Jeff Shaw

Train Stations on Cape Cod

by Jeff Shaw

There are many ways to see Cape Cod – walk, bike, sail, drive, even board a helicopter or airplane. But a lesser-known option, equally enjoyable, is riding the rails.

Back in the 19^th century, the railroads, transformed Cape Cod from rural farmland and fishing villages into a summer resort destination. The railroads, not boats and not (yet) cars, were the main (only?) transportation method on and off-Cape. Indeed, in 1910, the Buzzards Bay Railroad Bridge was the first bridge to be constructed (the first versions of the Bourne and Sagamore followed later), which shows railroad travel was indeed the priority.

Today, there are two passenger rail services on Cape Cod; Cape Cod Central Railroad and the Cape Cod Flyer. The former consists of scenic or holiday-themed trains with food service; the latter, more of a commuter line, with many Bostonians trading the city for the beach on weekends.

Bourne Station overlooks the Bourne Bridge above and Canal Bikeway below.
Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

While you may notice an occasional passing train or hear a faint train whistle in the distance, a half dozen train stations are on Cape Cod. If you are a fan of trains, as many in my family are, the stations are worth a visit. So I took my 3-year-old son on a train station tour this month. I never thought train stations, could be exciting, but wow, chasing down the scenic lunch train to view it from multiple stations was a lot of fun!

The Roy Earl Jones, III Bourne Station, Bourne Bridge Road, Bourne

Located directly under the Bourne Bridge, the Bourne Station has a magnificent view of the Cape Cod Canal, with dozens of benches overlooking the waterway and recreational path. There are picnic tables behind the platform as well as public restrooms.

Grey Gables Historic Train Station, 24 Aptucxet Road, Bourne

One of a handful of historic sites that comprise the Museums at Aptucxet, the Grey Gables Station was built for President Grover Cleveland, who summered on Cape Cod during his presidency. A cardboard cut-out of the president stands next to the entrance to the station during viewing hours. My son was particularly confused by the small stretch of track in front of the building that went nowhere on either end. A century-old locomotive relic is found adjacent to the parking lot.

Gray Gables Station. Jay wonders where is the rest of the railroad track!? Photo credit Jeff Shaw.

Historic Sandwich Train Station, 42 Jarvis Street, Sandwich

Just a short walk from downtown Sandwich, the historic train station provides close viewing of trains lumbering along the line. Not that long ago, passengers boarded scenic trains at the Sandwich Station, which I recall doing in 2015 (Octoberfest Scenic Train). Somewhat ironically, given the “historic” designation of the station, the platform and awning are both worn out and parking lot lines faded. A raised platform can be found in the distance, but local vegetation has engulfed the ramp.

West Barnstable Station, 2469 Meetinghouse Way, West Barnstable

A bustling area on Saturdays, the West Barnstable Station picks up passengers for scenic trains on Saturdays (in season). The station museum is also open on Saturdays from 9:30am-1:30pm. Plus, a model train station club, located across from the parking lot, does live demonstrations on Saturdays. If you like trains, this is the place to be on a Saturday morning!

West bound trains pass Sandwich Station on the track closest to the station.
Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Hyannis Transportation Center, 252 Main Street, Hyannis

The beginning or end of most scenic trains as well as weekend commuter service, the Hyannis Station is the literally the transportation center. Just steps from downtown Hyannis and the harbor, the Hyannis station houses Cape Cod Central Railroad, Cape Cod Flyer, regional and private bus services. Connections to the Nantucket Ferry are also nearby.

Falmouth Station, Junction of Route 28A and Route 151 (Enter Shining Sea Bikeway Parking North; 22 County Road/1 Depot Road, Falmouth)

Even Cape Cod Central Railroad staff are careful not to overstate the Falmouth location as an actual station. There is no official address; just the junction of two roads act as the official directions. If you are using GPS, the recommended location is Shining Sea Bikeway Parking North. Nonetheless, a scenic dinner train departs the Falmouth “location” at 5:00pm on July 21 and August 18 only (in 2023). Talk about an unique experience!

