New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Encyclopedia
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (commonly New Haven), 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
. Its primary connections included Boston and New York.
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was formed 24 July 1872 through the consolidation of the New York and New Haven Railroad
and Hartford and New Haven Railroad
. It owned a main line from New York City
to Springfield, Massachusetts
via New Haven
and Hartford, Connecticut
, and leased other lines, including the Shore Line Railway
to New London
. The company went on to lease more lines and systems, eventually forming a virtual monopoly
in New England
south of the Boston and Albany Railroad
.
The first line of the original system to open was the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, opened from Hartford
to New Haven
, with steamship connections to New York in 1839, and to Springfield
, with rail connections to Worcester
and Boston
, in 1844. The New York and New Haven came later, as it ran parallel to the Long Island Sound
coast and required many bridges over rivers. It opened in 1848, using trackage rights
over the New York and Harlem Railroad
(later part of the New York Central Railroad
system) from Woodlawn
south to New York. From 1912 Grand Central Terminal
served as the New Haven's New York City
terminal.
Around the turn of the century, New York investors led by J. P. Morgan
gained control, and in 1903 installed Charles S. Mellen
as President. Morgan and Mellen achieved a complete monopoly of transportation in southern New England, purchasing other railroads and steamship and trolley lines. More than 100 independent railroads eventually became part of the system before and during these years, reaching 2,131 miles at its 1929 peak. Substantial improvements to the system were made during the Mellen years, including electrification between New York and New Haven. Morgan and Mellen went further and attempted to acquire or neutralize competition from other railroads in New England, including the New York Central's Boston and Albany Railroad
, the Rutland Railroad
, the Maine Central Railroad
, and the Boston and Maine Railroad
. But the Morgan-Mellen expansion left the company overextended and financially weak.
In 1914, 21 directors and ex-directors of the railroad were indicted for "conspiracy to monopolize interstate commerce by acquiring the control of practically all the transportation facilities of New England."
the company slipped into bankruptcy in 1935, remaining in trusteeship until 1947. Common stock was voided and creditors assumed control.
After 1951, both freight and passenger service lost money. Their earlier expansion had left it with a network of low-density branch lines that could not support their maintenance and operating costs. The companies freight business was short-haul, requiring a lot of switching costs that could not be recovered in short-distance rates. They had major commuter train services in New York and Boston (as well as New Haven, Hartford and Providence), but these always lost money, unable to recover their investment providing service just twice a day during rush hour. The death of the New Haven may have been sealed by the opening of the Connecticut Turnpike
in 1958 and other interstate highways. With decades of inadequate investment, the New Haven could not compete against the automobile or the trucker.
In 1954, the flashy Patrick B. McGinnis led a proxy fight
against incumbent president Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine Jr.
, vowing to return more of the company's profit to shareholders. McGinnis won control of the railroad and appointed Arthur V. McGowan, a longtime McGinnis acquaintance, Vice President. McGinnis attempted to accomplish many of his financial goals by deferring maintenance. McGinnis also spent money on a flashy new image for the company: green and gold trim was replaced by black, red-orange and white. McGinnis and McGowan had Chrysler Imperial
automobiles custom made so that they could travel along the railroad's tracks to their country estates in Litchfield County, Connecticut
. When McGinnis departed, 22 months later, he left the company financially wrecked, a situation exacerbated by widespread hurricane damage in 1955.
In 1959, the New Haven discontinued passenger service on the Old Colony Railroad
network in southeastern Massachusetts. Despite this and other cutbacks, the New Haven once again went into bankruptcy on July 2, 1961.
, the New Haven was merged into Penn Central on December 31, 1968, ending rail operations by the corporation. Penn Central was bankrupt by 1970 and the New Haven corporate entity remained in existence throughout the 1970s as the Trustee of the Estate pursued just payment from Penn Central for the New Haven's assets.
A substantial portion of the former New Haven main line between New York and Boston was transferred to Amtrak
in 1976 and now forms a major portion of the electrified
Northeast Corridor
, hosting high-speed Acela Express
and regional rail service. The main line between New Rochelle
and New Haven is owned by the state of Connecticut
within its borders and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
within New York borders, and is served by Metro-North and Shore Line East
, which runs to New London, Connecticut. The MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line
provides commuter service from Providence
to South Station
in Boston.
On August 28, 1980, American Financial Enterprises, Inc., acquired the assets of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company when the plan for reorganization was approved by the court and the company was reorganized. This brought to an end the 108-year corporate history of the storied railroad, and the end to the 19-year saga of its second bankruptcy reorganization. American Financial Enterprises would become the largest single stockholder of Penn Central Company shares by the mid-1990s, controlling 32% of the stock of the company.
Freight operations on former New Haven lines passed to Conrail with its government-overseen creation on April 1, 1976. During the subsequent 23 years, Conrail withdrew from much of that territory, abandoning some track and handing other lines over to the Providence & Worcester, Bay Colony, Boston & Maine, Connecticut Central, Pioneer Valley, Housatonic, and Connecticut Southern railroads. Those lines still operated by Conrail in 1999 became part of CSX Transportation
as the result of yet another merger.
The state of Connecticut frequently alludes to the New Haven in its modern transportation projects; many Metro-North Railroad
engines are painted in McGinnis-era livery, while the familiar "NH" logo has appeared on everything from station signs to passenger cars.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation
has painted its diesel commuter rail locomotives used on the non-electrified Danbury and Waterbury Metro North
branches, as well as its Shore Line East
operation, in the "McGinnis Scheme", composed of white, black, and orange-red stripes with the iconic NH logo. All of these lines were formerly owned by the New Haven Railroad.
The Valley Railroad
, a preservation line based in Essex, Connecticut that runs both steam and diesel traction, has painted the authentic script-lettering insignia of the original "New York, New Haven and Hartford" railroad on the tenders of their resident steam locomotives, 2-8-0 Consolidation type Number 97, and 2-8-2 Mikado type number 40. There is a third steam locomotive in restoration to running order, a Chinese SY class Mikado, formerly known as the 1658, it is being renumbered and relettered to New Haven 3025, and is to be based on a New Haven Mikado.
northeast via Middletown
to the BH&E at Willimantic
. The BH&E went bankrupt that same year, becoming the New York and New England Railroad
, but the NHM&W stayed separate, failing in 1875. It was reorganized as the Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad and was operated by the New Haven from 1879, being leased on October 1, 1882.
