List of Massachusetts railroads

Last updated

A 1911 map showing approximately the maximum extent of Massachusetts railroads 1911 Massachusetts railroad map (14574205009).jpg
A 1911 map showing approximately the maximum extent of Massachusetts railroads

The following railroads operate in the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

Contents

Common freight carriers

Passenger carriers

Defunct railroads

Name Mark System [nb 1] FromToSuccessorNotes
Agricultural Branch Railroad NH 18471867 Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad
Albany Street Freight Railway 1868N/A
Amherst and Belchertown Railroad CN 18511858 Amherst, Belchertown and Palmer Railroad
Amherst, Belchertown and Palmer Railroad CN 18581861 New London Northern Railroad
Andover and Haverhill Railroad B&M 18371839 Boston and Portland Railroad
Andover and Wilmington Railroad B&M 18331837 Andover and Haverhill Railroad
Asbury Grove Railroad B&M 18701870 Eastern Railroad
Ashburnham Railroad B&M 18711885 Fitchburg Railroad
Athol and Enfield Railroad NYC 18691873 Springfield, Athol and North-eastern Railroad
Barre and Worcester Railroad B&M 18471849 Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad
Bellingham Branch Railroad NH 18521853 New York and Boston Railroad
Berkshire Railroad NH 18371910 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Billerica and Bedford Railroad B&M 18761878 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Boston and Albany Railroad B&A NYC 18671961 New York Central Railroad
Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad B&M 18491885 Fitchburg Railroad
Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad NH 18671876 Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad
Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad NH 18731883 Old Colony Railroad
Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad NH 18631874 New York and New England Railroad
Boston, Hingham and Hull Railroad NH 18801881 Nantasket Beach Railroad
Boston and Lowell Railroad B&M 18301919 Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Corporation BMB&M1963Still exists as a lessor of Pan Am Railways operating subsidiary Springfield Terminal Railway
Boston and Maine Railroad B&M, BMB&M18411964 Boston and Maine Corporation
Boston and Maine Railroad Extension Company B&M 18441845 Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and New York Central Railroad NH 18531858 Midland Railroad
Boston and Portland Railroad B&M 18391841 Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Providence Railroad NH 18311972 Penn Central Transportation Company
Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad 18741940N/A
Boston Terminal Company BTCO NH 18961965N/A
Boston and Winthrop Railroad 18811883 Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad
Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad 18761883 Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad
Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad 18831891 Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad
Boston and Worcester Railroad NYC 18311867 Boston and Albany Railroad
Brookline and Pepperell Railroad B&M 18911895 Fitchburg Railroad
Cape Ann Granite Railroad 1894
Cape Cod Railroad NH 18541872 Old Colony Railroad
Cape Cod Branch Railroad NH 18461854 Cape Cod Railroad
Cape Cod Central Railroad NH 18611868 Cape Cod Railroad
Central Massachusetts Railroad B&M 18831901 Boston and Maine Railroad
Central New England Railway CNE NH 18991938N/A
Central Vermont Railroad CN 18731899 Central Vermont Railway
Central Vermont Railway CV CN 18991995 New England Central Railroad
Charles River Railroad NH 18511855 New York and Boston Railroad
Charles River Branch Railroad NH 18491853 Charles River Railroad
Charlestown Branch Railroad B&M 18361846 Fitchburg Railroad
Chatham Railroad NH 18871937N/A
Chelsea Beach Railroad B&M 18811892 Boston and Maine Railroad
Chelsea Branch Railroad NYC 18461847 Grand Junction Railroad and Depot Company
Cheshire Railroad B&M 18461890 Fitchburg Railroad
Chester and Becket Railroad NYC 18961931N/A
Commercial Freight Railway NH 18661867 Marginal Freight Railway
Concord Railroad B&M 18561890 Concord and Montreal Railroad
