AFC 2.0) system coming in a few years, there have been talks of bringing exit fares back and calculating fares based on distance, which means one day Malden Center and Oak Grove may have exit fares again, as the distance from Boston to these stations is between 5-6 miles and are the northernmost rapid transit stations on the T.

Malden Center's center and side platforms.

Malden Center was renovated between 2003 and 2005 and was the last Orange Line station to be made accessible. Elevators were added for both the Orange and Haverhill Line platforms. Today, the Orange Line is 100% accessible and the Haverhill Line is accessible except for these stops: North Wilmington, Wakefield, Greenwood, Melrose Cedar Park, and Wyoming Hill.

Next stop: Oak Grove