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. The new nonstop service should save riders about 30 minutes. The boston and worcester railroad was chartered june 23, 1831 and. Introduction this study is an exploration, on a limited scale, of the part played by businessmen in early railroad construction and operation. This detail of an early map shows the norwich terminal. The boston and worcester railroad was chartered june 23, 1831 and construction began in august 1832. Eastern railroad massachusetts project gutenberg self.
Massachusetts narrow the results by county barnstable berkshire bristol dukes essex franklin hampden hampshire middlesex nantucket norfolk plymouth suffolk worcester. Nov 16, 2019 the company also owned a succession of fine passenger steamers like the city of worcester and city of lowell. While the collection is of great interest in regard to railroad history, it also. Typically, short items from its pages are not listed below, though occasionally a story seems worthy of inclusion. In trains april special on short lines and regionals, author scott a. Lines in east boston and of the building of stations in framingham, worcester. Baker library historical collections at harvard business school has vast. Ames in researching his 1969 book pioneering the union pacific. Timothy murray traveled on the inaugural express train from worcester to boston on and was joined by mayor petty of worcester and members of the legislative. Western railroad, another one of the earliest railway lines running through worcester that would eventually connect boston to the west via worcester, started construction in 1838 and finished for official transportation to be conducted on the line between worcester and springfield at first by october 1, 1839. Transportation worcester historical museum worcester.
Service operated until the late 1960s when the boston and maine railroad discontinued its passenger rail service north of springfield. The boston and worcester railroad corporation was incorporated in massachusetts in 1831. Shows beginning of survey north of worcester and the survey for part of the winchendon branch of the fitchburg railroad. Robert richardson new england central railroad, inc. Online shopping for history railroads from a great selection at books store. Learn more about railroad history with this selection of books available in the museum store. Railroad books, outdoor photography services, photography.
The norwich and worcester was chartered in 1833, and opened april 1st, 1840. The early business history of four massachusetts railroads i. The boston and albany railroad was a railroad connecting boston, massachusetts to albany, new york, later becoming part of the new york central railroad system, conrail, and csx transportation. During this period, also, the railroads terminating in boston learned the value of short travel, and began to provide specially for its accomodation. The correct corporate name was boston, worcester and new york street railway which was adopted after a financial reorganization. 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.
Boston and worcester street railway page 2 railroad. The worcester road, in 1843, began to run special trains to newton. The current trip between worcester and boston takes about and hour and a half, stopping as many as 16 times before reaching south station. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. The railroad stations of worcester the history of the various stations which served worcester, ma, culminating in union station. Worcester nashua and portland division main line stations. A fearful catastrophe occurred on the boston railroad this forenoon, two miles east of this city, caused by the breaking of an axle.
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. William guild took up the idea in america a decade later, publishing a more elaborate handbook with strip maps for passengers travelling between boston and albany on the boston and worcester and western railroads. The boston and lowell railroad was a railroad that operated in massachusetts in the united states. Sep 05, 2019 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 new york, providence and boston railroad, normally called the stonington line, was a major part of the new york, new haven and hartford railroad between new london, connecticut and providence, rhode island. Sign up for our newsletter for alerts on hot and rare items, news, and events. Guild, william, map detailing miles 94100 west of boston on the boston and worcester railroad and the western rail road, in a chart and description of the boston and worcester and western railroads boston. Is the proper name of the trolley line from boston to worcester the boston and worcester street railway.
While the collection is of great interest in regard to railroad history, it also holds. There are many books on railroad history available to you, but none can give. The line approached boston through brookline, and cut across the back bay on a trestle bridge, intersecting the boston and providence line at one point the present site of the back bay train station. A chart and description of the boston and worcester and western railroads. Boston and worcester railroad corporation records, 1831. There are 121 volumes and several boxes of unbound materials dating from 1831 to 1882. The boston and albany railroad line started as the boston and worcester in 1932. See more ideas about train, locomotive and old trains. Boston and maine railroad history sandown historical society. Guidebook to the boston and worcester and western railroads. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books.
Read online annual report of the directors of the boston. Iron roads of the monadnock region historical society of. Passenger service is still provided on the line by amtrak, as part of their lake shore limited service, and by the mbta commuter rail system, which owns the section east of worcester and operates it as their framinghamworcester line. This is a list of all freight railroad not streetcar or rapid transit lines that have been built in massachusetts, and does not deal with ownership changes from one company to another. On the new york central railroad, michigan central railroad, boston and albany railroad effective july 16, 1946 and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The eastern railroad, from its commencement, ran more trains to salem than for any further distance. Long after the line was converted to buses, boston and worcester lines took over operations, and sold the franchises to various other bus companies. 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. By 1835 there were three railroad systems opened in massachusetts.
