Railways not operated
These are projects which failed completely, receiving no revenue traffic.
Australia
- Queensland Railways, Cooktown to Laura Railway Maytown Extension - line to Maytown goldfield, including Laura River Bridge, saw test train only 1888. The goldfield output was already failing.
Belgium
- Charleroi Metro, Chatelet line - line from Waterloo to Leopold constructed in the 1980s. Completed and track laid to Centenaire but never opened.
Canada
- Newfoundland
- Newfoundland Railway - branch lines from Northern Bight to Terranceville and from Deer Lake to Bonne Bay were abandoned uncompleted at the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. [1]
- Nova Scotia
- Blomidon Railway - began work to build a line from Wolfville to Cape Split in 1911, but ceased on the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. [2]
- Chignecto Ship Railway - a portage railway was begun across the Isthmus of Chignecto in 1888, in lieu of a ship canal. Ships were to be pulled along it in cradles. The work was abandoned uncompleted in 1891.
- Ontario
- Brockville and New York Bridge - this major project for a bridge over the Saint Lawrence River between Brockville and Morristown, New York, saw some construction in 1895-6, but little was achieved. [3]
- Toronto Eastern Railway - construction began in 1910 for an electric railway from a connection with the Scarborough branch of the Toronto and York Radial Railway to Bowmanville and Cobourg. Whitby to Bowmanville was finished in 1913, but not opened. Pickering to Whitby was finished in 1923, then the whole project was abandoned in 1924 with only test trains having been run.
Eritrea
- Eritrean Railway, Teseney Line - extension from Bishia to Teseney begun 1932 was never finished, although later projected to Kassala, Sudan in 1940 after that area was briefly occupied by the Italians.
France
- Chemin de Fer Grand-Central de France - Ligne transcévenole. [4] Begun 1911 to connect Le-Puy-en-Velay with Lalevade-d'Ardèche, ROW completed minus tracks to Monastier-sur-Gazeille in 1939 when war broke out, formal abandonment 1941.
- Chemins de fer de la Corse - see also: List of stations in Corsica
- Caldaniccia [5] - Propriano.
- Porto-Vecchio - Bonifacio.
- Chemins de fer de l'Est - Col de Bussang Line had approximately 50% of an 8,287 m tunnel completed, work abandoned 1935. [6]
- Chemin de fer de Lyon à Genève - line from Tenay to Hauteville-Lompnes [7] Begun 1909, ROW almost completed, rails partially laid, inauguration train only when abandoned owing to lack of funds 1936.
- Chemins de fer du Midi :
- Line from Beaumont-de-Lomagne to Gimont [8] was begun in 1904, but work stopped just before completion in 1930 and it was never operated.
- Line from Foix to Quillan was first proposed in 1884 from a junction at Gare de Saint-Paul-Saint-Antoine south of Foix. Work began in 1922 on the portion from there to Bélesta via Lavelanet, but was abandoned uncompleted in 1926. The line on to Quillan was not started. [9]
- Line from Gabarret to Eauze via Castéra-Verduzan was abandoned when almost completed in 1934. [10]
- Line from Hagetmau to Pau [11] was begun in 1910, but work was abandoned in 1938.
- Line from Saint-Girons to Oust [12] was begun in 1881 as part of a scheme to build a railway over the Pyrenees to Lleida in Spain with a tunnel under the Port de Salau. Oust was intended as the customs post on the French side. The scheme received final approval in 1907, and the works to Oust completed in 1920. However, rails were only laid to Lacourt to serve a quarry by 1927. From Oust to the site of the tunnel's north portal no actual work was done, although land was purchased. The project was only completely abandoned in 1954.
- The line from Auch to Lannemezan was authorised following a government report of 1909 [13] and is shown as a proposed line in a map of the lines of the Chemins de fer du Midi on the wall of the booking hall of the station Bordeaux-Saint-Jean. Constructed between the two world wars, the line was nearly complete in 1941 but was then declassified and abandoned [14] ·. [15] Three tunnels, [16] the abutments of the viaduct of Larroque and some other bridges [17] still remain.
- Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée - line from Chorges to Barcelonnette [18] was begun in 1909, but abandoned in 1935 despite major engineering works having been entered into. Stations at Le Sauze, Ubaye, Le Lauzet, Le Martinet, Revel-Méolans, Thuiles and Barcelonnette. The last-named town was one of few in France which never had a railway. Much of the route has been drowned by a reservoir.
- Chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans - line from Cahors to Moissac was under construction between 1879 and 1934, but never finished. [19]
Greece
- Kalambaka - Kozani - Veria line (197 km): normal gauge line begun 1927 and abandoned 1932. Completion of 63 km, partial completion of 48 km. Stations completed: Mourgani (demolished), Oxynia, Xiropotamos, Aghiofyllo, Karpero, Karvounis, Mikro, Kalochi, Mikroklisoura, Pasagefyri, Siatista (demolished), Xirolimni (demolished), Vatero (demolished), Asomata. 20 tunnels were completed. Work abandoned owing to 1930's crisis.
- Thessaloniki to Tsagezi Line - less than 5% of about 150 km completed, work abandoned owing to World War II (1940).
Ireland
- Bray and Enniskerry Railway - An electric railway was begun between Bray, County Wicklow and Enniskerry in 1900, and almost completed before being abandoned in 1910. [20]
Italy
Because much of the Italian railway network was promoted and paid for by government authority, the abandonment of uncompleted lines often had a political dimension.
- Emilia-Romagna:
- Ferrovia Modena–Pavullo [21] -narrow gauge line begun 1914 and abandoned 1938. Stations built at Serramazzoni and Pavullo nel Frignano. Work stopped at the latter place, but the original intention was to go on to Formigine.
- Ferrovia Rolo-Mirandola [22] - under construction from 1922 to 1935. Ran from Rolo to Mirandola, with stations at Novi di Modena, Moglia, Concordia sulla Secchia and San Possidonio. Part of the formation was taken for a new station at Mirandola in 1964.
- Friuli:
- A small network of electric lines in progress between the world wars, but none of it was completed:
- Ferrovia Bertiolo-Palmanova-Savogna [23] - line between Bertiolo and existing station at Savogna d'Isonzo. Stations: Talmassons, Castions di Strada (junction with Ferrovia Udine-Castions di Strada), Gonars, Palmanova (already open, proposed junction), Jalmicco-San Vito al Torre, Medea, Mariano-Romans and Farra-Gradisca Provesano.
- Ferrovia Teglio Veneto-Bertiolo-Udine [24] - line between existing stations at Teglio Veneto and Udine. Stations: Teglio-Suzzolins, Morsano al Tagliamento, Madrisio, Varmo-Rivignano, Bertiolo (junction with Ferrovia Bertiolo-Palmanova-Savogna), Sclaunicco, Pozzuolo del Friuli and Campoformido.
- Ferrovia Udine-Castions di Strada [25] - line from Udine to Castions di Strada. Stations: Pozzuolo del Friuli and Mortegliano.
- Ferrovia Cormons-Redipuglia [26] - A freight bypass line for Gorizia but a passenger service was intended from Cormons to Redipuglia, with stations at Mariano del Friuli and Gradisca Borgo Trevisan. Work began 1949, and was abandoned 1989.
