In 1875, the line became part of the New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE), which built its main shops adjacent to Norwood Central.

The New Haven eliminated an adjacent grade crossing in 1896 and built a new station structure in 1899, ending a decade-long controversy.

As rail travel declined, Norwood Shops closed around 1930 and Wrentham Branch service ended in 1938.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) began subsidizing service in 1966 and purchased the line in 1973.

Along with Franklin Line commuter rail service, Norwood Central was a stop for Foxboro Stadium special events trains from 1986 to 1988 and 1995 to 2010.

[1] The former station building, located on the west side of the tracks, is owned by the MBTA but has been converted for commercial use.

[8] A parcel of land across the tracks from Norwood Central station had been purchased by the railroad in June 1874 to construct new car shops to replace a fire-destroyed facility at Readville.

[14] In March 1891, the NY&NE petitioned the Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners for permission to consolidate the two stations and to eliminate grade crossings nearby.

[12] The New Haven acquired control of the NY&NE through its subsidiary New England Railroad on September 1, 1895, and leased the line as its Midland Division effective July 1, 1898.

[27][2] In December 1897, a local business association appeared before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court seeking to force the railroad to comply with the 1891 order and build a combined station.

It was similar to no-longer-extant stations built around the same time at Forest Hills, Atlantic, Quincy, and Warren.

[12][31] The remaining portion of Norwood Shops was closed around 1930; those buildings were sold off to other industrial users or demolished.

[8] The single daily round trip on the Wrentham Branch was discontinued on July 17, 1938, as part of a massive station closure.

[36] The MBTA gradually increased service on the Franklin Line from five daily round trips in 1967 to eight in 1975 and thirteen in 1984; Norwood Central short turns were reintroduced in 1967.

[8] In 1977, the agency began an $11 million track and station reconstruction project on the line, partially funded by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, which included improvements to the platforms at Norwood Central.

[8][37][38] When Boston–Foxboro service for Foxboro Stadium events was moved to the Franklin Line from 1986 to 1988, Norwood Central was an intermediate stop.

[7] A $1.4 million MBTA project beginning in 1989 included renovation of the station building, accessible mini-high platforms, and parking lot expansion.