A chart and description of the boston and worcester and. Annual report providence and worcester railroad compan. Fascinating history of the norwich and worcester railroad which ran between norwich, connecticut and worcester, massachusetts as well as the steamboats that connected norwich to new york city. Annual report of the directors of the boston and worcester. Stan hits most of the towns between here and the hoosac tunnel complete with rare photos of the complete area including the electric engines that plied the rails helping steam engines through. It merged with the western railroad corporation in 1867 to form the boston and albany railroad co. The railroad system in and around framingham ca 1910. Connecticuts early railroad history had at its core the goal of linking new york city and boston through a hybrid system of steamboats and trains. Via connecting lines, destinations to cleveland, cincinnati, louisville or. 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. Read annual report of the directors of the boston and worcester railroad. Depot enthusiasts should routinely consult the bulletin of the railroad station historical society, currently in more than 40 volumes, for stories and updates.
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 economic revolution in massachusetts, 1830 chapter ii. Massachusetts railroads date all of the way back to 1826 when the granite railway was chartered on march 4th of that year. Prices in gbp apply to orders placed in great britain only.
Just look a few miles north and south to our neighbors weston and needham. Mbta improving boston to worcester service trains magazine. A handbook of railroad history new england rail heritage series by lindsell, robert m karr, ronald dale and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Three months later, the track had been extended through wellesley with stops established at rices crossing wellesley farms, north needham grantvillewellesley hills, and west needham wellesley square. Plans showing deed and old location lines of the western railroad in the county of worcester. The state, the investor, and the railroad the boston. Since the berkshires made construction of a canal infeasible, boston turned to the emerging railroad technology for a share of the freight to and from the midwestern united states.
Here, in 1859, on this railroad line, travelers could head out from boston to albany to niagara falls. He acquired the train symbol nickname wx1 for his frequent research trips between worcester, keene, and bellows falls, vt. Guild, william, a chart and description of the boston and worcester and western railroads, boston, 1847. Passenger service is still provided on the line by amtrak, as part of their lake shore limited service, and by the mbta commuter rail. The rail lines of northern new england a handbook of railroad. 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. Coit and those run by the boston and providence owned by cornelius vanderbilt is engagingly told. Running the boston worcester, 18341842 chapter vii. Railroad maps, 1828 to 1900, available online, massachusetts. Railroad extra history of the railways of massachusetts.
Beginning date 1832 ending date 1867 former title report of the directors of the boston and worcester rail road corporation to the stockholders together with the report of john m. Compiled from locations filed in 18378 at the office of the county clerk, worcester, mass. A railroad comes through wellesley news the wellesley. Boston and worcester street railway post by luigia. Plans have also been made to add two additional express trains to the worcester framingham line in both directions daily. The early business history of four massachusetts railroads. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the necessary rail link from worcester to boston. In the early 1800s, there was nothing fundamentally different. Berliner, iiis courtesy page for the boston chapter. 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. Mbta to offer express service to worcester trains magazine. Norwich and worcester branch operations discusses the history of new haven freight and passenger operations.
Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 30% off your first box. It is now part of amtraks highspeed northeast corridor. Buy annual report of the directors of the boston and worcester railroad corporation, for the year ending. The bulk of the records date from 1831 until the 1867 merger. The providence and worcester railroad reporting mark pw nasdaq. The corporation was a primary eastwest transit through the commonwealth. Beginning date 1832 ending date 1867 former title report of the directors of the boston and worcester railroad corporation to the stockholders together with the report of john m. The construction of the boston worcester chapter vi. After 1900, the old colony railroad lines came under the control of the new york, new haven and hartford system.
Location of the boston and worchester railroad, 1835. In 1867, the boston and worcester railroad changed its name to boston and albany railroad as service was extended all the way to albany, ny. The boston chapter of the national railway historical society is a group of dedicated railroad enthusiasts who gather regularly for companionship and fun to preserve and enjoy the boston areas significant contribution to railroad history, as well as all other aspects of railroading. Providence and worcester railroad pw was incorporated in massachusetts on march 12, 1844 st.
The boston and albany railroad was formed between 1867 and 1870 from the merger of three existing lines, the boston and worcester chartered 1831, the western 1833, and the castleton and west stockbridge 1834. Includes many beforeandafter photos comparing scenes along the westchester yesterday and today. Rules and working conditions governing machinists, boilermakers, blacksmiths. While the collection is of great interest in regard to railroad history, it also holds value as a resource. Volume 6 issue 3 summer 1975 the railroad stations of worcester the history of the various stations which served worcester, ma, culminating in union station. These images constitute a record of the companys construction activities, rolling stock, stations, and specialized equipment from the late 1890s until approximately 1920. New york, providence and boston railroad wikipedia. 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. Boston two express trains began service along the worcester framingham line between worcester s union station and boston s south station beginning april 29. Deed and location lines of the western railroad in worcester county, mass. It was one of the first railroads in north america and the first major one in the state.
The line later operated as part of the boston and maine railroad s southern division. Lost railroads of new england, 3rd edition new england rail. The corporation was a primary eastwest transit through the commonwealth, with branches connecting towns including athol, ware, north adams, and. Boston and albany railroad engineering department map. Boston and albany railroad wikipedia republished wiki 2.
857 858 331 1298 250 721 1342 387 861 1114 117 1485 236 916 848 492 1224 232 1292 989 729 891 964 114 1028 1351 504 891 612 1271 691 162 590 43