Commuter rail for skiiers

This winter picture of (mighty?) Mt. Wachusett makes it seem considerably more impressive than it actually is: only 2,006 feet high. But this monadnock (a geological term for a single mountain on a relatively flat landscape -- named after southern New Hampshire's famed Mt. Monadnock) is impressive for its neighborhood.

Adapted from Robert Whitcomb's Dec. 22 "Digital Diary'' column in GoLocal24.com.

A special ski train now provides service to and from Boston’s North Station to Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, in Princeton, Mass.,  for a round-trip fare of $23; children under 12 ride free.  The ticket includes a free shuttle from the recently opened Wachusett Station, in Fitchburg, to the mountain.  What a nice idea: Bringing commuter rail service to skiing.

The trains have ski and snowboard racks.  For more information,  please see this page of the MBTA Web site:

http://www.mbta.com/riding_the_t/whats_new/?id=14107

More trains to more places in our tight little region, please. But at least New England has far more train service than most of this car-dependent country.