- Ferrovia Udine-Majano [27] - a line from Udine to Majano, begun 1914 and abandoned 1932. Stations: Colugna-Rizzi, Feletto Umberto, Pagnacco, Fontanabona, Colloredo di Monte Albano, Vendoglio, Treppo, Buja and Avilla-Santo Stefano.
- A small network of electric lines in progress between the world wars, but none of it was completed:
- Piedmont:
- Ferrovia Bivio Orba-Cantalupo-Felizzano - a suburban line for Alessandria, begun 1939 from Felizzano to Cantalupo and diverging to Bivio Orba and Alessandria Smistamento, abandoned unfinished 1966. [28]
- Rome:
- Cintura Nord [29] - an attempt to provide Rome with a northern orbital railway, running from Roma San Pietro railway station to Roma Nomentana railway station. Work was in progress between 1913 and 1931. Stations were to have been at Prati di Castello, Ponte Milvio and Salario.
- Sicily:
- Ferriovia Bronte-Cuccovia [30] - line from Bronte to an obscure location called Cuccovia.
- Ferrovia Caltanissetta-Misteci - an unfinished mineral branch of 5 km, from Caltanissetta south to Misteci, work abandoned 1927 when the mine was closed. [31] [32]
- Ferrovia Canicattì-Caltagirone [33] - narrow gauge from Canicatti to San Michele di Ganzaria to serve sulphur mines, work was done on the portion to Riesi but from there to San Michele no construction was undertaken. Work had begun in 1906, and was only formally abandoned in the Fifties.
- Ferrovia Leonforte-Nicosia [34] - a narrow gauge railway from Leonforte to the small cathedral city of Nicosia was under construction between 1921 and 1929, and was almost finished when abandoned. Station buildings exist for Bivio Paternò, Rocca Vutura, Villadoro, Sperlinga (request stop) and the terminus at Nicosia.
- Ferrovia Palermo-Salaparuta [35] - a narrow gauge line from Palermo to Salaparuta via Monreale, begun 1926 and effectively abandoned (although not officially) in the early Fifties. Construction work beyond Camporeale did not begin.
- Ferrovia Salemi-Kaggera [36] - narrow gauge from Salemi to Kaggera (now known as Calatafimi-Segesta with stations at Salemi-Città, Vita and Calatafimi-Città. Work abandoned 1921.
- Ferrovia Santo Stefano di Camastra-Reitano-Mistretta [37] - a narrow gauge line begun from Santo Stefano di Camastra to Mistretta via Reitano. Construction took place in the 1920s.
Mexico
- Peninsular Railway of Lower California - the Mexican Land and Colonization Company was a British firm which obtained a concession to settle English wheat farmers in Baja California, and which began the enterprise in 1891 with a base at San Quintin. Baja California is semi-desert, and the venture was a disaster. A network of railroads had been planned, and a start made on a line from San Quintin to Ensenada and Tijuana. 27 km (17 mi) of this was finished, [38] ending at a place called San Ramón. [39]
United Kingdom
- Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway - Hinckley Branch. This railway was jointly owned by the rival London and North Western Railway and Midland Railway . The scheme included a line from Stoke Golding to Hinckley which was finished in 1872. The partners could not agree as to how to use it, so it never was. [40]
- Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway, Duddeston Junction Chord - Duddeston Viaduct was built 1846 to allow trains of the Great Western Railway to run into the Birmingham New Street station of the London and North Western Railway . The two companies were at enmity, so no such train ever ran. [41]
- Cleveland Extension Mineral Railway - started 1874, abandoned 1896. From Moorholme on the Cleveland Railway to ironworks at Glaisdale. Nicknamed after its contractor, Paddy Waddell. [42]
- Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway - started 1902, abandoned 1914 on outbreak of war. About six miles were completed at the Cromarty end by 1914. Rails laid were scavenged for the war effort. Improvements in road transport discouraged resumption.
- Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway - Independent line from Eastleigh to Southampton Royal Pier. Work started in Southampton area in 1882. Sections of embankment built and work started on bridge over LSWR line. Later a separate station (Winchester Chesil) was built and connection into LSWR line built at Shawford.
- East London Railway - Whitechapel to Bethnal Green goods line. Work on the tunnel for this began in 1866, but was abandoned for lack of funds.
- Great Western Railway, Fishguard Ocean Port - new main line from Letterston to a proposed ocean liner port at Fishguard Harbour. Authorised 1903, this portion begun 1912, abandoned 1914 on outbreak of First World War. The proposed harbour was too small for the larger liners being built after the war.
- Great Western Railway, Windsor and Ascot Railway - from Windsor & Eton Central to Ascot, was begun in 1892 with the purchase and fencing of land and some minor works, but the rival London and South Western Railway prevented a junction for through traffic and improved its own services. The GWR did not proceed with the scheme. [43]
- Lastingham and Rosedale Light Railway - began construction in 1902 but achieved little.
- Horsham and Guildford Direct Railway, Itchingfield South Fork - the hope was that this railway from Guildford to Horsham would be part of a Reading to Brighton route. Hence a triangular junction was provided at Itchingfield to allow direct running to Shoreham-by-Sea, but the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway was only interested in providing a local service and the rails on the south fork were removed two years after opening, in 1867.
- Latimer Road and Acton Railway - Construction began 1882 on a line from Latimer Road station on the Metropolitan Railway in London to Acton. Works abandoned 1900. [44]
- Liskeard and Caradon Railway - Work on an extension to Launceston, Cornwall was begun in 1884, and remains of the abandoned works are easily traced near Kilmar Tor.
- Leeds and York Railway, Tadcaster to Copmanthorpe Line - started 1846, abandoned 1849 (part subsequently used as a goods siding to a textile mill). The work included the so-called Virgin Viaduct. [45]
- London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, Ouse Valley Railway - was started 1866 in order to defend territory from possible rival schemes. Work was abandoned 1867 after the threat had lifted. Proposed from south of Ouse Valley Viaduct north of Haywards Heathto Hailsham via Uckfield. Substantial remains between the Ouse Valley Viaduct to north of Haywards Heath also west of Uckfield.
- London, Chatham and Dover Railway, London to Crystal Palace - the LCD relied on the West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway on creation in 1859, but built its own line to London Victoria from Penge Junction near Kent House in 1861. The LCDR initially planned a competing service to Crystal Palace so the junction was triangular, but the route was circuitous and so the north to south curve was never used.
- London Underground, Edgware to Bushey Heath - started 1938 work suspended 1940 and officially abandoned 1953. Extension of the London Underground Northern Line with intermediate stations at Brockley Hill and Elstree South. Earthworks between Edgware and Brockley Hill were nearly complete when abandoned. Work on tunnel at Elstree was partially built, carriage depot at Aldenham was built during World War 2 became a munitions factory and subsequently bus overhaul works. Between Edgware and Brockley Hill the area is now covered by housing development with little evidence of the railway. At Brockley Hill a few remains of the viaduct for the station still remain as at 2019. The tunnel entrance at Elstree has been filled in. The carriage depot at Aldenham has been demolished.
