BOSTON — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has announced plans for a special rail schedule as part of the Massachusetts 250 celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution.
The celebration is set for Patriots Day weekend, April 19-20.
“The Commonwealth has a rich history, and ‘Massachusetts 250’ is just one of many proud opportunities to celebrate our past and the significant contributions we have made that shape the future,” MBTA CEO Phillip Eng said in a press release. Said Gov. Maura Healey, “We are glad to offer increased MBTA service to help attendees get to and from the celebrations safely and reduce congestion. We encourage attendees to use public transportation and look forward to celebrating MA 250 together over the next couple of years.”
MBTA commuter rail plans include a special schedule on Saturday, April 19, with additional trains operating on the Fitchburg line, which serves towns including Lincoln and Concord. That schedule is available here. Details on bus service to Massachusetts 250 events are available in the press release linked above.
Charles – B&M did indeed serve Lexington, continuing with subsequent owner MBTA providing passenger service until early 1977.
Freight traffic continued until early 1981 and the line is now a rail trail.
Thanks for info. Didn’t know that. I was going off current MBTA schedules. The 1957 Official Guide shows two train pairs (except holidays) Bedford to Boston, inbound in the morning and outbound in the evening. Via Lexington, Arlington and Cambridge.
Lexington isn’t alone. Off the top of my head I came up with about twelve cities and towns inside Route 128 that don’t have trolley, subway or commuter rail service.
Look up Bedford MA on Wikipedia. Pix of two B&M Corporation RDCs, one each in the old Minuteman livery and in the newer B+M livery. These were the trains that per Dan Howard served Lexington.
Middlesex County (which was the first county government in Massachusetts to be abolished, the first Bay State county to become nothing more than a line on a map and a statistical area) is the largest by population in New England. Includes Cambridge, Lexington, Bedford, Lincoln, Concord, and numerous other cities and towns in B&M territory and B&A (NYCRR) territory.
Lincoln and Concord? Why not Lexington and Concord? I looked up Lexington on Wikipedia. Despite its sizable population and favorable location, it has no commuter line. Given its geographic size, Lexington seems hard to miss, but the Boston and Maine did not serve this town.