and he notes - There are several trails in and around Boston. At least three follow abandoned B&M branches.
I haven't seen any details on the convention except that it will be held in Lowell, Ma. (not Boston) which is 30 or so miles northwest of Beantown. There is a National Park near the center of town featuring trolley rides and static displays (including a B&M 0-6-0 [No. 410] that spent it's last years in a granite quarry). http://www.nps.gov/archive/lowe/2002/loweweb/lowe_history/lowe_brochures/trolleys.htm There is also a bike trail under construction (the old Lowell - Framingham New Haven RR branch) some of which should be ready by 2008: http://www.brucefreemanrailtrail.org/ Back in the 50s (when I started taking photos of B&M steam, the branch had a daily freight powered by ALCO FAs in black livery. The branch entered the yard on one leg of the 'Y' at Bleachery (where local steam trains turned for the run back to Boston). I have a only few photos of the diesels as I (a teenager with limited funds) conserved film for steam. There is a link on the 'Freeman Trail" page to another ex rail path (the Nashua River Rail Trail in Ayer) and inasmuch as Lowell is a major commuter rail terminal, there are plenty of trains into Boston where there are more trails. Lowell also has the B&M historical collection as part of Lowell University and is within walking distance of the center. Arrangements to view the collection would have to be made in advance - no eating (so they say). I don't know where in Lowell the convention is to be held and how accessible the different sites are - but Lowell isn't that big so unless it's out in the sticks somewhere, attendees interested in biking should be able to get to one or more trails. Lowell is not exactly a Mecca for leisure industries and the nearest bike rental I can find is in Chelmsford a few mile west of town. Probably the best way to get the bikes back to the hotel is to rent a truck to pick them up - it may involve renting a car to get to the truck rental office to get the truck to the bike rental office. As an alternative, Chelmsford is near the Freeman Trail anyway so the all the NASG Bicycling Coordinator (Self Appointed) would need is a rack truck and a bunch of sombreros to get the bikers from the hotel to the rental office. What's the sombreros for? The bikers wear them while riding in the back of the truck so they'll look like migrant workers and attract little attention! Incidentally I have an exercise cycle and when I use it I slip a cab ride video in the player and take my own 'Trail Ride" - no mosquitos or black flies! Raleigh in Maine where we're expecting rain (again) See my videos at http://www.emporiumpictures.com/ email me for new releases: Emporium Pictures <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> At 10:06 PM 11/1/2006, Scale S Only wrote: >Hi Jamie! > >Well, you got my vote! > >I will look up the bike rentals. I think a biking tour of Boston >could be perfect. Faster than walking, yet still able to see the sights. > >Thanks for the help! >Bill Winans Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