- Mid Suffolk Light Railway , Construction of line from Kenton to Westerfield was started and completed to Debenham where some goods trains ran but subsequently abandoned. Remainder of the route never constructed. Also extension from Laxfield to Halesworth was constructed as far as Cratfield which was used by goods trains until 1952. Work on section between Cratfield and Halesworth was started at Halesworth end but subsequently abandoned.
- Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, Sutton Bridge Dock - a ship dock with lock-gates at Sutton Bridge was opened in 1881, served by a branch of the railway. It failed structurally as soon as it was filled.
- Mistley, Thorpe and Walton Railway - proposed from Mistley on the Great Eastern Railway to Thorpe-le-Soken, construction began 1863 and was abandoned 1869 with earthworks surviving. [46]
- Monnow Valley Railway - began work 1866 on a line from Monmouth to Pontrilas, but only finished a tunnel at the former place. [47]
- Neath and Brecon Railway, Devynock & Sennybridge to Llangammarch Branch - earthworks and fence-lines are apparent along the Cilieni valley to the summit of the line at about 310m about sea level near the MOD simulated German village 'Cilieni' just south of Tirabad. This is over half the length of the line. The route would have had a major bridge over the River Usk and a tunnel just north of Sennybridge to gain access to the Cilieni valley and would have made Llangammarch Wells a junction with the Central Wales route of the London and North Western Railway . Work stopped on 9/9/1867 due to the bankruptcy of the contractor John Dickson who also built the N&BR. [48]
- Newport Pagnell Railway, Olney Extension - from Newport Pagnell to Olney of the Wolverton to Newport Pagnell branch line. Work started in 1865 and stopped the following year, as many railway mania schemes did at this time when the bank financing these speculative schemes, Overend, Gurney and Company, collapsed. Various partially complete cuttings and embankments can be seen along the line of route as far north as Emberton and are visible on old maps. Had the line been completed, Olney would have become a junction of the Northampton St Johns-Bedford line. [49]
- North Eastern Railway, Collywell Bay Branch Line - was an electrified railway finished in 1914, just in time for the First World War. It never saw a train.
- Northern Counties Union Railway - 1846 began lines from Penrith to Thirsk and Tebay to Bishop Auckland, crossing at Kirkby Stephen. A line from Bedale on the former to Melverley railway station on the Leeds and Thirsk Railway was begun, with work underway between Burneston and Melverley. A cutting survives at Sinderby; south of this place, the route was later taken by the Leeds Northern Railway to Northallerton. [50]
- North West Central Railway - begun 1890 as a trunk line from the Midland Railway and the Queensbury lines of the Great Northern Railway at Keighley to the West Lancashire Railway at Preston, Lancashire via Colne, with connections to Southport and, via the Liverpool, Southport and Preston Junction Railway and the Cheshire Lines Committee , Liverpool. Work was abandoned 1893. [51]
- Picc-Vic Line - an underground rapid transit railway was proposed for Manchester in 1971, connecting the main railway termini of Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria. Despite not being authorised, work was done on it under the Arndale Centre before cancellation in 1977.
- Pilmoor, Boroughbridge and Knaresborough Railway - at Pilmoor a bridge was built over the Great Northern Railway main line in 1875 to create a route from Leeds to Pickering and Whitby avoiding York. It was never used.
- Portsmouth Direct Railway, Peasmarsh Curve - a main line chord was built from Shalford to Peasmarsh north of Farncombe to allow services from Portsmouth to London via Redhill and the South Eastern Railway . The rival London and South Western Railway took over the line, and the chord never saw a train. [52]
- Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway, Frimley Curve - opened 1849 by the South Eastern Railway , with an east to north spur at its crossing of the London and South Western Railway main line to Southampton. This was to give a route from London to Wokingham, but the companies were hostile, the spur was never used and the LSWR built its own line to the town.
- Ruthin and Cerrig-y-Drudion Railway - a 2' gauge railway partially built from Ruthin towards a junction with the never started North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Beddgelert-Corwen route at Cerrig-y-Drudion. The line crossed the Clocaenog Forest hills with a summit tunnel at Pennant before crossing the Afon Alwen and a second summit at about 340m following the B5105 into Cerrig-y-Drudion. There is evidence of construction along the south side of the Afon Clywedog valley between Rhewl and Bontuchel where work ceased on failure of the contractor 1884.
- Seaforth and Sefton Junction Railway - authorised 1903 to provide a link between Sefton and Maghull on the Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway of the Cheshire Lines Committee and the Seaforth Sands terminus of the Liverpool Overhead Railway . The company never laid a rail, yet was one of the operating railway companies grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway by the Railways Act 1921. The larger company showed no interest in further work. [53]
- Southern Railway, Chessington South to Leatherhead - started 1938, abandoned 1939. Extension of the Motspur Park to Chessington South branch to Leatherhead. Work suspended due to outbreak of World War 2 and then abandoned due to Green Belt Act of 1947. Embankment built for about half mile south of Chessington South including one overbridge. Land purchased and the route fenced through Ashtead Common. Land reserved for the railway through Leatherhead was subsequently used for M25. Stations at Rushett and Leatherhead Common were intended.
- Southern Heights Light Railway, Sanderstead to Orpington - Authorised in 1928 abandoned 1931 although work continued to complete Woodside to Sanderstead line reopened in 1935. Only actual construction was at Orpington embankment built for dive under main line. Route reserved for construction until abandonment.
- Trent Valley Railway, Tamworth East to North Curve - built 1847 to allow direct trains from London to Burton upon Trent via the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway . The TVR went to the London and North Western Railway , the BDJR to the Midland Railway and their rivalry meant that the curve was never used.
- Waterloo and Whitehall Railway - a self-contained underground rapid transit line at London, under construction between 1865 and 1870. Trains were to be operated by the pneumatic system, that is, to be pushed by artificial air pressure. Money ran out when the tubes had already been constructed.
- Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway, Hope West to North Curve - built a north to west curve at Hope Exchange in 1862 to give the town of Mold direct access to the port of Connah's Quay. No rails were laid.
United States
The railroad history of the United States is marked by many companies which began construction work but never completed any of it. For example, the Panic of 1873 interrupted the construction of a number of railroads, several of which were never resumed. The published evidence for these abortive railroads is poor, and available citations are often lacking.
Alabama
- Birmingham, Chattanooga and Atlanta Railroad - it was on official record as an operating railroad only in 1901, so had laid some track. There would never be a direct line from Birmingham to Gadsden, the terminus of the Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railway from Chattanooga. [54]
- Florence Northern Railroad - began a line in 1890 from Florence, Alabama, to Dover, Tennessee, and graded 27 miles northwards from the former place. [55] [56] The route was just west of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad . [57] Another attempt was made by the Mineral Belt Railroad in 1906, [58] which began work in 1917 and abandoned it in 1924. [59]
- Memphis Branch Railroad - began a narrow gauge line from Rome, Georgia, to Gadsden in 1873, but abandoned 1877 without having run a revenue service. Not to be confused with a progenitor of the Rome Railroad . [60] [61]
- Mobile and Pensacola Railway and Navigation - began an electric interurban from Volanta in Fairhope to Lillian near Pensacola, Florida, in 1919. This would have linked to a ferry from Mobile. Work was abandoned in 1922. [62] [63]
Alaska
- Council City and Solomon River Railroad - attempted to build a line from a proposed port on the Solomon river estuary to Council City (now a ghost town). Begun 1903, abandoned unfinished 1907, and the locomotives and rolling stock were dumped in situ. [64]
Arizona
- American-Mexican Pacific Railway - incorporated 1905 to build a 2000-mile (3200 km) system of trunk lines west from Phoenix to Los Angeles and San Diego, and south-east into Mexico via Florence, Tucson and Nogales with a branch from Canoa south of Tucson to Naco. [65] Began work on the line from Phoenix to Naco but opened nothing. Some of the routes were later occupied by Southern Pacific Railroad lines. [66]
- Arizona Narrow Gauge Railroad - began construction of a line from Tucson to Globe in 1882, built 10 miles to Magee Road, graded another 20 miles, never operated despite re-incorporating as the Tucson, Globe and Northern Railroad in 1887. [67]
Arkansas
- Kansas City, Bentonville and Southeastern Railroad - 1891 began construction from Bentonville northwards in the direction of Neosho, Missouri, via Pineville, Missouri, but the substantial grading never crossed the state line. [68] [69]
- St Louis, Arkansas and Pacific Railroad - 1913 registered with the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad with 16 miles (26 km) of track. [70] Never had revenue service. Was building its first segment from Pontiac, Missouri, to Fallsville via Jasper, with a branch from the latter to Harrison. [71] Intended a trunk line from St Louis to Paris, Texas. [72]
- Yellville-Rush and Mineral Belt Railroad - began a narrow-gauge line from Yellville to Rush in 1915 but was unable to complete it. [73] [74]
California
- California Central Narrow Gauge Railway - began in Solano County in 1873, to build from Benicia to Tehama with an extension to Red Bluff. A small amount of construction commenced but the project was abandoned in 1874.
- Monterey and Fresno Railroad - was reported to the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad from 1897 to 1899, so had completed some track. [75] Construction attempted from a pier at Monterey to Fresno via Hollister. [76] The pier was begun, and the line graded to Salinas. [77]
- Owens River Valley Electric Railway - from Laws on the Carson and Colorado Railway to Bishop. The grade was finished in 1911, but no rails were laid. [78]
Colorado
- Denver Railway and Telegraph Company built a narrow-gauge railroad to the Lookout Mountain from Denver in 1890, but failed to complete or open it despite being listed as an operating railroad company by the Interstate Commerce Commission until 1898. [79] [80]
- Plateau Valley Railroad - attempted in 1913 to build from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad near Grand Junction to Collbran. [81] The junction location on the DRGW is still called Yeckel Junction. [82]
Connecticut
- Danbury and Harlem Traction Company - spent ten years from 1901 to 1910 constructing an electric rapid-transit interurban railroad from Danbury, Connecticut, to the New York Central Railroad station at Goldens Bridge, New York, on the Harlem Line. Tracks were laid from a connection with the Danbury and Bethel Street Railway near the Danbury Fairgrounds, west through Ridgebury and just across the state line to North Salem, New York. Grading reached Goldens Bridge before the project was abandoned.
- Ridgefield and New York Railroad - began 1867 to build a line from just east of Port Chester, New York, to Ridgefield. It was almost completely graded when the Panic of 1873 stopped work. The company survived, and was trying to finish and extend to Danbury up to 1906 when the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad bought it out to get rid of it. [83] [84] [85]
Delaware
Georgia
- Gainesville and Dahlonega Railroad - began a narrow gauge line between Gainesville and Dahlonega, Georgia, in 1878, became the Gainesville and Dahlonega Electric Railway in 1905 and went bankrupt in 1909. Completed the line to the Chattahoochee River and left earthworks northwards, but never ran a public service. [87] [88]
Illinois
- Cairo and St Louis Railway - never finished any of its proposed interurban electric line from St Louis to Cairo, but electrified a branch of the Illinois Central Railroad from Mounds to Mound City and connected it at the latter place with Cairo's little streetcar system, from 1910. [89]
- Chicago, Millington and Western Railroad - began in 1872 to build a narrow-gauge railroad from Chicago to Muscatine, Iowa, via Warrenville, Millington, Princeton and Neponset. It finished 11 miles (18 km) in Chicago, from 22nd and Ashland along Blue Island Avenue and 26th Street before going bankrupt in 1877. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad bought the line and scavenged most of the track, although about a mile became most of its Canalport loop. [90]
- Decatur and State Line Railway - 1869 began a line from Decatur to a connection with the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad at Moneka east of Joliet, giving Decatur a direct route to Chicago. Claimed to have finished grading in 1872. [91] Bridge piers are extant in the Kankakee River at Kankakee River State Park. [92]
- Evansville, Mount Carmel and Olney Electric Railway - began work on a line from Mount Carmel to Olney via Lancaster in 1910. Proposed a line from Mount Carmel to Evansville. [93]
Indiana
This state had a high number of interurban electric railway proposals, many of which began construction. [94]
- Covington and Southwestern Railroad - began 1909 to build an interurban from Covington to Crawfordsville, and finished most of the grading. Four miles (6.5 km) of track were laid at Kingman, and one trip ran for shareholders. One of the promoters then absconded with the company's funds. [95]
- Fort Wayne and Toledo Electric Railway - began 1909 to build an interurban from Fort Wayne to Bryan, Ohio, to connect with the Toledo and Indiana Railway to Toledo, Ohio. Graded from Fort Wayne to Harlan. [96]
- Indianapolis, Huntington, Columbia City and Northwestern Railway - began an interurban line 1907 from Indianapolis through Marion, Huntington, Columbia City and Syracuse to Goshen. [97] Grading was completed between Goshen and Syracuse. [98]
- Madison and Indianapolis Railroad - had a very steep incline out of Madison, and in 1852 began work on a better replacement line to the east. The company went bankrupt, and work ceased. Remains are in Clifty Falls State Park. [99]
- South Bend and Logansport Traction - began grading work in 1909 at Plymouth on an interurban line from South Bend to Logansport. [100]
- Terre Haute, Merom and Southwestern Traction - graded 15 miles (24 km) of an interurban line between Terre Haute and Merom by 1909, and laid two miles (3 km) of track. [101]
- Vincennes, West Baden and Louisville Traction - graded between Vincennes and Monroe City in 1909 on an interurban line to Petersburg, Jasper, West Baden and Louisville, Kentucky. [102]
- Wabash and Rochester Electric Railway - graded between Wabash and Rochester in 1906, and proposed to build to Celina, Ohio, via Montpelier and Geneva. [103]
Kansas
- Kansas Southern Electric Railroad - obtained the little Iola Electric Railway from Iola to La Harpe and set out to build from Iola to Girard via Chanute, Erie and Greenbush. Failed to complete. [104]
- Nebraska, Kansas and Southern Railroad - proposed a trunk line in 1907 from Hastings, Nebraska, to Amarillo, Texas, via Stockton, Kansas, and Garden City, Kansas, 507 miles (816 km). Built 12.6 miles (20.3 km) from Garden City northeast to Ottograf, and graded 6 miles (9.7 km) from there to Churchill. These places don't exist anymore. Rails scavenged for the Garden City Western Railway in 1915. [105]
- Topeka, Westmoreland and Marysville Railroad - begun 1889, to run from Topeka to Marysville and Odell, Nebraska, via Westmoreland. [106] Built 5 miles (8.0 km) and was abandoned in 1893. [107]
Louisiana
- Vicksburg, Alexandria and Southern Railroad - tried 1914 to build from the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway at Camp Stafford near Alexandria to Vidalia, and was listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad 1915-17 so had laid track. [108] Grade at Alexandria was appropriated by the Tioga Gravel Company as a quarry spur. [109]
Maryland
- Elkton and Middletown Railroad - 1895 attempt by the Pennsylvania Railroad to give its Delmarva Peninsula lines better access from the Washington direction with a cut-off from Elkton to Middletown. The company had a monopoly on the peninsula, and decided that it couldn't be bothered to short-haul itself. Only a half-mile spur at Elkton was built. [110]
Massachusetts
- Hampden Railroad - began 1910 on a line from the Boston and Maine Railroad at Bondsville and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad at Springfield. It was completed, but never saw a train.
