The state has funded rail trail extensions in Swampscott and Salem for both ends of the Marblehead Rail Trail.
As of a month ago, I still had not seen any work started on the Swampscott Branch section, but I believe the newly funded segment will extend the trail from Beach Bluff Rd near the Marblehead town line and bring it to Walker Rd. Not much further and the trail will reach Swampscott Station on the active Eastern Route Main Line, but that would require bridges over Paradise Rd and Stetson Ave.
On the Marblehead Branch end, in Salem, work has commenced to extend the rail trail from Canal St to Castle Hill on the Eastern Route Main Line. From there, the work continues as rail-with-trail up until the incline from Salem Tunnel. From there, the rail-with-trail will stay on the surface and becomes part of the already-existing "Mayor Anthony V. Salvo Multi-Use Path."
The old wye in Marblehead behind Fox Run Lane continues to flood out and be a muddy mess as has been for years. I can say with personal experience that it is not worth traversing! Just follow the trail up past the power substation, or take the extra mileage to downtown Marblehead first, if you're going from the Swampscott Branch section to the Marblehead Branch section or vice-versa.
As of a month ago, I still had not seen any work started on the Swampscott Branch section, but I believe the newly funded segment will extend the trail from Beach Bluff Rd near the Marblehead town line and bring it to Walker Rd. Not much further and the trail will reach Swampscott Station on the active Eastern Route Main Line, but that would require bridges over Paradise Rd and Stetson Ave.
On the Marblehead Branch end, in Salem, work has commenced to extend the rail trail from Canal St to Castle Hill on the Eastern Route Main Line. From there, the work continues as rail-with-trail up until the incline from Salem Tunnel. From there, the rail-with-trail will stay on the surface and becomes part of the already-existing "Mayor Anthony V. Salvo Multi-Use Path."
The old wye in Marblehead behind Fox Run Lane continues to flood out and be a muddy mess as has been for years. I can say with personal experience that it is not worth traversing! Just follow the trail up past the power substation, or take the extra mileage to downtown Marblehead first, if you're going from the Swampscott Branch section to the Marblehead Branch section or vice-versa.
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