New York and New England Railroad
Encyclopedia
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 several smaller railroads dating back to 1846. After bankruptcy in 1893, the New York and New England Railroad was reorganized and became known as the New England Railroad before its 1898 lease to the competing New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
. Today, most of the original New York and New England lines have been abandoned to passenger rail traffic, except for the portion in Massachusetts that is now part of the MBTA's Franklin Line
providing commuter rail service to South Station
in Boston
. The Connecticut Southern Railroad
operates freight service on a small portion of the former NY&NE line near East Hartford and Manchester, Connecticut
. Other portions in Connecticut and Rhode Island have been converted to rail trails.
west into New York
was originally chartered as three companies. The Providence and Plainfield Railroad, chartered in June 1846, would run from Providence to the Rhode Island
/Connecticut
state line. The Hartford and Providence Railroad, incorporated in May 1847, would continue west to Hartford, Connecticut
, and the New York and Hartford Railroad, chartered and incorporated in May 1845, would continue to the New York and Harlem Railroad
at Brewster, New York
. In 1849, the two Connecticut companies merged to form the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, with a modified charter to continue past Brewster to Fishkill, New York
on the Hudson River
, and in 1851 the Rhode Island company was merged into it. Later that year the first section opened, from Hartford east to Willimantic
. Extensions opened east to Providence in 1854 and west to Waterbury
in 1855. The HP&F went bankrupt on January 1, 1858, and was run by the trustee
s until 1863, when it was leased by the newly-formed Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad.
southwest to Walpole
opened on April 23, 1849, and an extension to the Providence and Worcester Railroad
in Blackstone
opened May 16. The company went bankrupt soon after. The short Medway Branch Railroad was leased in 1851, opening December 29, 1852.
On May 1, 1849 the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad was incorporated to extend the line west from Blackstone to Southbridge
. On its way to Douglas
, this railroad passed through Ironstone
, where there was a factory that made Kentucky Blue Jeans, and a nearby iron forge. The Midland Railroad was incorporated May 2, 1850 to build a new entrance to Boston, merging with the existing one south of Dedham. The two companies were consolidated with the Norfolk County Railroad on December 12, 1853 to form the Boston and New York Central Railroad, which had the intent of continuing southwest through Connecticut
all the way to New York City. The first section of this extension was incorporated in May 1853 as the East Thompson Railroad, forming the Connecticut portion of the Southbridge and Blackstone.
The extension from Blackstone southwest to Mechanicsville, Connecticut on the Norwich and Worcester Railroad was completed in 1853. In January 1855 the new main line to Boston was opened, but was closed six months later until December 1856 because of an injunction
due to the danger of the numerous grade crossings. The new line ran to a terminal at the foot of Summer Street
in downtown Boston
via South Boston. The full line was first operated as one on June 1, 1855, but again failed quickly. On August 6 operations were restarted on only the original Dedham-Blackstone line, operated by the Boston and Providence Railroad as a branch. On March 2, 1857 the trustee
s took repossession
, ending the operation by the B&P. The East Thompson Railroad leased the line, reopening it again in full for about a year before another failure. At that time, all but the original Dedham-Blackstone line and Medway Branch were closed until 1867. The closed lines were sold in November 1858 to the Midland Railroad, but were not operated due to bad condition. The Midland Land Damage Company tried again in 1862, changing its name to the Southern Midland Railroad in 1863 without success.
, with a car float
from there to the Erie Railroad
at Newburgh. It quickly leased the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad from its trustee
s, giving it a line from Providence west to Waterbury
. In September of that year it acquired the former Boston and New York Central Railroad, but did not operate it yet; the old Norfolk County Railroad continued operations by its trustee
s.
In the meantime, the New York and Boston Railroad had built a line from Brookline, Massachusetts
(outside Boston) southwest to Woonsocket, Rhode Island
, crossing the Norfolk County Railroad in Blackstone
. On January 4, 1865 the BH&E absorbed that company, making its Woonsocket Division. On December 13 of the same year, various Erie Railway men were elected to the BH&E board, placing it under partial control of the Erie.
On February 11, 1867 the BH&E leased the Norfolk County Railroad, finally reopening the full line from Mechanicsville to Boston. That same year, the branch to Southbridge
(part of the original Southbridge and Blackstone charter) opened. The Norwich and Worcester Railroad was leased in 1869, finally giving it a route to Boston, using the N&W from the Providence line at Plainfield
north to the old Norfolk County Railroad at Mechanicsville. In August 1872 a direct connection from Willimantic
on the line to Providence northeast to Mechanicsville opened, completing the direct line to Boston.
By 1869 the BH&E leased the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad, which was building a line roughly southwest-northeast in Dutchess County, New York
. The BH&E planned to build west to the D&C at the future Hopewell Junction
, but was not able to complete the line and lost the lease in 1870.
On September 9, 1872 the Long Island Rail Road
's Boston Express
began operations, using the BH&E from Norwich
(at the south end of the N&W) to Boston. This was later replaced around 1891 with the Long Island and Eastern States Express, using the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
from Wilson Point to the BH&E (then the NY&NE) at Hawleyville (east of Danbury
).
The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad was leased in 1873, giving a line to New Haven
. Later that year, the BH&E went bankrupt and was reorganized April 17 as the New York and New England Railroad; the N&W lease was kept but the NHM&W lease was forfeited (prior to its opening August 12), becoming part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
system in 1879.
Note: Various sources note the Boston Hartford & Erie as failing and falling into receivership in 1870, yet it was during the Panic of 1873
that 89 of the country's 364 railroads went bankrupt. The New York and New England Railroad Company was chartered by special act of the Massachusetts legislature on April 17, 1873. Such was the mess of the Boston Hartford & Erie's mortgages and land titles that the NY&NE did not enter into possession of any of the BH&E "system" until sometime in 1875. Alvin F. Harlow in Steelways of New England states that the NY&NE did not get possession of the Hartford Providence & Fishkill line until 1877.