The view of the Wareham River from Wareham Village Station platform is simply stunning.
Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Other Notable Train Stations on Cape Cod

Chatham Railroad Museum, 153 Depot Road, Chatham

Since 1960, the Chatham Railroad Museum, housed in a vacant depot building, has collected thousands of railroad artifacts, including the restored wood-sided red caboose in the backyard. Admission is free, though donations are appreciated. The museum is located across from Veteran’s Field, home of the Chatham Anglers and a short walk from downtown Chatham.

Former Hyannis Train Station, 489 Yarmouth Road, Hyannis

Hidden in plain sight is a former New Haven Railroad Station across from Barnstable Airport. The enlarged white sliding door is an unmistakable feature of this former railroad building. The first-floor awning surrounding the front and left side of the building, plus the location next to the railroad tracks are also “red” flags [train crossing warning pun intended] for the history of this building.

The Buzzards Bay Station platform overlooks the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge.
Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Other Notable Train Stations off Cape Cod

Buzzards Bay Station, Buzzards Bay Park

The Buzzards Bay Station may as well be named Cape Cod Railroad Bridge Station, because that’s exactly the view you have from the platform. If you are interested in watching the railroad bridge move up and down, just look East!

Wareham Village Station, 290 Main Street, Wareham

Don’t be fooled, Google maps will bring you to a former depot building, that is now outdoor seating for a nearby restaurant (the gated building is home to a dozen or so tables and chairs). The actual Wareham Village Station is located next to the Wareham Fire Department, Ladder 1. The Wareham Village Station has a stunning view of the Wareham River.

August 24, 2023

Sandwich Marina is a Cape Cod Canal Paradise

Headwaters of the Cape Cod Canal and Cape Cod Bay. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

by Jeff Shaw

If you are looking for a morning or afternoon of free entertainment, look no further than the Sandwich Marina.

The Sandwich Marina, Bay side, sits about two miles north of the Sagamore Bridge. The marina is bustling with activity, both for those with a slip and those without one.

I happened to visit during an Army Corps of Engineers boating safety event. The offerings: free fishing lessons (off the pier), coast guard boat tours and ‘dunk an engineer’ were perfect shoulder season entertainment. While that community event may have sparked the visit, plenty of activities exist without it.

Dunk an engineer kept the kiddos entertained despite the wet weather. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

First, fishing. Unrelated to the event, dozens of anglers were casting or dropping line(s) up and down the pier. The free parking at the marina is a plus.

Second, the maritime traffic in the canal. Not overwhelming, but a steady flow of vessels of all sorts, sizes and sounds. With a half a dozen benches spaced along the waterfront; the marina is a people watchers paradise.

Third, the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center is not just for directions, but an interactive walk through exhibit. Three rooms, two of which have stunning (eye level) views of the canal, explain the history of and rationale for building the Cape Cod Canal. Spoiler alert: safer passage for ships compared to the treacherous shoals that surround the peninsula. There is even a retired service boat inside the building visitors can climb aboard and explore.

A stunning view and history of the Cape Cod Canal. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Fourth, a picture-perfect picnic location. A covered set of picnic tables can be found on a slightly elevated, somewhat hidden bluff, overlooking the head of the channel. The view may even qualify for a Cape-wide top 10 views list.

Five, the restaurants. The hopping Pilot House, classic Seafood Sam’s, mainstays Superior Lobster & Seafood and Fisherman’s View Seafood Market round out the immediate, walkable area. And just a short drive down the road is Marshland, Sweet Tomato’s, Off the Grid and Beth’s Bakery and Café as well as downtown Sandwich.

