Welcome Aboard!! Whether your interest in railroading centers on rail travel, photography, history, models or just a love of trains,
Mass Bay RRE may be for you!

Mass Bay RRE is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] educational corporation, organized for the promotion of public interest and understanding of railroads. In The Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc., you will find amateur and professional railroaders alike who share your enthusiasm for the rails, and are quite willing to share their experiences with you.

Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc. traces its beginnings to 1934, when our founders sponsored what has been called the first "railfan trip" in the United States on the now-abandoned Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Railroad. Since then, we have sponsored hundreds of railfan excursions, many of them over "freight only" tracks. Our trips have covered almost every past or present New England rail route.

Today, 77 years after that "first fantrip", Mass Bay RRE continues to organize specially-chartered excursion trains throughout New England.

See our Membership Page for information about Mass Bay RRE membership and a membership application. Mass Bay RRE members receive our monthly newsletter, the Callboy, which features a compilation of railroad industry news, as well as information on all upcoming Mass Bay RRE train excursions, programs and activities. Members also receive discounted fares and/or preferred seating for most Mass Bay RRE train excursions and events. And, some smaller-capacity trips and events are advertised only to our members. New for this year: Use your Mass Bay RRE membership card for discounted admission to selected New England tourist railroads and museums. See our member benefits policy for a complete listing of member benefits.

See also FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS for more information about Mass Bay RRE.

UPCOMING TRAIN EXCURSIONS:

See EXCURSIONS PAGE for details on all excursions.

Saturday, June 8, 2013:

      ‘RDC Rambler' on the Conway Scenic Railroad
North Conway, NH to Conway, Redstone, Notchland & Return with RDC-1 #23 "Millie."

Members of the Mass Bay Railroad Enthusiasts and the Boston & Maine Railroad Historical Society and their guests are invited aboard for a leisurely “Budd Car” ride over three portions of the Conway Scenic's tracks, with multiple photo opportunities along the way.

SOLD OUT!

Saturday, June 22, 2013:

                           ‘The Rutland Rocket’
                            Special Train Excursion from Bellows Falls to Rutland, VT

Mass Bay RRE returns to Vermont this June with our ‘RUTLAND ROCKET’ train excursion over the Vermont Railway’s main line from Bellows Falls to the railroad’s hub at Rutland. This exclusive specially-chartered train continues our 79-year tradition of offering distinctive rail excursions to the public.

GOOD SEATS STILL AVAILABLE! ORDER TODAY!

Saturday & Sunday, October 12 & 13, 2013:

      Providence & Worcester Railroad Fall Excursions
                            Special Train Excursions departing from Worcester, MA

Saturday: Oct. 12: Worcester to Providence & MORE (itinerary TBD
Sunday, Oct. 13: 'Willimantic Special' Worcester, MA to Willimantic, CT

DETAILS OF THESE EXCURSIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN MID-JULY.

Saturday, January 4, 2014:

   ‘Steam in the Snow’ on the Conway Scenic Railroad
North Conway, NH to Notchland. Our annual steam-powered photographers’ special, with multiple photo stops featuring 0-6-0 steam locomotive 7470, returns for a seventh season next January. This could be your last chance for a while, as 7470 comes due for her 15-year boiler inspection in July of 2014.  

               SAVE THE DATE! TICKETS ON SALE OCTOBER 2013!

THIRD THURSDAY PROGRAM MEETINGS:

See MEETINGS PAGE for schedule and complete details of all programs.

Programs including railroad industry experts, tour experiences, railroad technology, classic rail-related films, and much more! (NOTE: Mass Bay RRE's Program Meetings are held at the Union Church in Waban, 14 Collins Road, Newton, MA, starting at 8:00 PM unless otherwise noted. Please read all announcements carefully.)

Thursday, April 18, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:

             ‘Snow Trains and the Conway Branch'
Alan MacMillan Jr., retired former B&M, GMRC, GTI, Amtrak & MBCR locomotive engineer, returns for our annual joint meeting with the B&M Railroad Historical Society in April with a slide program on the Conway & Wolfeborough Branches of the Boston & Maine.

