Welcome Aboard!! Whether your interest in railroading centers on rail travel, photography, history, models or just a love of trains,
Mass Bay RRE is for you!
Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc. is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] educational corporation, organized for the promotion of public interest
and understanding of railroads. In Mass Bay RRE you'll find amateur and professional railroaders who share your enthusiasm for the rails, and are quite willing to share their experiences with you.  Mass Bay RRE 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, 90+ 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 newsletter, the Callboy, which is published 10 times a year and features a compilation of railroad industry news and features, 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. Your Mass Bay RRE membership card can be used for discounted admission to selected New England tourist railroads and museums. See our member benefits policy for a complete listing of member benefits.
MASS BAY RRE 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!
We continue to hold monthly Third Thursday program meetings that can be viewed remotely via Zoom Webinar. Video of our Third Thursday programs is available for later viewing on the Mass Bay RRE YouTube channel.
We will occasionally hold in-person Third Thursday meetings at the Union Church in Waban. See our Meetings Page for details.
Our next 'First Tuesday Members Night' meeting will be live-streamed on Zoom on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 . If you have some photos or video that you'd like to share, please contact us (contact info below)!
Please contact us at trips@massbayrre.org or call us at 978-470-2066 if you have further questions or comments.
We truly believe that much of the fun of a trip is in getting there - on the train. This 19-minute video captures a variety of Mass Bay RRE' train excursions, as photographed by our members. We hope it inspires you to join us on a train excursion soon!
THE H. ALBERT WEBB MEMORIAL RAILROAD PRESERVATION AWARD
Mass Bay RRE member Leigh Webb created the H. Albert Webb Memorial Award in 2003 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. A single $10,000 award is made annually.
The Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust of Ellsworth, Maine, received the 2024 $10,000 H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award. CSX Transportation has donated Maine Central Railroad Russell snowplow #82 to the Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust. The Trust moved #82 by truck from Northern Maine Junction in Bangor, Maine to their yard at Washington Junction in Hancock, Maine. By fall of 2024 the Trust has completed most of the exterior restoration, including replacing broken windows, doors and applying new exterior paint and lettering. The H. Albert Webb Award provided a significant portion of the funds needed to complete this restoration work.
THE MASS BAY RRE RAILROAD PRESERVATION FUND
Mass Bay RRE established the Mass Bay RRE Railroad Preservation Fund in 2016 to support additional worthy railroad preservation projects in New England. Grants are awarded annually, funded by donations to the fund from members, the Club's available funds and a grant from the Samuel L. Freeman Charitable Trust. Since its inception in 2016, the Mass Bay RRE Railroad Preservation Fund has made grants totaling $220,000 to support the preservation of New England's railroad history. See the Preservation Page for a complete listing of Grant recipients.
2025 Award Applications
The application period for the 2025 H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award and the Mass Bay RRE Railroad Preservation Grants is now open. The application deadline has been extended to Monday, December 16, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Nonprofit, tax-exempt [Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3)] organizations that preserve historically significant railroad equipment, structures or information from New England railroads are eligible to apply for the H. Albert Webb Award or a Mass Bay RRE Railroad Preservation grant.
See the Preservation Page for complete information about the H. Albert Webb Award and the Mass Bay RRE Grants
and how to apply.
OTHER INFORMATION and NON-MASS BAY RRE ACTIVITIES:
See the Membership Page
for information on how to Join Mass Bay RRE and an Application Form.
Send an Email to Mass Bay RRE using the links on Contact Us Page.
See Other Divisions Page 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: Richard Fralick
Secretary: Thomas Humphrey;
Treasurer: Charles W. Jack
Directors: Steven Butterworth, W. Thomas Chase, William Crawford,
John W. Ehrlich, Alan MacMillan, Jr., Robert S. Popovac, John Sacerdote
Alternate Director: Sue Waldron Sample
Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc.
P.O. Box 4245
Andover, MA 01810-0814
Site maintenance by members of Mass Bay RRE.
Page updated on December 2, 2024 |
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We send notices of all our Trips and Events
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QUICK LINKS
EXCURSIONS
EVENTS
MEMBERSHIP
Discounted admission at New England Tourist Railroads & Museums. For the expanded list of participating groups see our Member Benefits Page
SUPPORT
Donate to Mass Bay RRE
Your donation will support the Mass Bay RRE Railroad Preservation Fund or other club activities. Thanks to your donations, Mass Bay RRE has awarded $220,000 in grants to support railroad preservation since 2016!
AWARDS
The application period for the 2025 H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award and the Mass Bay RRE Railroad Preservation Grants is NOW OPEN.
See the PRESERVATION PAGE
for details and application instructions
OTHER
Read a tribute to our friend
Ralph Hawkins
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Watch Mass Bay RRE's Promotional Video: