Fairhaven Branch Railroad

Fairhaven Branch Railroad

Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1849
Fate	Abandoned
Headquarters	Fairhaven, Massachusetts , United States
Area served	Bristol County and Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Products	Passenger and freight rail services

The Fairhaven Branch Railroad was a short-distance rail line in Massachusetts that linked West Wareham on the Cape Cod mainline of the Old Colony Railroad southwestward to Fairhaven, Massachusetts, situated close to the industrial center of New Bedford.

History

Chartered in 1849 and completed by 1854, the Fairhaven Branch Railroad became part of the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1861, including important ferry terminals providing connections to Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard. Through a series of consolidations, it was integrated into the Old Colony Railroad network in 1883, broadening its influence across the region.

Henry Huttleston Rogers, a notable individual linked to the company, started his career working as an expressman and brakeman on this line. Rogers later rose to prominence as a leading figure and investor within Standard Oil under John D. Rockefeller’s leadership, illustrating the entrepreneurial spirit fostered by this sector.

On March 1, 1893, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the Old Colony system, thereby extending its control over rail transportation throughout southern New England. This strategic acquisition unified key routes including the Boston and Providence Railroad and branches serving Fitchburg and Lowell. The 1898 lease of the New England Railroad further strengthened its dominance in the area's transportation market.

Abandonment

Beginning in the 1920s, growing competition from automobiles and improved roadways prompted the New Haven Railroad to curtail service on numerous branch lines such as the Fairhaven Branch. Despite opposition from freight customers, the Interstate Commerce Commission authorized abandonment of this branch in 1953. Between 1953 and 1968, limited freight operations persisted under New Haven’s management, transporting boxcars and sand hoppers from the WHIBCO sand pit located in Marion. When Penn Central Railroad was formed in 1969 through the merger of New Haven with New York Central and Pennsylvania Railroads, it continued hauling sand between this pit and Tremont Junction until discontinuing service and abandoning the line in 1973.

The final passenger run on the Fairhaven Branch occurred in 1992 as a special excursion by Cape Cod Railroad over a short stretch of neglected track. This event marked the cessation of all rail activity on this corridor.

Trail conversion

Initiatives to transform the defunct rail corridor into a recreational trail began during the 1970s. In 1996, a local individual constructed a wooden footbridge spanning Eel Pond’s outlet channel in Mattapoisett, opening access to about half a mile of usable right-of-way for public enjoyment. Subsequent bridge replacements were finalized by 2010. By 1999, a 3.1-mile segment from Fairhaven to Mattapoisett had been converted into the Phoenix Rail Trail, named after nearby Fort Phoenix. The inaugural mile of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail debuted in 2010, with additional extensions facilitated by community efforts involving local students restoring critical infrastructure.

In January 2019, Massachusetts secured $9 million through a federal CMAQ grant to develop another 1.28-mile section stretching from Mattapoisett Neck Road to Depot Street. MassDOT awarded a $7 million contract for construction in February 2019; despite environmental sensitivities related to wetlands along this route, it officially opened in April 2023 after necessary boardwalk repairs were completed.

The Marion Pathway—also primarily constructed along former railroad right-of-way—was projected for completion through Marion Center reaching into Mattapoisett by 2021. Additionally, Mattapoisett received $110,000 in state funding in July 2020 for building a half-mile connector extending to Industrial Drive; construction of this approximately 1.5-mile segment was anticipated to commence in spring 2021. Further expansions remain planned for subsequent phases with initial state grants allocated for planning activities as recently as 2022.

These rail trail developments exemplify purposeful adaptation of obsolete railroad corridors to improve recreational amenities and enhance connectivity within local communities throughout the region.

Route

Spanning roughly 15 miles from Fairhaven to Wareham, the Fairhaven Branch Railroad passed through the heart of Fairhaven, running adjacent to the Atlas Tack Company. It continued through East Fairhaven into Mattapoisett before veering northward, crossing what is now U.S. Route 6, then turning east again to run parallel just south of Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts). The line traversed Marion and linked up with the principal Cape Cod line at West Wareham/Tremont. Along its path, the railroad crossed four major rivers: the Nasketucket River in Fairhaven, both the Eel River and Mattapoisett River within Mattapoisett, and the Sippican River in Marion. Remnants of an old stone arch bridge spanning the Sippican River are still observable from I-195.

Stations

The Fairhaven Branch featured five stations in total. The main station was located at Fairhaven on Railroad Wharf, serving as a vital transit point that connected ferry routes to New Bedford and local trolley services. This station housed a telegraph office staffed by a full-time operator. Today, the site accommodates the maintenance facility for the The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, which was formerly occupied by the Hathaway-Braley Company.

A smaller flag stop was situated at Sconticut Neck Road, primarily serving seasonal residents during the late 1800s and early 1900s, with trolley access to Wilbur's Point and other summer destinations.

The Mattapoisett station once stood on Railroad Avenue but has since been removed; only a stone whistle post and signal foundation remain as physical reminders.

Marion station is the only surviving station building from the branch. Positioned along Route 105, it has been converted for use as a daycare center and restaurant.

West Wareham (also known as Tremont) was the final stop on the branch, where it connected with the main Cape Cod line. This station functioned as a transfer hub for travelers heading toward Boston or Cape Cod. Historically, locomotives utilized a turntable here to reverse direction. Notably, signage at this location displayed both "West Wareham" and "Tremont."

The entire railroad route passed through Bristol County and Plymouth County within Massachusetts.

Locality	Miles to Fairhaven	Station	Lat/long	Notes
Fairhaven	0.00	Fairhaven		Western endpoint until 1953; linked to ferry service to New Bedford.
	1.36	Sconticut Neck		Flag stop catering to summer residents around turn of century; near Sconticut Neck Road and bike path.
Mattapoisett	5.09	Mattapoisett		Former station location now a dirt lot; stone whistle post remains across Railroad St.
Marion	9.98	Marion		Only existing station building from Fairhaven Branch.
Wareham	15.00	West Wareham/Tremont		Eastern terminus connecting with Cape Cod main line.

Railroad customers

Several important clients were served by the Fairhaven Branch, with the Atlas Tack Company being a prominent example. This company maintained three sidings along the northern side of its premises, facilitating the efficient transport of tacks, nails, and various other goods, while also receiving essential raw materials such as paints and chemicals up until 1953.

Fairhaven Iron Works was another notable customer located near Atlas Tack in Fairhaven Center. Although the precise dates of its rail operations remain uncertain, the foundry dispatched iron products via rail. Following a fire in 1893, the company moved to a wharf close to Railroad Wharf and continued its rail shipments using a dedicated spur, which can be seen in historic illustrations.

Other clients included a coal supplier based in Mattapoisett and the Whitehead Brothers Company (WHIBCO) from New Jersey, which transported industrial sand in hopper cars until 1973. The C.P. Washburn Company, running a feed store on Route 105 in Marion, also relied on rail services. Additionally, smaller enterprises lacking direct rail connections made use of the team track at Fairhaven Yard’s freight house to handle shipments, underscoring the line’s vital role in supporting local commerce and a variety of industries.