Railfan Sites in Massachusetts
A self-guiding railfan tour
Railfan, railfan--where do you see trains in Massachusetts?
Mapwork: If you're going to be looking for railfan locations, you'll need an industrial strength map resource. I definitely recommend you get a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, study it before your trip, and copy pertinent pages for your field work. You can find information here about Railfan Maps that are available.
Cities And Sites
- Ayer
- Canton -- Canton Junction
- Hoosac Tunnel -- East Portal
- Palmer
- Pittsfield -- Merrill Road
- Pittsfield -- Station Area
- Readville
AYER -- STATION AREA
From MA-2, take exit 38, and go north on MA-110/111, which becomes also signed for Harvard Road as you enter Middlesex County. Go around the traffic circle, and just after the McDonalds go straight on East Main Street/MA-111. Follow Main for about a mile (Caution: Watch your speed!), and you'll come to a bridge over the tracks. Continue straight for about 200 yards, and the first left, Mill Street, will get you trackside and to the train station.
MBTA runs 12/13 weekday trains in each direction, and 6 on weekends. This is the Boston North Station - Fitchburg commuter line. Pan American Railway's (PAR) Boston - Hoosac Tunnel - Mechanicville, NY main line rolls thru here, and you may see CSX units up from Worchester in interchange action. Also, there is a yard south of the station (out of sight, but quite close), and you may see transfer, light engine, and other runs to and from the yard.
Thanks, and a tip of the Frograil hat to Jerry Kelley, who contributed this railfan location.
CANTON -- CANTON JUNCTION
From I-95, exit 11, take Neponset Street southeast towards the town of Canton. After one mile, you'll see the viaduct ahead of you. Look for the "T" MBTA sign, and take a left to the station. The area is well marked.
Canton Junction is a station stop on the North East Corridor just to the southwest of Boston. It is also the site of the afore-mentioned Canton Viaduct. This impressive stone structure was built in 1835, and is still in use today. It is the second oldest railroad viaduct in use in the United States. You won't need a scanner here, just a strong shutter finger -- there are over 100 trains a day on weekdays, including Amtrak, Metropolitan Boston Transit Administration (MBTA) commuter trains, and a few CSX trains.
There is an automatic talking/warning device that warns people on the platforms to stand clear as a train approaches. That's not only informative, but a great safety device, as Acela flies thru here at over 100 miles per hour. On cold days one can sit in the car and wait for each announcement, which will save you money, as you can avoid costly treatment for frostbite.
Thanks, and a tip of the Frograil hat to Jerry Kelley, who contributed this railfan location.
HOOSAC TUNNEL -- EAST PORTAL
From Charlemont, Massachusetts, take MA-2 west. At the intersection with Zoar Road, take a right. At the first major fork, take a left to follow the river and the tracks. The road name changes to River Road as you enter Berkshire County. After 5-6 miles, you'll see an at grade railroad crossing. Park to the right on the river side of the road.
Thanks, and a tip of the Frograil hat to Jerry Kelley, who contributed this railfan location.
PALMER. (August 2000)
In a state not well known as a railfan destination, Palmer proves how wrong such an assumption can be. There is main line action here, in the form of CSX's (ex-CR, exx-B&A) Boston to Albany route, which sees several intermodal trains a day, in addition to manifest movements. Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited flows thru in mid-afternoon in both directions. Finally, the New England Central Railroad has offices, interchange and local work in Palmer. All this activity is centered on the railroad depot downtown.
To get to the depot from I-90, the Mass Turnpike, take exit-8 and then MA-32 south into Palmer. MA-32 goes right thru town, north-south, and will cross the CSX main just south of Church Street. Immediately past the tracks, take a (very) hard right onto Depot Street and follow it to the station area and the tracks. The NECR/CSX crossing is just to the northwest of the depot, at Bridge Street. This area just north of the station is CP-83, and the controlled point governs the crossing and local connections.
This entry is adapted from a Michael Christie entry in the Greater Capital District Railfan Association pages, which are here. Used with permission.
PITTSFIELD -- MERRILL ROAD (August 2000)
From the intersection of US-20/NY-9 and US-7 downtown, go north on US-7 for 2 blocks, and then west on East Street. The railroad will gradually come in from the north. When you get to Merrill Road, take a left and park in the area. Good viewing from the Merrill Road overpass is possible. Continue on Merrill Road to the east, and just after it veers off to the north east, the Junction Road overpass provides another nice bridge for train photos. Underneath the Junction Road overpass was the North Adams Junction, which connected with the Boston and Maine up in Adams.
This entry is adapted from an Alan Babbitt entry in the Greater Capital District Railfan Association pages, which are here. Used with permission.
PITTSFIELD -- STATION AREA (August 2000)
From the intersection of US-20/NY-9 and US-7 downtown, go north 4 long blocks, and then take a left on Depot Street before you cross over the tracks. The station is a good area for photos, especially for westbounds as they come out from under the US-7 overpass. Note that the tracks are SW-NE here, so lighting will be your friend most of the time.
This entry is adapted from an Alan Babbitt entry in the Greater Capital District Railfan Association pages, which are here. Used with permission.
READVILLE (February 2008)
From I-95 southwest of Boston, take exit 14 and go north on East Street. Take a right at Sprague Street, which will take you into Readsville and the area of the station. At the junction with Milton Street look for the "T" MBTA signs, and they will lead you to the station itself.
Amtrak does not stop here, so expect the Acelas and regionals to zoom thru at a very high rate of speed. The platforms have an automatic announcement to "stand clear, train approaching", so that's a big help. The view is clear for a mile or two in either direction, and the track signals can be seen from the platform, further warning you of future movements. There is a small CSX yard just to the south of the station that sees some action. Overhead there is the MBTA Fairmont Line, and on the other side of the station is the MBTA Franklin Line.
Thanks, and a tip of the Frograil hat to Jerry Kelley, who contributed this railfan location.