Part of this line, the NY&NE Blackstone division to Franklin, MA via Norwood and Walpole still survives as the Franklin Branch of the MBTA/MBCR.
In CT, part of the line from New Haven (Air Line Jct) to Middletown and Portland, CT survives as part of the Providence & Worcester RR.
In Willimantic, CT, the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum has reconstructed the original roundhouse and restored the turntable pit (with a replacement for the original turntable,) as well as some original NY&NE RR and NH RR buildings. In between East Hampton, CT, a community formerly served by the line, and the Massachusetts state line, most of the abandoned rail corridor has been converted as as a hiking/biking/horse rail trail
known as the Airline Trail State Park.
was the New Haven's final acquisition in 1904. It included the Poughkeepsie Bridge
, the southernmost fixed crossing of the Hudson River
when it was built in 1888. Its main line stretched east to Hartford
and Springfield
. The first section opened in 1871 as the Connecticut Western Railroad, going through several reorganizations before its final state.
south and southeast to the Shore Line Railway
in Old Saybrook
via Middletown
. That line had originally opened in 1871 as the Connecticut Valley Railroad and continued north to Springfield, Massachusetts
via the Connecticut Central Railroad, later part of the New York and New England Railroad
system. In 1880 the company was succeeded by the Hartford and Connecticut Valley.
was the New Haven's first lease after its merger. It was chartered in 1866, leased by the New Haven on October 1, 1873, and opened later that year, running from the New Haven at New Rochelle, New York
south into what later became The Bronx
, New York City
. It was originally a branch line, but in 1916 the New York Connecting Railroad
and its Hell Gate Bridge
opened, turning the Harlem River Branch into a major through route.
, chartered 1836 and opened 1842 (with branches opening later), had a line from the New Haven in Bridgeport
north, passing east of Danbury
to West Stockbridge, Massachusetts
(later the Boston and Albany Railroad
in Pittsfield
). The Housatonic leased the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
(opened 1852), running from Danbury (to which the Housatonic had a branch) south to Norwalk
on the New Haven, in 1887, and it leased the New Haven and Derby Railroad (opened 1871-1888), a branch to New Haven
, in 1889. On July 1, 1892, the New Haven leased the Housatonic, giving the New Haven all the north-south lines in western Connecticut.
east to Cromwell
, on the Connecticut River
north of Middletown
. The New York and New England Railroad
leased the line (then the Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad) in 1892 (connecting in Waterbury), but the MW&CR went bankrupt soon after, and was reorganized as the MM&W in October 1898 and immediately leased to the New Haven on November 1, 1898. This line was the first in the area to be abandoned, only running interurban streetcar service in its final days. The MW&C had been formed in 1888 as a consolidation of the Meriden and Cromwell Railroad (opened 1885) and Meriden and Waterbury Railroad (opened 1888).
on April 1, 1887, obtaining a line from Naugatuck Junction on the New York-New Haven line near Stratford
north via Waterbury
, reaching the Central New England Railway
at Winsted
. The line, organized in 1848, had opened in 1849.
north to New Canaan
. It was chartered in 1866 as the New Canaan Railroad, opened in 1868, reorganized and renamed in 1883, and leased by the New Haven on October 1, 1884.
, ran from New Haven
north to Northampton, Massachusetts
and beyond to the Fitchburg Railroad
's Troy and Greenfield Railroad
. The New York and New Haven Railroad
leased the first few sections soon after they opened, obtaining the line to Plainville
in 1848 and the extension to Granby
plus several branches in 1850. In 1869 the leases expired, and the railroad was independent until April 1, 1887, when the New Haven leased the whole line.
. It stretched mainly east-west across central Connecticut, connecting to the Hudson River
on the west and to Providence
and Boston
on the east. The New Haven leased the company on July 1, 1898. The first sections opened in 1849 as parts of the Norfolk County Railroad and Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, and construction progressed very slowly.
(See: Air Line
above.)
was incorporated in 1892, opening in 1916 as a connection between the New Haven's Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
and the Pennsylvania Railroad
's Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad
to Penn Station and the tunnels under the Hudson River
. It was owned half-and-half by the New Haven and Pennsylvania.
was a continuation of the Shore Line Railway
past New London
to Providence, Rhode Island
. The line was incorporated in 1832 and opened in 1837. The New Haven leased it in 1892, merging it into itself on February 13, 1893.
Company was a subsidiary of the New Haven that began regular operation in 1912. It operated a heavy multi-track electric railroad between Harlem River terminal in the Bronx and White Plains, New York
, along with a branch to Port Chester, New York
, part of which paralleled the NH mainline from Larchmont
. Built to the highest standards of construction, the railroad was a constant money-loser and served an under-developed population. Operations ceased on December 31, 1937, and the railroad was dismantled for scrap during early World War II
.
The "Westchester" still survives today in the Bronx, as the southern portion of the line, running from Dyre Avenue to East 180th Street, was purchased by the City of New York to offer subway riders in this residential area a direct link to Manhattan. Because the IRT subway cars
used on this line are narrower than standard railroad cars, platforms on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line
had to be modified to use the smaller subway cars. The 5 service
runs express via Lexington Ave (except late nights), or riders can change at East 180th street for the 2 service
, which runs down Broadway
on the west side of Manhattan
. Formerly, Westchester riders would either change at 180th street and walk over a causeway from the railroad station to the IRT elevated structure or continue to Harlem River Station to different elevated or subway lines. Not having the direct routes to midtown Manhattan
that the competing New York Central and New Haven commuter lines had was a major reason for the Westchester's demise.
system on March 1, 1893, spanning all of southeastern Massachusetts
and completing the route to Boston
via the Old Colony's Boston and Providence Railroad. The original mainline opened in 1845; the Boston and Providence (leased 1888) opened in 1835 with the completion of the Canton Viaduct
.
was also leased on July 1, 1892, running from Providence, Rhode Island
northwest to Worcester, Massachusetts
. It was incorporated in 1844 and opened in 1847.
