This is a list of unused railways, comprising railways and rail infrastructure on which some construction work took place but which were never used for revenue traffic as intended:
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.
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.
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 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.
Kalambaka - Kozani - Veria line (197km): normal gauge line begun 1927 and abandoned 1932. Completion of 63km, partial completion of 48km. 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 150km 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.
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.
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.
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]
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.
Ferriovia Bronte-Cuccovia[30] - line from Bronte to an obscure location called Cuccovia.
Ferrovia Caltanissetta-Misteci - an unfinished mineral branch of 5km, 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.
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. 27km (17mi) of this was finished,[38] ending at a place called San Ramón.[39]
Blackpool Railway - 1884 authorised to build from the West Lancashire Railway at Preston to Lytham, then directly to a main station at Blackpool Church Street and a terminus at Norbreck. Purchased much land, but did little before abandonment in 1901.[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.
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.[46]
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 HeathtoHailsham via Uckfield. Substantial remains between the Ouse Valley Viaduct to north of Haywards Heath also west of Uckfield.
London Underground, Edgware to Bushey Heath - started 1938 work suspended 1940 and officially abandoned 1953. Extension of the London UndergroundNorthern 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.
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.[49]
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.[50]
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.
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.
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.
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.
Florence Northern Railroad - began a line in 1890 from Florence, Alabama, to Dover, Tennessee, and graded 27 miles northwards from the former place.[56][57] The route was just west of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.[58] Another attempt was made by the Mineral Belt Railroad in 1906,[59] which began work in 1917 and abandoned it in 1924.[60]
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.[61][62]
American-Mexican Pacific Railway - incorporated 1905 to build a 2,000-mile (3,200km) 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.[66] Began work on the line from Phoenix to Naco but opened nothing. Some of the routes were later occupied by Southern Pacific Railroad lines.[67]
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.[68]
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.[69][70]
St Louis, Arkansas and Pacific Railroad - 1913 registered with the Interstate Commerce Commission as an operating railroad with 16 miles (26km) of track.[71] Never had revenue service. Was building its first segment from Pontiac, Missouri, to Fallsville via Jasper, with a branch from the latter to Harrison.[72] Intended a trunk line from St Louis to Paris, Texas.[73]
Yellville-Rush and Mineral Belt Railroad - began a narrow-gauge line from Yellville to Rush in 1915 but was unable to complete it.[74][75]
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.[76] Construction attempted from a pier at Monterey to Fresno via Hollister.[77] The pier was begun, and the line graded to Salinas.[78]
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.[80][81]
Delaware Electric Traction - began 1900 on a line from Smyrna via Leipsic to Dover and Milford with a branch to Woodland Beach. Abandoned when almost finished 1906, after having bought ten passenger cars for operation.[87]
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.[88][89]
Illinois
Cairo and St Louis Railway - never finished any part 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.[90]
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 (18km) 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.[91]
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.[94]
Indiana
This state had a high number of interurban electric railway proposals, many of which began construction.[95]
Covington and Southwestern Railroad - began 1909 to build an interurban from Covington to Crawfordsville, and finished most of the grading. Four miles (6.4km) of track were laid at Kingman, and one trip ran for shareholders. One of the promoters then absconded with the company's funds.[96]
South Bend and Logansport Traction - began grading work in 1909 at Plymouth on an interurban line from South Bend to Logansport.[101]
Terre Haute, Merom and Southwestern Traction - graded 15 miles (24km) of an interurban line between Terre Haute and Merom by 1909, and laid two miles (3.2km) of track.[102]
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.[105]
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.[111]
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.[114]
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.[115]
Twin City and Lake Superior Railway - proposed a heavy-rail electric line from Minneapolis to Duluth, and had graded 5 miles from the former place by 1916.[116]