Through its entire existence (1873–1895) the NY&NE was always bedeviled by uncertainty in its land titles. Symptomatic of this: the $20 million common stock of the NY&NE originated as the $20,000,000 principal amount of the "Berdell Bonds"; the chartering legislation said the NY&NE was to "succeed to the rights of the Berdell Bondholders". There was a 10% assessment levied on the Berdell Bondholders as part of the chartering legislation, which also appropriated the necessary monies for the state to pay its assessment on its $3,000,000 of Berdell Bonds. For some reason $1000 of Berdell bonds were never issued so for years the NY&NE had $19,999,000 of common stock outstanding.
Through all this the receivers of the BH&E and the later management of the NY&NE continued to hold on to the BH&E's Norwich & Worcester lease which was a major part, if not the principal prop to the entire system's existence. The N&W and its related Norwich Line steamers (passenger and freight) made money, enough that the NY&NE could afford to pay 8% (reduced from 10% by negotiation ca. 1885) on the N&W's capital stock.
In 1881 the extension from Waterbury
west to Hopewell Junction on the Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad
opened. Along with trackage rights
over the ND&C southwest to Beacon
, and a short line built by the NY&NE to the Hudson River
at Beacon, this completed the main lines from Boston and Providence to the Hudson River, where a train ferry
took cars to the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad's Newburg Branch at Newburgh. Part of the line in New York was built along the never-used grade from the failed Putnam and Dutchess Railroad.
Also in 1881 the New York, Westchester and Putnam Railway was completed, running north and east from New York City to the NY&NE at Brewster
. This company had been previously involved with the BH&E in building a through line between New York and Boston, even being called the New York and Boston Railroad at first, and with its opening such a through line was formed. For some time such a traffic arrangement was made, lasting through the NYW&P's absorption into the New York Central Railroad
in 1894.
The Poughkeepsie Bridge
opened in 1888, providing a fixed crossing of the Hudson River
at Poughkeepsie
, north of the NY&NE car float at Beacon. The Central New England and Western Railroad, which owned the bridge, chartered the Dutchess County Railroad in 1890 and completed it in 1892, providing a branch from the bridge to the NY&NE at Hopewell Junction
.
There was a December 31, 1883/January 1, 1884 receivership that got referred to at the time as the "Midnight Receivership" which featured the NY&NE officers trying to find a federal judge to issue a receivership order before the end of the year. This receivership was over by 1886.
Cyrus W. Field had become a major figure behind the NY&NE by 1886 but after the state of Massachusetts refused to sell him the $3 million in stock it held (instead disposing of the shares to a rival group because of concern about Field's close association with Jay Gould) Field sold his holdings in the NY&NE. The Massachusetts sale of NY&NE stock was part of a deliberate policy on the part of Massachusetts to get out of owning railroads; the sale of the Hoosac Tunnel line to the Fitchburg in 1887 was also done under this policy, a declared policy of Massachusetts Governor Andrew
.
The new NY&NE President in 1887 was Jabez A. Bostwick
, a Standard Oil partner of John D. Rockefeller. Interestingly, Rockefeller's brother William sat on the board of the New Haven. With Rockefeller lieutenants in both camps one wonders whether the NY&NE-NYNH&H "rivalry" may have been a Standard Oil "Divide & Conquer" policy to get low rates and other benefits out of both roads who together controlled nearly all rail business in New England south of the Boston & Albany.
The final bankruptcy of the NY&NE happened on December 27, 1893 and the company was reorganized on August 26, 1895 as the New England Railroad; Stuart Daggett in Railroad Reorganization states the 1895 NY&NE reorganization featured a hefty 20% assessment on NY&NE common. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
leased the company for 99 years from July 1, 1898 at 3% on the preferred (normal dividend) and common stock. The New England Railroad was merged into the New Haven in 1908.
Many sources state that most of the NE stock had early on been acquired by the New Haven, probably bought in 1895 when NY&NE stockholders who did not want to forfeit their shares for non-assessment dumped their shares on the market. Baker in Formation of the New England Rail Systems claims there was a mini-Northern Pacific type corner in 1894 in NY&NE common when parties "Friendly" to the Boston & Albany tried to buy controlling influence in the NY&NE and the New Haven had to buy a large position in NY&NE common. Both parties apparently wound up together buying more NY&NE common than actually existed; worse, the New Haven had had to pay high prices for near worthless shares.
The best train of the New York & New England Railroad was the New England Limited of 1891, a crack Boston - New York passenger train. In 1891, the Pullman Palace Car Company refitted the train with luxurious new cars decorated in white and gold, inspiring the advertising department to call it the White Train and folks along the line to call it the Ghost Train as it sped through their towns after dark. Famed author Rudyard Kipling
memorialized the train in a popular verse:
As time passed and sections were abandoned, the former NY&NE main lines became minor branches.
, numerous branches and auxiliary lines existed.
Dedham
The original Boston line ended at Dedham
with a connection to the Boston and Providence Railroad. In 1883 what had become a branch to Dedham was abandoned. Prior to that, a new branch just to the east had been built in 1881, and was supplemented in 1890 by a connection to the south.
Medway
The Medway Branch Railroad from the main line at Norfolk
west to Medway
was incorporated in 1849 and opened in 1852, being immediately leased to the Norfolk County Railroad. It closed in 1864, two years after the New York and Boston Railroad reached Medway.
Valley Falls
The Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad was chartered in 1875 and opened in 1877, connecting the main Boston line at Franklin
to the Providence and Worcester Railroad
at Valley Falls. The New York and New England Railroad leased it in 1887.
Milford/Hopkinton/Ashland
The Milford and Woonsocket Railroad was incorporated in 1855 and opened a line from Milford
to Bellingham
in 1868. It was leased by the Providence and Worcester Railroad
until 1883.
The Hopkinton Railway was organized in 1870 and opened in 1872, running from Milford north via Hopkinton
to the Boston and Worcester Railroad at Ashland
. The Providence and Worcester leased it until 1885. In 1884 the Milford and Woonsocket bought the Hopkinton, and the two ran as one.
The Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad was organized in 1868 and opened in 1883, extending the line southeast from Milford to Franklin
.
On April 1, 1897 the New England Railroad leased all three companies.