- Lancaster Railroad - completed 1872 from Hudson to Lancaster to give the latter place a direct route to Boston. It never saw a revenue train.
- Lee and New Haven Railroad - began 1872 to construct from the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad at New Hartford to Lee, via New Boston and Otis. Substantially complete when abandoned. A separate but affiliated company, the Lee and Hudson Railroad graded from Lee to West Stockbridge. [111] [112]
- Southern New England Railway - this trunk line was to run from the Central Vermont Railway at Palmer to Providence, Rhode Island, in order to make the latter place an ice-free port for Canadian traffic in addition to the inadequate New London, Connecticut, where the CVR terminated. Construction was abandoned in 1914, leaving substantial remains.
Michigan
- Grand Rapids and Northwestern Railroad began 1908 to build a trunk line from Grand Rapids to a new car ferry port at Ludington to compete with the well-established one run by the Pere Marquette Railway . Car ferries would have sailed directly to Milwaukee, and the new road would have connected with the New York Central Railroad system at Grand Rapids. The defunct Mason and Oceana Railroad was bought to serve as a contractor's line, but only some grading was done. [113]
- Iron Range and Huron Bay Railroad - constructed a line from Champion, near the Lake Michigamme ore fields, to a new ore dock on Huron Bay, part of Lake Huron. Finished in 1892, but never saw a revenue train.
Minnesota
- Little Falls and Southern Railroad - began 1894 to build from Little Falls to Albany, but ended up as a mile-long freight spur owned by the Northern Pacific Railway at the former place. [114]
Missouri
- Lexington, Lake and Gulf Railroad - 1872 graded from Lexington to south of Butler via Odessa and Pleasant Hill. From Pleasant Hill to Butler the route was later used by the Missouri Pacific Railroad . [115] The destination was to have been Fort Scott, Kansas.[ citation needed ]
- Missouri, Inland and Southern Railway 1909, Missouri, Arkansas and Gulf Railway 1911, Rolla, Ozark and Southern Railway 1914. The first graded from Rolla to Houston via Licking, the second tried to go on to Willow Springs and the last tried to open only from Rolla to Anutt. Nothing was achieved. [116]
New Jersey
- Caldwell Railroad - founded 1869 to build a line between Montclair and Caldwell, [117] and construction began in 1872. [118] However, work ceased owing to the inability to complete a tunnel under Montclair and nearby Verona. About 2,000 feet (610 m) of the tunnel was left uncompleted. [119]
- Pennsylvania Railroad - Pennsylvania and Newark Railroad was a freight cutoff begun in 1907 from Morrisville, Pennsylvania, to Colonia, New Jersey. This was a continuation eastwards of the successful Trenton Cutoff. Some work was done in the Trenton area, including bridge piers in the Delaware River. Construction suspended 1916.
- Pennsylvania Railroad - Westville Cutoff was begun 1906 as a freight belt line for Camden from Westville to West Haddonfield. This was substantially complete with some track laid when the PRR abandoned it to save money in 1908. [120]
- Trenton, Lakewoood and Seacoast Railway - began 1910 to build an electric interurban from Point Pleasant to the Hamilton Square line of the Trenton streetcar system, via Lakewood, Imlaystown and Allentown. [121] Graded from Point Pleasant Traction terminus at Pine Bluff to Lakewood, and laid track to Brick Township. Never ran a train. [122]
New Mexico
- Albuquerque Eastern Railway - began 1909 on a line from Albuquerque through the Tijeras Canyon to Moriarty with a branch to coal mines at Hagan. Work was abandoned unfinished. [123] Hagan did obtain a railroad, the Rio Grande Eastern Railroad, but that arrived from the north-west. [124]
- Northern New Mexico and Gulf Railroad - 1905 began construction between Española and Abiquiu. Proposed to the north-west corner of the state. [125]
- Santa Fe, Liberal and Englewood Railroad - promoted by mine owners at Raton, New Mexico, 1907, to run from the Santa Fe, Raton and Des Moines Railroad at Des Moines to Woodward, Oklahoma, via Liberal, Kansas, and Englewood, Kansas. This was partly graded in 1907. [126] In 1914, it had 0.75 miles (1.21 km) of track, and in 1920 it was abandoned. [127]
New York
New York State is a hot-spot for unfinished railroads. [128]
- Brookfield Railroad - began 1888 to build a short line railroad between North Brookfield and Brookfield, New York, but failed after grading the route. [129] [130]
- Buffalo, Attica and Arcade Railroad - this predecessor of the Arcade and Attica Railroad tried to build a line to Buffalo from Java Center in 1902, which was to be electrified. Work stopped when the Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad bought out the company in 1904. [131]
- Buffalo Extension of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad - 1865 was building from Randolph to Buffalo but opened nothing. [132] [133]
- Delaware Railroad - 1898 did some work on an electric line from Delhi to Andes with a branch to Bovina Center. [134] The company still existed in 1903 -the name was as given, not Delaware Valley Railroad. [135]
- Dunderberg Spiral Railway - an amusement railroad on Dunderberg Mountain, powered by gravity and abandoned unfinished in 1891. [136]
- Elizabethtown Terminal Railroad - finished grading a short line from Westport to Elizabethtown 1909, but never laid tracks. [137]
- Hudson Suspension Bridge and New England Railway - the Hudson Highland Suspension Bridge was a failed predecessor of the Bear Mountain Bridge, begun in 1868 but major construction only after 1888. The main line was to have been from Harriman in the direction of Danbury, Connecticut. [138] Work on the pier foundations and a tunnel through Bull Hill was abandoned only in 1916. [139]
- Long Island Boynton Bicycle Railroad - after a successful demonstration under steam of the Boynton Bicycle Railroad monorail system at Coney Island, in 1894 a demonstration electric line was built between Bellport and East Patchogue as the first section of a proposed suburban system on Long Island. Nothing further was achieved. [140]
- Monticello, Fallsburg and White Lake Railroad - began 1900 to build an electric interurban from Fallsburg to White Lake via Monticello. [141] Abandoned unfinished, after substantial grading and several bridges erected. [142]
- New York Richfield Springs and Cooperstown Railroad - 1883 graded a line from Fort Plain to Richfield Springs but went bankrupt before laying track. [143]
- Ogdensburg, Clayton and Rome Railroad - 1853 began work on a line from Rome to Ogdensburg closely parallel to, and to the west of, the Black River and Utica Railroad (BR&U). Work abandoned 1856, and substantial remains exist between Rome and south of Carthage. [144] [145] The BR&U tried to appropriate part of the grade through Talcottville by building from Utica, but failed as well. [146]
- Otselic Valley Railroad - began 1906 to build a short line from Georgetown Station to South Otselic. Almost complete when the promoter absconded. Land and fixtures auctioned 1912. [147]
- Panama Traction - took over the Warren County Traction line (not electrified) from Youngsville, Pennsylvania, to Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania, in 1916, intending to electrify and extend it via Busti, New York, to Jamestown with a branch from Busti to Panama Rocks via the Erie Railroad station at Ashville. [148] Grading was carried out between the last two places. [149]
- Pennsylvania and Sodus Bay Railroad - most of this was graded, and only needed rails when abandoned 1873. It ran south from Seneca Falls, crossed the competing Geneva, Ithaca and Sayre Railroad (later the Lehigh Valley Railroad ) at Romulus, then west of Ithaca to Van Etten. [150]
- Racquette River Railroad - associated with a predecessor New York and Ottawa Railway , 1895 graded a line from Tupper Lake to Axton Landing to connect with the Adirondack Extension Railroad which was a proposed extension of the Delaware and Hudson Railway from North Creek to Malone. This would have created a through route, but both roads failed. [151] [152]
- Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railway - graded an interurban spur line to Fairport in 1903, but did not lay rails. The town was served by the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rapid Railroad interurban, which had a more direct route to Rochester.
