Early in the morning of August 4, 1873, the first Middlesex Central Railroad passenger train arrived in Bedford and departed a few minutes later for Boston. The inauguration of train travel, much faster and more comfortable than what had been provided by stagecoaches, was decisive in the town’s gradual transformation from an independent farming community to a suburb. The importance of that day notwithstanding, there seems to have been no ceremony at the time. To help rectify that omission, in August the Friends of Bedford Depot Park will host “Railroad Day,” a celebration of the 150th anniversary of what was the beginning of a century of rail service to Bedford.
The Railroad Day event will take place from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday, August 19. It will begin with a guided walk of about one mile around what was once the Bedford railyard. The walk will start at 1:00 at the picnic area behind the former passenger depot (80 Loomis Street). William Deen, author of the recently published history of the local railroad, Minuteman Railroad, will explain the significance of the Depot Park buildings and other artifacts that can be seen. At 3:00 in the railcar adjacent to the Freight House (120 South Road), he will give a presentation about the early history of the railroad and what it meant to Bedford. In between, light refreshments will be available in the railcar. A variety of special activities for kids of all ages will be offered from 1:00 to 4:00, including arts and crafts, Lego building, railroad stories, and more. The Freight House and railcar, with their operating model railroad and museum displays, will be open as usual that day from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. All activities will be open to the public and free of charge.