Woonsocket/Pascoag
The line eventually running from Brookline, Massachusetts
to Harrisville, Rhode Island
was originally built as a competitor to the NY&NE's Boston line. The first section opened in 1852 as part of the Charles River Railroad. It reached Woonsocket, Rhode Island
in 1863, and in 1891 the Woonsocket and Pascoag Railroad opened, continuing the line to the Providence and Springfield Railroad at Harrisville. In 1873 the NY&NE obtained the line to Woonsocket via a merger; on April 1, 1896 the New England Railroad leased the continuation past Woonsocket.
Providence and Springfield
The Providence and Springfield Railroad was chartered in 1853 and opened in 1873 from Providence, Rhode Island
northwest to Pascoag
. An extension to Douglas Junction on the NY&NE main line in Massachusetts
opened in 1893, and the New England Railroad leased the line on July 1, 1896.
Southbridge
The Southbridge Branch from East Thomspon, Connecticut to Southbridge, Massachusetts
was part of the original charter for the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad, and opened in 1867, after it had been consolidated.
Pawtuxet Valley
The Pawtuxet Valley Railroad was organized in 1872 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1874, running from the main line at River Point
to Hope. The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad
leased it in 1884 as a continuation of their Pontiac Branch Railroad.
Norwich and Worcester
The Norwich and Worcester Railroad was an 1837 consolidation of the Boston, Norwich and New London Railroad Company of Connecticut
and the Worcester and Norwich Railroad Company of Massachusetts
when both state legislatures passed acts allowing the merger. Neither of these companies had built any railroad but the new one proceeded to built one from Norwich, Connecticut
(later New London
) north to Worcester, Massachusetts
, including the Taft Tunnel
at Lisbon, CT. The Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad leased it in 1869, and the lease continued through the reorganizations. Connections were provided with the Providence line at Plainfield
and the Boston line between Putnam
and Mechanicsville. In 1886 the New England Railroad company renewed the lease. that it acquired from the Boston, Hartford, and Erie.
New Haven
The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad opened and was leased to the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad in 1873. The BH&E went bankrupt later that year, as did the NHM&W in 1875. The NHM&W became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
in 1879.
Rockville
The Rockville Railroad was incorporated in 1857 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1863. It was a short branch from the main line at Vernon
north and east to Rockville
.
South Manchester
The South Manchester Railroad was chartered in 1866 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1869. It was a short branch from the main line at Manchester
south to South Manchester.
Springfield
The Connecticut Central Railroad was chartered in 1871, and its continuation in Massachusetts
, the Springfield and New London Railroad
, in 1874, to build a line from East Hartford
to Springfield
, with a branch to the Rockville Railroad at Westway. It opened in 1876 and was immediately leased by the Connecticut Valley Railroad, which gave up the lease to the New York and New England Railroad in 1880.
Connecticut River
The Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad was formed in 1888 as a consolidation of two smaller companies, opening in 1885 and 1888. The New York and New England Railroad leased it in 1892, as a branch from the main line in Waterbury
east to Cromwell
on the Connecticut River
. The company went bankrupt and was reorganized in 1898 as the Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad, and was immediately leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
.
, see Fairmount Line
. For the line from Readville to Franklin, see Franklin Line
.
Cranston
(Washington Secondary/ Cranston Greenway)
Paved from Garfield ave (Northern Terminus of West Bay Greenway/Bikepath, as this right of way merges on Amtrak
right of way not far up the path)to Ponatic Ave (Warwick Town line)
Warwick
(Warwick Greenway)
Paved from Ponatic Ave (Cranston City line) to West Warwick town line (RI 33-Tollgate Road/Providence Street)
West Warwick
(West Warwick Greenway)
Paved from Warwick town line to Coventry town line. Intersects with riverpoint park and walk, plus a real caboose
Coventry
(Coventry Greenway)
Unpaved from WW town line to Station street (appox 2 miles)
Paved from Station to Coventry Center (Suburban Propane, Approx 5 miles, Southern Terminus of West Bay Greenway/ Bikepath)
Coventry (Trestle trail)
Unpaved trail from Coventry Center to CT. State line, currently being planned by RIDOT
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...
, 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...
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 several smaller railroads dating back to 1846. After bankruptcy in 1893, the New York and New England Railroad was reorganized and became known as the New England Railroad before its 1898 lease to the competing New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
. Today, most of the original New York and New England lines have been abandoned to passenger rail traffic, except for the portion in Massachusetts that is now part of the MBTA's Franklin Line
Franklin Line
The Franklin Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail runs from Boston's South Station in a southwesterly direction toward Franklin, Massachusetts. Most Franklin Line trains connect to the Providence/Stoughton Line at Readville though some weekday trains use the Fairmount Line to access South Station...
providing commuter rail service 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
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...
. The Connecticut Southern Railroad
Connecticut Southern Railroad
The Connecticut Southern Railroad operates about of track in Connecticut and Massachusetts. It is a subsidiary of RailAmerica. The line is headquartered in East Hartford, CT and interchanges with CSX at West Springfield, Massachusetts and New Haven, Connecticut.The railroad began operations in...
operates freight service on a small portion of the former NY&NE line near East Hartford and Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...
. Other portions in Connecticut and Rhode Island have been converted to rail trails.
West from Providence: 1846-1863
The corridor from Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, 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...
west into 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...
was originally chartered as three companies. The Providence and Plainfield Railroad, chartered in June 1846, would run from Providence to the 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...
/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...
state line. The Hartford and Providence Railroad, incorporated in May 1847, would continue west to 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 the New York and Hartford Railroad, chartered and incorporated in May 1845, would continue to 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...
at Brewster, New York
Brewster, New York
Brewster is a village within the town of Southeast in Putnam County, New York, United States. Its population was 2,162 at the 2000 census. The village is the most densely populated portion of the town...
. In 1849, the two Connecticut companies merged to form the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, with a modified charter to continue past Brewster to Fishkill, New York
Fishkill, New York
Fishkill is an upscale village within the much larger town, Town of Fishkill, one of the fastest growing towns in the region, in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census...
on 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...
, and in 1851 the Rhode Island company was merged into it. Later that year the first section opened, from Hartford east to 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....
