Most trains on the Franklin Line follow the same route as AMTRAK (and the MBTA's Attleboro-Providence & Stoughton trains) out of South Station, stopping at Back Bay Station and then running through the depressed corridor along with the Orange Line. A few on weekdays instead follow the Dorchester Branch, substituting for Fairmount Line trains. This round trip was chosen so that we will get a little taste of both.

Outbound we will run as far as Readville Junction, then diverge to the right onto a ramp leading to the Franklin Line. You will notice the complicated station at Readville. There are several platforms on different tracks, including the connection on which we are accessing the Franklin Line. There are some little-used platforms on the Northeast Corridor mainline, and then there is another on the Dorchester Branch on the opposite side of the NEC. Most Fairmount Line trains originate and terminate there

Now on the Franklin Line, the sights are mostly industrial and residential. The station at Endicott is actually a section of Dedham. Following Endicott is this line's obligatory Route 128 station, called Dedham Corporate Center. That station gives access to nearby hotels, and can be acessed by many major highways.

Passing through Islington and Westwood, we run parallel to Route 1A. Then we come to the Norwoods, namely Norwood Depot and Norwood Central. These stations are a very short distance from one another, similar to the distance between some SEPTA stations in Philadelphia. Some rush hour express trains do bypass one of these two stations.

Windsor Gardens is a garden apartment complex that has its own train station by the same name.

At Walpole, there is a diamond and some connections with the line we cross. To the west, this line runs into CSX's main Boston-Albany line. Trains to football games in Foxboro turn east here.

We pass Norfolk, and then come into Franklin. At Franklin there is a layover track, on which you should see some other commuter consists. The station itself is near Dean College and it officially carries the school's name.

Service used to end in downtown Franklin before it was extended one more stop to Forge Park/495. I-495 is another beltway around the Boston area with a larger circumference. At this station, there is parking on both sides, so the doors will normally open on both sides of the train.

Our return trip will retrace the Franklin Line as far as Readville Junction.

This time, however, we will not enter the Northeast Corridor but will instead use the bridge over it. Our train doubles as a Fairmount train, running on the Dorchester Branch. We will make three stops along this line.

We come out behind AMTRAK's Southampton Yard, and join the Old Colony trunk to pass over a bridge before entering South Station. The Dorchester Branch bypasses Back Bay Station.