Concord and Montreal Railroad B&M 18901895 Boston and Maine Corporation
Connecticut Central Railroad NH 18761887 New York and New England Railroad
Connecticut River Railroad B&M 18451919 Boston and Maine Railroad
Connecticut Valley Railroad NH 18761876 Connecticut Central Railroad
Consolidated Rail Corporation CR19761999 CSX Transportation
Danvers Railroad B&M 18521906 Boston and Maine Railroad
Danvers and Georgetown Railroad B&M 18511855 Newburyport Railroad
Deerfield River Company 18831888 Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington Railroad
Dighton and Somerset Railroad NH 18631865 Old Colony and Newport Railway
Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad NH 18461885 Old Colony Railroad
Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad NH 18671878 Old Colony Railroad
East Boston Freight Railroad NYC 18621869 Boston and Albany Railroad
Eastern Railroad B&M 18361890 Boston and Maine Railroad
Eastern Junction, Broad Sound Pier and Point Shirley Railroad 18801883 Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad
Easton Branch Railroad NH 18541871 Old Colony and Newport Railway
Essex Railroad B&M 18461864 Eastern Railroad
Essex Branch Railroad B&M 18691872 Eastern Railroad
Fairhaven Branch Railroad NH 18491861 New Bedford and Taunton Railroad
Fall River Railroad (1846) NH 18461854 Old Colony and Fall River Railroad
Fall River Railroad (1874) NH 18741896 Old Colony Railroad
Fall River Branch Railroad NH 18441845 Fall River Railroad (1846)
Fall River and Warren Railroad NH 18571862 Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad
Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad NH 18621892 Old Colony Railroad
Fitchburg Railroad B&M 18421919 Boston and Maine Railroad
Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad NH 18461869 Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad
Fore River Railroad FOR1919Still exists as a lessor of the Fore River Transportation Corporation
Fore River Railway FRY19861992 Quincy Bay Terminal Company
Foxborough Branch Railroad NH 18621867 Mansfield and Framingham Railroad
Framingham and Lowell Railroad NH 18701881 Lowell and Framingham Railroad
Georgetown Branch Railroad B&M 18441846 Newburyport Railroad
Grafton Centre Railroad 18731888 Grafton and Upton Railroad
Grand Junction Railroad and Depot Company NYC 18471862 East Boston Freight Railroad
Granite Railway NH 18261870 Old Colony and Newport Railway
Greenfield and Fitchburg Railroad B&M 18481848 Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad
Greenfield and Northampton Railroad B&M 18451845 Connecticut River Railroad
Hampden Railroad NH 18521853 Hampshire and Hampden Railroad
Hampshire and Hampden Railroad NH 18531862 New Haven and Northampton Company
Hanover Branch Railroad NH 18461887 Old Colony Railroad
Hartford and Connecticut Western Railroad NH 18891938N/A
Hartford and New Haven Railroad NH 18471872 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Hartford and Springfield Railroad NH 18391847 Hartford and New Haven Railroad
Harvard Branch Railroad 18481855N/A
Holyoke and Westfield Railroad NH 18691976 Consolidated Rail Corporation
Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington Railroad HTW18861971N/A
Hopkinton Railroad NH 18701884 Milford and Woonsocket Railroad
Hopkinton Branch Railroad NH 18691870 Hopkinton Railroad
Hopkinton and Milford Railroad NH 18671870 Hopkinton Railroad
Horn Pond Branch Railroad B&M 18521929
Housatonic Railroad 18421892 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Hull and Nantasket Beach Railroad NH 18801881 Nantasket Beach Railroad
Lancaster and Sterling Branch Railroad B&M 18461846 Fitchburg Railroad
Lexington and Arlington Railroad B&M 18671870 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad B&M 18451867 Lexington and Arlington Railroad
Lowell and Andover Railroad B&M 18731919 Boston and Maine Railroad
Lowell and Andover Railroad B&M 18461848 Lowell and Lawrence Railroad
Lowell and Framingham Railroad NH 18811886 Old Colony Railroad
Lowell and Lawrence Railroad B&M 18481879 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Manchester and Lawrence Railroad B&M 18461856 Concord Railroad