. Extensions opened east to Providence in 1854 and west to 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...
in 1855. The HP&F went bankrupt on January 1, 1858, and was run by the trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s until 1863, when it was leased by the newly-formed Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad.
Southwest from Boston: 1847-1867
At the Boston end, the earliest predecessor was the Norfolk County Railroad, chartered April 24, 1847. The line from the Boston and Providence Railroad's branch at Dedham, MassachusettsDedham, Massachusetts
Dedham 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...
southwest to Walpole
Walpole, Massachusetts
Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located about south of Boston and north of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 24,070 at the 2010 census. Walpole was first settled in 1659 and was considered a part of Dedham until officially incorporated in 1724...
opened on April 23, 1849, and an extension to the Providence and Worcester Railroad
Providence 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...
in Blackstone
Blackstone, Massachusetts
Blackstone is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,026 at the 2010 census. It is formally a part of the Providence metropolitan area. Blackstone is the only municipality in Massachusetts to employ automatic cameras in traffic enforcement.- History :This...
opened May 16. The company went bankrupt soon after. The short Medway Branch Railroad was leased in 1851, opening December 29, 1852.
On May 1, 1849 the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad was incorporated to extend the line west from Blackstone to Southbridge
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. On its way to Douglas
Douglas, Massachusetts
Douglas is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,471 as of the 2010 census. It includes the sizable Douglas State Forest, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation .- History :...
, this railroad passed through Ironstone
Ironstone, Massachusetts
Ironstone is an historic village in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, United States. It derived its name from plentiful bog iron found here which helped Uxbridge to become a center for three iron forges in the town's earliest settlement. Ironstone today is known as South Uxbridge...
, where there was a factory that made Kentucky Blue Jeans, and a nearby iron forge. The Midland Railroad was incorporated May 2, 1850 to build a new entrance to Boston, merging with the existing one south of Dedham. The two companies were consolidated with the Norfolk County Railroad on December 12, 1853 to form the Boston and New York Central Railroad, which had the intent of continuing southwest through 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...
all the way to New York City. The first section of this extension was incorporated in May 1853 as the East Thompson Railroad, forming the Connecticut portion of the Southbridge and Blackstone.
The extension from Blackstone southwest to Mechanicsville, Connecticut on the Norwich and Worcester Railroad was completed in 1853. In January 1855 the new main line to Boston was opened, but was closed six months later until December 1856 because of an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
due to the danger of the numerous grade crossings. The new line ran to a terminal at the foot of Summer Street
Summer Street (Boston)
Summer Street in Boston, Massachusetts extends from Downtown Crossing in the Financial District, over Fort Point Channel, and into South Boston...
in downtown 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 South Boston. The full line was first operated as one on June 1, 1855, but again failed quickly. On August 6 operations were restarted on only the original Dedham-Blackstone line, operated by the Boston and Providence Railroad as a branch. On March 2, 1857 the trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s took repossession
Repossession
Repossession is generally used to refer to a financial institution taking back an object that was either used as collateral or rented or leased in a transaction. Repossession is a "self-help" type of action in which the party having right of ownership of the property in question takes the property...
, ending the operation by the B&P. The East Thompson Railroad leased the line, reopening it again in full for about a year before another failure. At that time, all but the original Dedham-Blackstone line and Medway Branch were closed until 1867. The closed lines were sold in November 1858 to the Midland Railroad, but were not operated due to bad condition. The Midland Land Damage Company tried again in 1862, changing its name to the Southern Midland Railroad in 1863 without success.
Combined routes from Providence and Boston: 1863-1898
In May 1863, the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad was chartered to take over operations of the failed lines and continue the line west to Fishkill, New YorkFishkill, New York
Fishkill is an upscale village within the much larger town, Town of Fishkill, one of the fastest growing towns in the region, in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census...
, with a car float
Car float
A railroad car float or rail barge is an unpowered barge with rail tracks mounted on its deck. It is used to move railroad cars across water obstacles, or to locations they could not otherwise go, and is pushed by a towboat or towed by a tugboat...
from there to the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
at Newburgh. It quickly leased the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad from its trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s, giving it a line from Providence west to 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...
. In September of that year it acquired the former Boston and New York Central Railroad, but did not operate it yet; the old Norfolk County Railroad continued operations by its trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
s.
In the meantime, the New York and Boston Railroad had built a line from Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
(outside Boston) southwest to Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket 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....
, crossing the Norfolk County Railroad in Blackstone
Blackstone, Massachusetts
Blackstone is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,026 at the 2010 census. It is formally a part of the Providence metropolitan area. Blackstone is the only municipality in Massachusetts to employ automatic cameras in traffic enforcement.- History :This...
. On January 4, 1865 the BH&E absorbed that company, making its Woonsocket Division. On December 13 of the same year, various Erie Railway men were elected to the BH&E board, placing it under partial control of the Erie.
On February 11, 1867 the BH&E leased the Norfolk County Railroad, finally reopening the full line from Mechanicsville to Boston. That same year, the branch to Southbridge
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
(part of the original Southbridge and Blackstone charter) opened. The Norwich and Worcester Railroad was leased in 1869, finally giving it a route to Boston, using the N&W from the Providence line at Plainfield
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
north to the old Norfolk County Railroad at Mechanicsville. In August 1872 a direct connection from 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....
on the line to Providence northeast to Mechanicsville opened, completing the direct line to Boston.
By 1869 the BH&E leased the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad, which was building a line roughly southwest-northeast in Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
. The BH&E planned to build west to the D&C at the future Hopewell Junction
Hopewell Junction, New York
Hopewell Junction is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,610 at the 2000 census...
, but was not able to complete the line and lost the lease in 1870.
On September 9, 1872 the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
's Boston Express
Boston Express
Boston Express is a subsidiary bus company of Concord Coach Lines that operates in New Hampshire and Boston. It services largely locations between Logan Airport and destinations on Interstate 93 and Nashua, New Hampshire....
began operations, using the BH&E from Norwich
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
(at the south end of the N&W) to Boston. This was later replaced around 1891 with the Long Island and Eastern States Express, using 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...
from Wilson Point to the BH&E (then the NY&NE) at Hawleyville (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....
).
The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad was leased in 1873, giving a line 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...
