Boston-Hyannis passenger rail service due by May

[CHamilton]

Boston-Hyannis passenger rail service due by May

After a quarter-century’s absence, weekend passenger rail service from Boston to Cape Cod will begin on Memorial Day weekend and run through Labor Day.That was the word this week from Tom Cahir, administrator of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, who has been working on restoring the rail connection since his first day at the RTA.

Cahir said he heard last week that Gov. Deval Patrick supports the service, which would include one departure from Boston to Hyannis on Friday nights and Saturday and Sunday mornings and return trips Saturday and Sunday evenings. There is a possibility of an early Monday morning train from Hyannis to Boston.

Referring to the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge over the canal, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO Wendy Northcross said, “We now [will] have our third bridge functioning as it needs to.”

Cahir and Northcross are among a number of Cape Codders who have been working for years to tap the Boston market for potential Cape visitors by rail. The effort will extend to travelers arriving in Boston for whom taking trains to scenic attractions overseas is second nature.

...

The plan is to attach a couple of air-conditioned rail cars and a bike car at South Station to Boston-Middleborough/Lakeville trains, which will continue without switching to Hyannis. Beyond that South Shore station, the Cape-bound train would stop at Wareham, Buzzards Bay, and either West Barnstable or Sandwich before arriving in Hyannis. Details are still being worked out.

 

[jis]

This is great news indeed!

 

[the_traveler]

I hope it happens!

 

[railiner]

Good news!

The last time I went to Hyannis was on the Amtrak Cape Codder from New York way back when.....

 

[Anderson]

Does someone have a decent map I could look at to see where this would be going?

And it's great to see service getting restored in places like this.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Very nice to see service going over there!

 

[jphjaxfl]

Look at an official guide from the early 1960s or a New Haven timetable from the same era for a good map.

 

[Rail Freak]

Just left a message with a buddy who lives in Sandwich & told him he may see me every weekend if it were to happen, I bet his wife is lovin that thought!!!!!! :giggle:

 

[afigg]

Does someone have a decent map I could look at to see where this would be going?

And it's great to see service getting restored in places like this.

To follow up, Google Earth (desktop PC version anyway) has the option to turn on an overlay layer for rail lines under More -> Transportation --> Rail. Highlights the tracks through the Cape to Hyannis. Find the Middleboro / Lakeville, MA station and follow the route through Wareham, across the canal, to Sandwich, East Sandwich, Barnstable, and ending in Hyannis.

 

[CHamilton]

The new train is not to Nantucket.

The news says Hyannis -- see, lookit!

So it goes to Cape Cod.

Foamers say, well bigod --

It's a train, heaven sakes, so I tookit!

 

[CHamilton]

Via Facebook:

"Welcome aboard!! Here's some more info on the CapeFLYER. The website should be up late next week!

Don't forget to share for a chance to win tickets.Welcome aboard!! Here's some more info on the CapeFLYER. The website should be up late next week!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

What equipment will they use?

 

[jis]

MBTA

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

That works for the short run.

 

[CHamilton]

From Facebook:

CapeFLYER

We are working closely with Hy-Line Cruises to create direct connections to their boats! These connections will be posted on the website within the next 2 weeks.

 

[CHamilton]

The CapeFlyer website is now posted.