A Bit of Research

I was able to do a bit of research on the Worcester and Southbridge Street Railway line from in front of my brother-in-law's house on Bryn Mawr Ave. in Auburn MA to Charlton City, MA.  This section has always fascinated me because of the amount of original railbed that is still intact.  It is relatively easy to follow the trolley line from Bryn Mawr to where it dives into the Dark Brook Reservoir, which was originally called the "Great Cedar Swamp".  You can drive through this reservoir on the Massachusetts Turnpike eastbound right before the Auburn exit.

While normally not visible, right now the reservoir is very low and the roadbed is out of the water and can be followed from Bryn Mawr to a road cut separating a peninsular from the shore, and right up the boat launch on West St. in Auburn.  From there it is a bit difficult, but it can be found again just over the hill as it crosses Tinker Hill Rd. and then runs down Blanker Street.  Blanker Street is the old roadbed.

Blanker Street ends, but the right of way goes off into the woods and reappears as it connects to Rt 20. and goes off to Charlton City, and the Trolley Park that was there until 1927.

The Charlton City car barn was a very handsome structure.  This link shows three images: the front after abandonment, the side with the roadbed going toward Charlton center, and the backside of the structure.

Charlton Picturing Change

I am planning on re-tracing this route this weekend to determine where the car barn was and the remains of the private right of way that went to the Overlook Hotel.  I'll have more to tell and images to illustrate the story then.