. Later that year, the BH&E went bankrupt and was reorganized April 17 as the New York and New England Railroad; the N&W lease was kept but the NHM&W lease was forfeited (prior to its opening August 12), becoming part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
system in 1879.
Note: Various sources note the Boston Hartford & Erie as failing and falling into receivership in 1870, yet it was during the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
that 89 of the country's 364 railroads went bankrupt. The New York and New England Railroad Company was chartered by special act of the Massachusetts legislature on April 17, 1873. Such was the mess of the Boston Hartford & Erie's mortgages and land titles that the NY&NE did not enter into possession of any of the BH&E "system" until sometime in 1875. Alvin F. Harlow in Steelways of New England states that the NY&NE did not get possession of the Hartford Providence & Fishkill line until 1877.
Through its entire existence (1873–1895) the NY&NE was always bedeviled by uncertainty in its land titles. Symptomatic of this: the $20 million common stock of the NY&NE originated as the $20,000,000 principal amount of the "Berdell Bonds"; the chartering legislation said the NY&NE was to "succeed to the rights of the Berdell Bondholders". There was a 10% assessment levied on the Berdell Bondholders as part of the chartering legislation, which also appropriated the necessary monies for the state to pay its assessment on its $3,000,000 of Berdell Bonds. For some reason $1000 of Berdell bonds were never issued so for years the NY&NE had $19,999,000 of common stock outstanding.
Through all this the receivers of the BH&E and the later management of the NY&NE continued to hold on to the BH&E's Norwich & Worcester lease which was a major part, if not the principal prop to the entire system's existence. The N&W and its related Norwich Line steamers (passenger and freight) made money, enough that the NY&NE could afford to pay 8% (reduced from 10% by negotiation ca. 1885) on the N&W's capital stock.
In 1881 the extension from 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...
west to Hopewell Junction on the Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad
Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad
The Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad, originally the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad, was a link in the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system in New York state.-History:...
opened. Along with 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 ND&C southwest to Beacon
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
, and a short line built by the NY&NE 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...
at Beacon, this completed the main lines from Boston and Providence to the Hudson River, where a train ferry
Train ferry
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...
took cars to the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad's Newburg Branch at Newburgh. Part of the line in New York was built along the never-used grade from the failed Putnam and Dutchess Railroad.
Also in 1881 the New York, Westchester and Putnam Railway was completed, running north and east from New York City to the NY&NE at Brewster
Brewster, New York
Brewster is a village within the town of Southeast in Putnam County, New York, United States. Its population was 2,162 at the 2000 census. The village is the most densely populated portion of the town...
. This company had been previously involved with the BH&E in building a through line between New York and Boston, even being called the New York and Boston Railroad at first, and with its opening such a through line was formed. For some time such a traffic arrangement was made, lasting through the NYW&P's absorption into 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...
in 1894.
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...
opened in 1888, providing a 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...
at Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, north of the NY&NE car float at Beacon. The Central New England and Western Railroad, which owned the bridge, chartered the Dutchess County Railroad in 1890 and completed it in 1892, providing a branch from the bridge to the NY&NE at Hopewell Junction
Hopewell Junction, New York
Hopewell Junction is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,610 at the 2000 census...
.
There was a December 31, 1883/January 1, 1884 receivership that got referred to at the time as the "Midnight Receivership" which featured the NY&NE officers trying to find a federal judge to issue a receivership order before the end of the year. This receivership was over by 1886.
Cyrus W. Field had become a major figure behind the NY&NE by 1886 but after the state of Massachusetts refused to sell him the $3 million in stock it held (instead disposing of the shares to a rival group because of concern about Field's close association with Jay Gould) Field sold his holdings in the NY&NE. The Massachusetts sale of NY&NE stock was part of a deliberate policy on the part of Massachusetts to get out of owning railroads; the sale of the Hoosac Tunnel line to the Fitchburg in 1887 was also done under this policy, a declared policy of Massachusetts Governor Andrew
John Albion Andrew
John Albion Andrew was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts between 1861 and 1866 during the American Civil War. He was a guiding force behind the creation of some of the first U.S. Army units of black men—including the famed 54th Massachusetts Infantry.-Early...
.
The new NY&NE President in 1887 was Jabez A. Bostwick
Jabez A. Bostwick
Jabez Abel Bostwick was an American businessman who was a founding partner of Standard Oil.-Biography:...
, a Standard Oil partner of John D. Rockefeller. Interestingly, Rockefeller's brother William sat on the board of the New Haven. With Rockefeller lieutenants in both camps one wonders whether the NY&NE-NYNH&H "rivalry" may have been a Standard Oil "Divide & Conquer" policy to get low rates and other benefits out of both roads who together controlled nearly all rail business in New England south of the Boston & Albany.
The final bankruptcy of the NY&NE happened on December 27, 1893 and the company was reorganized on August 26, 1895 as the New England Railroad; Stuart Daggett in Railroad Reorganization states the 1895 NY&NE reorganization featured a hefty 20% assessment on NY&NE common. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
leased the company for 99 years from July 1, 1898 at 3% on the preferred (normal dividend) and common stock. The New England Railroad was merged into the New Haven in 1908.
Many sources state that most of the NE stock had early on been acquired by the New Haven, probably bought in 1895 when NY&NE stockholders who did not want to forfeit their shares for non-assessment dumped their shares on the market. Baker in Formation of the New England Rail Systems claims there was a mini-Northern Pacific type corner in 1894 in NY&NE common when parties "Friendly" to the Boston & Albany tried to buy controlling influence in the NY&NE and the New Haven had to buy a large position in NY&NE common. Both parties apparently wound up together buying more NY&NE common than actually existed; worse, the New Haven had had to pay high prices for near worthless shares.
The best train of the New York & New England Railroad was the New England Limited of 1891, a crack Boston - New York passenger train. In 1891, the Pullman Palace Car Company refitted the train with luxurious new cars decorated in white and gold, inspiring the advertising department to call it the White Train and folks along the line to call it the Ghost Train as it sped through their towns after dark. Famed author Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
memorialized the train in a popular verse:
- Without a jar, or roll, or antic,
- Without a stop to Willimantic,
- The New England Limited takes its way
- At three o'clock each day,
- Maids and Matrons, daintily dimited,
- Ride everyday on the New England Limited;
- Rain nor snow ne'er stops its flight,
- It makes New York at nine each night,
- One half the glories have not been told
- Of that wonderful train of white and gold
- Which leaves each day for New York at three
- Over the N.Y. & N.E.
