The Quaboag region of Central and Western Massachusetts is located between Worcester and Springfield, and home to two of the state's most successful freight rail corridors running east-west and north-south, intersecting at Union Station in Palmer. Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited passes through Palmer on its way between Boston and Chicago, but does not stop. Local towns, including Monson, Wilbraham, Be
lchertown, and Ware are not connected to each other by regular bus routes. The Citizens for a Palmer Rail Stop advocate for the restoration of public transportation to the Quaboag region. We call on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to implement the Recommended Alternative as outlined in the July 2016 Service Development Plans of the Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative (NNEIRI). The NNEIRI study recommends construction of a new station at Palmer costing $12-14 million. Eight trains a day will stop at Palmer as part of new passenger service between Boston and New Haven. Palmer will also be a stop on daily train service between Boston and Montreal. Fast and frequent intercity passenger rail service in Palmer is the first step to addressing transportation inequities in Central and Western Massachusetts. Palmer station will serve as a hub for Quaboag area public transit. Join with us to bring passenger rail service back to the Town of Seven Railroads!
