The Town of Clinton, MA, purchased the Clinton section of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) from the Boston & Maine Railroad on December 18, 2020, with funding from several organizations including the Clinton Home Foundation, the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts, the Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust, and a MassTrails grant. More than 20 years in the planning and negotiation stage, this project can now move to the trail design and development phase.
Background Over the last few decades, multiple organizations have been working to convert the rail bed of the former Central Mass Railroad into the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT)—a 104-mile trail that runs from Boston to Northampton. The Clinton sections of this trail have arguably the most interesting features of the MCRT as it includes a 1,110-foot tunnel, plus the DCR watershed section of this path abuts the Wachusett Reservoir. The history of the Clinton section also makes it remarkably interesting as the original path of the Central Mass Railroad ran through what is now the Wachusett Reservoir. In addition to the engineering feat of the Wachusett Reservoir Dam, this project required moving the rail bed. The new path of the rail bed required a 917-foot trestle bridge which towered 133 feet above the Nashua River and carried the railroad into the 1,110-foot tunnel.
For Clinton, this portion of the rail trail is all about connections. It connects two town owned parcels – the Maffei Conservation Area and the Rauscher Farm. The trail passes through the open space around the Woodlands Development. All of these are connected to the DCR Watershed area around the Wachusett Reservoir.
Immediately to the west of Clinton, trail development is being coordinated by Wachusett Greenways. To our east Hudson and Berlin trail advocates are organizing to proceed with development of the sections of the rail bed in their communities. Sections in Wayland and Weston were opened in 2019.
Our Next Steps
The tunnel was neglected from the time the railroad ceased operation in 1962. An inspection of the tunnel prior to the acquisition confirms that with remediation the tunnel is suitable for a shared use path. While the design and remediation of the tunnel are completed, it will be closed to the public.
In June 2022, we were awarded a MassTrails grant that provides funds, with a match from the Town of Clinton, to complete the trail design that will include tunnel remediation & design, plus trail design fro the east tunnel entrance to the Berlin town line.
Additional planning and design to develop the rail bed into rail trail is in progress. This includes improvements in access to the trail, fencing/guard rails around narrow sections, benches for a quick rest on a walk or to observe the wildlife adjacent to the trail. An unimproved section of the trail is open to walkers with access through Rauscher Farm marked trails. The design phase will be completed by June 2023.
Benefits to Our Community and Central Massachusetts
Studies of similar cross state trails have demonstrated the economic benefit. A 2012 study of the Erie Canal Trail determined that visitor spending generated approximately $253 million in sales, 3,440 jobs, $78 million in labor income, and $28.5 million in taxes in the upstate New York economy each year. This trail will lead users to many attractions in Clinton including our museums, restaurants, and shops. But the bigger picture for Massachusetts is that this tunnel attraction is going to be a spectacular central point in the Mass Central Rail Trail and will become a destination for trail enthusiasts from the broader region.
Join, Donate, or Volunteer
Our progress to date would not have been possible without the tireless support of our members, volunteers, the Clinton community, and the broader Massachusetts trail community. Generous donations of time and money are contributing to the success of this project.
The Big Picture
“Dedicated volunteers, local property owners, state government agencies and business partners in 26 communities are working to open it up as a linear park. Instead of coal-fired steam trains, there will be tourists and locals, bed & breakfast inns, cross-country skiers, bicyclists, hikers, joggers, and babies in baby carriages and people in wheel chairs.” Masscentralrailtrail.org.
The Mass Central Rail Trail has been identified as a priority project of the Commonwealth of Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) since the Commonwealth Connections Greenway Vision was developed in the early 2000s. The organizations that represent the communities along the trail have coordinated efforts through masscentralrailtrail.org. Every few years, these groups gather at Golden Spike events to provide updates, share best practices, and generate enthusiasm for the trail.
