The recent railroad discussion prompts questions -- Where can we learn about the history of railroads in Massachusetts? When and where were the early railroad lines built? How early could our ancestors in (name a town) use a train to travel or transport goods to sell? Here are a couple of sites: History of the Railways of Massachusetts http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/abnere1.Html MassHome Directory of Railroad Web Sites in Massachusetts http://www.masshome.com/railroads.html Carol B.

Hi Carol, Thank you for posting these. As I think I said in my recent messages, I read over the weekend that the Boston & Lowell Railroad, and then the Boston & Maine Railroad, were both started up in 1835. (Chartered 4-5 years before that.) Also, there are books on the subject of "Rail Lines in Northern New England" and "Rail Lines in Southern New England." I borrowed them from the library last month but didn't have a chance to look at them. I'll try again next month. They probably have a little "history" in them. There is another book on the "Rail Trails in New England." If someone isn't aware of "rail trails," there are groups who are starting up projects to take old, abandoned RR tracks, and getting permission and funds to take up the tracks and turn them into "bike trails." The one going through Chelmsford just opened up this month for the first time. The one going through Arlington has been used a lot for several years (more than that?). I can offer a tidbit of information. The "Middlesex Canal" was originally built in the very late 1700's - the first canal in New England, I believe. It was needed to bring supplies from Greater Boston to Greater Lowell - and all the "mills" in Chelmsford and Billerica. (The Town of Lowell didn't start up until 1826.) But, when the Boston & Lowell Railroad came into existance, and the tracks were put down, basically along the same route as the Canal, the Canal slowly was put out of business. Over the weekend and yesterday I've been looking on-line for the history of the B&M Railroad "Repair Shops" (and Roundhouse) in Billerica. I didn't have much luck with that. But, I did find out that there are at least 2 "Railroad Clubs," one in Lowell and one in Derry, NH. And, there are at least 2 Message Boards where people can discuss both the railroads - and the train cars / locomotives. (And "model trainers" also discuss the original train cars.) I hope to be receiving more information today (responses to e-mails). But, in the meantime, I tried a Google search again yesterday and had much better luck. It turns out that many people have gone into "Iron Horse Park" and taken good pictures of all the train cars which went in and out of there - and which got "buried" there. (Placed in a makeshift graveyard.) And the pictures are on-line. (I changed my search-term to "Billerica Shops.") .. I think there might be a need for a new "List" to be started up: "Railroads and Railroad Workers in New England" - for example. I couldn't find one in the Index of Lists. Oh, while "searching" yesterday, I discovered that the Repair Shops in Billerica were started to be built in 1904 and opened in ~1911. And they seem to have been still being used into the 1960's. I'm trying to find out when they were closed down. From the bad condition of the buildings, I'm guessing it was ~1970. Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol Botteron" <botteron@alum.mit.edu> To: <genmassachusetts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 12:37 PM Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Early Railroads in Massachusetts? > The recent railroad discussion prompts questions -- Where can we learn > about the history of railroads in Massachusetts? When and where were > the early railroad lines built? How early could our ancestors in > (name a town) use a train to travel or transport goods to sell? > > Here are a couple of sites: > > History of the Railways of Massachusetts > http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/abnere1.Html > > MassHome Directory of Railroad Web Sites in Massachusetts > http://www.masshome.com/railroads.html > > Carol B. > >