Unlike any of the New Haven's other constituents, the Providence & Worcester was never fully merged. When New Haven successor Penn Central proposed abandonment of the Providence & Worcester main line during the early 1970s, P&W successfully sued for its independence. P&W subsequently expanded its operations by taking over many former New Haven lines unwanted by Conrail.
on July 1, 1898, running north from Danbury, Connecticut
to a dead end at Litchfield
. It was chartered in 1868 and opened in 1872 as the Shepaug Valley Railroad, becoming the Shepaug Railroad in 1873 and the SL&N in 1887.
The New Haven introduced ideas in passenger rail, including early use of restaurant
and parlor cars
in the steam era, and more during the transition to diesel. Among other innovations or experiments, the New Haven was an American pioneer in many areas; in streamliners with the Comet, in the use of DMU
s in the USA with both Budd's regular RDC
s and the all-RDC Roger Williams
trainset, in the use of rail-adapted buses, in the use of lightweight trains such as the Train X-equipped Dan'l Webster
, and in experimentation with Talgo
-type (passive tilt) equipment on the John Quincy Adams
train.
Perhaps its most audacious experiment was the United Aircraft
Turbo Train, which with passive tilt
, turbine engines and light weight attempted to revolutionize medium distance railway travel in the USA. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Turbo Train holds the USA railway speed record of 170 mph, set in 1968. The New Haven never operated the Turbo in revenue service, as the bankrupt railroad was purchased by Penn Central, who, along with successor Amtrak
, actually got to operate the train.
Other notable passenger trains the New Haven operated included:
Note: "New York" refers to Grand Central Terminal
unless otherwise indicated.
stadium in New Haven. Passengers rode extra trains from Springfield, Boston, and especially New York to the New Haven Union Station, where they transferred to trolleys for the two-mile ride to the Bowl. On November 21, 1922, for example, such trains carried more than 50,000 passengers. "There is nothing which can be compared with the New Haven's football movement except a record of one of the mass-movements incidental to the European war," one observer wrote in 1916.
After declaring bankruptcy on July 7, 1961, the New Haven was thereafter governed by court-appointed trustees
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Massachusetts
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...
. Its primary connections included Boston and New York.
The profitable early years
New York and New Haven Railroad
The New York and New Haven Railroad was a railroad connecting New York City to New Haven, Connecticut along the shore of the Long Island Sound. It opened in 1849, and in 1872 it merged with the Hartford and New Haven Railroad to form the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad...
and Hartford and New Haven Railroad
Hartford and New Haven Railroad
The Hartford and New Haven Railroad was an important direct predecessor of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Its railroad commenced service in 1844 and ended independent operations in 1872...
. It owned a main line from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
via New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
and Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, and leased other lines, including the Shore Line Railway
Shore Line Railway (Connecticut)
The Shore Line Railway was a part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system, running east from New Haven, Connecticut to New London along the north shore of Long Island Sound...
to New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
. The company went on to lease more lines and systems, eventually forming a virtual monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
south of the Boston and Albany Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
.
The first line of the original system to open was the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, opened from Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
to New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, with steamship connections to New York in 1839, and to Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, with rail connections to Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
and 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...
, in 1844. The New York and New Haven came later, as it ran parallel to the Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
coast and required many bridges over rivers. It opened in 1848, using trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the New York and Harlem Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
(later part of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
system) from Woodlawn
Woodlawn, Bronx
Woodlawn is a neighborhood at the very north end of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Unlike some neighborhoods in New York City, its boundaries are fairly well-defined, as it is bounded by McLean Avenue to the north, which is approximately the New York City / Westchester County line, the...
south to New York. From 1912 Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
served as the New Haven's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
terminal.
Around the turn of the century, New York investors led by J. P. Morgan
J. P. Morgan
John Pierpont Morgan was an American financier, banker and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation during his time. In 1892 Morgan arranged the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form General Electric...
gained control, and in 1903 installed Charles S. Mellen
Charles Sanger Mellen
Charles Sanger Mellen was an American railroad man whose career culminated in the presidencies of the Northern Pacific Railway 1897-1903 and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad 1903-1913.- Railroad Man :...
as President. Morgan and Mellen achieved a complete monopoly of transportation in southern New England, purchasing other railroads and steamship and trolley lines. More than 100 independent railroads eventually became part of the system before and during these years, reaching 2,131 miles at its 1929 peak. Substantial improvements to the system were made during the Mellen years, including electrification between New York and New Haven. Morgan and Mellen went further and attempted to acquire or neutralize competition from other railroads in New England, including the New York Central's Boston and Albany Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
, the Rutland Railroad
Rutland Railroad
The Rutland Railway was a small railroad in the northeastern United States, primarily in the state of Vermont but extending into the state of New York. The earliest ancestor of the Rutland, the Rutland & Burlington Railroad, was chartered in 1843 by the state of Vermont to build between Rutland...
, the Maine Central Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
, and the Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
. But the Morgan-Mellen expansion left the company overextended and financially weak.
In 1914, 21 directors and ex-directors of the railroad were indicted for "conspiracy to monopolize interstate commerce by acquiring the control of practically all the transportation facilities of New England."
Financial difficulties
Under the stress of the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
the company slipped into bankruptcy in 1935, remaining in trusteeship until 1947. Common stock was voided and creditors assumed control.
After 1951, both freight and passenger service lost money. Their earlier expansion had left it with a network of low-density branch lines that could not support their maintenance and operating costs. The companies freight business was short-haul, requiring a lot of switching costs that could not be recovered in short-distance rates. They had major commuter train services in New York and Boston (as well as New Haven, Hartford and Providence), but these always lost money, unable to recover their investment providing service just twice a day during rush hour. The death of the New Haven may have been sealed by the opening of the Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
in 1958 and other interstate highways. With decades of inadequate investment, the New Haven could not compete against the automobile or the trucker.
In 1954, the flashy Patrick B. McGinnis led a proxy fight
Proxy fight
A proxy fight or proxy battle is an event that may occur when a corporation's stockholders develop opposition to some aspect of the corporate governance, often focusing on directorial and management positions. Corporate activists may attempt to persuade shareholders to use their proxy votes A proxy...
against incumbent president Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine Jr.