- Rome and Osceola Railroad - 1908 began a line from Rome to Lewis, but work was abandoned 1924. [153]
- Sodus Bay, Corning and New York Railroad - 1870 began a line from Corning to Sodus Bay. [154] Graded between Savona and Pen Yan. [155] Attempts to use the grade were made by several companies, notably the Penn Yan, Lake Keuka and Southern Railroad 1900 [156] and the Corning, Keuka Lake and Ontario Railroad which tried to revive the original scheme 1905, and which was still trying 1912. [157]
- Staten Island Tunnel - a subway line to Staten Island from Brooklyn was begun in 1923, and abandoned in 1925.
- Utica and Syracuse Air Line Railway (U&SAL) - in 1881 the Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and Western Railway (BHT&W) [158] consolidated a chain of railroads to try and create its own line to the Erie Railroad from Rotterdam Junction. [159] The company president was General William Lathrop Burt, [160] so the project was nicknamed the Burt Line. The consolidation was ruled illegal in 1883, and the BHT&W gave up. The U&SAL from Utica to Syracuse was never finished, although earthworks survive in Oneida in between the New York Central Railroad and the West Shore Railroad . [161]
North Carolina
- Coinjock Railroad - listed 1896-9 by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad, so had laid some track. [162] This was between Snowden and Currituck. [163]
- Raleigh and Western Railway - 1894 took over the Egypt Railway from Colon to Egypt (now Cumnock) and began a line to Asheboro, North Carolina. [164] Fifteen miles (24 km) to Harpers were graded. [165] Failed 1908, having completed nothing. [166] The grade from Egypt to Gulf was bought for use by the Sanford and Troy Railroad. [167]
Ohio
- Cincinnati and Dayton Short Line Railroad - 1852 began a direct line between Cincinnati and Dayton, via the Deer Creek Tunnel under Walnut Hills. The incomplete tunnel was abandoned 1855, although another attempt was made in 1872 by the Cincinnati Railway Tunnel Company. [168]
- Cincinnati Subway - the city of Cincinnati began the construction of an underground rapid transit line in 1916, but this was abandoned unfinished in 1929 after available funds ran out. [169]
- Cincinnati Western Railroad - began 1854 to build a line to New Castle, Ohio. Abandoned works are traceable near Cincinnati, including a tunnel under Roll Hill. [170]
- Clinton Air Line - chartered 1854 to build a line from New York to Omaha, based at Hudson. Grading was effected in places on the route in Ohio between Kinsman [171] via Hudson to Fostoria through New London and Republic. [172]
Oklahoma
- Arkansas, Red River and Paris Railroad - listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1908 as an operating railroad, [173] so had laid some track on its first section. This was from Morris Ferry south of De Queen, Arkansas, on the Kansas City Southern Railway , to an existing ferry across the Red River at Harris, Oklahoma. The intended destination was Paris, Texas. [174] [175]
- Colorado, Texas and Mexico Railroad - 1910 was building from the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad at Mangum to the Fort Worth and Denver Railway at Chillicothe, Texas. [176] Intended to continue south through Abilene, Texas, to Eagle Pass, Texas [177] in the first instance, but the wider idea was a north-south trunk line from Canada through the USA into Mexico and also to Corpus Christi, Texas. [178] Completed 14 miles (22.5 km) but did not operate. Route north of Mangum to Woodward was taken by the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway . [179]
- Fort Smith, Arkoma and Wilburton Railroad - listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1914-16 as an operating railroad with 334 yards (306 metres) of track. [180] Proposed from Wilburton via Arkoma to Fort Smith, Arkansas. [181]
- Kansas City, Oklahoma and Houston Railroad - listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1906-08 as an operating railroad, and so had laid some track. [182] Proposed a direct trunk line from Kansas City and Houston. Was under construction between McAlester and Honey Grove, Texas. [183] [184]
- Oklahoma and Cherokee Central Railroad - 1906 was building between Bartlesville and Pryor Creek. Intended to go to Blackwell. [185]
- Sallisaw, Mcalester and Southern Railway - began 1909, listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1918-31 as an operating railroad, so had laid some track. [186] However, never operated commercially. Was building from Sallisaw to McAlester, and hoped to use the abandoned works of the Kansas City, Oklahoma and Houston Railroad (see above) from there to Honey Grove, Texas. [187]
- Texas, Oklahoma and Northwestern Railroad - 1907 was grading between Weatherford and Taloga on a line to Woodward. [188]
- Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway - Lawton Branch - 1910 was constructing a line between Devol and Lawton which was never finished. [189]
Oregon
- Summerville, Blue Mountain and Walla Walla Railroad - in 1901 had 26 miles (42 km) of grade for its line from Walla Walla, Washington, to Union via Summerville. [190]
- Union, Cove and Valley Railroad - graded its twelve mile (19 km) line from Union to Cove in 1898.Never operated. [191]
- Union, Cornucopia and Eastern Railroad - began work 1898 on a line from Union to Seven Devils, Idaho, via Cornucopia (now a ghost town). [192]
Pennsylvania
- Allentown Railroad - 1855-7 almost finished grading between Allentown to Port Clinton via Kutztown and Virginville, including a tunnel at Windsor Castle.