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.[118]
Louisiana and Missouri River Railroad 1870, graded from Mexico Missouri through Harrisburg Missouri through to Fayette and Franklin Missouri. It was planned to serve the now abandoned coal mines Near Harrisburg MO. and mines northwest of Harrisburg near Fayette. The grading was complete and several trestles were in various states of construction with at least one complete. Rail had begun to be laid down when the line was abandoned for one further to the north which is still in operation by CP/KCS.[119]https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/lifestyle/around-town/2013/05/03/harrisburg-has-history-all-its/21654623007/
New Jersey
Caldwell Railroad - founded 1869 to build a line between Montclair and Caldwell,[120] and construction began in 1872.[121] However, work ceased owing to the inability to complete a tunnel under Montclair and nearby Verona. About 2,000 feet (610m) of the tunnel was left uncompleted.[122]
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.[123]
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.[126] Hagan did obtain a railroad, the Rio Grande Eastern Railroad, but that arrived from the north-west.[127]
Northern New Mexico and Gulf Railroad - 1905 began construction between Española and Abiquiu. Proposed to the north-west corner of the state.[128]
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.[129] In 1914, it had 0.75 miles (1.21km) of track, and in 1920 it was abandoned.[130]
New York
New York State is a hot-spot for unfinished railroads.[131]
Delaware Railroad - 1898 did some work on an electric line from Delhi to Andes with a branch to Bovina Center.[137] The company still existed in 1903 -the name was as given, not Delaware Valley Railroad.[138]
Dunderberg Spiral Railway - an amusement railroad on Dunderberg Mountain, powered by gravity and abandoned unfinished in 1891.[139]
Elizabethtown Terminal Railroad - finished grading a short line from Westport to Elizabethtown 1909, but never laid tracks.[140]
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.[141] Work on the pier foundations and a tunnel through Bull Hill was abandoned only in 1916.[142]
Long Island Boynton Bicycle Railroad - after a successful demonstration under steam of the Boynton Bicycle Railroadmonorail 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.[143]
Monticello, Fallsburg and White Lake Railroad - began 1900 to build an electric interurban from Fallsburg to White Lake via Monticello.[144] Abandoned unfinished, after substantial grading and several bridges erected.[145]
New York Richfield Springs and Cooperstown Railroad - 1883 graded a line from Fort Plain to Richfield Springs but went bankrupt before laying track.[146]
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.[147][148] The BR&U tried to appropriate part of the grade through Talcottville by building from Utica, but failed as well.[149]
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.[150]
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.[153]
Rome and Osceola Railroad - 1908 began a line from Rome to Lewis, but work was abandoned 1924.[156]
Sodus Bay, Corning and New York Railroad - 1870 began a line from Corning to Sodus Bay.[157] Graded between Savona and Pen Yan.[158] Attempts to use the grade were made by several companies, notably the Penn Yan, Lake Keuka and Southern Railroad 1900[159] and the Corning, Keuka Lake and Ontario Railroad which tried to revive the original scheme 1905, and which was still trying 1912.[160]
Utica and Syracuse Air Line Railway (U&SAL) - in 1881 the Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and Western Railway (BHT&W) [161] consolidated a chain of railroads to try and create its own line to the Erie Railroad from Rotterdam Junction.[162] The company president was General William Lathrop Burt,[163] 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.[164]
Raleigh and Western Railway - 1894 took over the Egypt Railway from Colon to Egypt (now Cumnock) and began a line to Asheboro, North Carolina.[167]Fifteen miles (24km) to Harpers were graded.[168] Failed 1908, having completed nothing.[169] The grade from Egypt to Gulf was bought for use by the Sanford and Troy Railroad.[170]
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.[171]
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.[172]
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.[173]
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[174] via Hudson to Fostoria through New London and Republic.[175]
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.[185] Proposed a direct trunk line from Kansas City and Houston. Was under construction between McAlester and Honey Grove, Texas.[186][187]
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.[189] 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.[190]
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.
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.[201]
Pennsylvania Petroleum Railway - 1872 was building between Tidioute and Cambridge Springs via Titusville.[202] Grading was substantially complete between the last two places.[203] 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).[204]
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.[205] 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.[206] 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.[207]
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.[208][209]
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 (2.4km)[211]
Forest City and Western Railroad - 1883 graded between Forest City and Hoven on its proposed line from the former place to Bowdle.[212]
