Nashua Diversions

 

Got out on the Nashua River a couple of times this past week and found some welcome diversions.  On Monday after launching at Petapawag in Groton, MA I headed upriver towards Route 225 (photo above) and the Squannacook River beyond.  Clouds hung tough during my upriver trip but began to clear away upon my return to Petapawag thus encouraging further exploration downriver.  My map showed an old railroad causeway on the river's west side and there was just enough depth of water for my boat and I to reach it...

Walking a short distance brought me to this old granite milepost on what was once the Boston and Maine Railroad's Milford Branch (abandoned around 1939)...

There was no sign of the mile number which, more than likely, was once painted on the post and therefore I'm left to speculate what it might have been.  I later did some research online and found this list of stations on the website Nashua City Station.org...

Since the granite post was about 0.6 miles north of Primus Station my guess is the lucky number "7" may have graced the post.  

The Nashua River valley once saw trains running alongside both sides of the river through Groton and Pepperell.  Today the rails are long gone. 

However, further upriver at Still River in Harvard, MA there still remains an active section of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Worcester, Nashua, and Portland division.  In fact the Oxbow NWR boat launch is just past the site of the long gone Still River Depot.  Only a few minutes after I crossed the tracks I heard the rumble of an approaching freight...

It was CXS Train 427 with engine 825 leading a long train past the old depot and across the river.  The train had appropriately originated in Portland and was now en route to Worcester and beyond. I saw no sign of Shoestring the Hobo as the train slowly passed by and things got quiet again...

 I did however see this new sign at the top of the boat ramp...

Magnet fishing is a new term to me.  Think I'll stick with the stuff that's floating. 

The day was an autumn beauty with glimpses of fall colors here and there...

Trash gathered up was mostly of a plastic nature...

Late in the week I returned to Pepperell by bike and noticed some changes below the dam and penstock in East Pepperell...

There is now a clearly marked portage route around the dam and powerhouse.  A kiosk near the generating plant provides the details...