Program Meetings are held, unless otherwise noted, at 8:00 PM on the Third Thursday of the month at the Union Church in Waban, 14 Collins Road, Newton, MA. These feature programs with speakers knowledgeable about railroad operations, history and travel. Upcoming programs are listed below.
On the first Tuesday of each month we hold a more informal social gathering: FIRST TUESDAY. This is where we usually prepare a trip flyer or our monthly newsletter, the Callboy, for mailing. These sessions are also held at the Union Church in Waban, starting rather casually about 7:00 PM and are usually followed by an impromptu slide show or video program unless there is a Board meeting or the work session runs unusually late. Members and non-members alike are welcome.
For last minute updates or meeting cancellations in bad weather, please call our information line at 978-470-2066.
Third Thursday Monthly Program Meetings
(Held at the Union Church in Waban unless otherwise noted.)
Be sure to join us for an informal Social Hour with light snacks and beverages,
starting at 7:00 PM before every Third Thursday program meeting!
Thursday, June 21, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:
Donald Nevin takes us “Across Canada on the Route of the Super Continental”
Retired merchant mariner and inveterate world traveller Donald Nevin returns in June with a slide program that chronicles his rail trip across Canada in March of 1988.
The journey starts with a ride on Amtrak’s Adirondack from Albany-Rensselaer, NY along the scenic west shore of Lake Champlain to Montreal. There we board Via Rail’s westbound train number 1, The Canadian. In Ottawa we alight to view our train and others in the station. The journey continues westward along the north shore of Lake Superior to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where we again alight to view the trains there.
From Thunder Bay our train continues west to Winnipeg, where we leave the Canadian Pacific and continue west over the Canadian National route to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Edmonton, Alberta.
In Edmonton we take a break from transcontinental travel to spend a day riding the then-new Light Rail Line, as well as some trolley coaches. We then continue west on Train No. 3 (above, at Edmonton), the Super Continental (or what was left of it) through the Canadian Rockies via Jasper and the down through the canyons of the Thompson and Frazier Rivers to Vancouver, BC. In Vancouver we’ll take a ride on the Skytrain before continuing west via bus and ferry to Victoria, where the show and our journey concludes.
Thursday, July 19, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:
TRIVIA NIGHT!
We’ll break into teams to compete in a rousing night of railroad trivia that is sure to challenge even the most hard-core railfans in our midst. The questions (and answers) come from T.R.A.C.K.S. – a Trivial Pursuit-style game that was published in 1985 (and quickly disappeared). A sample question card is shown here – for the answers, go to the bottom of this page.
Are you up to the challenge? Test your knowledge against the best Mass Bay has to offer! There will be book and video prizes for the members of the top-scoring teams. And no, there won’t be any “wedges” to put into Trivial Pursuit “pies.”
Thursday, August 16, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:
Program to be announced
Thursday, September 20, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:
Program to be announced
Thursday, October 18, 8:00 PM at the Union Church in Waban:
Vincent Bono, President of Boston Surface Railroad Co.
The Boston Surface Railroad Company (“BSRC”) was founded in 2012 to provide metropolitan New England with a privately owned and operated rail service along underserved, high-traffic commuter routes that lack a convenient and affordable alternative to travel by car or bus. BSRC has secured operational authority from the Surface Transportation Board to operate passenger service between Worcester, MA and Providence, RI and plans to commence service in 2019. A milestone was reached this spring when the BSRC began construction of track improvements on the P&W main line between Woonsocket and Providence, RI, the first segment scheduled for service.
We’re pleased to welcome BSRC founder and President Vincent Bono as our speaker in October. He’ll give us an update on BSRC’s progress to date and plans for the future.
Meeting speakers always wanted! Brad Harding, Mass Bay RRE's Program Coordinator, is now developing our Fall/Winter 2018 program of speakers. To offer or suggest a program, email Brad at lbharding@verizon.net
First Tuesday Callboy Mailing Meetings
(Held at the Union Church in Waban)
Tuesday, July 10, 2018: 7:00 PM: MEMBERS NIGHT - Member slides and videos welcome. (No Callboy mailing in July!) Program: we hope to screen some 8mm movies of RRE trips that Vic Campbell shot in the late 1960s to early 1970s. NOTE DATE CHANGE DUE TO JULY 4 HOLIDAY!
Tuesday, August 7, 2018: 7:00 PM: Callboy mailing session; Board Meeting at 8:00 PM. No program.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018: 7:00 PM: MEMBERS NIGHT - Member slides and videos welcome. (No Callboy mailing in September!)
Meeting Location
MBRRE Program Meetings are usually held at the Union Church at 14 Collins Road (corner of Beacon Street), Waban, MA, (near the Waban MBTA stop on the Green Line):
If you are arriving on the T, exit the station onto Beacon St.; the Church is adjacent to the Waban Station.
If you are driving, take Exit 21 East off Route 128 (I-95) onto Rte. 16 (Washington St.). At the first traffic light east of 128 fork right onto Beacon St. and go 0.9 mile. The Union Church is on the right just before Beacon Street jogs to the left over the Green Line. If the church lot is full you may park on the street or in the Waban Station parking lot. CLICK FOR MAP
Check the Callboy or the website to confirm date, time, and location of meetings.
"STOP - LOOK - LISTEN!"
Mass Bay RRE members currently volunteer their time and skills to:
--Serve as Officers and Directors (we have no paid employees)
--Organize, prepare for and staff our excursion trains
--Write for, edit and produce our Callboy newsletter
--Arrange our program meetings and special events
--Maintain and constantly improve our website
--Tell the media and the public about our trips, meetings and events
--Handle our “back office” financial, legal and corporate administration
We always welcome new volunteers. With today’s expanded e-communications, more RRE members find they can contribute from home or work locations beyond the Boston area. Join us in keeping Mass Bay RRE one of the most active railfan groups in New England!
To Volunteer, Contact Us:
Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc.
PO Box 4245
Andover, MA 01810-0814, or
Information Line 978-470-2066
Email: info@massbayrre.org or visit our "Contact Us" page.
Site maintenance by members of Mass Bay RRE.