Finally, the railroad. Wait, what?! Yes, trains from Cape Cod Central Railroad and the Cape Cod Flyer pass over the tracks that cross Freezer Road, the main entryway into the marina. While the Cape Cod Railroad Bridge is on the other side of the Canal, in Bourne, the train may be the best kept secret for a complete view of the channel. Though, the Sandwich Train Station, while historic and still standing, does not stop for passengers anymore.

Slightly tucked away and covered picnic area near the Cape Cod Canal, Cape Cod Bay headwaters. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw

(To be fair, the Cape Cod Canal Bikeway, also an Army Corps of Engineers Service Road, is the most common way to explore the Canal area.)

How was your visit to Sandwich Marina?

July 12, 2023

A Sidewalk for All in Harwich Port

A well-worn walking path on private property along Route 28 in Harwich Port. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw

by Jeff Shaw

Who would have thought building a sidewalk would be such a contentious issue?

It turns out that sidewalks may be the third rail of Cape Cod politics! At the very least, opposing views make for entertaining reading via letters to the editor.

I live on a street without a sidewalk, though my previous address was located in a neighborhood with sidewalks. While safety – physical separation, usually raised, between pedestrians from vehicular traffic – is the purpose of a sidewalk, they also come with responsibility. In most municipalities, if a sidewalk exists in front of your home, you are responsible for making it passable for others. Cue the snowstorms of 2011, 2012 (and maybe 2014, if memory serves), where residents had to clear sidewalks caked with feet of heavy snow. Generally, sidewalks must be clear anywhere from 24 to 72 hours depending on local ordinances or storm severity, or risk citation.

Expedited snow or debris removal is not the leading cause of opposition to sidewalks in Brewster or Harwich Port, cost and changes to the landscape are.

The view of Wychmere Harbor from Route 28, Harwich Port. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

The sidewalk project in Harwich Port is much less contentious than the one in Brewster. First, it is a small project. A sidewalk is only to be built on the water side of Route 28, the length of which is only a 0.5 mile. The cost of the project is $1.6 million. In comparison, the length of the Millstone Road project in Brewster is almost 3 miles, at a projected cost of $6 million. A dedicated bicycle lane is also part of the Millstone sidewalk project.

Second, the short stretch of roadway in Harwich Port passes bustling commercial areas. The sidewalk project on Millstone Road is almost entirely located in a residential corridor. In Harwich Port, on one end of the sidewalk project is Saquatucket Harbor, known for fishing charters and popular dockside dining, whether the grab and go cafe or Brax Landing Restaurant. The middle section includes a peek-a-boo view as well as access to the stunning Wychmere Harbor (site of former Thompson’s Clam Bar). Finally, the other end is the gateway to downtown Harwich Port with Sundae School Ice Cream and Ember’s Bar and Grill.

Another well-worn path along Route 28. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Finally, a well-worn walking path already exists through multiple lawns along Route 28. (Probably to the annoyance of local private property owners. Indeed, not a good look.) While building a six-foot-wide sidewalk will improve safety for walkers and drivers, it will also enhance the landscape more than the well worn path can, even if local property owners lose a piece of their land in the process.

The project is already approved and work is expected to begin next spring.

June 9, 2023

Food Trucks to Find on Cape Cod

by Jeff Shaw

A growing number of high-quality food trucks, offering an array of tasty options, can be found throughout Cape Cod. It’s an exciting development, fueled by the ‘grab and go’ [to the beach] summer culture, and of course, the extended dip in sit-down restaurant visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, many diners prefer quick meals outside. Food trucks fit the bill.

For operators, the overhead of a food truck is less costly than maintaining a storefront, though many food trucks on Cape Cod are an extension of a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Unlike street food vendors/carts, food trucks have the ability to cook items to order because they have kitchens, making them more appealing (healthier?). No doubt, food trucks ironed out their place as a reliable food option found throughout Cape Cod.

But understanding the food truck scene is a bit like dumping out all the pieces of a 500-piece puzzle and trying to put it back together in the dark.

