I have looked in several places (Frye and Karr's books)
looking to find out what type engines or numbers
served on the Branch. I would also like to know
when was the "Last train to Marlboro Ma.". It had
to be before about 1977 (I-290 extended). I did
find out about last train to Hudson, Ma was June 80.
I have found a few postcard pictures of the B&M
station. I would like to get other photos please.
Ray (Marlboro, Ma)

Best photographic collection about the Central Mass Branch of which the Marlborough Branch was a part may be the Al Hale Collection at the Walker Transportation Museum in Beverly. They are located at 117 Cabot Street in the basement of the Beverly Historical Society, and are open to the public Wednesday evenings from 7 to 10.

Tim

Ray: I regret to say that I was present the day a local real estate developer demolished the Marlboro Station in the late 1980's. To this day, I recall the beauty of the building and the anger I felt at the insanity of what I was watching. There was no one else around to witness this travesty! I understand they were to build a strip shopping center. I could never bring myself to return to the site and I don't know what was built. I could never understand how the people who demolished the building could live with themselves. A real bummer!

John

The demo date was June 9, 1987.
The B&M Bulletin Winter 1983-84 had a very nice article on the branch depot building. The local newspaper (Marlboro Enterprise) had a
multipage spread with photo's on June 10.

The 'good/bad' news is there was nothing built on the site. It remains an empty lot with some local's hoping to make it the terminus of a rail-trail.

Here is a hyperlink to a series of articles that I collected about the trolley and rails serving Marlboro. This web page is about 4 months old and I have done much more research yet to be installed by the webmaster.
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~historyofmarlborough/trolleyscontent.html#THE
Here is a hyperlink about the Assabet River Rail Trail.
http://www.arrtinc.org/


ray

YES - You read this correctly - there ARE engines
running again on the B&M Marlboro Mass. branch
- HOWEVER, they are the engines of chain saw's
and other brush clearing machines (One LARGE
chipper-shredder-toss the remains into a 53' trailer).

There are two segments being cleared. In Marlboro,
the South end of the rail trail starting at the
corner of Lincoln and Highland St. (Crossing Hudson and Ash St.)has been cleared to Addison Hill
(former home of Stratus/et-al.)

In Hudson, just north of the I-290/Rt85 connector
(behind Burger King/Durand Chevy/strip mall)
to Washington St. is now being cleared now.
(WoW can that chipper-shredder eat up those 20-30
year old trees.)

Once this section has been cleared, they will cross Washington St. and clear northward until the
trestle bridge over the Assabet River.

The next section will be from lower Main St. to
the site near the Riverside Rod and Gun club on Wilkens St.

On a GOOD note, the Marlboro station mantle/clock/
mirror was saved and resting at the Marlboro
Historical Society's archive.

Ray - Marlboro, Mass.

There were other people there that day. I found out just before it happened what was going on. Tried very hard to stop it. A friend of mine was arrested for standing in front of the bulldozer.

If you read the Enterprise article you allude to, I am mentioned as someone who was trying to stop the madness.

{Shakes head.}

http://www.stevefisk.net/depots/mystery_index.html

The three areas where they had collected the old
ties and rails have now been collected. I watched
the chipper machine make quick work of the ties.
A grappler claw machine made quick work of the
misc. lengths of rail.

The 'tunnel' under the I-290 extension is well
underway.

I am still looking for both inside photo's and
color photos of the stain glass of the FRR/B&M
station at Lincoln & Mechanic St. in Marlboro.

Novice historian - Ray

There is a message board for locals in Marlboro Mass. The URL is http://marlborough.com/speakout/index.shtml

You should post asking for the help of two people, one is John Buczek, who does all this neat stuff online with Marlboro History. He reads the board all the time and I bet he can help you.

The other, and he is on there sometimes too, is a man named Ron Bigalow. His family OWNED the depot. He is an interesting guy. He once told me the story of how he watched during the Hurricane in Sept 1938 when the clock tower on the depot came down. As a matter of fact, I know that the stained glass window has been preserved somewhere. He would know.

Ever notice this ediface over in Northboro?

http://www.stevefisk.net/depots/northboro_ma/nboro.html

Steve

Yes I know John. The link that I posted above is
on his web site. I have done info for the trolley,
railroads, cars and airport of Marlborough.

I have posted twice to the speakout bb but 'no joy'.

I did speak with Ron Brigham about his dad dealership
at the B&M station. Is that correct person (vs Bigelow)? I showed Ron the B&MRR Historical Society
article on the station. He was interview'd but didn't
remember seeing the final issue. He told me about the
mantle and stove from the station being donated to the
Marlborough Historical Society. He didn't say anyting
about the stainglass windows.

re Northborough rr buildings
I called Walter (Terry) Jones in Northboro (School St.)
but got no answer. Try calling him next week.
He should have all the 'info' since his granddad
was the RR agent.

I used to know him when he ran that nifty bookstore downtown. He told me he could not drive by the site of the depot- it made him very sad after those jerks tore it down.

I would love to know about my Northboro theory. I DO think it was the freight depot.

Thanks!

On another sad note, The one last remaining depot from the branch was just demolished. It had been moved across Rte 62, and was there up until last fall.

Here is a web page I made about it.

http://www.stevefisk.net/depots/hudson_rip/hudson_rip.htm

Hi Ray -

I have a friend that went into the station just days before it was demolished. He took a couple rolls of film. I seem to remember a couple photos he took of the stained glass windows.

Contact em off line if you're still interested and I'll see if I can get you two hooked up.

- Jimi -
Marlboro, MA

Jimi/et-al

I did 'luck out' and found a person with photo's of the
Marlboro station being destroyed. There are 20 photo's
taken as the machine eat thru the building.....burp...

Anyone know about a B&M Heavyweight Combine car sitting
on Martha's Vineyard? I was told that there is also a boxcar
and some other RR items on State Road, MV.

Ray - Marlboro, Ma.