[MassHistPres] Rail Corridor Preserved for Educational Purposes?

[Phyllis Halpern]

Adding to what Gretchen and Kay have said, here's more information about
the goals for the new rail trail in Weston.  Before our section of the Mass
Central Rail Trail was paved last year, we inventoried all remaining
railroad artifacts along the abandoned rail corridor.  We had tremendous
leadership and help with this from a very dedicated volunteer (Paul
Penfield) in town. At our request, the Rail Trail now skirts around
everything that we hoped to save including cattle passes, rail rests, mile
markers, a section marker and a good sized length of track near the
abandoned train station.  DCR (and Eversource) built the Rail Trail for
recreation and to connect through Waltham eastward eventually to Boston,
and through Wayland westward eventually to Northhampton.  We are planning
to restore the local artifacts and develop educational signage.  As Kay
noted, here's a link on what we (and Wayland) have:
http://www.westonhistory.org/data/uploads/bulletins/2018-Spring-Bulletin.pdf
The bulletin's center contains a Checklist running from the Waltham line
through Wayland so visitors can find everything.

Phyllis Halpern
Weston Historical Commission co-chair

On Tue, Nov 3, 2020 at 9:22 AM Kay Westcott <kwestcott305 at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> I want to thank Gretchen for giving a thorough response. I wanted to add
> the WESTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN  Vol. XLIX, No.1*  Spring 2018. It
> can be found online
> http://www.westonhistory.org/data/uploads/bulletins/2018-Spring-Bulletin.pdf.
> It lists the historical items found along the trail in Weston and Wayland
> as well as the history of the railroad. It is 60 pages long. The signal
> tower is in the process of being restored, funded by CPC, and Rich Conard's
> knowledge of where to find the needed equipment.
>
> Kay Gardner-Westcott
>
> On Mon, Nov 2, 2020 at 1:24 PM Stacy Spies <stacyspies at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I have been asked by a client to inquire whether anyone is familiar with
>> any abandoned rail corridors that have been preserved specifically for
>> their educational value.  The corridor has not been in use for 50 years but
>> retains several intact features that clearly demonstrate integrity.  Other
>> features such as telegraph poles, rail rests, etc. remain, but are in
>> varying states of decay.  (e.g. a post remains for a signal tower, but not
>> the tower itself.)
>>
>>
>> --
>> *Stacy Spies,* Historic Preservation Consultant
>>
>> www.stacyspies.com <http://stacyspies.com>
>>
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