Frederic C. Dumaine, Jr.
Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine, Jr. was an American business executive who served as the president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad from 1951–1954, Avis Rent a Car System from 1957–1962, and the Delaware and Hudson Railroad from 1967-1968...
, vowing to return more of the company's profit to shareholders. McGinnis won control of the railroad and appointed Arthur V. McGowan, a longtime McGinnis acquaintance, Vice President. McGinnis attempted to accomplish many of his financial goals by deferring maintenance. McGinnis also spent money on a flashy new image for the company: green and gold trim was replaced by black, red-orange and white. McGinnis and McGowan had Chrysler Imperial
Chrysler Imperial
The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was the company's top of the range vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, and again from 1990 to 1993. The company tried to position the cars as a prestige marque that would rival Cadillac and Lincoln...
automobiles custom made so that they could travel along the railroad's tracks to their country estates in Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
. When McGinnis departed, 22 months later, he left the company financially wrecked, a situation exacerbated by widespread hurricane damage in 1955.
In 1959, the New Haven discontinued passenger service on 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...
network in southeastern Massachusetts. Despite this and other cutbacks, the New Haven once again went into bankruptcy on July 2, 1961.
Afterwards
At the insistence of the Interstate Commerce CommissionInterstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
, the New Haven was merged into Penn Central on December 31, 1968, ending rail operations by the corporation. Penn Central was bankrupt by 1970 and the New Haven corporate entity remained in existence throughout the 1970s as the Trustee of the Estate pursued just payment from Penn Central for the New Haven's assets.
A substantial portion of the former New Haven main line between New York and Boston was transferred to Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
in 1976 and now forms a major portion of the electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
, hosting high-speed Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
and regional rail service. The main line between New Rochelle
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
and New Haven is owned by the state of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
within its borders and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
within New York borders, and is served by Metro-North and Shore Line East
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
, which runs to New London, Connecticut. The MBTA's Providence/Stoughton Line
Providence/Stoughton Line
The Providence/Stoughton Line is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system running southwest from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The main line was originally built by the Boston and Providence Rail Road, and now carries service between Boston and T. F. Green Airport, Rhode Island...
provides commuter service from Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
to South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
in Boston.
On August 28, 1980, American Financial Enterprises, Inc., acquired the assets of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company when the plan for reorganization was approved by the court and the company was reorganized. This brought to an end the 108-year corporate history of the storied railroad, and the end to the 19-year saga of its second bankruptcy reorganization. American Financial Enterprises would become the largest single stockholder of Penn Central Company shares by the mid-1990s, controlling 32% of the stock of the company.
Freight operations on former New Haven lines passed to Conrail with its government-overseen creation on April 1, 1976. During the subsequent 23 years, Conrail withdrew from much of that territory, abandoning some track and handing other lines over to the Providence & Worcester, Bay Colony, Boston & Maine, Connecticut Central, Pioneer Valley, Housatonic, and Connecticut Southern railroads. Those lines still operated by Conrail in 1999 became part of CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
as the result of yet another merger.
The state of Connecticut frequently alludes to the New Haven in its modern transportation projects; many Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
engines are painted in McGinnis-era livery, while the familiar "NH" logo has appeared on everything from station signs to passenger cars.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
has painted its diesel commuter rail locomotives used on the non-electrified Danbury and Waterbury Metro North
Metro north
Metro North can refer to either of* Metro-North Railroad, a commuter railroad serving parts of New York and Connecticut in the United States* Dublin Metro#Metro North, a branch of the proposed Dublin Metro, in Dublin, Ireland...
branches, as well as its Shore Line East
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
operation, in the "McGinnis Scheme", composed of white, black, and orange-red stripes with the iconic NH logo. All of these lines were formerly owned by the New Haven Railroad.
The Valley Railroad
Valley Railroad
The following railroads have been called Valley Railroad:*Valley Railroad , a tourist line*Valley Railroad , 1869-1945, predecessor of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad*Valley Railroad , Westline to Kushequa...
, a preservation line based in Essex, Connecticut that runs both steam and diesel traction, has painted the authentic script-lettering insignia of the original "New York, New Haven and Hartford" railroad on the tenders of their resident steam locomotives, 2-8-0 Consolidation type Number 97, and 2-8-2 Mikado type number 40. There is a third steam locomotive in restoration to running order, a Chinese SY class Mikado, formerly known as the 1658, it is being renumbered and relettered to New Haven 3025, and is to be based on a New Haven Mikado.
Lines
Air Line
Envisioned as a direct route from New York to Boston, the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad opened in 1873 as part of the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad system, running from New HavenNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
northeast via Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
to the BH&E at Willimantic
Willimantic, Connecticut
Willimantic is a census-designated place and former city located in the town of Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was estimated at 15,823 at the 2000 census. It is home to Eastern Connecticut State University, as well as the Windham Textile and History Museum....
. The BH&E went bankrupt that same year, becoming the New York and New England Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
, but the NHM&W stayed separate, failing in 1875. It was reorganized as the Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad and was operated by the New Haven from 1879, being leased on October 1, 1882.
Part of this line, the NY&NE Blackstone division to Franklin, MA via Norwood and Walpole still survives as the Franklin Branch of the MBTA/MBCR.
In CT, part of the line from New Haven (Air Line Jct) to Middletown and Portland, CT survives as part of the Providence & Worcester RR.
In Willimantic, CT, the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum has reconstructed the original roundhouse and restored the turntable pit (with a replacement for the original turntable,) as well as some original NY&NE RR and NH RR buildings. In between East Hampton, CT, a community formerly served by the line, and the Massachusetts state line, most of the abandoned rail corridor has been converted as as a hiking/biking/horse rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
known as the Airline Trail State Park.
Central New England
The Central New England RailwayCentral New England Railway
The Central New England Railway was a railroad from Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts west across northern Connecticut and across the Hudson River on the Poughkeepsie Bridge to Maybrook, New York...
was the New Haven's final acquisition in 1904. It included the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
, the southernmost fixed crossing of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
when it was built in 1888. Its main line stretched east to Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. The first section opened in 1871 as the Connecticut Western Railroad, going through several reorganizations before its final state.
Connecticut Valley
The New Haven obtained a majority of stock of the Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad in 1882, running from HartfordHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
south and southeast to the Shore Line Railway
Shore Line Railway (Connecticut)
The Shore Line Railway was a part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system, running east from New Haven, Connecticut to New London along the north shore of Long Island Sound...
in Old Saybrook
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,367 at the 2000 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of Old Saybrook Center and Saybrook Manor.-History:...
via Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. That line had originally opened in 1871 as the Connecticut Valley Railroad and continued north to Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
via the Connecticut Central Railroad, later part of the New York and New England Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
system. In 1880 the company was succeeded by the Hartford and Connecticut Valley.
Harlem River
The Harlem River and Port Chester RailroadHarlem River and Port Chester Railroad
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was a branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, upgraded to main line status in 1917 with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge...
was the New Haven's first lease after its merger. It was chartered in 1866, leased by the New Haven on October 1, 1873, and opened later that year, running from the New Haven at New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
south into what later became The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It was originally a branch line, but in 1916 the New York Connecting Railroad
New York Connecting Railroad
The New York Connecting Railroad or NYCR is a rail line in the borough of Queens in New York City. It links New York City and Long Island by rail directly to the North American mainland. Amtrak, CSX, Canadian Pacific Railway, Providence and Worcester Railroad and New York and Atlantic Railway...
and its Hell Gate Bridge
Hell Gate Bridge
The Hell Gate Bridge or Hell's Gate Bridge is a steel through arch railroad bridge between Astoria in the borough of Queens and Randall's and Wards Islands in New York City, over a portion of the East River known...
opened, turning the Harlem River Branch into a major through route.
Housatonic
The Housatonic RailroadHousatonic Railroad
The Housatonic Railroad is a Class III railroad operating in southwestern New England. It was chartered in 1983 to operate a short section of ex-New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in northwestern Connecticut, and has since expanded north and south, as well as west into New York State.The...
, chartered 1836 and opened 1842 (with branches opening later), had a line from the New Haven in Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
north, passing east of Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
to West Stockbridge, Massachusetts
West Stockbridge, Massachusetts
West Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census.- History :...
(later the Boston and Albany Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad
The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
in Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
). The Housatonic leased the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad was an independent American railroad that operated between its namesake cities in Connecticut from 1852 until its absorption by the Housatonic Railroad in 1887...
(opened 1852), running from Danbury (to which the Housatonic had a branch) south to Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
on the New Haven, in 1887, and it leased the New Haven and Derby Railroad (opened 1871-1888), a branch to New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, in 1889. On July 1, 1892, the New Haven leased the Housatonic, giving the New Haven all the north-south lines in western Connecticut.
Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River
The Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad was the final name of the line from Waterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
east to Cromwell
Cromwell, Connecticut
Cromwell is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States located in the middle of the state. The population was 12,871 at the 2000 census.The town was named after Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England.-Points of interest:...
, on the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
north of Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. The New York and New England Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
leased the line (then the Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad) in 1892 (connecting in Waterbury), but the MW&CR went bankrupt soon after, and was reorganized as the MM&W in October 1898 and immediately leased to the New Haven on November 1, 1898. This line was the first in the area to be abandoned, only running interurban streetcar service in its final days. The MW&C had been formed in 1888 as a consolidation of the Meriden and Cromwell Railroad (opened 1885) and Meriden and Waterbury Railroad (opened 1888).
Naugatuck
The New Haven leased the Naugatuck RailroadNaugatuck Railroad
The Naugatuck Railroad was a railroad that ran through south central Connecticut from 1849 to 1887. In the latter year the line was leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and was wholly owned by the New Haven by 1906. At its greatest extent the Naugatuck ran from Bridgeport north...
on April 1, 1887, obtaining a line from Naugatuck Junction on the New York-New Haven line near Stratford
Stratford, Connecticut
Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639....
north via Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, reaching the Central New England Railway
Central New England Railway
The Central New England Railway was a railroad from Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts west across northern Connecticut and across the Hudson River on the Poughkeepsie Bridge to Maybrook, New York...
at Winsted
Winsted, Connecticut
Winsted is a census-designated place and an incorporated city in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the town of Winchester, Connecticut. The population was 7,321 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. The line, organized in 1848, had opened in 1849.
New Canaan
The Stamford and New Canaan Railroad was a branch from the New Haven in StamfordStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
north to New Canaan
New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
. It was chartered in 1866 as the New Canaan Railroad, opened in 1868, reorganized and renamed in 1883, and leased by the New Haven on October 1, 1884.
New Haven and Northampton
The New Haven and Northampton Company, built next to the former Farmington CanalFarmington Canal
The Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, was a major private canal built in the early 19th century to provide water transportation from New Haven into the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond. Its Massachusetts segment was known as the Hampshire and...
, ran from New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
north to Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
and beyond to the Fitchburg Railroad
Fitchburg Railroad
The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
's Troy and Greenfield Railroad
Troy and Greenfield Railroad
The Troy and Greenfield Railroad, chartered in 1848, ran from Greenfield, Massachusetts, United States, to the Vermont state line. It was leased to the Troy and Boston Railroad in 1856, then consolidated into Fitchburg Railroad 1887 which in turn was acquired by Boston and Maine Railroad by lease...
. The New York and New Haven Railroad
New York and New Haven Railroad
The New York and New Haven Railroad was a railroad connecting New York City to New Haven, Connecticut along the shore of the Long Island Sound. It opened in 1849, and in 1872 it merged with the Hartford and New Haven Railroad to form the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad...
leased the first few sections soon after they opened, obtaining the line to Plainville
Plainville, Connecticut
Plainville is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 17,328 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.8 square miles , of which 9.8 square miles is land and 0.1 square miles is water...
in 1848 and the extension to Granby
Granby, Connecticut
Granby is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,347 at the 2000 census. The town center was defined as a census-designated place known as Salmon Brook in the 2000 census....
plus several branches in 1850. In 1869 the leases expired, and the railroad was independent until April 1, 1887, when the New Haven leased the whole line.