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad: 1898-1969
Until 1960 the line served as the basis for run-through trains from New York to Bangor, Maine, via the Norwich and Worcester line.As time passed and sections were abandoned, the former NY&NE main lines became minor branches.
Branches
In addition to the two main lines to Boston and Providence, splitting at WillimanticWillimantic, 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....
, numerous branches and auxiliary lines existed.
Dedham
The original Boston line ended at Dedham
Dedham, Massachusetts
Dedham 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...
with a connection to the Boston and Providence Railroad. In 1883 what had become a branch to Dedham was abandoned. Prior to that, a new branch just to the east had been built in 1881, and was supplemented in 1890 by a connection to the south.
Medway
The Medway Branch Railroad from the main line at Norfolk
Norfolk, Massachusetts
Norfolk is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States with a population of 10,460 people in 2,818 households at the 2000 census. Formerly known as North Wrentham, Norfolk broke away to become an independent town in 1870.-History:...
west to Medway
Medway, Massachusetts
Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.-History:Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three...
was incorporated in 1849 and opened in 1852, being immediately leased to the Norfolk County Railroad. It closed in 1864, two years after the New York and Boston Railroad reached Medway.
Valley Falls
The Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad was chartered in 1875 and opened in 1877, connecting the main Boston line at Franklin
Franklin, Massachusetts
The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town...
to the Providence and Worcester Railroad
Providence 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...
at Valley Falls. The New York and New England Railroad leased it in 1887.
Milford/Hopkinton/Ashland
The Milford and Woonsocket Railroad was incorporated in 1855 and opened a line from Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
to Bellingham
Bellingham, Massachusetts
Bellingham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,332 at the 2010 census. The town sits on the southwestern fringe of Metropolitan Boston, along the rapidly growing "outer belt" that is Route 495...
in 1868. It was leased by the Providence and Worcester Railroad
Providence 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...
until 1883.
The Hopkinton Railway was organized in 1870 and opened in 1872, running from Milford north via Hopkinton
Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, just under 30 miles west and south of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day in April, and as the home of computer storage firm EMC Corporation.For geographic and demographic...
to the Boston and Worcester Railroad at Ashland
Ashland, Massachusetts
Ashland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the MetroWest region. The population was 16,593 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. The Providence and Worcester leased it until 1885. In 1884 the Milford and Woonsocket bought the Hopkinton, and the two ran as one.
The Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad was organized in 1868 and opened in 1883, extending the line southeast from Milford to Franklin
Franklin, Massachusetts
The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town...
.
On April 1, 1897 the New England Railroad leased all three companies.
Woonsocket/Pascoag
The line eventually running from Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
to Harrisville, Rhode Island
Harrisville, Rhode Island
Harrisville is a census-designated place and village in the town of Burrillville in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 1,561 at the 2000 census...
was originally built as a competitor to the NY&NE's Boston line. The first section opened in 1852 as part of the Charles River Railroad. It reached Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket 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....
in 1863, and in 1891 the Woonsocket and Pascoag Railroad opened, continuing the line to the Providence and Springfield Railroad at Harrisville. In 1873 the NY&NE obtained the line to Woonsocket via a merger; on April 1, 1896 the New England Railroad leased the continuation past Woonsocket.
Providence and Springfield
The Providence and Springfield Railroad was chartered in 1853 and opened in 1873 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 Pascoag
Pascoag, Rhode Island
Pascoag is a census-designated place and village in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 4,742 at the 2000 census.Pascoag is one of at least eight villages that make up Burrillville...
. An extension to Douglas Junction on the NY&NE main line in 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...
opened in 1893, and the New England Railroad leased the line on July 1, 1896.
Southbridge
The Southbridge Branch from East Thomspon, Connecticut to Southbridge, Massachusetts
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
was part of the original charter for the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad, and opened in 1867, after it had been consolidated.
Pawtuxet Valley
The Pawtuxet Valley Railroad was organized in 1872 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1874, running from the main line at River Point
River Point, Rhode Island
River Point in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, is a community made up of mill houses and three mills. As of 2006 two are being rehabilitated as condominiums and office projects and the third is still manufacturing high quality hand soap....
to Hope. The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad
New 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...
leased it in 1884 as a continuation of their Pontiac Branch Railroad.
Norwich and Worcester
The Norwich and Worcester Railroad was an 1837 consolidation of the Boston, Norwich and New London Railroad Company 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...
and the Worcester and Norwich Railroad Company of 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...
when both state legislatures passed acts allowing the merger. Neither of these companies had built any railroad but the new one proceeded to built one from Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
(later 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....
) north 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....
, including the Taft Tunnel
Taft Tunnel
Taft Tunnel in Lisbon, Connecticut is the oldest tunnel still in railroad use in its original form as part of the current Providence and Worcester Railroad. It was originally built by the Norwich and Worcester Railroad in 1837. It is a tunnel through hard rock and is approximately 300 feet long...
at Lisbon, CT. The Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad leased it in 1869, and the lease continued through the reorganizations. Connections were provided with the Providence line at Plainfield
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
and the Boston line between Putnam
Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
and Mechanicsville. In 1886 the New England Railroad company renewed the lease. that it acquired from the Boston, Hartford, and Erie.
New Haven
The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad opened and was leased to the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad in 1873. The BH&E went bankrupt later that year, as did the NHM&W in 1875. The NHM&W became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
in 1879.
Rockville
The Rockville Railroad was incorporated in 1857 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1863. It was a short branch from the main line at Vernon
Vernon, Connecticut
Vernon is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 29,179 at the 2010 census.Vernon was incorporated in October, 1808, from Bolton. Vernon contains the former city of Rockville, incorporated in January, 1889. The town of Vernon and city of Rockville consolidated as a...
north and east to Rockville
Rockville, Connecticut
Rockville is a census-designated place and a village of the town of Vernon in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2000 census...
