Union Freight Railroad

Union Freight Railroad
Company type	Freight railroad
Industry	Rail transportation
Founded	1872
Defunct	1970
Fate	Railroad activities ceased
Headquarters	Boston, United States
Parent	New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (from 1953 to closure)

The Union Freight Railroad functioned exclusively as a freight line, serving as a connector between railroads located on the northern and southern edges of downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Its route primarily followed Atlantic Avenue and Commercial Street, running beneath the passenger-oriented Atlantic Avenue Elevated structure.

Original configuration

Established in 1872, this railroad linked previously independent railroads that operated separate tracks and terminals before the construction of the current union stations at North Station and South Station. At inception, only four key connections were created.

The initial link connected to the Old Colony Railroad, which served areas including Quincy and beyond. This line crossed the Fort Point Channel just west of the Northern Avenue Bridge, terminating with both passenger and freight facilities located southwest of what is now South Station. The Union Freight Railroad diverged between this bridge and those terminals, proceeding northeast toward Federal Street, then turning north toward Dewey Square, near the vicinity of South Station.

Approximately one-third of the distance between Essex Street and Dewey Square, a track from the New York and New England Railroad—currently part of the Fairmount Line—joined the route. This line traversed into South Boston over Fort Point Channel and returned near today's Summer Street Bridge, with passenger and freight terminals positioned east of Dewey Square and within South Boston respectively. The Union Freight Railroad's connection branched southward from this line shortly after crossing Fort Point Channel, heading west to converge with the main line along Federal Street.

Continuing northward from Dewey Square, the railroad followed Atlantic Avenue, facilitating multiple connections to various markets and docks along Boston Harbor. On the eastern side of the North End, it transitioned onto Commercial Street, then turned westward along Causeway Street.

Between Beverly Street and Haverhill Street, the track curved northward between the Fitchburg Railroad’s passenger terminal and the northern freight house of the Boston and Maine Railroad, approximately situated between today’s North Station and the Central Artery. Here, it divided into two branches: one connecting with the Fitchburg Railroad, and the other joining the Boston and Maine Railroad.

It is important to note that no links were established with the Boston and Albany Railroad—which terminated near present-day South Station—the Boston and Providence Railroad ending in Park Square, nor with either the Eastern Railroad or the Boston and Lowell Railroad, both concluding near North Station. Additionally, both Boston and Albany as well as Eastern Railroads operated routes to East Boston across Boston Harbor.

New union stations

The original iteration of North Station opened in 1894 west of the former northern freight house of the Boston and Maine Railroad. This development preserved existing connections while introducing a new link between the Union Freight Railroad and the Fitchburg Railroad. The track extended westward along Causeway Street to Lowell Street, where it merged with the original alignment of the Boston and Lowell Railroad and its Charles River bridge. Over time, this arrangement was simplified to retain only the original connection to the Boston and Maine Railroad alongside this new western connection.

South Station was inaugurated in 1899, reorganizing routes for the Boston and Providence Railroad and New York and New England Railroad alongside those for Boston and Albany Railroad and Old Colony Railroad. The previous link between Union Freight Railroad and New York and New England Railroad was removed during this process. With Federal Street eliminated to accommodate the new station, Union Freight Railroad’s alignment shifted onto Atlantic Avenue south of Dewey Square. At Kneeland Street, Atlantic Avenue formed an S-shaped curve westward, while Union Freight Railroad maintained a straight path along Atlantic Avenue’s eastern side before merging with the combined Boston and Albany Railroad and Boston and Providence Railroad after passing beneath the Atlantic Avenue Viaduct. No direct connections were provided to either Old Colony Railroad or New York and New England Railroad at this stage.

Locomotives

From its inception until 1953, the UFRR retained ownership of its locomotives; following that period and continuing until its closure in 1970, all locomotives were leased from its parent company, the New Haven Railroad.

Number	Manufacturer	Configuration	Year Built	Year Retired	Remarks
1 (first)	Schenectady Locomotive Works	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1872	1923	Initially named Edward Thompson, renamed to City of Boston in 1907.
2 (first)	Schenectady Locomotive Works	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1873	1924
3 (first)	Schenectady Locomotive Works	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1874	1925
4 (first)	Schenectady Locomotive Works	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1874	1928
5 (first)	Schenectady Locomotive Works	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1870	1906	Originally constructed for the South Side Railroad of Long Island, acquired by UFRR in 1878.
5 (second)	ALCO	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1907	1923
6	ALCO	0-4-0 T steam dummy	1914	1923
7	Climax Locomotive Works	Class C Climax	1922	1946	Enclosed within a boxcab-style body.
8	Climax Locomotive Works	Class C Climax	1923	1946	Enclosed within a boxcab-style body.
9	Climax Locomotive Works	Class C Climax	1924	1946	Enclosed within a boxcab-style body.
10	Climax Locomotive Works	Class C Climax	1928	1946	Enclosed within a boxcab-style body.
1 (second)	GE Transportation	GE 44-ton switcher	1946	1953	Equipped for multiple-unit control; sold to Dolese & Shepard Co.
GE Transportation	GE 44-ton switcher	1946	1953	Equipped for multiple-unit control; sold to Vulcan Materials Company.
GE Transportation	GE 44-ton switcher	1946	1953
GE Transportation	GE 44-ton switcher	1946	1953
GE Transportation	GE 44-ton switcher	1946	1953	Transferred to Vulcan Materials Company.
American Locomotive Company	S2 switcher	1943	1970	Leased from New Haven Railroad between 1953 and closure.
American Locomotive Company	S2 switcher	1943	1970	Leased from New Haven Railroad between 1953 and closure.

In November of 1924, the ALCO prototype boxcab #8835 was trialed but ultimately not acquired by UFRR.

Later years

The affiliation with the New Haven Railroad terminated on September 9, 1969, with all remaining railroad activities concluding by March 5, 1970.

References

Edson, William D. Railroad Names: A Directory of Common Carrier Railroads Operating in the United States 1826-1997. Fourth edition. Potomac, MD: William D. Edson, 1999.