Thursday, May 16, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:

           ‘Boston's Abandoned Stations, Tunnels and Other Oddities’
Bradley Clarke, President of the Boston Street Railway Association and one of the foremost experts on the history of Boston’s subway system, takes us beneath the streets of the city to explore the forgotten-but-not-quite-gone bits and pieces that once were essential parts of Boston’s transit network.

FIRST TUESDAY SOCIAL MEETINGS:

See MEETINGS PAGE for detailed schedule. (Special exception for Independence Day period!)

Newsletter Mailing; Informal Member Slide or Video Programs; Board Meetings. Held at the Union Church in Waban, 14 Collins Road, Newton, MA, starting at 7:00 PM.

TOURS & EVENTS:

See EXCURSIONS PAGE for more details.

 
Granite Railway Quarry-to-Wharf Tours: 3-1/2 hour guided tours explore the history of the Granite Railway - the first chartered U.S. commercial railroad (1826) - in West Quincy and East Milton, MA. Scheduled tours on hiatus for 2013 - private group tours may be arranged.  

OTHER INFORMATION and NON-MASS BAY RRE ACTIVITIES:

See the DiscoveRail Page for tourist railroad schedules, railroad-related museum hours, and special events such as excursions and shows. These announcements also appear in our monthly newsmagazine, The Callboy. (Use browser "Back" button to return to home page.)

See the MEMBERSHIP PAGE for information on how to Join Mass Bay RRE and a printable Application Form.

 
Send an Email to Mass Bay RRE using the links on CONTACT US page.

See OTHER DIVISIONS for information on other chapters of The Railroad Enthusiasts. For local RRE membership information, contact one of these Divisions near you.

The RAIL LINKS page contains links to the sites of operating railroads, other railfan organizations, railroad museums, preservation groups, points of interest, and more.

MASS BAY RRE OFFICERS & DIRECTORS:

President: David W. Brown
Vice President: Alan B. Butler
Secretary: William Crawford
Treasurer: Charles W. Jack

Directors: David J. Astorian, J. Leonard Bachelder, Victor J. Campbell, W. Thomas Chase, John W. Ehrlich, Thomas R. Engel, Ralph S. Hawkins, Loring M. Lawrence, Robert S. Popovac, Everett Reynolds, Sue Waldron Sample

The H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award

Mass Bay RRE member Leigh Webb created the H. Albert Webb Memorial Award in 2000 to recognize his father's love for New England railroading. Mass Bay RRE acts as Mr. Webb's agent in soliciting applications for the award, reviewing the completed applications, and administering the grants as they are used.

The 2013 Award has been granted to the Brooks Preservation Society of Brooks, ME to fund the stabilization of the foundation of the historic Brooks Station. The station was for some years the normal terminus of the Belfast and Moosehead Lake's regular tourist train operation. It was acquired by the Brooks Preservation Society in 2008 for the purpose of preserving its distinctive and historic appearance. The Society also operates scheduled tourist trains on summer weekends from the Brooks Station.

2014 Award Applications

Applications for the 2014 H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award will be available in June, 2013. Nonprofit, tax-exempt [Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3)] organizations that preserve historically significant railroad equipment, structures or information from New England railroads are welcome to apply for the award, whether or not they are based in New England.  The successful applicant will receive a single $10,000 grant.

 
View a complete description of the H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award and download an application.

Mass Bay RRE Excursion DVDs are now available. These are an ideal gift for your favorite railfan...or for yourself!

Videos Available:
Steam in the Snow 1/5/2008
Berkshire Flyer 5/17/2008
Granite City Extra 4/4/2009 (New!!)
The Capital Limited 5/2/2009 (New!!)
Housatonic Flyer 5/16/2009 (New!!)
The Griffins Local 7/18/2009 (New!!)

DVD Description & Order Form

See Pictures of Recent
Mass Bay RRE Excursions: