About a month ago, I introduced an abandoned Boston & Maine Railroad bridge over the Deerfield. Today, I'll introduce you another disused Boston & Maine Railroad bridge over the Connecticut.
The railroad was built in 1887. Used as a passenger and freight line, the Central Massachusetts Division connected the Connecticut Valley region with Boston. The passenger service ceased in 1932, and the freight service ended in 1979.
Then: 1968
Now: 2013
What I miss living in the US is a railroad trip. While I was in Japan, train was an everyday mode of travel. Each railroad trip I experienced in Europe, India, and Southeast Asia leaves a nostalgic feeling. The passing scenery through the window framed my memory like a picture. The smell of food service, the sound of chatter in the train. The hypnotic, gentle clickety-clack sound during the night with a placid crescent moon.
I just realized how my memory of train trips is associated with the rich sensory detail.
A shared experience in a closed space. Each passenger had a different destination and purpose, but we all shared the same space. Buddhist Monks in Thailand heading to their home region. Nuns in Southern India. A party of travelers in Malaysia who kept laughing for 12 hours straight. I wonder what they were on. A freezing New Year's Eve train in Ireland. A passport inspector with civilian clothing on the French-Spainish border. I'm not still sure that black leather jacket guy was a border controller. What if it was his hobby or...worse. Cunning men lurk in the train, ready to trick naive travelers.
In 1993, the disused railroad became a rail-trail. We still share the same idyllic scenery the passengers experienced over 80 years ago. But, we gotta propel by ourselves to enjoy the moving scenery.
Location of Railroad Bridge over the Connecticut: Google Map
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