Chester Railway Station & Museum

Visiting Western Massachusetts?
Enjoy the best things to do in Chester with a plan including Chester Railway Station
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Sunrise and Sunset Times

Dave Pierce will again be doing two Heritage Walks.
#1 September 14, 2019 at 9:30 AM to 1 PM, Activity #21 on the schedule,
A HISTORY HIKE TO THE KEYSTONE ARCHES RAILROAD BRIDGES
A MOST MAGNIFICENT ENGINEERING FEAT BUILT IN THE 1840's!
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#2 September 29, 2019 at 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM, Activity #64 on the schedule,
THE SECRETS OF MUDDY POND & THE BUILDING OF THE
1st U.S. RAILROAD MOUNTAIN CROSSING
If you are interested, please Email Dave
or Call (413) 354-7878 To reserve these unique experiences!
Click here to open and print out the 2019 Heritage Walk brochure schedule for all activities.


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Click Image for the official MAP

Friends of the Keystone Arches   The Chester Foundation   (pick one) 

participated on the committee that created this Chester Walks map

over the summer of 2018. Three of the loops comprise the

Chester & Becket Trail created by the Friends of the Keystone Arches.

  This trail showcases the contribution of the Chester & Becket Railroad which

connected the Becket quarries with two finishing works on the valley floor in Chester. 

This single track line operated from 1897 to 1930, when trucks were substituted.

 

A section of the line highlights the remains of a wooden trestle on the

JJ Kelly Wildlife Conservation Area off Hampden St. in Chester. 

This trail has been blazed thanks to a grant from Healthy Hampshire,

but awaits a crosswalk and the re-surfacing of Hampden St. in 2019

to be fully open and functional.  

 

An 'Urban Loop' of the C & B Trail leads visitors through the Historically

Listed Downtown Chester Business District, terminating at Chester Station

across the street from the Granite Saw, one of the facilities served by the branch.

 

 

Visit our sister site:

The Keystone Arches

 


NICE SURPRISE. This new volume, 'Massachusetts Treasures', a collection of 42 Museums in MA,
features Chester Station as the only railroad museum in the book.
We were pleased upon receiving this copy that we are also one of the four pics chosen for the cover.
An honor we will strive to live up to.
We will have copies for sale at the station.

Visit The Official Keystone Arches web site
A sister effort to the Chester Railway Station and Museum
operated and maintained by some of the same volunteers of this Station and Museum

MEMBERS NEEDED

Throughout the year, members of the Chester Foundation engage in a wide variety of projects,
from restoration of historic artifacts to planning and hosting community events.
The talents needed by this all-volunteer organization run the gamut from computer skills to metal fabrication.
Please consider becoming a member of the Chester Foundation.
Membership Annual Dues:
Individual $20.00
Family $30.00
Student $10.00
Lifetime Membership $300.00
          Corporate $500.00
     Give us a call at (413) 354-7878
     Print out membership form

 

Facebook reviews:

It's so good to have a place such as this. Chester should be proud. -Mike Martin

This place is just perfect. My family camped in the caboose the last two falls in a row and we will definitely go again next year. Looking forward to hiking around with Dave again and learning about our history in rail. He is truly a keeper of our history and a keeper of our accomplishments as a people. Drop by, check out the really cool museum and camp out for the night. Chester has some great food and good people. Cannot recommend this place enough. Kyle Cross

This was an awesome experience. It's a free attraction that runs off of donations. A true hidden gem. -Brenda Prue

We had a fantastic afternoon at the station with loads of information given to us by Dave! Thanks Dave and keep up the good work to save a piece of America's railroad history! -Ellen Dunn Pelz

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Glamping Hub reviews:

Wow what a beautiful and unique stay. Me and my friends stayed in the Caboose! So much fun in Chester! The pizza in town was fantastic and our host was friendly as can be. Waking up in the morning to baby foxes running around, this spot is calm tranquil and takes you back to a simpler time. Would definetly recommend.

Nice unique stay. Host is very professional and courteous. Isaiah Houston

Chester, MA has a fascinating history. Dave was very helpful, his advice and guidance made the trip memorable. We were curious about the comments by one of the earlier guest about "shared bathroom" as one of the highlight of the trip. We wholeheartedly agree. We intend to visit again soon.
Ceenali, Lucky, Anvita, Vikas, Anantesh & Alok Mahapatra

Great central location as a base camp for exploring the trails, bridges and quaint towns of the Westfield River and Berkshires. Great rail history and local lore (thanks Dave!). Washrooms next door in train station/museum, and a few dining options within walking distance. Nice quiet spot to spend a few nights! Michael Cole

We had a lovely time in the Caboose - it was a fun adventure and Dave was very welcoming. I was so tired that I slept soundly despite the fact that freight trains pass close by throughout the night. Sophie Aston

What a great experience!! My boyfriend and I both work on the railroad and this was a fun treat for us. The cabin is kept very clean and the grounds are very neat! The host David was amazing. He did everything possible to make our stay perfect!! Stacey Mochrie

We had a fantastic time in the Caboose. It was in it's original condition, and our kids loved it's uniqueness. It is situated in downtown Chester - everything is within a walkable distance, and Chester is beautiful. We would definitely stay again as it is such a fun experience - for train lovers, and non train lovers alike! Emma Street

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Trip Advisor reviews:

My husband and I enjoyed Dave's guided tour of this historic building so much that we decided to return in a few weeks to take more time reading all the descriptions of the artifacts on display. At that time, we will stay overnight in the caboose on the grounds and walk the Keystone Arch Bridges Trail that is close by. Dave's colorful anecdotes were interesting as well as humorous. We learned a lot. Children can learn a lot, too, in the Children's Boxcar where everything is hands on. Near the end of this enjoyable visit, a long freight train passed right by us on its way up a mountain.

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The Chester Foundation is a non-profit organization made up of volunteers to run The Chester Railway Station museum and event venue. We welcome volunteers to help out with the events held and the upkeep of this magnificent historic building.

Chester Massachusetts.
Come join us all season long for a trip down the Chester Railroad memory lane at our 1840's restored Depot and Museum with rolling stock including an early steam engine, two boxcars with museum articles to study, a Baker's Chocolate tanker, our Blue Caboose kitchen with two cook stoves available for parties, a campout wooden caboose available for sleepovers and a small rail work car. A full wrap-around deck encompasses the depot with a large stage at one end for concerts, speeches or just to have a relaxing picnic. There is no charge to visit the depot museum and a modest fee to rent the facility. We do encourage donations to help support the stations existence. You will not believe what you will find at our treasured historic building and museum. Study our web site and discover more of what we have to offer.