Tennessee
Genesis and Obed River Railroad - 1889 was grading from Genesis in Cumberland County to Sunbright.[213] A small private logging railroad at Genesis, with no connection to the public railroad system, appropriated the name from 1918 to 1929.[214]
Dallas, Pacific and Southeastern Railway - 1889 began a line from Dallas to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and graded from Dallas to near Paradise.[221] Became Dallas and New Mexico Railway 1900[222] and ended up with the Gulf, Texas and Western Railway 1908, but no track was ever laid on the old grade by the last-named.[223]
Estacado and Gulf Railroad - began 1910 to build 10 miles (16km) from McCaulley to Roby, hoping later to go on to El Paso and the Gulf of California. Laid 6 miles (9.7km) of track to a place called Norman before failing. Track and dumped equipment were scavenged for the Roby and Northern Railroad, built 1915 on a different alignment.[226]
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 (23km) of track laid.[227][228]
Fort Worth and Albuquerque Railroad - 1889 was grading from Fort Worth to around Jacksboro. See Dallas, Pacific and Southeastern Railway, above.[229][220]
Gainesville, Whitesboro and Sherman Railway - 1906 this projected electric interurban graded for 12 miles east of Gainesville.[116]
Galveston, Brazos and Southwestern Railway - 1898 was under construction between Galveston and San Antonio.[230] 1900 was sued for work done on its roadbed,[231] involving a bridge across the Chocolate Bayou.[232]
Glen Rose and Walnut Springs Railroad - 1914 completed the grade of an electric interurban between Glen Rose and Walnut Springs.[233] Listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1916 as an operating railroad, but as "no trackage" in the following year.[234]
Harrisburg Railroad and Trading Company - began 1841 on a line from Harrisburg to the Brazos River. Only two miles were graded.[239]
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.[240]
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.[186]
Mineola and Pittsburg Railroad - grading was in progress 1895 on this line between Mineola and Pittsburg.[241]
Pan American Railway - began 1891 to build from Victoria to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil but the Texas charter was to Brownsville.[242] Completed a line of ten miles (16km) 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.[243]
Port Arthur and Houston Short Line - work was under way on this direct route between Houston and Port Arthur in 1905.[244]
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.[245]
Rock Island, Texico-Farwell and Southern Railroad - listed by the Interstate Commerce Commission 1912-16 as an operating railroad company with 3.17 miles (5.10km) of track, but no revenue service.[246] Proposed a line from Tucumcari, New Mexico, on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad to San Antonio via Farwell.[247] Graded 38 miles (61km) south of Farwell.[248]
San Antonio and Austin Interurban Railway - 1913 began constructing an electric interurban between San Antonio and Austin.[249] Tried again in 1915.[250]
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.[251] Took over the Artesian Belt Railroad 1914 to get into San Antonio,[252] and graded from that road's terminus at Christine to Matlock on the southern boundary of McMullen County.[253]
San Marcos Valley Interurban Railway - 1905 began an interurban electric railway between San Marcos and Luling.[254]
South Galveston and Gulf Shore Railroad - 1891 began a line from Galveston along the island for 13.5 miles (21.7km) to the new city of South Galveston.[255] Built 4.5 miles (7.2km) before failing.[256] South Galveston was wiped out by the 1900 Galveston hurricane, and the site is now the Galveston Island State Park.[257]
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.[258]
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.[260]
Van Horn Valley Land and Railway - 1914 was building a line from Van Horn north to the New Mexico state line, around Pine Springs.[261]
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.[263]
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 (28.2km) graded.[264]
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 (6.4km) of track laid.[266][267]
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.
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.[274]
Changed plans leaving unfinished works
The following projects had their aims altered when under construction, with work in hand being abandoned as a result.
Hudson Bay Railway -the original terminus of Hudson Bay was to have been Port Nelson, Manitoba, and the line was graded to here in 1912. The terminus was changed to Churchill instead in 1927, and the grade to Port Hudson abandoned. The railway's sharp change of direction at Amery is a reminder.
United Kingdom
Deeside Railway - Planned to build line from Aboyne to Braemar and work completed to Ballater opening in 1866. Construction of earthworks for extension from Ballater to Braemar started and completed as far as site of bridge over the River Dee but then abandoned.
Louth and Lincoln Railway - began 1866 on a direct line from Louth to Lincoln, reaching the latter place via a junction with the Great Northern Railway at Five Mile House. The western terminus was changed to Bardney, with a junction facing away from Lincoln. This was to save some money, but the proposed Louth-Lincoln service was abandoned in favour of accessing iron ore deposits that proved uneconomic to exploit.