Mansfield and Framingham Railroad NH 18671875 Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad
Marblehead and Lynn Railroad B&M 18651872 Eastern Railroad
Marginal Freight Railway NH 18671872 Union Freight Railroad
Marlborough Branch Railroad B&M 18521860 Marlborough and Feltonville Branch Railroad
Marlborough and Feltonville Branch Railroad B&M 18581862 Fitchburg Railroad
Martha's Vineyard Railroad 18741892N/A
Massachusetts Central Railroad B&M 18691883 Central Massachusetts Railroad
Medford Branch Railroad B&M 18451845 Boston and Maine Railroad Extension Company
Medway Branch Railroad NH 18491864 Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
Middleborough Railroad NH 18451845 Fall River Railroad (1846)
Middleborough and Taunton Railroad NH 18531874 Old Colony Railroad
Middlesex Central Railroad B&M 18711883 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Midland Railroad NH 18581862 Midland Land Damage Company
Midland Railroad NH 18501853 Boston and New York Central Railroad
Midland Land Damage Company NH 18611863 Southern Midland Railroad
Milford, Franklin and Providence Railroad NH 18821910 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Milford and Woonsocket Railroad NH 18551910 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Monadnock Railroad B&M 18691892 Fitchburg Railroad
Mount Tom and Easthampton Railroad B&M 18711872 Connecticut River Railroad
Mystic River Railroad B&M 18531871 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Nantasket Beach Railroad NH 18801906 Old Colony Railroad
Nantucket Railroad 19101917N/A
Nantucket Railroad 18801894 Nantucket Central Railroad
Nantucket Central Railroad 18951910 Nantucket Railroad
Nashua and Acton Railroad B&M 19071925N/A
Nashua, Acton and Boston Railroad B&M 18711906 Nashua and Acton Railroad
Nashua and Lowell Railroad B&M 18361944 Boston and Maine Railroad
New Bedford Railroad NH 18731876 Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad
New Bedford and Taunton Railroad NH 18391873 New Bedford Railroad
New England Railroad NH 18951908 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New Haven and Northampton Company NH 18621910 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New London Northern Railroad CN 18601951 Central Vermont Railway
New London, Willimantic and Palmer Railroad CN 18481861 New London Northern Railroad
New York and Boston Railroad NH 18531865 Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
New York Central Railroad NYCNYC19141968 Penn Central Transportation Company
New York Central and Hudson River Railroad NYC 19001914 New York Central Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad NYC 18311976N/AWas located in present-day New York; the boundary was moved in 1855
New York and New England Railroad NH 18731895 New England Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad NHNH18721969 Penn Central Transportation Company
Newburyport Railroad B&M 18461906 Boston and Maine Railroad
Newburyport City Railroad B&M 18691893 Boston and Maine Railroad
Newport and Fall River Railroad NH 18461863 Old Colony and Newport Railway
Norfolk County Railroad NH 18471853 Boston and New York Central Railroad
North Brookfield Railroad NYC 18751976 Consolidated Rail Corporation Plans to rebuild and reopen 2012 [1]
Northampton and Springfield Railroad B&M 18421845 Connecticut River Railroad
Northampton and Westfield Railroad NH 18521853 Hampshire and Hampden Railroad
Norwich and Worcester Railroad NH 18361976 Consolidated Rail Corporation
Ocean Terminal Railroad B&M 18791887 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Old Colony Railroad NH 18721947 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Old Colony Railroad NH 18441854 Old Colony and Fall River Railroad
Old Colony Railroad NH 18381839 New Bedford and Taunton Railroad
Old Colony and Fall River Railroad NH 18541863 Old Colony and Newport Railway
Old Colony and Newport Railway NH 18631872 Old Colony Railroad
Penn Central Transportation Company PC19681976 Consolidated Rail Corporation
Peterborough and Shirley Railroad B&M 18451860 Fitchburg Railroad
Pittsfield and North Adams Railroad NYC 18421961 New York Central Railroad
Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad NH 18901911 Old Colony Railroad
