Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts
. It was incorporated in 1846 as a branch off the Old Colony Railroad
main line from Boston
to Plymouth. The 3.3 mile road was completed on December 1, 1847 from Neponset Village in Dorchester, Massachusetts
through the town of Milton
to the village of Mattapan
.
The line was was leased to the Old Colony Railroad
from January 1, 1848 to January 1, 1856, and operated under contract by the Old Colony from 1856 to 1863 when it was merged into the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Company.
In 1893, it became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
as part of the lease of the entire Old Colony Railroad
network.
The original portion of line east of Granite Avenue in Dorchester
has been converted into a multi-use rail trail as part of the Neponset River Greenway. The western part of the line is currently used by the MBTA for the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It was incorporated in 1846 as a branch off the Old Colony Railroad
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston to points such as Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Fitchburg, Lowell and Cape Cod...
main line from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Plymouth. The 3.3 mile road was completed on December 1, 1847 from Neponset Village in Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
through the town of Milton
Milton, Massachusetts
Milton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States and part of the Greater Boston area. The population was 27,003 at the 2010 census. Milton is the birthplace of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and architect Buckminster Fuller. Milton also has the highest percentage of...
to the village of Mattapan
Mattapan, Massachusetts
Mattapan is a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts. Historically a section of neighboring Dorchester, Mattapan became a part of Boston when Dorchester was annexed in 1870. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 36,480...
.
The line was was leased to the Old Colony Railroad
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston to points such as Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Fitchburg, Lowell and Cape Cod...
from January 1, 1848 to January 1, 1856, and operated under contract by the Old Colony from 1856 to 1863 when it was merged into the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Company.
In 1893, it became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
as part of the lease of the entire Old Colony Railroad
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston to points such as Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Fitchburg, Lowell and Cape Cod...
network.
The original portion of line east of Granite Avenue in Dorchester
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
has been converted into a multi-use rail trail as part of the Neponset River Greenway. The western part of the line is currently used by the MBTA for the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line.