Hartford and Providence Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Defunct | 1893 |
| Fate | Reorganized as New England Railroad |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Southern New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts |
Key people | Jabez A. Bostwick (president) |
| Products | Passenger and freight rail services |
The New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE) served as a rail connection linking southern New York State with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston, Massachusetts. Functioning under this designation from 1873 until 1893, it originated from the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which itself was established through the consolidation of smaller railroads dating back to 1846. Following a bankruptcy in 1893, the company was restructured as the New England Railroad before being leased to its competitor, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, in 1898.
Today, most of the original NY&NE routes have been discontinued. A portion in Massachusetts remains active as part of the MBTA's Franklin/Foxboro Line commuter service to Boston's South Station. Another segment near East Hartford and Manchester, Connecticut is utilized for freight operations by the Connecticut Southern Railroad. Various stretches in Connecticut and Rhode Island have been repurposed into rail trails.
Westward from Providence: 1846–1863
The corridor extending west from Providence, Rhode Island into New York was initially developed by three separate companies: the Providence and Plainfield Railroad (chartered in 1846), which ran from Providence to the Rhode Island–Connecticut boundary; the Hartford and Providence Railroad (incorporated in 1847), extending service to Hartford, Connecticut; and the New York and Hartford Railroad (chartered in 1845), which connected to the New York and Harlem Railroad at Brewster, New York.
In 1849, the two Connecticut-based companies combined to form the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad (HP&F), broadening its charter to reach Fishkill, New York on the Hudson River. The Rhode Island company merged into HP&F in 1851. That same year, operations commenced between Hartford and Willimantic, Connecticut. By 1854, service extended eastward to Providence and by 1855 reached westward to Waterbury, Connecticut. Financial challenges forced HP&F into bankruptcy on January 1, 1858; thereafter, trustees oversaw operations until the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad leased the line in 1863.
Southwestward from Boston: 1847–1867
At the Boston terminus, the earliest predecessor was the Norfolk County Railroad, chartered in 1847. The route from a branch of the Boston and Providence Railroad at Dedham, Massachusetts to Walpole, Massachusetts opened in 1849 and soon extended to connect with the Providence and Worcester Railroad at Blackstone, Massachusetts. Financial instability led to bankruptcy shortly thereafter. The Medway Branch Railroad was leased in 1851 and began operation in 1852.
Incorporated in 1849, the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad aimed to extend westward from Blackstone to Southbridge, Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the Midland Railroad was chartered in 1850 with plans to establish an alternative Boston entry point. These entities merged with Norfolk County Railroad in 1853 under the name Boston and New York Central Railroad with ambitions of continuing southwest through Connecticut toward New York City. Incorporated that same year as part of this expansion was the East Thompson Railroad.
By 1853, tracks reached southwest from Blackstone to Mechanicsville, Connecticut. The new main line into Boston opened in 1855 but was forced to close after six months due to safety injunctions concerning numerous grade crossings. It fully reopened by June 1855 but quickly failed; operations reverted back to the original Dedham-Blackstone segment under control of the Boston and Providence Railroad. After trustees reclaimed ownership in 1857, nearly all lines except for Dedham-Blackstone and Medway Branch were shut down until 1867. Efforts by Midland-affiliated companies to revive or operate these routes were unsuccessful due to deteriorated conditions.
Routes combining Providence and Boston: 1863–1898
The Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad (BH&E) was established in 1863 with the purpose of acquiring defunct rail lines and extending westward to Fishkill, New York, where it connected via car float to the Erie Railroad at Newburgh, New York. BH&E secured a lease on the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, enabling service from Providence westward to Waterbury, Connecticut. Although BH&E took ownership of the former Boston and New York Central Railroad, initial operations remained under trusteeship by Norfolk County.
The New York and Boston Railroad had previously constructed a route from Brookline, Massachusetts heading southwest to Woonsocket, Rhode Island. BH&E incorporated this line in 1865 as its Woonsocket Division. That same year, Erie Railway interests gained partial control over BH&E’s board of directors.
By 1867, BH&E had leased the Norfolk County Railroad, restoring full service from Mechanicsville to Boston. The Southbridge branch also commenced operation in that year. Leasing the Norwich and Worcester Railroad (N&W) in 1869 provided BH&E with an alternate Boston route via N&W stretching from Plainfield northward to Mechanicsville. A direct connection between Willimantic and Mechanicsville opened in 1872, completing the continuous line to Boston with transfer points available at Willimantic.
Although BH&E leased the Dutchess and Columbia Railroad by 1869, it lost control in 1870 due to incomplete connecting track construction.
In 1872, the Long Island Rail Road introduced its Boston Express utilizing BH&E tracks from Norwich to Boston; this service was replaced around 1891 by the Long Island and Eastern States Express routed via Danbury.
