Grafton and Upton Railroad

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Grafton and Upton Railroad
Reporting marks	GU
Locale	Massachusetts
Dates of operation	1873 – present
Track gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters	Worcester, Massachusetts

The Grafton and Upton Railroad (AAR reporting marks GU) is a short line railroad in east-central Massachusetts; it has never been controlled by a larger line.

[edit] History

The Grafton Centre Railroad was chartered October 22, 1873 and opened August 20, 1874 as a narrow gauge connection from Grafton to a junction with the Boston and Albany Railroad at North Grafton. The last narrow gauge train ran on July 9, 1887. The line was rebuilt to standard gauge on September 1, 1887.

On February 17, 1888, the name was changed to the Grafton and Upton Railroad by an act of the state legislature. An extension to West Upton opened on March 12, 1889, and an extension to Milford opened on May 17, 1890, connecting to the Milford and Woonsocket Railroad, later a line of the New Haven Railroad.

The Upton Street Railway was absorbed in 1902 and named the 'Electric Loop' or 'Upton Loop'. Passenger service on this loop and the main line was provided by cars leased from the Milford and Uxbridge Street Railway.