Railfanning Massachusetts

[SimTrains]

Hello, I'm in the Buffalo, NY area and in two weeks my girlfriend and I will be driving to Havard to look at the school. We will be spending a week in massachusetts and I was wondering if anybody knew of any rail museums or anything of interest in the area? Maybe a good hobby shop? Our hotel is located in Haverhill, MA anything near there? Thanks in advance !!!

[johnpbarlow]

I believe Edaville in Carver, MA is closed but North Conway, NH, home of the Conway Scenic RR, isn't too far from Haverhill.

If it's a "museum fleet" of locomotives you're after there's the enitre Guilford roster and GRS runs through Haverhill.

And the MBTA operates rehabbed PCC cars on the Ashmont-Mattapan line.

[SimTrains]

Sounds cool, but what exactly is the "Guilford roster" and GRS?

[johnpbarlow]

GRS = Guilford Rail Systems, a regional freight RR running from CSX/CP/NS connections in the Schenectady area through MA (including Haverhill) to points in Maine. They operate a rare mix of eclectic EMDs: SD26s, hi nose SD45s, wide cab GP40s, GP7s, and standard hi/low nose GP35s/40s, all painted a dard gray with orange stripe.

Go to this link to see lots of GRS pictures:

http://photos.nerail.org/

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[b&m 1566]

Conway Scenic is a great RR however at this time they just opened up for the 2004 season and they are only operating on the weekends another big miss out for this time of year is the Crawford Notch train, that train doesn't start operating until mid-June and operates T-W-Th and Sat from mid-June via mid-September and Daily form mid-September via mid-October where the train stops running again till the following June. They have a steam Loco that operates from July via October. There are to other train rides know as the Valley trains as well as a diner car and a sun set limited during the summer (dinner train). Visit conwayscenic.com for more info. There are sites out there that have pictures of the CSRR but I can remember them of the top of my head. When I remember I will post it. From Haverhill, MA to North Conway, NH is about a 2 hour ride give or take. You can go from Route 495 North to Route 95 North to route 16 north. Route 16 takes you rite into North Conway or you could go 125 north to route 16 north but that may take longer.

[CSX Conductor]

From Harvard Square T station, take the #66 bus to Allston Brighton area. Tell the driver you want to get near the Mass Turnpike (I90) overpass. This overpass which the bus goes over offers a good view of CSXT's Beacon Park Yard.

[rodco]

Too bad you will not be in Western Mass. A visit to the Hossac Tunnel is a great day trip. The scenic ride on RT.2 is well worth the ride.
There is also the old Stone bridges in Middlefield/ Chester Mass.Here are a few links
http://www.intac.com/~jsumberg/hoosac.htm

http://home.att.net/~rlgroves/arch_br.htm