Fall foliage helping business for The Trainmaster’s Inn

BELCHERTOWN, Mass. — Gorgeous fall weather and vibrant color is bringing people out to enjoy the fall season across Central and Western Mass.

The Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown was busy with people taking in the sights on Wednesday.

“We like to hike and it’s great weather to do it in,” said Williamsburg resident Jim Didonato.

“Yeah you hate to say it, but it might be the last time you can see the foliage and hike with just shorts and a short sleeve shirt if you want to,” said Williamsburg resident Jeff Ciuffreda. “So you can’t miss it.”

The colors even brought in people from out of town to see the foliage.

The Trainmaster’s Inn in Palmer is a family-owned hotel with an architectural design inspired by 19th century New England.

They said this time of year brings in a lot of business for leaf peeping.

“We’re located right next to the Quabbin. We’re about 15-20 minutes away,” said The Trainmaster’s Inn Manager Linea Lamothe. “That’s a really big attraction here in Western Mass, so we get a lot of people who come up to visit, explore, go on hikes.”

Behind the Inn is the New England Central Railroad Railyard and a 1946 Bangor Aroostoock Caboose.

The Maine railcar was restored by the Trainmaster’s Inn and now gives its guests an even more immersive and unique experience in Hampshire County.

“This sleeps four guests in the original bunks,” Lamothe said. “As well as we have the lookout tower looking over the railyard in the beautiful fall rolling hills.”

Celebrating the history of New England in the town that was once known as “The Town of Seven Railroads” is important for the Inn.

It’s also special for the hikers we spoke with, who say that leaf peeing this time of year is an annual event.

“My wife and I sometimes, well mostly every year, we leave for the wintertime,” said Ciuffreda. “I’m not a skier so it’s not our favorite time of year, but wherever we go when we tell people where we’re from people just go, ‘God, the colors are beautiful out there. The seasons are great and you must love it!’ and so shame on us if we don’t take advantage of that.”