Rare Historic Photos of the Dudley Elevated Railway in the Early 1900s

The Dudley Elevated Railway was an important part of Boston’s early rapid transit system and one of the earliest elevated railways in the United States. It opened in 1901 as part of the Washington Street Elevated, a branch of what became the Orange Line.

The line was operated by the Boston Elevated Railway, which later became part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). It ran through Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood and connected Dudley Station—now known as Nubian Station—with downtown Boston and other areas.

The elevated railway was built to reduce street-level congestion and offered fast, grade-separated service through densely populated parts of the city. Dudley Station itself was a major transit hub and featured an architecturally distinctive elevated structure.

The elevated line remained in operation for much of the 20th century, but it was eventually closed in 1987 when the Orange Line was rerouted along the Southwest Corridor. The elevated tracks were dismantled, but Dudley Station continued to serve as a major bus terminal and was renamed Nubian Station in 2020.

These vintage photos from City of Boston Archives show what the Dudley Elevated Railway looked like from the early 1900s.

Dudley Street Terminal, Boston, April 8, 1900

Dudley Street Station, surface tracks, east side, Boston, April 12, 1901

Switch Tower junction, Washington Street and Dudley Street, Boston, April 12, 1901

Looking south from Dudley Street switch tower, Boston, April 26, 1901

Looking northerly on Washington Street from Dudley Street switch tower, Boston, April 26, 1901

Washington Street just north of Bartlett Street, setting up traveller, Boston, April 26, 1901

Interior Dudley Street Station, south end, Boston, May 3, 1901

Dudley Street Terminal, southerly end from "Langham" roof, Boston, May 3, 1901

Train coming out of Dudley Street Station, Boston, May 3, 1901

Dudley Street Terminal, southerly end, cars on incline, elevated train, Boston, April 15, 1902

Dudley Street Terminal, Boston, May 20, 1902

Dudley Street Terminal, interior, Boston, October 21, 1906

Dudley Street Terminal, alterations in steel work, Boston, April 10, 1908

Dudley Street Station, progress of alteration, Boston, November 11, 1908

Dudley Street Station, progress on east loop, Boston, December 29, 1908

Dudley Street Station, progress on east loop, Boston, January 1, 1909

Dudley Street Station, progress on east loop, Boston, January 1, 1909

Dudley Street Station, south end of Washington Street platform, Boston, January 11, 1909

Dudley Street Station under, Boston, January 20, 1909

Dudley Street Station, progress on Washington Street canopy, Boston, February 5, 1909

Dudley Street Station, South foot bridge, east loop, Boston, February 5, 1909

Dudley Street Station, progress on west loop, Boston, March 30, 1909

Dudley Street turn, west loop construction, Boston, August 4, 1909

Dudley Street Station, Boston, September 2, 1909

Dudley Street Station, progress on surface level, Boston, October 19, 1909