Southern New England Railway
Encyclopedia
The Southern New England Railway was a never-finished plan by the Grand Trunk Railway
(GT) to build a railroad from the GT-owned Central Vermont Railway
at Palmer, Massachusetts
east and south to the all-weather port of Providence, Rhode Island
. Despite never being finished, large amounts of grading and construction were done, including many large concrete
supports.
The railroad was chartered in April 1910, and was to be built as a completely grade-separated air line, having low grades and long high bridges over valley
s. Construction was begun, but the man in charge (Charles Melville Hays
) sunk with the RMS Titanic in 1912. Construction stopped in Rhode Island
, but continued for a while in Massachusetts
so the contractor could get paid for the work. Thus almost all the grading in Massachusetts was completed, and many supports are still in place. Attempts were made throughout the 1920s, and into the early 1930s by politicians and businessmen, mostly from Rhode Island
, to restart the work and to get the line completed as a way to break the New Haven Railroad's stranglehold on freight traffic in RI., but the Great Depression finally put an end to their efforts.
In Millville, Massachusetts
, the SNE would have passed over the Blackstone River
on a high-level bridge, with both the New York and New England Railroad
(now abandoned) and the Providence and Worcester Railroad
(still in use) below. Several full-height supports were built, as well as several partial supports in the river.
The main route would have gone through Woonsocket, Rhode Island
to downtown Providence
, with a branch around the west side to the docks south of downtown.
Some of the plans included a branch to Boston
or a separate route to Boston from the Central Vermont, but this never got to the construction stage.
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...
(GT) to build a railroad from the GT-owned Central Vermont Railway
Central Vermont Railway
The Central Vermont Railway was a railroad that operated in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, as well as the Canadian province of Quebec....
at Palmer, Massachusetts
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
east and south to the all-weather port of 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...
. Despite never being finished, large amounts of grading and construction were done, including many large concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
supports.
The railroad was chartered in April 1910, and was to be built as a completely grade-separated air line, having low grades and long high bridges over valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s. Construction was begun, but the man in charge (Charles Melville Hays
Charles Melville Hays
Charles Melville Hays was an American railway executive of the Grand Trunk Railway. He died at sea on the RMS Titanic.-Early years:...
) sunk with the RMS Titanic in 1912. Construction stopped in 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...
, but continued for a while 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...
so the contractor could get paid for the work. Thus almost all the grading in Massachusetts was completed, and many supports are still in place. Attempts were made throughout the 1920s, and into the early 1930s by politicians and businessmen, mostly from 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...
, to restart the work and to get the line completed as a way to break the New Haven Railroad's stranglehold on freight traffic in RI., but the Great Depression finally put an end to their efforts.
In Millville, Massachusetts
Millville, Massachusetts
Millville is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,190 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Providence metropolitan area.- History :...
, the SNE would have passed over the Blackstone River
Blackstone Valley
The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution...
on a high-level bridge, with both the New York and New England Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
(now abandoned) and 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...
(still in use) below. Several full-height supports were built, as well as several partial supports in the river.
The main route would have gone through 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....
to downtown Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, with a branch around the west side to the docks south of downtown.
Some of the plans included a branch to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
or a separate route to Boston from the Central Vermont, but this never got to the construction stage.