- Broad Street Line - Downtown Loop - the Broad Street subway line in Philadelphia was to have had a downtown loop, which was aborted in 1915. An unused subway tunnel is under Arch Street.
- Lancaster and Northern Railroad - listed 1913 by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad, having laid 4 miles (6.5 km) of track. [193] Intended a line from Lancaster to Millway on the Reading Railroad , giving a direct route to Reading. [194]
- Manatawny Railroad- 1913-16 listed by Interstate Commerce Commission as having 11.2 miles not in operation (18 km). [195] The line was to have been from Douglassville to Spangsville, [196] but only laid a short isolated section of track at Woodchoppertown. [197]
- Milford, Matamoras and New York Railroad - 1898 built the predecessor of the Mid-Delaware Bridge between Matamoras and Port Jervis, New York, and laid track across it to a rock quarry supplying roadbed. Intended to build to Milford but failed. This bridge replaced one built by the Erie Railroad for the Milford and Matamoras Railroad in 1852 in a complex legal agreement, which had never been used until it fell down in 1870. [198]
- Path Valley Railroad - 1893 began a line from New Germantown to Fannettsburg, but was abandoned 1895 after failing to complete the Conococheague Mountain Tunnel.
- Pennsylvania Petroleum Railway - 1872 was building between Tidioute and Cambridge Springs via Titusville. [199] Grading was substantially complete between the last two places. [200] Became Petroleum Railway of Pennsylvania by 1887, but opened nothing and was taken over by the Titusville, Cambridge and Lake Erie Railroad in that year (see below). [201]
- Pittsburgh, Binghamton and Eastern Railroad - 1906 began a trunk line between Clearfield and Binghamton, New York, running via Galeton, Canton, Monroeton and Towanda. Substantial work was done between Powell near Monroeton and Canton, also a little near Binghamton. [202] Bankrupt 1908 and work abandoned.
- Pittsburgh and Northeastern Railroad 1906-11. Chartered to build from Pittsburgh to South Bend as a terminal road for the Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad , Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad and Pittsburgh, Binghamton and Eastern Railroad to get to Pittsburgh. [203] Became Pittsburgh & Northeastern Terminal 1911-16 and was listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad with 211 yards (193 metres) of track. Became Pittsburgh & Northern Terminal 1916-20 and was abandoned. [204]
- Reno, Oil Creek and Pithole Railroad - 1865 was building from Reno west of Oil City to Pithole (now a ghost town) via Rouseville and Plumer. The intention was to boost Reno and bypass Oil City. Only laid track between Rouseville and Plumer, went bankrupt in 1866 and was scrapped. [205] [206]
- Selinsgrove and North Branch Railroad- 1874 graded a line from Selinsgrove to Mifflintown via McAlisterville. [207]
- South Mountain Railroad - a project for a line from Harrisburg to Hamburg via Johnstown, Fredericksburg and Strausstown with a branch from Strausstown to Reading was extant from 1854 to 1912 but only Johnstown to Fredericksburg was finished 1872-7. No commercial operation. Intended as a link in a trunk route extending the South Pennsylvania Railroad to Boston.
- South Pennsylvania Railroad - initiated 1863, major construction began 1881 but ceased 1885; many tunnels reused for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The route was from Harrisburg to Port Perry via Bedford and Somerset. The southern tier of Pennsylvania never had a through railroad.
- Titusville, Cambridge and Lake Erie Railroad - 1887 took over the abandoned grade of the Pennsylvania Petroleum Railway (see above) between Tidioute and Cambridge Springs via Titusville. Intended to build from Cambridge Springs to Erie, and from Enterprise (east of Titusville) through Pithole to Brookville. Took over the abandoned Pithole Valley Railroad, and graded from Enterprise to Pithole. Laid track between Titusville and Tannery, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) [208]
- Tuscarora Railroad - in 1898 this subsidiary of the Tuscarora Valley Railroad did substantial grading on an extension from Blairs Mills to McConnellsburg.
South Dakota
- Forest City and Western Railroad - 1883 graded between Forest City and Hoven on its proposed line from the former place to Bowdle. [209]
Tennessee
- Genesis and Obed River Railroad - 1889 was grading from Genesis in Cumberland County to Sunbright. [210] A small private logging railroad at Genesis, with no connection to the public railroad system, appropriated the name from 1918 to 1929. [211]
- Holly Springs, Brownsville and Ohio Railroad - 1878 began a narrow-gauge line between Holly Springs, Mississippi, and Friendship via Brownsville. Grading was done between the last two places, and 12 miles (19 km) of track laid from the latter. [212] The intention was to build through Union City to opposite Cairo, Illinois, on the Ohio River. [213]
- Southern Railway - Stevenson Extension - this was a project to provide a new line from Chattanooga to Stevenson, Alabama, which would bypass a section of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway on which the SR had trackage rights. Work began 1905, including a tunnel under Lookout Mountain, but was abandoned when substantially complete in 1907. This was a cost-cutting measure. [214]
Texas
- Brazos and Galveston Railroad - 1839 started on a line from San Luis Island to Velasco. The bridge was begun. [215]
- Bridgeport and Decatur Railroad - 1891 was building a line from Decatur to Bridgeport. [216] [217]
- Columbus, San Antonio and Rio Grande Railroad began 1858 on a line from Columbus through Gonzales and San Antonio to the Rio Grande. Tried for a decade.