.
South Manchester
The South Manchester Railroad was chartered in 1866 and opened and leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad in 1869. It was a short branch from the main line at Manchester
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :...
south to South Manchester.
Springfield
The Connecticut Central Railroad was chartered in 1871, and its continuation in 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...
, the Springfield and New London Railroad
Springfield and New London Railroad
The Springfield and New London Railroad is a historic railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in Massachusetts as the Springfield and Longmeadow Railroad on May 2, 1849. In 1866 the act of incorporation was amended so as to permit a location terminating at the state line in either...
, in 1874, to build a line from East Hartford
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
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 a branch to the Rockville Railroad at Westway. It opened in 1876 and was immediately leased by the Connecticut Valley Railroad, which gave up the lease to the New York and New England Railroad in 1880.
Connecticut River
The Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad was formed in 1888 as a consolidation of two smaller companies, opening in 1885 and 1888. The New York and New England Railroad leased it in 1892, as a branch from the main line in 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...
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...
. The company went bankrupt and was reorganized in 1898 as the Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad, and was immediately leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
.
Station listing
| State | Milepost | City | Station | Opening date | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RI 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... |
Providence | Providence | Union Station serving all railroads in Providence | ||
| Dike Street | originally Westminster Street? junction with Providence and Springfield Railroad (NY&NE) |
||||
| junction with New York, Providence and Boston Railroad New 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... (NYNH&H) |
|||||
| Cranston | West Providence | ||||
| Cranston | |||||
| Warwick | Natick | ||||
| West Warwick | River Point | junction with Pawtuxet Valley Railroad (NYNH&H) and Pontiac Branch Railroad (NYNH&H) | |||
| West Warwick | |||||
| Coventry | Quidnick | ||||
| Anthony | |||||
| Washington | |||||
| Coventry | |||||
| Summit | |||||
| Greene | |||||
| CT 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... |
Sterling Sterling, Connecticut Sterling is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,099 at the 2000 census.-Local History:The town was incorporated in 1794 following approval of the CT Assembly, and was carved from northern part of the Town of Voluntown... |
Oneco | |||
| Sterling | |||||
| Plainfield Plainfield, Connecticut Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department... |
Moosup | ||||
| Plainfield | junction with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE) | ||||
| Canterbury Canterbury, Connecticut Canterbury is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census.-History:The area was first settled in the 1680s as Peagscomsuck, consisting mainly of land north of Norwich, south of New Roxbury, Massachusetts and west of the Quinebaug River and the... |
Canterbury | ||||
| Lisbon Lisbon, Connecticut Lisbon is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,069 at the 2000 census. The town center is also known as the village of Newent... |
Lisbon | ||||
| Sprague Sprague, Connecticut Sprague is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after William Sprague, who laid out the industrial section. The population was 2,971 at the 2000 census... |
Versailles | ||||
| Baltic | |||||
| Scotland Scotland, Connecticut Scotland is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,556. Scotland is a predominantly rural town, with agriculture as the principal industry.-Geography:... |
Scotland | ||||
| Windham Windham, Connecticut Windham is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It contains the city of Willimantic and the villages of Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham. The city of Willimantic was consolidated with the town in 1983... |
South Windham | ||||
| Willimantic | junction with New London Northern Railroad New London Northern Railroad The New London Northern Railroad was a part of the Central Vermont Railway from New London, Connecticut, north to Brattleboro, Vermont. After a long period with the Canadian National Railway, it is now operated by the New England Central Railroad... (GT Grand Trunk Railway The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate... ), NY&NE line to Boston and Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (NYNH&H) |
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| Andover Andover, Connecticut Andover is a rural town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,303 at the 2010 census.Andover was incorporated on May 18, 1848, from Hebron and Coventry.-Geography:... |
Andover | ||||
| Bolton Bolton, Connecticut Bolton is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,017 at the 2000 census. Bolton was incorporated in October 1720 and is governed by town meeting.-History:... |
Bolton | ||||
| Vernon Vernon, Connecticut Vernon is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 29,179 at the 2010 census.Vernon was incorporated in October, 1808, from Bolton. Vernon contains the former city of Rockville, incorporated in January, 1889. The town of Vernon and city of Rockville consolidated as a... |
Vernon | junction with Rockville Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| Manchester Manchester, Connecticut Manchester is a township and city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 58,241.- History :... |
Manchester | junction with South Manchester Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| Buckland | |||||
| East Hartford East Hartford, Connecticut East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:... |
Burnside | ||||
| East Hartford | junction with Connecticut Central Railroad (NY&NE) | ||||
| 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... |
Hartford | junction with 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... (NYNH&H), 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... (NYNH&H) and Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad (NYNH&H) |
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| West Hartford West Hartford, Connecticut West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford.... |
Elmwood | ||||
| Newington Newington, Connecticut Newington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2000 census, it had a total population of 29,306. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has its headquarters in Newington.... |
Newington Junction Newington Junction Newington Junction is a section of the town of Newington, Connecticut. It is centered at the intersection of Willard Avenue and West Hill Road in the northwestern part of the town, in the area generally just south of the Hartford city line... |
not a station junction with 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... (NYNH&H) |
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| Newington | |||||
| New Britain New Britain, Connecticut New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254.... |
New Britain | junction with New Britain and Middletown Railroad (NYNH&H) | |||
| 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... |
Plainville | junction with New Haven and Northampton Company (NYNH&H) | |||
| Bristol Bristol, Connecticut Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 61,353. Bristol is primarily known as the home of ESPN, whose central studios are in the city. Bristol is also home to... |
Forestville | ||||
| Bristol | |||||
| Plymouth Plymouth, Connecticut Plymouth is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England. The population was 11,634 at the 2000 census. The Town of Plymouth includes the villages of Terryville and Pequabuck.-Geography:... |
Terryville | ||||
| 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... |
Waterbury | junction with Naugatuck Railroad Naugatuck 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... (NYNH&H) and Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad (NYNH&H) |
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| Oxford Oxford, Connecticut Oxford is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,272 at the 2010 Census. There are several areas in Oxford: Quaker Farms, Riverside and Oxford Center. Oxford belongs to the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development Region and the Central... |
Towantic | ||||
| Oxford | |||||
| Southbury Southbury, Connecticut Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census.... |
Southbury | ||||
| South Britain | |||||
| Newtown Newtown, Connecticut Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:... |
Sandy Hook | ||||
| Hawleyville | junction with Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad Shepaug, 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.... (NYNH&H) and Housatonic Railroad Housatonic 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... (NYNH&H) |
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| Brookfield Brookfield, Connecticut Brookfield is a town located in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,452 at the 2010 census. First settled in 1710 by John Muirwood and several other colonial founders who bartered for the land From the Wyantenuck Nation Under the Sachem Waramaugs who lived... |
Berkshire Junction | not a station junction with New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad (NYNH&H) |
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| 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.... |
Danbury | junction with New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad (NYNH&H) and 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... (NYNH&H) |
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| Mill Plain | |||||
| NY 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... |
junction with New York and Putnam Railroad (NYC 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... ) and 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... (NYC 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... ) |
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| bridge over 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... (NYC 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... ) |
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| Hopewell Junction | junction with Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad The Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad, originally the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad, was a link in the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system in New York state.-History:... (NYNH&H) and Dutchess County Railroad (NYNH&H) |
Boston line
For the line from Boston to ReadvilleReadville (MBTA station)
Readville is a station on the MBTA commuter rail's Franklin Line from Franklin to Boston, Massachusetts and is also the terminus of the MBTA's Fairmount Line commuter rail line. A few Fairmount trains continue onto the Franklin Line...
