Clinton, Massachusetts: Abandoned Train Tunnel
Former train tunnel was built in 1903, abandoned in 1958. Roughly 1,000 feet long; very dark and wet. Bring a flashlight and a hat, and let someone know where you're going.
- Address:
- Boylston St., Clinton, MA
- Directions:
- South of town about a mile, on the east side of Boylston St./MA-62, about a quarter-mile north of the Wachusett Dam. You'll see the blocky foundation wall of a former trestle overpass; the tunnel entrance is at the top of it. Despite its nearness to the road, there's no easy or convenient place to park.
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During the winter, the climb up to and down from the tunnel can be slippery and hazardous -- the "trail" is more like a steep side of a hill. To the left side of the trestle, there's a longer wooded slope that is a bit easier.
[Sean Hogarty, 02/20/2022]
The tunnel saw its first train on June 2, 1903, and serviced the Central Massachusetts Railroad from Boston's North Station to Northampton. Freight and passenger service started to decline by 1958, and parts of the line in western and central Massachusetts never saw a train again.
The tunnel is very popular with rail fans and folks who want to explore abandoned places. When looking from the outside, the tunnel light can be seen from the other end, making it appear to be shorter than it really is. Some sources online say it's haunted, and I'm not sure if it is, but it is so quiet inside the tunnel that you can hear every water drop hitting the ground.
At the halfway point, it gets very dark and the temperature drops. There are some wet spots inside the tunnel and the east portal was quite wet. When photographing inside the tunnel, I used the external flash on my DSLR camera. My flashlight came in handy.
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The tunnel is roughly 1,000 feet long. It's now been abandoned longer than it was in use.