The lease of the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad (NHM&W) in 1873 linked BH&E to New Haven but was relinquished following BH&E’s bankruptcy that same year. The company reorganized as the New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE) in 1873 but faced persistent land title disputes that delayed full operational control until the mid-1870s.
NY&NE’s $20 million common stock originated from "Berdell Bonds," involving intricate financial arrangements including a controversial assessment levied on bondholders. Despite these difficulties, NY&NE maintained its lease of N&W—a lucrative asset that enabled dividend payments on N&W shares.
In 1881, NY&NE extended its line westward from Waterbury to Hopewell Junction on the Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut Railroad (ND&C), thereby completing mainline connections from Boston and Providence to the Hudson River. A train ferry operated at Beacon facilitated car transfers to Erie’s Newburgh Branch. Portions of this route utilized abandoned roadbeds from previously failed railroads.
Also completed in 1881 was the New York, Westchester and Putnam Railway which connected New York City northward to NY&NE at Brewster—creating a through corridor between New York and Boston until NYW&P was absorbed by New York Central in 1894.
The inauguration of the Poughkeepsie Bridge in 1888 established a permanent Hudson River crossing north of Beacon’s ferry terminal. By 1892, the Central New England and Western Railroad constructed a connecting branch integrating Poughkeepsie Bridge traffic with NY&NE at Hopewell Junction.
A significant receivership event known as the "Midnight Receivership" occurred at the end of 1883 into early 1884 but was resolved by 1886.
During the mid-1880s, Cyrus W. Field became a prominent investor in NY&NE but divested his holdings after Massachusetts declined to sell state-owned stock due to concerns over his association with Jay Gould. This decision aligned with Governor Andrew’s broader policy of withdrawing state investments from railroads.
In 1887, Jabez A. Bostwick—a Standard Oil partner alongside John D. Rockefeller—assumed presidency of NY&NE. Given Rockefeller affiliates’ involvement on both NY&NE and rival New Haven boards, some analysts suggest this rivalry reflected Standard Oil’s strategic efforts to influence rail rates controlling much of southern New England’s freight business.
NY&NE declared its final bankruptcy on December 27, 1893; it reorganized as the New England Railroad on August 26, 1895. Beginning July 1, 1898, it was leased for ninety-nine years by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad at dividends near three percent. Full merger into New Haven was completed by 1908.
Market conditions included early acquisition of NY&NE shares by New Haven interests during reorganization phases; competing factions allied with Boston & Albany attempted control through inflated share purchases that necessitated costly intervention by New Haven.
NY&NE’s premier offering was its flagship train—the New England Limited, introduced in 1891 featuring Pullman luxury cars painted white and gold ("White Train"). This service epitomized speed and elegance between Boston and New York, gaining iconic status within regional rail history along with cultural recognition including literary tributes highlighting its market prominence during operation.
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad: 1898-1969
The NY & NE line's origins are closely linked to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad, which operated a main route beginning in Providence, Rhode Island, passing through Connecticut communities such as Plainfield, Willimantic, Vernon, Hartford, New Britain, Waterbury, Danbury, and terminating at Brewster, New York. During the late 1910s, certain Connecticut segments—including the stretches from Danbury to Hawleyville and from Waterbury to Bristol—were upgraded with double tracks. The Pequabuck Tunnel was constructed during this era and commenced operation in 1910.
Passenger services by NY, NH & H ran until 1955 on routes from Boston through Blackstone and Putnam to Willimantic and onward to Waterbury. Among these was the weekday limited-stop Nutmeg train. The last remaining passenger route on this corridor was between Hartford and Waterbury, which discontinued service in the 1960s.
As portions of the line were gradually abandoned over time, what had been primary NY&NE main routes were reduced to secondary branches. In 1965, Bristol, Connecticut invested $15 million to establish a new spur line—partially utilizing a segment of the former mainline preceding the Pequabuck Tunnel—to connect with a General Motors facility on Chippens Hill, thereby preserving local industrial rail service.
Branches
In addition to the principal lines diverging toward Boston and Providence at Willimantic, multiple branch and feeder lines enhanced regional rail access.
Dedham
The initial Boston line terminated at Dedham with a junction to the Boston and Providence Railroad. This Dedham branch was discontinued in 1883 following the construction of a new branch east of Dedham in 1881, which was later complemented by an additional southern connection in 1890.
Medway
The Medway Branch Railroad linked Norfolk to Medway, Massachusetts. Chartered in 1849 and commencing operations in 1852, it was immediately leased to the Norfolk County Railroad but ceased operations in 1864 after the New York and Boston Railroad extended its line into Medway.
