Lowell Information

I'll be coming up to Massachusetts tomorrow and my kids want to explore Lowell on Friday. What railroad, trolley, and Middlesex Canal points of interest/attractions are there in the Lowell - Chelmsford area?

Ok, I don't think the "Streetcar named Desire" is out during the week, I could be wrong. The green trolley 966 from New Orleans sometimes run along side with the other Lowell heritage trolleys. Downtown Lowell is very nice...walk around. Stop in at Gary's ice cream by the B & M engine. Visit the National Park office and the big mill they run as a museum. Boot Mill I think it is called. Then go out and see the Commuter rail station, there is a new LRTA bus terminal there also. Guilford runs freight there also. Visit the Mack building, may not be open...volunteers open it every so often, trolley displays inside.

For lunch visit one of Lowell's many diners or walk over to Elliott Street and visit Elliott's Hot Dogs, since 1920.

There's a short canal boat tour you can take too; it leaves near the trolley at the National Park parking
lot.

Go for the trolley ride, it runs right along a good portion of the canal, the most interesting part of the canal is that it rungs along side the Lowell high school and the trolley too, the other is the covered brick section of the canal right by the B & M engine near Gary's Ice Cream shop.

Here's the link for the trolley museum at Lowell...

http://www.trolleymuseum.org/lowell_01.html

-otto-

There are the B&M archives in Lowell too. Call 978 934 4997 or 4998 to check if they're open. http://www.trainweb.org/bmrrhs/

Thanks for all of the Lowell information/suggestions. It looks like the Trolley Museum is open Thursday - Sunday, so I am hoping they are running 996 on Friday. I see that B&M 410 lives in Lowell now too.

My dad worked for the B&M back in the late 30's. Sometime around 1993 - 94 I took him for a ride to the Billerica Shops where he used to work in the wheel shop. I think we saw 410 sitting out behind one of the buildings rusting away - I'm glad that it has been saved.

Anyhow, I'll post some pitures when I return.

Thanks again,
Chuck G.

I haven't been in Lowell, but I know there is a trolley there in the park. You might want to consider taking an MBTA commuter train from BOS or maybe even Amtrak to Portland, Maine. The closest Amtrak stop for the service to Maine is Haverhill.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:I haven't been in Lowell, but I know there is a trolley there in the park. You might want to consider taking an MBTA commuter train from BOS or maybe even Amtrak to Portland, Maine. The closest Amtrak stop for the service to Maine is Haverhill.

Or just take the Lowell commuter train south to Anderson RTC, which is where the Downeaster stops between Boston & Haverhill. (If you want to do it by rail.)

Here's some pictures from our trip to Lowell. The 1601 trolley motorwoman was nice enough to let us ride with our little Bichon Frise - normally they don't allow dogs. Also, she was involved in the restoration of 410 - wire brushing rust at Iron Horse Park.









The trolley ride was fairly short. Are there any plans to use the rest of the track in Lowell for trolley service? Incidentally, we didn't get a chance to ride the Streetcar names Desire - they only bring that out on weekends.