, see Fairmount Line
Fairmount Line
The Fairmount Line or Dorchester Branch is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Except for a short portion in Milton, it lies entirely within Boston, progressing in a southwesterly trajectory, passing through the neighborhoods of Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park...
. For the line from Readville to Franklin, see Franklin Line
Franklin Line
The Franklin Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail runs from Boston's South Station in a southwesterly direction toward Franklin, Massachusetts. Most Franklin Line trains connect to the Providence/Stoughton Line at Readville though some weekday trains use the Fairmount Line to access South Station...
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| State | Milepost | City | Station | Opening date | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA 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... |
Franklin Franklin, Massachusetts The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,635 at the 2010 census.-History:Franklin was first settled by Europeans in 1660 and was officially incorporated during the American Revolution. The town was formed from the western part of the town... |
Franklin Junction | not a station junction with Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad (NY&NE, now MBTA Commuter Rail MBTA Commuter Rail The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate... Franklin Line Franklin Line The Franklin Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail runs from Boston's South Station in a southwesterly direction toward Franklin, Massachusetts. Most Franklin Line trains connect to the Providence/Stoughton Line at Readville though some weekday trains use the Fairmount Line to access South Station... ) and Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad (NY&NE) |
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| Blackstone Blackstone, Massachusetts Blackstone is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,026 at the 2010 census. It is formally a part of the Providence metropolitan area. Blackstone is the only municipality in Massachusetts to employ automatic cameras in traffic enforcement.- History :This... |
Woonsocket Junction | not a station junction with Charles River Railroad (NY&NE) |
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| Blackstone | junction with Providence and Worcester Railroad Providence 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... (NYNH&H) |
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| Douglas Douglas, Massachusetts Douglas is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,471 as of the 2010 census. It includes the sizable Douglas State Forest, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation .- History :... |
East Douglas | ||||
| Douglas | |||||
| Douglas Junction | not a station junction with Providence and Springfield Railroad (NY&NE) |
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| CT 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... |
Thompson Thompson, Connecticut Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census... |
East Thompson | junction with Southbridge Branch | ||
| Thompson | |||||
| Mechanicsville | not a station original junction with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE) |
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| Putnam Putnam, Connecticut Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:... |
Putnam | junction with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| Pomfret Pomfret, Connecticut Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,798 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.... |
Pomfret | ||||
| Abington | |||||
| Elliott | |||||
| Hampton Hampton, Connecticut Hampton is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,758 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.... |
Hampton | ||||
| Clarks Corner | |||||
| Windham Windham, Connecticut Windham is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It contains the city of Willimantic and the villages of Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham. The city of Willimantic was consolidated with the town in 1983... |
North Windham | ||||
| Willimantic | junction with New London Northern Railroad New London Northern Railroad The New London Northern Railroad was a part of the Central Vermont Railway from New London, Connecticut, north to Brattleboro, Vermont. After a long period with the Canadian National Railway, it is now operated by the New England Central Railroad... (GT Grand Trunk Railway The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate... ), NY&NE line to Providence and Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (NYNH&H) |
Modern day usage
Within the last 10 years, funds have been set aside for a rails to trails conversion. As of 12-03-05 most parts of the train right of way has been convertedCranston
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
(Washington Secondary/ Cranston Greenway)
Paved from Garfield ave (Northern Terminus of West Bay Greenway/Bikepath, as this right of way merges on 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...
right of way not far up the path)to Ponatic Ave (Warwick Town line)
Warwick
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...
(Warwick Greenway)
Paved from Ponatic Ave (Cranston City line) to West Warwick town line (RI 33-Tollgate Road/Providence Street)
West Warwick
West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 29,191 at the 2010 census.West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the western bank of the Pawtuxet River, was the population and...
(West Warwick Greenway)
Paved from Warwick town line to Coventry town line. Intersects with riverpoint park and walk, plus a real caboose
Coventry
Coventry, Rhode Island
Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 35,014 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it is water...
(Coventry Greenway)
Unpaved from WW town line to Station street (appox 2 miles)
Paved from Station to Coventry Center (Suburban Propane, Approx 5 miles, Southern Terminus of West Bay Greenway/ Bikepath)
Coventry (Trestle trail)
Unpaved trail from Coventry Center to CT. State line, currently being planned by RIDOT
Further reading
- Railroad History Database
- Edward Appleton, Massachusetts Railway Commissioner, History of the Railways of Massachusetts (1871)
- Philip C. Blakeslee, A Brief History Lines West Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. (1953)
- Edited by Richard M. Bayles, History of Providence County, Rhode Island (1891)
- Dorchester Atheneum: Midland Railroad
- PRR Chronology
- ARR History