The MBTA Greenbush Commuter Rail Line services the South Shore
from Braintree to Scituate. It follows an old railbed which
did not end at Greenbush, but continued on through Marshfield and
Duxbury; eventually joining the existing MBTA Kingston Commuter
Rail line.
Most of what remains of the old railbed has been taken over by
residential streets or is used as restricted access routes by the
various towns.
A half mile stretch of this railbed has been made into a walking
path between Rt 139 and So. River street in Marshfield. The
path crosses the South River, and the town has erected a memorial
footbridge, replacing the original RR construction. The heavy
granite abuttments are the only remnants of the old railroad.
The bridge is a little closer to the south access waypoint, but
the walk from the north is more interesting, as the railbed was
built up approx 20 feet above the lowland forest before reaching
the South River marshes. There are good views of the marshes
from the crossing.
The new bridge is named for Francis Keville, a recently deceased
well known civil engineer from Marshfield, who was instrumental in
bringing the commuter rail lines to the South Shore.