New York, Providence and Boston Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1832 |
| Defunct | 1893 |
| Fate | Leased by New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad |
| Headquarters | Providence , United States |
Area served | Rhode Island, Connecticut |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The New York, Providence and Boston Railroad, commonly referred to as the Stonington Line due to its western endpoint, served as a rail connection between Providence, Rhode Island and Stonington, Connecticut. Established by charter in 1832 and commencing operations in 1837, its primary goal was to facilitate travel from Providence to New York City using steamboat connections at Stonington. In 1893, the line was leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and is currently incorporated into Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor.
History
Prior to the establishment of the NYP&B, journeys between New York City and Boston involved navigating challenging waters near Point Judith, Rhode Island to access the Boston and Providence Railroad in Providence. The B&P initiated steamer services linking Providence and New York in 1835.
Both the New York and Stonington Railroad in Connecticut and the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad in Rhode Island received their charters in 1832 before merging in 1833. Construction began in 1833 at Stonington under the subsidiary Providence and Stonington Railroad. By 1837, the route was operational between Stonington and a pier close to South Providence, enabling connections to steamboats traveling through Long Island Sound to New York and later linking with the Long Island Rail Road at Greenport, NY. At Providence, a car float provided transfer facilities to the Boston and Providence Railroad docks located at India Point for onward travel toward Boston.
Steamboat operations from New York to Stonington started in 1837 under the Boston and New York Transportation Company, which was soon replaced by the New Jersey Steam Navigation Company. A tragic incident occurred in 1840 when the steamer Lexington caught fire, resulting in significant casualties.
In 1848, NYP&B extended its line directly into Union Station in Providence, creating seamless connections with both the Providence and Worcester Railroad and the main Boston and Providence line. This development allowed continuous rail travel from Stonington all the way to Boston and Worcester. The former B&P route remained active as a branch line catering to freight movement and passenger transfers between steamships and railways. The transportation of raw cotton heading north to New England mills alongside finished products moving south maintained strong demand until the economic downturn of the Great Depression.
On November 1, 1859, NYP&B leased the New Haven, New London and Stonington Railroad, thereby extending its service reach from Providence to New Haven, Connecticut. However, this extension required two ferry crossings: one over the Thames River at New London and another across the Connecticut River. The steamboat terminal connecting with the Long Island Rail Road was relocated to Groton on the eastern bank of the Thames River. In 1864, NYP&B acquired ownership of part of this line east of Groton; remaining sections were leased by the New York and New Haven Railroad in 1870.
During the 1860s, steamship service between New York and Stonington was operated by the Merchants' Steamship Company, which eventually ceased operations following substantial losses caused by vessel accidents.
In 1868, NYP&B revitalized its maritime services by establishing the subsidiary Stonington Steamship Company, which operated steamers such as Stonington, Narragansett, and later Rhode Island. The company merged with the Providence and New York Steamship Company in 1875 to form the Providence and Stonington Steamship Company, concentrating on freight transportation between ports. The fleet expanded with new vessels including Massachusetts. A fatal collision occurred in 1880 when Narragansett caught fire; subsequent maritime incidents led to replacement of vessels.
The completion of a bridge over the Thames River in 1889 linked previously disconnected rail segments, establishing a continuous all-rail Shore Line route. Concurrently, steamship operations modernized with new propeller-driven vessels introduced by 1892.
In 1892, ownership of NYP&B transferred to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, which fully merged it into their system by early 1893. The New Haven Railroad discontinued steamship service between New York and Stonington around 1900; however, a subsidiary maintained service between New York and Providence until 1937.
The original eastern rail approach line leading to Stonington docks was abandoned in 1914.
Following subsequent corporate changes—including Penn Central's acquisition of NYNH&H in 1969, its bankruptcy filing in 1970, and Conrail's creation in 1976—the former NYP&B main line was sold to Amtrak (in Connecticut) and Rhode Island authorities. Today, this corridor supports Amtrak's high-speed Acela Express trains as well as Northeast Regional services. Additionally, the MBTA extended its Providence/Stoughton Line along this route reaching T.F. Green Airport by 2010 and Wickford Junction by 2012, with plans proposed for further expansion toward Kingston station.
Branches
- Groton
- After the 1889 inauguration of the bridge spanning the Thames River to New London, Connecticut, the former dock line was preserved as a branch.
- Westerly Granite Quarry
- The Westerly Granite Quarry Proprietor's Railroad located in Westerly, Rhode Island was a brief branch line managed by NYP&B.
- Wood River
- Established in 1874, the Wood River Branch Railroad extended from Richmond Switch to Hope Valley and operated independently.
- Narragansett Pier
- This branch, inaugurated in 1876 between Kingston and Narragansett Pier, was owned and run by the Hazard Family to serve textile manufacturing facilities.
- Wickford
- The Newport and Wickford Railroad and Steamboat Company, a branch stretching east from Wickford Junction to Wickford, Rhode Island, linked via steamship across Narragansett Bay to Newport. Opened in 1874, it was operated by NYP&B.
- Pontiac/Hope
- The Pontiac Branch Railroad, launched in the late 1870s, was leased by NYP&B in 1880 and acquired outright in 1885, connecting Auburn, Rhode Island southwestward to Pontiac. The Pawtuxet Valley Railroad, opened in 1874 as a leased branch from River Point to Hope, transferred its lease to NYP&B in 1884. A link was constructed between the Pontiac Branch and River Point.
- Warwick
- Opened in 1875 from Auburn heading southeast to Warwick, the Warwick Railroad became the Rhode Island Central Railroad in 1879 and eventually integrated into a street railway system. It was purchased by Providence and Worcester in 1982 but ceased operations following the closure of its final customer.
- South Providence
- Despite the introduction of a new downtown route in 1848, the original main line leading to docks south of central Providence, Rhode Island was maintained. Currently under the ownership of Providence and Worcester, this line regularly transports ethanol produced in the Midwest to Motiva Enterprises’ facility on the Providence waterfront for local distribution and maritime shipment. Additionally, it handles coal imports arriving at the Port of Providence destined for power plants throughout New England and Upstate New York.
See also
References
- George W. Hilton, The Night Boat. Berkeley, Calif.: Howell-North Books, 1968
- PRR Chronology
- Edited by Richard M. Bayles, History of Providence County, Rhode Island (1891)