Trackside Bars, Hotels, and Restaurants in New England

[cogger]

Fabyan's in Twin Mountain NH at the entrance to the Mount Washington Auto Road. Located in the former Fabyans station, the restaurant is to the left in the former waiting room, the bar (oops!) the lounge is to the right in the former baggage room. You have to plan your visit to coincide with the Conway Scenic run, which comes in about twelve feet from the building.

PBM

I remember back in the early 80s when you would get a free drink if you were at the bar when the MEC freight went through!

[CVRA7]

Looks like the Boston & Albany is a good route for trackside bars. I'll add the Steaming Tender of Palmer MA, well known as a restaurant but there is also a small bar on the CV side but you can look across the dining room and see the B&A. Nice place, good railroad decor, and the folks that run it do know their location draws fans. [url]www.steamingtender.com[/url]
They carry Berkshire Brewing Co. products including my favorite Steel Rail Ale.
Another addition but one I've never been to is at the Dalton MA station, web site[url]www.thedaltondepot.com[/url]
From the info on their web site it looks like a lively place.

[consist]

I'm sure there's something along the Pan Am main along Forest Avenue in Portland Maine. There used to be a CJ Thirsty's on Forest Ave right where the main crossed the road at grade. That bar changed hands and may no longer be a bar. There are several restaurants just north of that crossing whose parking lots back up to the tracks, but they too have changed hands in recent years and I don't get up that way often enough to have an update.
Also further west of there was a Margaritas mexican restaurant on St. John St. opposite the jail. Their back windows look across a parking lot at the main, but no patio.

[MEC407]

Also further west of there was a Margaritas mexican restaurant on St. John St. opposite the jail. Their back windows look across a parking lot at the main, but no patio.

Located in what was once the headquarters of the Maine Central, if I'm not mistaken.

[RedLantern]

One place I didn't think of before is Bainbridge's in North Chelmsford MA. I haven't been there in a long time and I don't remember what the views were like, but I'm told (by a non-railfan) that they're decent. It has a full service bar, and it's right next to the PanAm Freight Main (about half a mile from CPF-NC on the Stony Brook Branch). This is kind of an upscale place, but it might be a nice place to take a date or spouse so they can think you're taking them to a fancy restaurant while you're there to watch trains.

While you're there, in another part of the building (the part with the Starbucks) there's a big stationary steam engine (doesn't run) that used to power the mill the building's based in.

[b&m 1566]

Fabyan's in Twin Mountain NH at the entrance to the Mount Washington Auto Road. Located in the former Fabyans station, the restaurant is to the left in the former waiting room, the bar (oops!) the lounge is to the right in the former baggage room. You have to plan your visit to coincide with the Conway Scenic run, which comes in about twelve feet from the building.

PBM

I remember back in the early 80s when you would get a free drink if you were at the bar when the MEC freight went through!

I wonder if they brought that back for when the Conway Scenic comes around?!!! If so, they'll be servicing up a free drink in a week or so for the transformer move!

Another restaurant that has come to mind is Margaritas in Nashua, NH. Unfortunately the view of the Hillsborough Branch is obscured on the main floor by the way the place is set up inside but there are two other floors (of which I've never ventured), that may have a view of the tracks. On a nice summer day if you happen to sit outside on their deck; you’ll have a great view of the river, the dam (which the deck hangs over), downtown Nashua and with the tracks only about 50 yards away from the outdoor seating, you might be able to catch a Pan Am local working the line. For those that are not into Mexican beers I highly recommend their specialty drink only found at the Nashua location... it's called the "Empty Glass".

[RedLantern]

That reminds me, the Peddler's Daughter in Nashua (right near Margaritas) is right next to the Hillsborough branch, although there's no windows directly facing the tracks, there's a few tables next to the big front windows, looking out at an angle to the right, one should be able to see NA-1 heading up and back if you're there at the right time. Although the place doesn't have a railroad theme, the building it's in was originally built as a passenger coach maintenance shop.

Also, I noticed today that the Kastore Restaurant and lounge in North Chelmsford has windows in the front facing out at the Wellman Ave crossing across the street. This is the B&M Northern Main, so anything destined for Nashua or further north would go through there including the coal trains.

[3rdrail]

At Maggie Mae's in Roslindale at Hyde Park Ave/Canterbury, you're right next to the Southwest Corridor's Main Line with Amtrak and the MBTA zipping past underneath the Canterbury Street Bridge. In Readville at Wolcott Square you've got Cappy's Tavern with the same proximity to the Main Line, within a stone's throw from the Fairmount Line's bridge over Hyde Park Ave. by historic Readville Station. Neither of these places have trains visible inside but there are numerous observational and photo opportunities just a few steps from their door. Both are less than 200 feet from the tracks. Maggie's is an Irish-themed pub and I've heard that the burgers and steak tips are excellent at Cappy's.