New York and New England
The New England Railroad was the final link in a long chain of reorganizations of a network usually known by its prior name, the New York and New England RailroadNew York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
. It stretched mainly east-west across central Connecticut, connecting to the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
on the west and to Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and 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...
on the east. The New Haven leased the company on July 1, 1898. The first sections opened in 1849 as parts of the Norfolk County Railroad and Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, and construction progressed very slowly.
(See: Air Line
Air line
An air line is a tube that carries a compressed air supply, e.g. to inflate tyres or power compressed-air tools. Air line is most commonly used for suppling compressed air to air tools in workshops and in air brake systems on larger vehicles...
above.)
New York Connecting
The New York Connecting RailroadNew York Connecting Railroad
The New York Connecting Railroad or NYCR is a rail line in the borough of Queens in New York City. It links New York City and Long Island by rail directly to the North American mainland. Amtrak, CSX, Canadian Pacific Railway, Providence and Worcester Railroad and New York and Atlantic Railway...
was incorporated in 1892, opening in 1916 as a connection between the New Haven's Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was a branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, upgraded to main line status in 1917 with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge...
and the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad
Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad
The New York Tunnel Extension , was a major project of the Pennsylvania Railroad at the beginning of the 20th century, to improve railroad access throughout the greater New York City area...
to Penn Station and the tunnels under the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. It was owned half-and-half by the New Haven and Pennsylvania.
New York, Providence and Boston
The New York, Providence and Boston RailroadNew York, Providence and Boston Railroad
The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad, normally called the Stonington Line, was a major part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad between New London, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island...
was a continuation of the Shore Line Railway
Shore Line Railway (Connecticut)
The Shore Line Railway was a part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system, running east from New Haven, Connecticut to New London along the north shore of Long Island Sound...
past New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
to Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. The line was incorporated in 1832 and opened in 1837. The New Haven leased it in 1892, merging it into itself on February 13, 1893.
New York, Westchester & Boston
The New York, Westchester and Boston RailwayNew York, Westchester and Boston Railway
The New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Company , known to its riders as "the Westchester" and colloquially as the "Boston-Westchester", operated as an electric commuter railroad in the Bronx and Westchester County, New York from 1912 to 1937...
Company was a subsidiary of the New Haven that began regular operation in 1912. It operated a heavy multi-track electric railroad between Harlem River terminal in the Bronx and White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
, along with a branch to Port Chester, New York
Port Chester, New York
Port Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967...
, part of which paralleled the NH mainline from Larchmont
Larchmont, New York
Larchmont is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,864 at the 2010 census. It is located within the town of Mamaroneck, on the shore of Long Island Sound, northeast of Midtown Manhattan...
. Built to the highest standards of construction, the railroad was a constant money-loser and served an under-developed population. Operations ceased on December 31, 1937, and the railroad was dismantled for scrap during early World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The "Westchester" still survives today in the Bronx, as the southern portion of the line, running from Dyre Avenue to East 180th Street, was purchased by the City of New York to offer subway riders in this residential area a direct link to Manhattan. Because the IRT subway cars
R142 (New York City Subway car)
The R142 is the model class of the newest generation of IRT cars for the New York City Subway. Built by Bombardier in Plattsburgh, New York and Barre, Vermont from 1999–2002, the fleet, along with the R142A, are the new backbone of the IRT fleet....
used on this line are narrower than standard railroad cars, platforms on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line
IRT Dyre Avenue Line
The IRT Dyre Avenue Line is a New York City Subway rapid transit line as part of the A Division . It is a branch of the IRT White Plains Road Line serving passengers in the northeastern section of the Bronx...
had to be modified to use the smaller subway cars. The 5 service
5 (New York City Subway service)
The 5 Lexington Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored green on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
runs express via Lexington Ave (except late nights), or riders can change at East 180th street for the 2 service
2 (New York City Subway service)
The 2 Seventh Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored red on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line through most of Manhattan....
, which runs down Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
on the west side of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Formerly, Westchester riders would either change at 180th street and walk over a causeway from the railroad station to the IRT elevated structure or continue to Harlem River Station to different elevated or subway lines. Not having the direct routes to midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
that the competing New York Central and New Haven commuter lines had was a major reason for the Westchester's demise.
Old Colony
The New Haven leased the massive Old Colony RailroadOld 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...
system on March 1, 1893, spanning all of southeastern Massachusetts
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...
and completing the route to 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...
via the Old Colony's Boston and Providence Railroad. The original mainline opened in 1845; the Boston and Providence (leased 1888) opened in 1835 with the completion of the Canton Viaduct
Canton Viaduct
Canton Viaduct is the oldest blind arcade cavity wall bridge in the world and it was the longest and tallest railroad bridge ever built when it was completed in 1835. It is the last surviving bridge of its kind and has been in continuous service for years; it now carries high-speed passenger and...
.
Providence and Worcester
The Providence and Worcester RailroadProvidence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City...
was also leased on July 1, 1892, running from Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
northwest to Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. It was incorporated in 1844 and opened in 1847.
Unlike any of the New Haven's other constituents, the Providence & Worcester was never fully merged. When New Haven successor Penn Central proposed abandonment of the Providence & Worcester main line during the early 1970s, P&W successfully sued for its independence. P&W subsequently expanded its operations by taking over many former New Haven lines unwanted by Conrail.
Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern
The New Haven also leased the Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern RailroadShepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad
The Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad was a short independent railroadin western Connecticut that was chartered as the Shepaug Valley Railroad in 1868 and operated from1872 to 1891 when it was taken over by the Housatonic Railroad....
on July 1, 1898, running north from Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
to a dead end at Litchfield
Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
. It was chartered in 1868 and opened in 1872 as the Shepaug Valley Railroad, becoming the Shepaug Railroad in 1873 and the SL&N in 1887.
Passenger trains
- Passenger service ran between New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(Grand Central TerminalGrand Central TerminalGrand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
) and BostonBostonBoston 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...
's South StationSouth StationSouth Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
approximately every hour. - Four passenger trains a day, and an overnight train (The Federal) ran between Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New York (Penn StationPennsylvania Station (New York City)Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
) via the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and then through to Boston. - Passenger service between New York (Grand Central Terminal) and HartfordHartford, ConnecticutHartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and SpringfieldSpringfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
was approximately hourly.
