New York and New England Railroad

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New York and New England Railroad
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Locale Boston, MA to Hopewell Junction, NY
Dates of operation 1849 – 1898
Track gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters

The New England Railroad was the final name for a railroad system connecting New York state with Providence, Rhode Island, Boston, Massachusetts and other parts of New England before its 1898 lease by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Earlier names included the New York and New England Railroad and Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] West from Providence: 1846-1863

The corridor from Providence, Rhode Island 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 trustees until 1863, when it was leased by the newly-formed Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad.

[edit] 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, Massachusetts 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. 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 trustees 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.

[edit] 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 York, with a car float from there to the Erie Railroad at Newburgh. It quickly leased the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad from its trustees, 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 trustees.

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.

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 Railroad 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.

The final bankruptcy of the NY&NE happened on January 1, 1884, and the company was reorganized on August 26, 1895 as the New England Railroad. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the company for 99 years from July 1, 1898.

[edit] New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad: 1898-1969

As time passed and sections were abandoned, the former NY&NE main lines became minor branches.

[edit] Branches

In addition to the two main lines to Boston and Providence, splitting at Willimantic, 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 several other companies, running from Norwich, Connecticut (later New London) north to Worcester, Massachusetts. 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.

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.

[edit] Station listing

State Milepost City Station Opening date Connections and notes
RI 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 (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 Sterling Oneco
Sterling
Plainfield Moosup
Plainfield junction with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE)
Canterbury Canterbury
Lisbon Lisbon
Sprague Versailles
Baltic
Scotland Scotland
Windham South Windham
Willimantic junction with New London Northern Railroad (GT), NY&NE line to Boston and Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (NYNH&H)
Andover Andover
Bolton Bolton
Vernon Vernon junction with Rockville Railroad (NY&NE)
Manchester Manchester junction with South Manchester Railroad (NY&NE)
Buckland
East Hartford Burnside
East Hartford junction with Connecticut Central Railroad (NY&NE)
Hartford Hartford junction with Hartford and New Haven Railroad (NYNH&H), Central New England Railway (NYNH&H) and Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad (NYNH&H)
West Hartford Elmwood
Newington Newington Junction not a station
junction with Hartford and New Haven Railroad (NYNH&H)
Newington
New Britain New Britain junction with New Britain and Middletown Railroad (NYNH&H)
Plainville Plainville junction with New Haven and Northampton Railroad (NYNH&H)
Bristol Forestville
Bristol
Plymouth Terryville
Waterbury Waterbury junction with Naugatuck Railroad (NYNH&H) and Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad (NYNH&H)
Oxford Towantic
Oxford
Southbury Southbury
South Britain
Newtown Sandy Hook
Hawleyville junction with Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad (NYNH&H) and Housatonic Railroad (NYNH&H)
Brookfield Berkshire Junction not a station
junction with New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad (NYNH&H)
Danbury Danbury junction with New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad (NYNH&H) and Danbury and Norwalk Railroad (NYNH&H)
Mill Plain
NY junction with New York and Putnam Railroad (NYC) and New York and Harlem Railroad (NYC)
bridge over New York and Harlem Railroad (NYC)
Hopewell Junction junction with Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad (NYNH&H) and Dutchess County Railroad (NYNH&H)

[edit] Boston line

For the line from Boston to Readville, see Fairmount Line. For the line from Readville to Franklin, see Franklin Line.

State Milepost City Station Opening date Connections and notes
MA Franklin Franklin Junction not a station
junction with Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad (NY&NE, now MBTA Commuter Rail Franklin Line) and Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad (NY&NE)
Blackstone Woonsocket Junction not a station
junction with Charles River Railroad (NY&NE)
Blackstone junction with Providence and Worcester Railroad (NYNH&H)
Douglas East Douglas
Douglas
Douglas Junction not a station
junction with Providence and Springfield Railroad (NY&NE)
CT Thompson East Thompson junction with Southbridge Branch
Thompson
Mechanicsville not a station
original junction with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE)
Putnam Putnam junction with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE)
Pomfret Pomfret
Abington
Elliott
Hampton Hampton
Clarks Corner
Windham North Windham
Willimantic junction with New London Northern Railroad (GT), NY&NE line to Providence and Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (NYNH&H)
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad subsidiaries
New York and New Haven / Hartford and New Haven / Shore Line (1872)

Harlem River (1873) - Air Line (1879) - Connecticut Valley (1882) - New Canaan (1884) - Naugatuck (1887) - New Haven and Northampton (1887) - New York, Providence and Boston (1892) - Housatonic (1892) - Providence and Worcester (1892) - Old Colony (1893) - New York and New England (1898) - Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern (1898) - Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River (1898) - Central New England (1904) - Newburg, Dutchess and Connecticut (1905) - Poughkeepsie and Eastern (1907) - New York Connecting (1917) - Union Freight

[edit] Modern day Usage

Within the last 10 years, funds have been set aside for a rails to trails converstion. As of 12-03-05 most parts of the train right of way has been converted

Cranston (Washington Secondary/ Cranston Greenway)
Paved from Garfield ave (Northern Termius 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, Appox 5 miles, Southern Termuis of West Bay Greenway/ Bikepath)

Coventry (Tresle trail)
Unpaved trail from Coventry Center to CT. State line, currently being planned by RIDOT


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 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 Rudyyard Kipling memorialized the train in a popular verse: Without a jar, or roll, or antic,Without a stop to Willmantic,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 New York and New England.

[edit] References

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