Most communities have strict regulations on where food trucks can operate (i.e., not too close to brick-and-mortar restaurants, residential communities, etc.) as well as times (i.e., after-hours at beaches, so not to compete with ice cream trucks; or parking lots where Cape Cod Baseball League teams play, so not to compete with the volunteer snack bar, etc.). Each town has its own application for food truck operations.

While each town has a list of food trucks through licensing, that information is not easily found online. Beyond town lines, there is no central website, whether by industry, region or even aficionado, listing the location and schedule of food truck operations. Some Cape Cod towns do have regular food truck vendors at certain locations (Nauset Beach, Orleans) or events (Mondays on Main Street, Chatham) throughout the summer season. But they are the exception, rather than the rule.

So, the information below is my initial attempt to solve the puzzle – with a flashlight (to continue the darkness analogy above). It is incomplete, as the applications of food truck operations in many Cape Cod towns are still pending for the upcoming summer season. But let’s take a peek of where to find some food trucks on Cape Cod.

Beaches

The majority of beaches do not have an on-site snack bar, making the mobile food truck a great solution. Well, so long as ‘ye olde ice cream truck’ does not already have a contract to operate in the area.

Perhaps the best example of the versatility of a food truck is at Nauset Beach in Orleans. Due to shoreline erosion, the famous Liam’s at Nauset had to be razed back in 2018. The following summer, the town experimented with a handful of food trucks operating in the parking lot. By all accounts, the experiment was a rousing success, both financially as well as in popularity.

Last summer season, you could find Capeside Kitchen Beach Patrol Food Truck and the Polka Dot Panini, operated by the Chatham Filing Station, among others, at Nauset Beach.

Farther northeast along the Atlantic side is the Leeside Café Food Truck which can be found at Newcomb Hollow Beach, Wellfleet. It’s amazing just how good a simple grilled cheese (okay, okay, a three-cheese panini) can taste amid a warm summer breeze and the roar of the Atlantic between bites.

Currently, the Orleans Select Board is looking into allowing food trucks at Rock Harbor, Bay side, which is a go-to spot for catching the sunset on a clear summer evening. That pairing would be a home run.

Bike Trails

The Cape Cod Rail Trail, Shining Sea Bikeway, Province Lands trails and similar bicycle paths are visited by thousands of people throughout the day, many of whom are burning calories by foot or bike. While some restaurants, ice cream parlors and bike shops are just off trail, some of the larger parking lots have been identified as a suitable location(s) for a food truck.

As an example, in Chatham, you can find food trucks at the Old Colony Rail Trail parking lot on Route 137, from 11 a.m. to sunset most days.

Downtown

Mondays on Main [Street] in Chatham, [Harwich] Port Summer Nights on Wednesdays, Hyannis Main Street Musical Strolls on Fridays are just a few examples of seasonal events where food trucks tend to pop-up. Though town officials and even the business community are encouraged (if not pressured) to strike that delicate balance of the location proximity between established brick and mortar restaurants and food trucks.

One would think when the population quadruples in the summer, the addition of food trucks wouldn’t seem to siphon business from the established brick-and-mortar restaurants. Turns out that may not be the case.

Festivals & Special or Private Events

Whether arts and crafts festivals, parades, Shakespeare in the Park performances, summer galas or historic celebrations, there’s a good bet a food truck will be hired to provide the food and drink.

Doing so can be of great relief for event staff or volunteers, as catered events usually require some form of licensing, food inspection, and other logistics that may be better left to businesses that deal with those issues regularly.

The Food Truck Festival!

“There’s only so much fried seafood you can have on a summer Cape getaway. After three straight days of scallops and clams, you’ll probably be looking for some variety. The Cape Cod Food Truck Festival is the perfect solution,” wrote Joel Ang in a 2022 Boston.com article. The article talked about the annual food truck festival on Cape Cod.