The New Haven introduced ideas in passenger rail, including early use of restaurant
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
and parlor cars
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
in the steam era, and more during the transition to diesel. Among other innovations or experiments, the New Haven was an American pioneer in many areas; in streamliners with the Comet, in the use of DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s in the USA with both Budd's regular RDC
Budd Rail Diesel Car
The Budd Rail Diesel Car, RDC or Buddliner is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit railcar. In the period 1949–62, 398 RDCs were built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
s and the all-RDC Roger Williams
Roger Williams (train)
-See also:*Baldwin RP-210, a lightweight train locomotive built for the New Haven's Dan'l Webster train.*Fairbanks-Morse P-12-42, a lightweight train locomotive built for the New Haven's John Quincy Adams train....
trainset, in the use of rail-adapted buses, in the use of lightweight trains such as the Train X-equipped Dan'l Webster
Dan'l Webster (train)
The Dan'l Webster was a named train of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, between New York, New York and Boston, Massachusetts. The Dan'l Webster was an attempt by the New Haven to modernize rail travel and lure people out of their cars...
, and in experimentation with Talgo
Talgo
Talgo is a Spanish manufacturer of railway vehicles. It is best known for a design of articulated railway passenger cars in which the wheels are mounted in pairs, but not joined by an axle, and being between rather than underneath the individual coaches...
-type (passive tilt) equipment on the John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams (train)
The John Quincy Adams was a named train of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, between New York, New York and Boston, Massachusetts. The John Quincy Adams was an attempt by the New Haven to modernize rail travel and lure people out of their cars...
train.
Perhaps its most audacious experiment was the United Aircraft
United Aircraft
The United Aircraft Corporation was formed in 1934 at the break-up of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation. In 1975, the company became the United Technologies Corporation.-1930s:...
Turbo Train, which with passive tilt
Tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
, turbine engines and light weight attempted to revolutionize medium distance railway travel in the USA. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Turbo Train holds the USA railway speed record of 170 mph, set in 1968. The New Haven never operated the Turbo in revenue service, as the bankrupt railroad was purchased by Penn Central, who, along with successor Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, actually got to operate the train.
Other notable passenger trains the New Haven operated included:
- Bankers (New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- SpringfieldSpringfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
) - Bay State (New York - BostonBostonBoston 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...
) - Berkshire (New York - PittsfieldPittsfield, MassachusettsPittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
) - Bostonian (New York - Boston)
- Colonial (Washington - Boston)
- Commander (New York - Boston)
- Day Cape Codder (New York - HyannisHyannis, MassachusettsHyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
/Woods HoleWoods Hole, MassachusettsWoods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
) (summer only) - Day White Mountains (New York - Berlin, New HampshireBerlin, New HampshireBerlin is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coos County in northern New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,051 at the 2010 census. It includes the village of Cascade. Located on the edge of the White Mountains, the city's boundaries extend into the White Mountain National Forest...
, via the Boston & Maine Railroad) - East WindEast Wind (train)The East Wind was a summer passenger train between large cities of the northeastern United States and resorts along the southern Maine coast. Travel time was approximately 14 hours over a 700-mile route similar to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. Travel was over the Pennsylvania Railroad from...
(Washington - Portland, MainePortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, via the Pennsylvania RR and Boston & Maine RR) (summer only) - Federal (Washington - Boston, overnight)
- Forty-Second Street (New York - Boston)
- Gilt Edge (New York - Boston)
- Hell Gate Express (New York (Penn Station)Pennsylvania Station (New York City)Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
- Boston) - Merchants Limited (New York - Boston)
- Montrealer (Washington - MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Canadian National, Central Vermont Railway and B&M) - Murray Hill (New York - Boston)
- Narragansett (New York - Boston)
- Nathan Hale (New York - Springfield)
- Naugatuck (New York - WinstedWinsted, ConnecticutWinsted is a census-designated place and an incorporated city in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the town of Winchester, Connecticut. The population was 7,321 at the 2000 census.-History:...
) - Neptune (New York - HyannisHyannis, MassachusettsHyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
/Woods HoleWoods Hole, MassachusettsWoods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
) (summer only) - New Yorker (New York - Boston)
- Night Cape Codder (New York - HyannisHyannis, MassachusettsHyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
/Woods HoleWoods Hole, MassachusettsWoods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
, overnight) (summer only) - Owl (New York - Boston, overnight)
- Patriot (Washington - Boston)
- Pilgrim (Philadelphia - Boston)
- Puritan (New York - Boston)
- Quaker (Philadelphia - Boston)
- Senator (Washington - Boston)
- Shoreliner (New York - Boston)
- State of MaineState of Maine Express (passenger train)The State of Maine was an overnight passenger train between New York City and Portland, Maine. Connections were available at Portland for Maine Central Railroad trains to most Maine locations, and at Grand Central Terminal for trains to the western and southern United States...
(New York - Portland, MainePortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
- BangorBangor, MaineBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
via the Boston & Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad) - Washingtonian (Montreal - Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Canadian National, Central Vermont Railway and B&M) - William Penn (Philadelphia - Boston)
- Yankee Clipper (New York - Boston)
Note: "New York" refers to Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
unless otherwise indicated.
Commuter trains
- Commuter service from New York ran to New RochelleNew Rochelle, New YorkNew Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
, StamfordStamford, ConnecticutStamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, New CanaanNew Canaan, ConnecticutNew Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
, DanburyDanbury, ConnecticutDanbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
(and on to PittsfieldPittsfield, MassachusettsPittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
), BridgeportBridgeport, ConnecticutBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, New HavenNew Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, and WaterburyWaterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
(and on to HartfordHartford, ConnecticutHartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
). - Commuter service from Boston went to destinations on the Old Colony system of Greenbush, Plymouth, BrocktonBrockton, MassachusettsBrockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
/Campello, MiddleboroMiddleborough, MassachusettsMiddleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....
, HyannisHyannis, MassachusettsHyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
/Woods HoleWoods Hole, MassachusettsWoods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
on Cape CodCape CodCape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, Fall RiverFall River, MassachusettsFall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, NewportNewport, Rhode IslandNewport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, New BedfordNew Bedford, MassachusettsNew Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
and ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, WoonsocketWoonsocket, Rhode IslandWoonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
, Needham Heights, West Medway and DedhamDedham, MassachusettsDedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
.
