Full Speed Ahead: MassDOT Connects the Commonwealth Through "Compass Rail"

Full Speed Ahead: MassDOT Connects the Commonwealth Through "Compass Rail"

From New England Weekend by WBZ-AM

May 30, 2026 · 13 min

About this episode

The episode discusses MassDOT's efforts to expand passenger rail access in Massachusetts through the Compass Rail initiative.

There's more interest in train travel these days, thanks to higher gas prices, but the efforts to expand access to passenger rail around the Commonwealth have been going on for many years now. Several improvement and expansion projects are already underway through MassDOT's "Compass Rail" initiative, with a significant focus on Central and Western Massachusetts. Meredith Slesinger, MassDOT's Rail and Transit Administrator, joins Nichole to talk about their expansion efforts and the benefits of access to passenger rail services. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Nichole

Guest: Meredith Slesinger

Topics covered

  • train travel
  • passenger rail
  • transportation expansion
  • MassDOT
  • public transit
  • Central Massachusetts
  • Western Massachusetts

Keywords

  • train travel
  • passenger rail
  • MassDOT
  • Compass Rail
  • transportation
  • Central Massachusetts
  • Western Massachusetts

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MassDOT

Places: Commonwealth, Central and Western Massachusetts

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