On August 5, 2023, the 11^th Annual Cape Cod Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival will be held in Falmouth, MA. The event features some of New England’s most popular food trucks, dishing out fan favorites, and dozens of regional and national craft breweries. It may just be the ultimate food truck experience at The Cape Cod Fairgrounds.

Bonus: Reader Poll Top 3

A recent Cape Cod Times reader poll showed the three most popular food trucks on Cape Cod are:

Cape Cod Donuts (Sandwich)

Dancing Spoons (Orleans)

Off The Grid (Sandwich)

“Happy eating! See ya.”

May 15, 2023

National Volunteer Month: Water Watchers

by Jeff Shaw

The month of April has long been designated National Volunteer Month. In that spirit, this post highlights a wonderful volunteer program in Chatham – Water Watchers.

But first, a brief history lesson. National Volunteer Week began in 1943 in Canada and debuted in the United States in 1974. The week was dedicated to paying tribute to the unwavering contributions of women during World War II who would collect supplies and help wounded soldiers. It was in the early 20th century that organized volunteering reached its peak, with countless humanitarian service organizations, such as the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and others, culminating in National Volunteer Month in 1990.

In Chatham and in other coastal communities, the health of local waterways – the ocean, kettle ponds, lakes or streams – is arguably the most important challenge facing every Cape Cod town. The responsibility to protect our natural resources is shared by government, businesses, residents, and visitors alike, yet the day-to-day protection efforts are handled by volunteers.

Lauren Thonus collecting a water sample in the Mill Pond
using a Niskin sampler. Photo credit: FCW website.

One of the signature programs of the Friends of Chatham Waterways, in partnership with the Town of Chatham and the Pleasant Bay Alliance, is their salt water monitoring program, aka, the Water Watchers. During the high tourist season of July and August, when the population quadruples, these volunteers collect and test water samples in Chatham’s estuaries at least five times every 14 days. Should a water sample show a higher than safe level of bacteria, access to that area will be closed.

In 2022, 38 FCW Water Watcher volunteers monitored 15 stations in Chatham’s estuaries, completing the 23rd consecutive year of the Coastal Water Nutrient Monitoring Program.

Volunteers are trained by Dr. Robert Duncanson, Director of Chatham’s Department of Health and Natural Resources, to directly assess water quality by measuring water clarity, salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen content and taking water samples at varying depths. Collected data and water samples are analyzed by the UMass School of Marine Science and Technology in Dartmouth.

The volunteer program began in 1994, the first on Cape Cod, which became a model for other towns. The first water samples were collected in 1999, modeled after the program in Buzzards Bay.

The Friends of Chatham Waterways also hosts an annual CoastSweep in September. Coastsweep deploys volunteers to collect trash along Chatham’s shoreline, to keep potential pollutants out of the waterways.

Bill Hayes, Dick Hoyt, Barbara MacLean, and Jean Hoyt at Coastsweep 2022.
Photo credit: FCW website.

FCW provides volunteers with debris grabbers and CZM contributes trash bags and gloves for collection. The Ocean Conservancy supplies data cards for recording site findings, which are forwarded to the CZM and then sent to the Ocean Conservancy in Washington, D.C. for analysis and publication. The data provided helps in the development of programs to reduce marine debris worldwide.

In 2022, 52 volunteers participated in Chatham’s 34th annual Coastsweep cleanup, collecting approximately 250 lbs. of debris filling 25 large trash bags. The most numerous items picked up included: small plastic pieces (345), small foam pieces (632), food wrappers (115), plastic bottle caps (106), plastic beverage bottles (121), and plastic bags (116). The most interesting items found were: a backpack complete with a BB gun, shotgun shells, a neoprene clamer’s suit, a derelict canoe and Sunfish, a mooring and chain, a wooden pallet, foam cushions, and swimming paraphernalia.

So, if you love playing in Cape Cod’s many waterways, please dedicate a few hours to help protect it. And in so doing, you’ll be able to enjoy these waters this summer, next summer and many summers ahead.

April 3, 2023