Massachusetts railroads date all of the way back to 1826 when the granite railway was chartered on march 4th of that year. Transportation worcester historical museum worcester. In trains april special on short lines and regionals, author scott a. Branches were built to dedham in 1834, stoughton in 1845, and north attleboro in 1871. The boston and providence railroad was a railroad company in the states of massachusetts and rhode island which connected its namesake cities. Guild, william, map detailing miles 94100 west of boston on the boston and worcester railroad and the western railroad, in a chart and description of the boston and worcester and western railroads boston. The third edition of a railroad history classic, lost railroads of new england comprises a concise history of the rise and fall of new englands railroads and a fully annotated directory to all abandoned segments of every common carrier railroad operated in new england, updated through january 2010. The business history of railroading is significant not only for that industry but also for the leadership that the railroads maintained among the. Annotations in pencil and colored pencil on some maps. The state the investor and the railroad the boston and albany 18251867 by stephen salsbury and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Lost railroads of new england, 3rd edition new england.
Passenger rail service in the connecticut river valley region of western massachusetts started in 1845 when the connecticut river railroad completed a rail road between springfield and northampton. The early business history of four massachusetts railroads. A fearful catastrophe occurred on the boston railroad this forenoon, two miles east of this city, caused by the breaking of an axle. By 1835 there were three railroad systems opened in massachusetts. This expanded second edition includes a reprint of the original plus 39 new pages about the subsequent fate of the branch. The worcester, nashua and rochester railroad abandoned rails. Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. Berliner, iiis courtesy page for the boston chapter. The eastern railroad leased the line from 1852 to 1866, using part of it as their new main line. Service operated until the late 1960s when the boston and maine railroad discontinued its passenger rail service north of springfield. The correct corporate name was boston, worcester and new york street railway which was adopted after a financial reorganization. It opened in two sections in 1834 and 1835 one of the first rail lines in the united states with a more direct route into providence built in 1847. Location of the boston and worchester railroad, 1835. Bostons source for the latest breaking news, sports scores, traffic updates, weather, culture, events and more.
The main line, built by the boston and worcester street railway, was an interurban streetcar line partly on the old boston and worcester turnpike now route 9 and partly on private rightofway. Its opening jumpstarted worcester s rapid transition from agriculture to industry, and introduced the irish to town, the first of many immigrant groups that were to come in search of work and new homes. Passenger service is still provided on the line by amtrak, as part of their lake shore limited service, and by the mbta commuter rail. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the necessary rail link from.
Introduction this study is an exploration, on a limited scale, of the part played by businessmen in early railroad construction and operation. Railroads, the pioneers building americas transportation backbone, and more. Massachusetts narrow the results by county barnstable berkshire bristol dukes essex franklin hampden hampshire middlesex nantucket norfolk plymouth suffolk worcester. That history is brought to life in author frank kypers latest book, narrow gauge to boston. See more ideas about train, locomotive and old trains. Shows portions of suffolk, norfolk, middlesex, and worcester counties. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the necessary rail link from worcester to boston. The boston and albany railroad was formed by a series of mergers beginning in 1867 that subsumed both the first commercial line in new england, the boston and worcester railroad chartered 1831 and the western railroad 1833, the most important line in western massachusetts. Business leaders in nearby norwich also saw an opportunity to share in the economic boom associated with railroads and organized a stock company to construct a railroad linking long island sound with boston via norwich and worcester.
Author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The northern pacific railroad, the sioux, and the panic of 1873 by m. Available also through the library of congress web site as a raster image. The boston chapter, the local chapter of the national railway historical society, primarily draws from eastern massachusetts. A history of the boston and maine railroad by bruce d. Its opening jumpstarted worcesters rapid transition from agriculture to industry, and introduced the irish to town, the first of many immigrant groups that were to come in search of work and new homes. A separate line the western railroad stretching from worcester to greenbush, ny outside of albany was constructed four years later, thus connecting boston with the hudson river and the west. Long after the line was converted to buses, boston and. Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author.
Favorite books on boston history im moving to boston later this year, and as someone who loves history, i like to understand the place where im livingboth so that i can understand why it is the way it is, and also so that as i walk around, i can recognize all of the places secrets the stories that make the buildings come alive. Railroad extra history of the railways of massachusetts. The now 516mile system in rhode island, massachusetts, connecticut, and new york has a rich history, which hartley also wrote about it in the june 1994 issue. The early business history of four massachusetts railroads i. Local boston breaking news, sports, weather and events. Providence and worcester railroad company printed by j.
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