Hidden Miniature Railroad in Needham, MA Town Forest

In a town that doesn’t have a single liquor store, there exisits a secret hidden treasure in the town forest called Martini Junction. You won’t find Martini Junction on a town map or listed in the phone book. It is tucked away deep in the town forest. You can find it by following a path of thumb-sized orange birdhouses on the trees off of Robinwood Avenue.  Follow the birdhouses past a stream and a waterfall and you will find the 120 foot miniature railway known as Martini Junction.  A blue electric locomotive pulls a load of cargo logs along a track that curves through trees and over bridges. There is a grouping of passangers including a miniature plastic pig, turtle and elephant waiting by the station house. Tiny passengers wait to board the train.

So who is the creator of this miniature railway and why does it exist in the Needham town forest? The answer is Jim Metcalf, a retired design engineer. Jim has been working on this miniature railway for over a decade. Jim and his wife, Evelyn,  discovered the small waterfall in the Needham town forest on one of their hikes over a decade ago.  Metcalf decided to build a bench near the waterfall so he could relax and listen to the waterfall. He eventually built another bench and a table so he and his wife could picnic at the spot. The spot seemed like the ideal place to relax with a martini, thus the name. He got the idea to build the miniature railroad junction from a toy railroad kit his daughter bought. He decided it was durable enough to run outdoors..and Martini Junction was created. The train runs with a switch and battery and has managed to survive the elements - both natural and human.

Martini Junction is now one of about 3,000 geocaches, or stops on an internet-based scavanger hunt game. Geocaching has become a popular hobby in which players follow maps and clues posted on the internet to a hidden locations (such as Martini Junction).   To participate in geocaching you need a portable Global Positioning Systems device (GPS system) which can pinpoint your location anywhere on earth. To find a geocache you may have to solve clues online at sites such as geocaching.com and navicache.com. The GPS coordinates for the locations are then revealed to players. The coordinates usually take players to scenic spots, little known historical sites, or hidden gems such as Martini Junction.

If you are looking to take a hike in search of a hidden treasure in the town forest just follow the orange (birdhouse) trail or look for coordinates N 42⁰ 16.245 W 071⁰ 15.006 on your GPS system and you will end up at Martini Junction.

 Elyse Marsh 

 Office: 781-237-5000

 Cell: 617-803-3571

 email: emarsh@prphomes.com

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