- Dallas, Pacific and Southeastern Railway - 1889 began a line from Dallas to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and graded from Dallas to near Paradise. [218] Became Dallas and New Mexico Railway 1900 [219] and ended up with the Gulf, Texas and Western Railway 1908, but no track was ever laid on the old grade. [220]
- Dallas Southwestern Traction - 1917 was building an electric interurban from Dallas to Irving, Eagle Ford, Mansfield, Cleburne, Alvarado and Glen Rose. [221]
- East Texas Traction - was grading an electric interurban between Dallas and Greenville via Garland and Rockwall between 1912 and bankruptcy in 1917. [222]
- Estacado and Gulf Railroad - began 1910 to build 10 miles (16 km) from McCaulley to Roby, hoping later to go on to El Paso and the Gulf of California. Laid 5 miles (8 km) of track before failing. Track and dumped equipment were scavenged for the Roby and Northern Railroad , built 1915 on a different alignment. [223]
- Enid, Ochiltree and Western Railroad - 1909 began a line from Dalhart to Ochiltree (now a ghost town) in Ochiltree County via Dumas. Graded between Dalhart and Dumas with 14 miles (22.5 km) of track laid. [224] [225]
- Fort Worth and Albuquerque Railroad - 1889 was grading from Fort Worth to around Jacksboro. See Dallas, Pacific and Southeastern Railway, above. [226] [217]
- Galveston, Brazos and Southwestern Railway - 1898 was under construction between Galveston and San Antonio. [227] 1900 was sued for work done on its roadbed, [228] involving a bridge across the Chocolate Bayou. [229]
- Glen Rose and Walnut Springs Railroad - 1914 completed the grade of an electric interurban between Glen Rose and Walnut Springs. [230] Listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1916 as an operating railroad, but as "no trackage" in the following year. [231]
- Gulf and Pacific Railway 1) - 1904 (only) listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad, so had laid some track. [232] Was building a trunk line from Paris to Velasco with branches from around Palestine to Dallas and around Coldspring to Dayton. [233]
- Gulf and Pacific Railway 2) - 1914 began a line from Sweetwater to Comanche. [234]
- Gulf and West Texas Railway - 1927 began a scheme for a direct connection between San Antonio and San Angelo, incorporating the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway and the Kerrville branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The SP took over the project in 1930, and abandoned it. [235]
- Harrisburg Railroad and Trading Company - began 1841 on a line from Harrisburg to the Brazos River. Only two miles were graded. [236]
- Houston, Trinity and Tyler Railroad - began 1860 on a line from Houston through the piney woods of East Texas by way of Tyler, Gilmer, and Jefferson. Some grading was done. [237]
- Kansas City, Oklahoma and Houston Railroad of Texas - 1907 had graded north from Honey Grove to the Red River as part of a trunk line project from Kansas City to Houston. [183]
- Mineola and Pittsburg Railroad - grading was in progress 1895 on this line between Mineola and Pittsburg. [238]
- Pan American Railway - began 1891 to build from Victoria to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil but the Texas charter was to Brownsville. [239] Completed a line of ten miles (16 km) to the Guadalupe River, then gave up because there was no money to build a bridge. No revenue traffic. Nothing to do with the Pan American Railway in Mexico. [240]
- Port Arthur and Houston Short Line - work was under way on this direct route between Houston and Port Arthur in 1905. [241]
- Port O'Connor, Rio Grande and Northern Railroad - 1906 set out to develop Port O'Connor. Completed grading from there to Yoakum and work was done from the latter to Gonzalez. Projected to San Antonio. [242]
- Rock Island, Texico-Farwell and Southern Railroad - listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission 1912-16 as an operating railroad company with 3.17 miles (5.1 km) of track, but no revenue service. [243] Proposed a line from Tucumcari, New Mexico, on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad to San Antonio via Farwell. [244] Graded 38 miles (61 km) south of Farwell. [245]
- San Antonio and Austin Interurban Railway - 1913 began constructing an electric interurban between San Antonio and Austin. [246] Tried again in 1915. [247]
- San Antonio, Rockport and Mexican Railway - 1912 was building lines from San Antonio to new docks at Rockport and to the Brownsville area, the junction being at Crowther near Tilden. [248] Graded to Matlock on the southern boundary of McMullen County. [249]
- San Marcos Valley Interurban Railway - 1905 began an interurban electric railway between San Marcos and Luling. [250]
- South Galveston and Gulf Shore Railroad - 1891 began a line from Galveston along the island for 13.5 miles (21.5 km) to the new city of South Galveston. [251] Built 4.5 miles (7 km) before failing. [252] South Galveston was wiped out by the 1900 Galveston hurricane, and the site is now the Galveston Island State Park. [253]
- Temple–Northwestern Railway - began 1910 to build a line from Temple northwest through Gatesville and Hamilton to Comanche, about 100 miles. Forty miles of grading and five miles of track were completed. [254]
- Texas, New Mexico and Pacific Railway - 1905 began a line from McKinney via Denton, Decatur, Bridgeport to Roswell, New Mexico. Would have taken over the grade of the Bridgeport and Decatur Railroad (see above). [255]
- Union Central Railway - 1908 began a trunk line from Houston to Paris and the Red River, with branches to Waco and Palestine. Construction began at Palestine. [256]
- Van Horn Valley Land and Railway - 1914 was building a line from Van Horn north to the New Mexico state line, around Pine Springs. [257]
Utah
- Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad - 1896 began a line between Salt Lake City and Gold Hill via Saltair, Tooele, Stockton and Dugway. Graded between Saltair and Tooele. [258]
- Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Central Pacific Railroad (CP) - parallel grades. The two companies building the First transcontinental railroad had not agreed their meeting place before the completion ceremony of the Golden spike at Promontory, Utah. As a result, they graded closely parallel lines between Monument eastwards towards Corinne including the Big Fill (CP) and Big Trestle (UP) between Surbon and Blue Creek. Unused UP grade is extant continuously between Monument and Blue Creek, and portions of unused CP grade east of there. [259]
- Utah Central Railway Extension - the narrow gauge Utah Central Railway (1890-1897), which was nothing to do with the Utah Central Railroad (1869–1881) , was building an extension from Park City eastwards to Moon's Mill 1890, and had laid track before it went bankrupt in 1893 and work was abandoned. Proposed to the Colorado state line, 17.5 miles (28 km) graded. [260]
- Utah and Wyoming Railway - 1881 began grading a line from Corinne to Granger, Wyoming. [260]
- Wyoming, Salt Lake and California Railroad - 1890 graded between Evanston, Wyoming, and Park City [261]
Vermont
- Burlington and Hinesburg Railroad - 1890 began a steam road from Burlington to Hinesburg. Was still incomplete in 1903, when it became the Burlington and Southeastern Railway. This proposed to electrify as an interurban, and extend to Windsor. Abandoned 1905 with grading to Hinesburg completed and four miles (6.5 km) of track laid. [262] [263]
Virginia
- Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Quantico Line - the Georgetown Branch was the stub of a project for a line to Fairfax Station and Quantico, begun 1892 and abandoned by 1910. [264]
- Manassas Gap Railroad, Independent Line - in 1854 this company began the construction of a line from Haymarket to Alexandria via Gainesville, Chantilly and Fairfax so as to obtain access to the port independent of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad . The Civil War paused the work after 1858, which was abandoned as redundant when the two companies merged as the Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Railroad in 1867. Substantial earthworks survive.
- Manassas Gap Railroad -Loudoun Branch - began 1851 as a line connecting the Manassas Gap Railroad near Manassas with Harpers Ferry and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad . Construction halted 1857, and no part was ever completed. Earthworks survive.
- Virginia Railroad - 1897 was building from Sideburn east of Fairfax Station to Fairfax. [265]
Washington State
- Big Bend Transit - listed 1910-14 by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad with 0.63 miles (1 km) of track. Attempted to build a line from Spokane into the Spokane Indian Reservation. [266] The destinations were to have been Fort Spokane and Davenport. [267]
- Fidalgo City and Anacortes Railway - built an electric interurban railway from Anacortes, Washington, to Fidalgo City (now Dewey, Washington) and Dewey Beach (all on Fidalgo Island). Operation began March 29, 1891, and it was reported that cars made only one or two round trips and never ran the full length again. Apparently the line was built primarily to obtain a large land grant. [268]
West Virginia
- Burning Springs Railroad - listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission as operating 1905-6, so had laid some track between Palestine and Burning Springs. [269]
Wisconsin
- Bayfield, Lake Shore and Western Railroad - 1905 consolidated several tiny railroad companies operating around Bayfield and began a line from Racket Creek to Superior via Cornucopia. Only graded to the latter place, and laid some track. The railroad history of Bayfield is extremely complicated. [270]