Plymouth and Vineyard Sound Railroad NH 18681871 Cape Cod Railroad
Providence and Bristol Railroad NH 18511853 Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad
Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad NH 18531862N/AWas located in present-day Rhode Island; the boundary was moved in 1862
Providence, Webster and Springfield Railroad NYC 18821958N/A
Quincy Bay Terminal Company QBT19922001 Fore River Transportation Corporation
Randolph and Bridgewater Railroad NH 18451845 Fall River Railroad (1846)
Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad NH 18761910 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Rockport Railroad B&M 18601868 Eastern Railroad
Salem and Lowell Railroad B&M 18481879 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Salisbury Branch Railroad B&M 18441846 Eastern Railroad
Saugus Branch Railroad B&M 18481853 Eastern Railroad
Seekonk Branch Railroad NH 18361839 Boston and Providence Railroad Was located in present-day Rhode Island; the boundary was moved in 1862
Shawmut Railroad NH 18701871 Old Colony and Newport Railway
South Reading Branch Railroad B&M 18481892 Boston and Maine Railroad
South Shore Railroad NH 18461877 Old Colony Railroad
Southbridge and Blackstone Railroad NH 18491853 Boston and New York Central Railroad
Southern Midland Railroad NH 18631863 Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
Spencer Railroad NYC 18781889 Boston and Albany Railroad
Springfield, Athol and North-eastern Railroad NYC 18731879 Springfield and North-eastern Railroad
Springfield and New London Railroad NH 18751887 New York and New England Railroad
Springfield and North-eastern Railroad NYC 18781880 Boston and Albany Railroad
Stockbridge and Pittsfield Railroad NH 18471905 Berkshire Railroad
Stoneham Branch Railroad B&M 18591870 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Stony Brook Railroad B&M 1845
Stoughton Branch Railroad NH 18441873 Boston and Providence Railroad
Taunton Branch Railroad NH 18351874 New Bedford Railroad
Taunton and Middleborough Railroad NH 18481853 Middleborough and Taunton Railroad
Troy and Boston Railroad B&M 18561887 Fitchburg Railroad
Troy and Greenfield Railroad B&M 18481862 Fitchburg Railroad
Turner's Falls Branch Railroad B&M 18661869 Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad
Union Railroad NYC 18481854 Grand Junction Railroad and Depot Company
Union Freight Railroad NH 18721969N/A
Fall River Railroad (1846) NH 18451846 Fall River Railroad
Vermont Central Railroad CN 18711873 Central Vermont Railroad
Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad B&M 1844
Vineyard Sound Railroad NH 18611868 Plymouth and Vineyard Sound Railroad
Walpole Railroad NH 18461847 Norfolk County Railroad
Waltham and Watertown Branch Railroad B&M 18491851 Fitchburg Railroad
Ware River Railroad NYC 18671961 New York Central Railroad
Watertown Branch Railroad B&M 18461846 Fitchburg Railroad
Wayland and Sudbury Branch Railroad B&M 18681869 Massachusetts Central Railroad
Weir Branch Railroad NH 18471848 New Bedford and Taunton Railroad
West Amesbury Branch Railroad B&M 18681893 Boston and Maine Railroad
West Stockbridge Railroad NH 18361905 Berkshire Railroad
Western Railroad NYC 18331867 Boston and Albany Railroad
Winchendon Railroad B&M 18451846 Cheshire Railroad
Woburn Branch Railroad B&M 18441844 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Woburn Branch Extension Railroad B&M 18471848 Boston and Lowell Railroad
Worcester Branch Railroad B&M 18411847 Worcester and Nashua Railroad
Worcester and Nashua Railroad B&M 18451883 Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad
Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad B&M 18831911 Boston and Maine Railroad
Worcester and Norwich Railroad NH 18331836 Norwich and Worcester Railroad
Worcester and Shrewsbury Railroad 1873
Street and other electric railways
Private carriers
Not completed

Notes

  1. This is one or more of the Class I railroads that the railroad became part of, if any.

See also

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References

  1. North Brookfield Seeks Freight Rail Revival, Worcester Business Journal Online, 9/26/2011