Chester Railway Station & Museum

Web Cam Image



See us at the
Amherst Railroad Hobby Show
January 24-25, 2026
at the Big E
(More on the Events page.) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Dining Car
Coming to Chester Station.

Housatonic Heritage Walk Series 2025
Be sure to visit our sister project website for more details:
The Keystone Arches
 The history of why we have the Chester Railway Station and Museum.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Station Hours:
July - Sept Sat, Sun 11 AM to 3 PM,
By appointment anytime @ 413.354.7878, or by accident.
Or
 Message us on Facebook


Camping in our renovated
1919 Wooden Caboose.

Live Station Webcam Link


Take a tour of our facilities with this 360 degree rendering by Fred Gore Photography

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
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chester Massachusetts.


Come join us all season long for a trip down the Chester Railroad memory lane at our 1862 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 Study our web site and discover more of what we have to offer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Interactive Hilltown Walks


Hilltown CDC's Website

Printable Official Chester Walk Brochure

Click the above image for the official two page MAP and Legend page

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Friends of the Keystone Arches and The Chester Foundation participated on the committee that created this Chester Walks map. 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 and is . An 'Urban Loop' of the C and 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

Chester Factory Village Railway Station, along with the Keystone Arches, were Designated National Historic Landmarks.


Model Train Shows and Conventions Link

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Western Mass Rail Coalition


Chester Railway Station is a proud member of the
Western Mass Rail Coalition
CSX: Keeping the Rails Safe Video

Sunrise and Sunset Times

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We are honored to have our 'Little Caboose' featured in this link.

Saratoga Family Magazine Winter issue.

Consider Caboose Camping for the next family adventure. It's about more than just camping. There are myriad opportunities for hiking and outdoor exploring to immerse yourself in multi-faceted historic and geologic wonders, including a few fascinating 'firsts'. There are a number of close-by cultural experiences as well, Jacob's Pillow and Chester Theatre Co. among them.
You can easily fill a weekend in Chester, MA. Come join us.


We are happy to announce expanded and paved parking area at the trailhead to the Keystone Arch Bridges Trail, thanks to the Chester Highway Dept.
Thank You for Supporting Our Efforts.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


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.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________