A vintage Boston & Maine Railroad passenger car was acquired from the MBTA for Depot Park. Rail Diesel Car #6211 formerly operated on the old commuter rail line between Bedford and Boston. It is now on static display alongside the Freight House. At Bedford's 2003 Special Town Meeting, $125,000 was appropriated for cosmetic restoration of the car.

Reconstruction of the nearby Railroad Avenue/Loomis Street/South Road intersection was a separate but complementary project. It included relocation of overhead utility wires to underground conduit, new granite-curbed sidewalks, and signal-controlled crosswalks. The Bedford DPW completed this work in late fall 2005.

The Massachusetts Highway Department and Town of Bedford implemented the Depot Park project with $1.35 million in funding from the Federal and state governments' Transportation Enhancement Program. Planning and design services were provided by the engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Site construction was by D'Allessandro Corporation. The project has been aided by the Friends of Bedford Depot Park, a non-profit organization.

Depot Park is a model of a comprehensive and creative transportation enhancement project. It adds and enhances scenic, historical and community value to the Minuteman Bikeway and improves the quality of experience for users of America's 500th rail-trail.

Operation of the Depot Park complex is funded by Freight House food sales proceeds, revenues from rental of Bedford Depot office units, and rentals of the Budd Rail Diesel Car. In 10 years of operating the Freight House welcome center, the Friends organization has raised over $46,000 for Depot Park.

Click here to open a slide show of photos that chronicles the site work that occurred at Depot Park between 2002 and 2005.

Click here to view a schematic site plan of Bedford Depot Park.

Click here to read a tribute to a Depot Park founder.

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