Valley Falls
The Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad was established in 1875 and began service in 1877, connecting Franklin on the Boston main line with Valley Falls on the Providence and Worcester Railroad. The New York and New England Railroad took over this line under lease in 1887.
Milford/Hopkinton/Ashland
Incorporated in 1855, the Milford and Woonsocket Railroad opened its route from Milford to Bellingham in 1868 and was leased by the Providence and Worcester Railroad until 1883.
The Hopkinton Railway, established in 1870 and operational by 1872, ran northward from Milford through Hopkinton to connect with the Boston and Worcester Railroad at Ashland. This line was leased by Providence and Worcester until 1885. In 1884, Milford and Woonsocket acquired Hopkinton Railway operations, consolidating them under one management.
The Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad, formed in 1868 and opened in 1883, extended rail service southeastward from Milford to Franklin.
On April 1, 1897, all three companies were leased by the New England Railroad.
Today, a short stretch between Franklin and serves MBTA commuter trains on the Franklin/Foxboro Line; freight service remains active between Forge Park and Milford. The section between Milford and Ashland has been abandoned and is undergoing transformation into the Upper Charles Rail Trail. A portion completed in 2011 connects Interstate 495 to Hopkinton. In July 2020, state authorities allocated $50,000 for planning the Trolley Brook Trail—a rail-trail segment located in Ashland—initiating the first phase of a broader trail expansion project. These initiatives exemplify deliberate efforts to convert former rail corridors into community-oriented recreational spaces.
Woonsocket/Pascoag
The route stretching from Brookline, Massachusetts to Harrisville, Rhode Island originated as a rival to the NY&NE's Boston corridor. The first portion was inaugurated in 1852 under the Charles River Railroad, reaching Woonsocket, Rhode Island by 1863. Service was further extended in 1891 by the Woonsocket and Pascoag Railroad, linking to the Providence and Springfield Railroad at Harrisville. The NY&NE incorporated the Woonsocket line in 1873; subsequently, on April 1, 1896, the New England Railroad assumed lease operations for the segment beyond Woonsocket.
Providence and Springfield
Chartered in 1853, the Providence and Springfield Railroad commenced operations in 1873, running northwest from Providence, Rhode Island to Pascoag. In 1893, the line was extended to Douglas Junction on the NY&NE mainline in Massachusetts. This railroad was leased by the New England Railroad on July 1, 1896, becoming part of its growing regional system.
Southbridge
The Southbridge Branch, connecting East Thompson, Connecticut to Southbridge, Massachusetts, was included in the original charter of the Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad. Following consolidation efforts, it opened in 1867.
Pawtuxet Valley
Established in 1872, the Pawtuxet Valley Railroad began operations and was leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad by 1874. It ran between River Point and Hope. In 1884, it became part of the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad through a lease arrangement as an extension of their Pontiac Branch Railroad.
Norwich and Worcester
Formed in 1837 through merging the Connecticut-based Boston, Norwich and New London Railroad Company and Massachusetts’ Worcester and Norwich Railroad Company, the Norwich and Worcester Railroad constructed a line from Norwich, Connecticut (later known as New London) northward to Worcester, Massachusetts. This included engineering feats such as the prominent Taft Tunnel in Lisbon, CT. Neither predecessor had completed track before consolidation.
In 1869, this railroad entered a lease agreement with the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which persisted through subsequent reorganizations. It linked with Providence lines at Plainfield and connected Boston routes between Putnam and Mechanicsville. The New England Railroad renewed this lease in 1886 after acquiring it from Boston, Hartford and Erie.
Up until 1955, this line hosted the East Wind service traveling from New York to Bangor, Maine, offering a route that avoided Boston by passing through Norwich and Worcester.
New Haven
The New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad began operations in 1873 but was immediately leased to the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which declared bankruptcy that same year. Facing financial difficulties itself in 1875, NHM&W was eventually absorbed into the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad by 1879.
Rockville
Incorporated in 1857, the Rockville Railroad began operations in 1863 as a brief branch line extending from Vernon to Rockville, under lease to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad.
South Manchester
Established by charter in 1866, the South Manchester Railroad commenced service in 1869, running as a branch from Manchester down to South Manchester, also leased to the Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad.
Springfield
The Connecticut Central Railroad, chartered in 1871, along with its Massachusetts extension—the Springfield and New London Railroad (chartered 1874)—formed a route connecting East Hartford and Springfield. A branch linked this line to the Rockville Railroad at Westway. Opened in 1876, it was initially leased by the Connecticut Valley Railroad, before being transferred to the New York and New England Railroad in 1880.