Yale Bowl trains
Beginning November 21, 1914, the railroad operated special trains to bring football fans to and from the new Yale BowlYale Bowl
The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446, reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869...
stadium in New Haven. Passengers rode extra trains from Springfield, Boston, and especially New York to the New Haven Union Station, where they transferred to trolleys for the two-mile ride to the Bowl. On November 21, 1922, for example, such trains carried more than 50,000 passengers. "There is nothing which can be compared with the New Haven's football movement except a record of one of the mass-movements incidental to the European war," one observer wrote in 1916.
Freight trains
- Major freight yards were at South Boston, TauntonTaunton, MassachusettsTaunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, Fall RiverFall River, MassachusettsFall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, New BedfordNew Bedford, MassachusettsNew Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
, ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, WorcesterWorcester, MassachusettsWorcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, SpringfieldSpringfield, MassachusettsSpringfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, HartfordHartford, ConnecticutHartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, WaterburyWaterbury, ConnecticutWaterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, New HavenNew Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
(the major Cedar Hill hump classification yardClassification yardA classification yard or marshalling yard is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. First the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill...
), Maybrook (another hump yard and interchange point for western connections), New York Harlem RiverHarlem RiverThe Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
and New York Bay RidgeBay Ridge, BrooklynBay Ridge is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. It is bounded by Sunset Park on the north, Seventh Avenue and Dyker Heights on the east, The Narrows Strait, which partially houses the Belt Parkway, on the west and 86th Street and Fort Hamilton on...
(where interchange was made with the PennsylvaniaPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and other railroads in New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, via barge). - Multiple through freight trains traveled at night between New YorkNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
or MaybrookMaybrook, New YorkMaybrook is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,084 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
and Cedar Hill yard and on to BostonBostonBoston 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...
. Other through freights served the yards above as well as intermediate points and also State Line (New York Central interchange), BrocktonBrockton, MassachusettsBrockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
, FraminghamFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
and LowellLowell, MassachusettsLowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
(Boston and Maine interchange for traffic for Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River).
Presidents of the NYNH&H Railroad
| Name | From | To | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William D. Bishop | 7/24/1872 | 2/1879 | 6y/6m | |
| George H. Watrous | 2/1879 | 3/1887 | 8y/1m | |
| Charles P. Clark | 3/1887 | 11/1899 | 12y/8m | |
| John M. Hall | 11/1899 | 10/31/1903 | 4y | |
| Charles S. Mellen | 10/31/1903 | 9/1/1913 | 9y/8m | Also Chairman |
| Howard Elliott | 9/1/1913 | 10/22/1913 | 1m/22d | Also Chairman |
| James H. Hustis | 10/22/1913 | 8/15/1914 | 9m/25d | |
| Howard Elliott | 8/15/1914 | 5/1/1917 | 2y/8m | Also Chairman |
| Edward J. Pearson | 5/1/1917 | 3/21/1918 | 10m | Also Chairman |
| Edward G. Buckland | 3/21/1918 | 2/29/1920 | 1y/11m | Also Chairman |
| Edward J. Pearson | 2/29/1920 | 11/27/1928 | 8y/8m | Also Chairman |
| Edward G. Buckland | 1/3/1929 | 3/1/1929 | 2m | Also Chairman |
| John J. Pelley | 3/1/1929 | 11/1/1934 | 5y/8m | |
| Howard S. Palmer | 11/1/1934 | 8/12/1948 | 13y/9m | Longest term |
| Frederic C. Dumaine, Sr. | 8/12/1948 | 8/31/1948 | 20d | Also Chairman, Shortest term |
| Laurence F. Whittemore | 8/31/1948 | 12/21/1949 | 1y/3m | |
| Frederic C. Dumaine, Sr. | 12/21/1949 | 5/27/1951 | 1y/5m | Also Chairman |
| Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine Jr. Frederic C. Dumaine, Jr. Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine, Jr. was an American business executive who served as the president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad from 1951–1954, Avis Rent a Car System from 1957–1962, and the Delaware and Hudson Railroad from 1967-1968... |
5/27/1951 | 4/1/1954 | 2y/10m | Also Chairman |
| Patrick B. McGinnis | 4/1/1954 | 1/18/1956 | 1y/9m | |
| George Alpert | 1/18/1956 | 7/7/1961 | 5y/5m | Also Chairman |
After declaring bankruptcy on July 7, 1961, the New Haven was thereafter governed by court-appointed trustees
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
.
See also
- Old Colony RailroadOld Colony RailroadThe 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...
- CometComet (train)The Comet was a diesel electric streamliner built in 1935 for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Company...
- EMD FL9EMD FL9The EMD FL9 was a dual-power electro-diesel locomotive, capable of diesel-electric operation and of operation as an electric locomotive powered from a third rail...
- EP-5 electric locomotiveNew Haven EP5The New Haven EP-5 was a double-ended mercury arc rectifier electric locomotive built in 1955 by General Electric, for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad...
- FM P-12-42FM P-12-42The P-12-42, also known as the Speed Merchant, was a streamlined, locomotive built between 1957–1958 by Fairbanks-Morse, specifically to operate on each end of the Talgo train produced by American Car and Foundry...
- South River State ForestSouth River State ForestSouth River State Forest is located in Conway, Massachusetts. The forest is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation .-Description:...
- Joy Steamship CompanyJoy Steamship CompanyThe Joy Steamship Company was an independent steamship line operating in the Long Island Sound in the early decades of the 20th century. It was named for its owner Allan Joy....
- 1970 system map, just after the merger into Penn Central
- Electrification of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford RailroadElectrification of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford RailroadThe New York, New Haven, and Harford railroad pioneered electrification of main line railroads using high-voltage, alternating current, single-phase overhead catenary. It electrified its mainline between Stamford, CT and Woodlawn, NY in 1907, and extended the electrification to New Haven, CT in 1914...
Further reading
- University of ConnecticutUniversity of ConnecticutThe admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Libraries, "Railroad History Archive: About the New Haven Railroad"