Erving Boxcar Restaurant Closed, 09-29-2010

If you're looking forward to a heart-attack breakfast or lunch with a side of trains, it won't be available in Irving for the short term.
A hand-sprayed-on-plywood "CLOSED REOPENING SOON" sign was outside the Boxcar on 09-29-2010.
(edited for egregious typo)

That burned down months ago as far as I remember...

Mebbe there was an interior fire, but from WB and EB passes at legal road speed on 2, there was no apparent exterior fire damage.

I guess yeah.

http://www.recorder.com/story.cfm?id_no=7846716

With the steam out back in the photo, it looks like there might have been trackside roof penetration. With luck, they might get back to maroon and buff.

It's one of very few historic depot structures surviving track side on the former B&M Fitchburg Route. You have to go all the way to Williamstown to find the next one westbound, and eastbound, Athol is the only one standing until Littleton.

West Concord. Fine Heart Attack Breakfst joint.

by Eliphaz » Sat Oct 02, 2010 10:03 am
West Concord. Fine Heart Attack Breakfst joint.

...also West Concord Fire Station and one-time site of Patriot Ambulance. Accident or design? Hmmm.

West Concord got restored to it's old livery too. Quite nice.

cpf354 wrote:It's one of very few historic depot structures surviving track side on the former B&M Fitchburg Route. You have to go all the way to Williamstown to find the next one westbound, and eastbound, Athol is the only one standing until Littleton.

Actually Charlemont still stands.

The fuel dealer on the west side of the crossing? I thought that was the freight house. I thought the depot was closer to the crossing.

cpf354 wrote:The fuel dealer on the west side of the crossing? I thought that was the freight house. I thought the depot was closer to the crossing.

This thread is getting quite off topic for its title. But just for the record, here's a link to a great photo by Carl Weber Jr of the old Charlemnot passenger station which is now long gone:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... y=BandAfan

Back on topic, the Erving Boxcar is going to eventually reopen, isn't it? I miss those great breakfasts while waiting for Pan Am to show up!

Work was continuing on The Boxcar on 10-29-2010. The relatively new brown roof has been replaced by a black one, so maybe maroon and buff paint remains a possibility.

As of the 11-02-2010 drives-by, steps and an ADA ramp had been added to the front of The Boxcar with a gingerbreadish look and buffish and maroonish paint applied to the posts and handrails. Hopefully the rest will be similarly treated.

Hopes for A pre-Pat-B&M-ish paint scheme have been dashed at least temporarily. 11-11-2010 drives-by showed grey (vinyl?) clapboarding replacing the green siding.