Connecticut River
Created in 1888 through the merger of two smaller railroads, the Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad began operations between 1885 and 1888. This line connected Waterbury eastward to Cromwell along the Connecticut River and was leased by the New York and New England Railroad in 1892. Following bankruptcy and reorganization in 1898 as the Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad, it subsequently came under lease by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
Station listing
| State | Milepost | City | Station | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R.I. | Providence | Providence | Union Station, central hub for all Providence-area railroads | |
| Dike Street | connection with Providence and Springfield Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| interchange with New York, Providence and Boston Railroad (NYNH&H), Garfield Avenue/Cranston Street | ||||
| Cranston | West Providence | |||
| Cranston | ||||
| Warwick | Natick | |||
| West Warwick | River Point | junction with Pawtuxet Valley Railroad & Pontiac Branch Railroad (NYNH&H) | ||
| West Warwick | ||||
| Coventry | Quidnick | |||
| Anthony | ||||
| Washington | ||||
| Coventry | ||||
| Summit | ||||
| Greene | ||||
| Conn. | Sterling | Oneco | ||
| Sterling | ||||
| Plainfield | Moosup | |||
| Plainfield | connection with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| Canterbury | ||||
| Lisbon | ||||
| Sprague | Versailles | |||
| Baltic | ||||
| Scotland | ||||
| Windham | South Windham | |||
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Willimantic |
interchange with New London Northern Railroad (Grand Trunk Railway) and NY&NE Boston line; also connects to Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (NYNH&H) | |||
| Andover | ||||
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Bolton | ||||
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Vernon |
junction with Rockville Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
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Manchester |
connection with South Manchester Railroad (NY&NE) | ||
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Buckland |
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Burnside |
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East Hartford |
junction with Connecticut Central Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| key junction for Hartford and New Haven Railroad, Central New England Railway, and Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad (all NYNH&H) | ||||
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connection with Hartford and New Haven Railroad (NYNH&H) | |||
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Newington |
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New Britain |
junction with New Britain and Middletown Railroad (NYNH&H) | |||
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Plainville |
interchange with New Haven and Northampton Company (NYNH&H) | |||
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Bristol |
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Terryville |
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| connection point for Naugatuck Railroad and Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad (both NYNH&H) | ||||
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Towantic |
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Oxford |
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Southbury |
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South Britain |
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Sandy Hook |
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Hawleyville |
junction with both Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad and Housatonic Railroad (NYNH&H) | |||
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Brookfield |
Berkshire Junction |
connection with New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad (NYNH&H) | ||
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interchange with both New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad and Danbury and Norwalk Railroad (both NYNH&H) | |||
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Brewster |
Brewster |
junction with NYC's New York and Putnam & Harlem Railroads | |
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Towner's |
Towners |
bridge crossing NYC's New York and Harlem Railroad | ||
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Hopewell Junction |
Hopewell Junction |
connection point for NYNH&H's Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut & Dutchess County Railroads |
Boston line
For details on stations located between Boston and , refer to Fairmount Line. Stations situated between Dedham and are covered under Norfolk County Railroad.
| State | Milepost | City | Station | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass. | Douglas | East Douglas | ||
| Douglas | ||||
| Douglas Junction | not a stop connects with Providence and Springfield Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| Conn. | Thompson | East Thompson | branch point for Southbridge Branch | |
| Thompson | ||||
| Mechanicsville | no station here original interchange with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE) | |||
| Putnam | Putnam | interchange with Norwich and Worcester Railroad (NY&NE) | ||
| Pomfret | Pomfret | |||
| Abington | ||||
| Elliott | ||||
| Hampton | Hampton | |||
| Clarks Corner | ||||
| Windham | North Windham | |||
| Willimantic | interchange with New London Northern Railroad (GT), NY&NE route to Providence, and Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (NYNH&H) |
Modern-day usage
Over the last ten years, investments have enabled the transformation of former rail corridors into recreational trails. By January 2014, sections eastward from Garfield Avenue/Cranston Street near Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, through West Warwick (the site of the former Riverpoint/Hope Railway spur), extending to Coventry, have been developed into roughly 14.2 miles of uninterrupted paved pathway.
See also
References
External links
- Edward Appleton, Massachusetts Railway Commissioner, History of the Railways of Massachusetts (1871)
- Philip C. Blakeslee, A Brief History Lines West Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. (1953)
- Edited by Richard M. Bayles, History of Providence County, Rhode Island (1891)
- Dorchester Atheneum: Midland Railroad
- PRR Chronology
- Turner, Gregg M. The New York and New England Railroad, (2021)
- New York and New England Railroad
- Predecessors of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
- Defunct Connecticut railroads
- Defunct Massachusetts railroads
- Defunct New York (state) railroads
- Defunct Rhode Island railroads
- Railway companies established in 1873
- Railway companies disestablished in 1895
- American companies established in 1847
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment