Providence and Worcester Railroad

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Providence and Worcester Railroad
logo
Reporting marks PW
Locale Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island; New York City and Long Island via trackage rights
Dates of operation 1847 – 1892
1973 – present
Track gauge ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters Worcester, Massachusetts

The Providence and Worcester Railroad (AAR reporting marks PW) 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. The railroad's connection between New Haven, Connecticut and New York City and onto Long Island is via trackage rights.

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[edit] Current lines

In addition to the original main line between Providence and Worcester. and the East Providence Branch, the P&W owns or provides freight service on the following lines, identified by their original companies:

P&W operates over the following lines with overhead trackage rights, meaning it cannot serve on-line customers:

[edit] History

The P&W was incorporated in Massachusetts on March 12, 1844, and in Rhode Island in May 1844, the two companies being merged November 25, 1845. The company bought the Blackstone Canal, also running between Providence and Worcester, and began construction, partly on its banks, in 1845. The line opened in two sections, the part south of Millville on September 27, 1847, and the rest on October 20. The line from Providence to Central Falls was shared with the Boston and Providence Railroad, which at the same time built a connection from its old line (ending in East Providence) over to the P&W.

On July 1, 1892, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the P&W for 99 years. The New Haven merged into Penn Central on January 1, 1969. On April 6, 1970 the P&W announced its intention to separate from the merger. After a legal battle, the Interstate Commerce Commission approved the request on August 25, 1972, and on November 2, Penn Central signed the agreement effective December 30. The P&W cancelled the lease on February 3, 1973. Since then, the P&W has taken over many other lines from the former Penn Central and Boston and Maine Railroad.

[edit] Branches

The East Providence Branch Railroad was the only branch built by the P&W. Chartered in 1874 and opened in 1875, it split from the main line at Valley Falls and ran southeast and south, clipping the corner of Attleboro, Massachusetts and running through Pawtucket, ending in East Providence at the Boston and Providence Railroad and the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad.

The East Providence Branch was also the P&W's only branch when it was leased to the NYNH&H, but previously it had leased several other railroads.

The Milford and Woonsocket Railroad was incorporated in 1855 and opened in 1868 from Milford to Bellingham. Soon after, the P&W leased it, despite it not being connected directly to the P&W. The Hopkinton Railway was leased in 1870 and opened in 1872, continuing the M&W north from Milford to Ashland. It too was leased to the P&W, on completion. Both leases expired in 1883 and were not renewed. The M&W bought the Hopkinton in 1884, and in 1897 the New England Railroad leased them, with a direct connection at Milford.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

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

Preceded by:
Texas Mexican Railway
Regional Railroad of the Year
1999
Succeeded by:
Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad
Current (operating) Class II railroads of the United States (Class I railroad, Class III railroad)

(detailed list)

ARR, BPRR, CSS, DME, EJE, FEC, IAIS, ICE, IHB, ISG, LIRR, MMA, MRL, PAL, PAR, PW, TMTC, TM, WE, WSOR

Former or fallen flag Class II railroads of the United States

BOCT, BLE, CC, CMNW, CRN, DMIR, GWWR, IMRL, MAA, MGA, MNS, OKKT, SI, WC