[CannaScrews]

Let's see:

The Stonebridge Restaurant in Milford - overlooks the Wepawaug River crossing of the Shoreline [MNCR-AMTK-P&W-CSX] - outside seating so visibility is good.

Leon's in Westport - Just opposite the North platform reasonable view from the Bar

There is a restaurant who's name escapes me on in the North Stratford Station - excellent food & very small bar.

Norwalk - a bar just under the Washington St bridge - at least you can hear the trains....

Saybrook - the Pizza House/Hut???? in the old Saybrook station - depending where you sit, you can see westbound. No bar, but they serve beer/wine.

Niantic - I'm sure there are a number of places on Rt 156 which parallels the Shoreline.

Shelton - the Bella Vista family restaurant/bar has a deck overlooking the Housatonic RR & across is the Waterbury Branch - action every so often.

Tailgators in Derby is directly across the Naugatuck from the Shelton/Derby RR station.

Seymour - a real bar, next to the Police Station in the old Seymour Wire complex overlooks the RR bridge across the Naugy, make sure you have a few friends there - its "old school".

Crabby Al's in Thomaston overlooks the Naugatuck RR station at Thomaston. Bring your Harley.

Biker bar at Rt 262 & Waterbury Rd in Thomaston overlooks the Naugatuck RR's line, bring your Harley & tattoos.

The former New England Brewing Company in South Norwalk had a fine view of the Danbury Branch just north of the old tower. The beer was great & the food too. It may be there in some incarnation, haven't been there in quite awhile.

Probably the best place I know & have gone to is in the Northbound side of the old Cold Spring NY station [it's East of the Hudson] where you can sit on the patio & feel the GE penii/dildos lift out of the new Cold Spring station heading northbound in run 8.

[bshrdr]

Good info! Off the top of my head, three spring to mind in Niantic, CT -

• Sunset Ribs (full bar) has a somewhat obstructed view of the NAN drawbridge, but you can see trains skirting along the boardwalk to the west

• Dad's Drive In (beer on tap) - on 156 west of the drawbridge. Nice view of the tracks - used to go there as a kid to watch trains with my parents & grandparents, and now bring my kids there.

• Skippers - also on 156 about a quarter mile west of Dad's, but I'm not positive if they server alcohol or not.

[Ridgefielder]

There's an Italian restaurant on River Road in Westport (name escapes me) that's just past the I-95 bridge; the deck overlooking the water should have a perfect view of Saugatuck River bridge. Also, Mario's, across the tracks from the station, is a great old-school bar. Good red-sauce Italian.

The Captain Daniel Packer Inn in Mystic, Conn. has a view of Amtrak's Mystic River bridge-- downstairs bar is great on a fall/winter day.

As I recall, you can also see the Corridor from the deck of the Skipper's Dock in Stonington Borough, where it crosses the head of the harbor on a causeway (this is where The Bostonian got trapped in the 1938 hurricane: they loaded the passengers into the baggage car, cab and tender and cut the rest of the train loose, plowed into Stonington through five feet of salt water. Wild story.)

Up the Danbury Branch, there's a restaurant called the Station House in West Redding, CT, with a front porch that overlooks the tracks. Many years ago, the porch was actually connected to the platform.

[jbvb]

The Tap in Haverhill, MA is my favorite; the place that's a little closer to the tracks and has a smaller deck is called The Lasting Room.

[caduceus]

One place I didn't think of before is Bainbridge's in North Chelmsford MA. I haven't been there in a long time and I don't remember what the views were like, but I'm told (by a non-railfan) that they're decent. It has a full service bar, and it's right next to the PanAm Freight Main (about half a mile from CPF-NC on the Stony Brook Branch). This is kind of an upscale place, but it might be a nice place to take a date or spouse so they can think you're taking them to a fancy restaurant while you're there to watch trains.

While you're there, in another part of the building (the part with the Starbucks) there's a big stationary steam engine (doesn't run) that used to power the mill the building's based in.

FYI, I remember this thread when I discovered today...Bainbridge's closed for a week at the beginning of July, and never reopened...their main web site redirects to an article from the Lowell Sun.

[Lincoln78]

Jose's on 131 Sherman St in Cambridge is next to the Fitchburg line (just east of the former Cambridge yard). Actually a Mexican restaurant- the tables on the second floor overlook the parking lot and the tracks. Food was good.

[BM6569]

Irish Twins Pub
743 Main St
Lewiston ME

The last time I was here, the local out of Danville Junction passed by.