London Underground, Fleet Line - A section of what is now called the Jubilee line between Charing Cross and Aldwych was constructed with the first phase of the line in the 1970s along the planned route for phase 2 to the City of London. Phase 2 was cancelled and when the line was eventually extended, the route followed a more southerly route from Green Park. A short section of tunnel was also constructed to test construction techniques near New Cross on what would have been phase 3 of the Jubilee line; this has never been used.[275]
Manchester and Milford Railway - The company changed its northern terminus from Llanidloes to Aberystwyth. Llanidloes to Strata Florida, with a heavily engineered summit section, was abandoned as being too expensive to complete, including a 2.2km tunnel and a long high viaduct over the Afon Ystwyth at Pont Rhyd-y-groes. The portion from Llanidloes to Llangurig was briefly opened as the Llangurig branch, and there are traces of works on both of the Myherin Tunnel portals at Blaen Myherin and Cae Gaer Roman fort. There is also evidence on maps between Llangurig and a point 2km west at Pont Aberbidno where it would have crossed to the south side of the A44. The line would have travelled via the Afon Merin valley to Devil's Bridge before heading south to Strata Florida. The M&MR completed the rail link from Carmarthen to the north by diverting the line at Strata Florida to Aberystwyth.[276]
Memphis and Kansas City Railroad - this predecessor of the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (SLSF) went bankrupt in 1873 leaving substantial works between Memphis, Tennessee, and Greenfield, Missouri, but having completed nothing. Most of it became the Kansas City - Memphis route of the SLSF, but grading between Ash Grove and Greenfield was abandoned for a route to the south which missed the latter place.[277]
Panhandle and Gulf Railway - 1899 set out to build a line from Sweetwater to Laredo via San Angelo, with the hope of going on to the Mexican Pacific coast at Topolobampo. Taken over 1900 by the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway which had the same idea. Began extending north to around Quanah, but the KCMO revised its proposed route and the 15 miles (24km) completed from Sweetwater north-east to Sylvester as well as a 7 miles (11km) stub running south-east were abandoned.[278]
Canadian Northern Railway - Peavine Line. This was begun from Hanna to Medicine Hat in 1914. Completed and opened to Steveville in 1921 with stations at Taplow, Sheerness, Rosslynn, Sunnynook, Carolside, Pollockville, Cessford and Wardlow. These places are now ghost towns. Grading was completed towards Medicine Hat, with station sites at Dinosaur, Gilburn, Princess (where the Canadian Pacific Railway was crossed), Pennymac, Bemister, Learmouth, Sinensen, Kalbeck, Stair (another crossing of the CPR) Redcliff and Medicine Hat. Work was abandoned by 1929.[282][283]
St Louis, Richibucto and Buctouche Railway - planned a line from Bouctouche (note spelling) to Richibucto and Saint-Louis-de-Kent in 1882, but only completed a stub between the latter two places.[285][286]
Ontario West Shore Railway - an electric railway was begun in 1909 between Goderich and Kincardine. It was opened briefly from the former place to Kintail before work ceased in 1911.
Walkerton and Lucknow Railway - wished to build from Saugeen to Walkerton and Lucknow in 1904. Only opened to Walkerton in 1908.[290]
Toronto and Ottawa Railway - 1877 changed its name from Huron and Quebec Railway and began a trunk line from Toronto to Ottawa via Lindsay, Peterborough, Madoc and Carleton Place. Failed leaving substantial uncompleted works, and was taken over by the Midland Railway of Canada. From Toronto to Peterborough the route was later used, but from Peterborough to Ottawa it was abandoned except for a stub from Madoc to Bridgewater (now Actinolite) which was operated 1882-4 only.[291]
Quebec, Montreal and Southern Railway - a Canadian subsidiary of the Delaware and Hudson Railway, intended as part of a trunk route from New York to Quebec City. The portion between Fortierville and Lévis was under construction when the Quebec Bridge collapsed in 1907, so work was suspended. The outbreak of war prevented resumption.[293]
Haiti
Chemins de Fer de la Plaine du Cul-de-Sac - the 1895 charter included a branch to Pétion-Ville, which was unfinished.[294]
Ferrocarril Nacional de Honduras - work on an interoceanic railway from Puerto Cortés to La Brea was begun in 1869, but never got beyond Potrerillos despite several attempts.[296]
Italy
Ferrovia Subappennina Italica[297] - a major main line railway project, intending to provide an alternative inland route to the coastal main line between Rimini and Ancona. It was to run from Santarcangelo di Romagna to Fabriano, was begun in 1894 but the project was terminated in 1933. The section between Urbino and Fabriano was completed and opened. That between Santarcangelo and San Leo was abandoned incomplete, with stations at Poggio Berni, Verucchio and Pietracuta (the last two and part of the route then being used for a different successful railway project). From San Leo to Auditore no work was done. From Auditore to Urbino construction was also abandoned, with stations at Schieti and Trasanni.
Ferrocarril San Rafael y Atlixco - 1898 began a narrow gauge line from Mexico City to Atlixco, but only eventually opened to Ozumba.[300]
Russia
Salekhard–Igarka Railway (Трансполярная магистраль or Transpolar Mainline) was a Soviet Union infrastructure project under construction as part of the Gulag from 1947 to 1953. Some portions were completed, either entering operation or being abandoned and awaiting rebuilding.
Spain
Ferrocarril Lleida-La Pobla is the completed part of a major international railway project to build a railway over the Pyrenees from Lleida to Saint-Girons in France with a tunnel under the Port de Salau. The scheme received final approval in 1907, and the line Balaguer was opened in 1924. Work on the Spanish side then slowed, and opening to La Pobla de Segur was in 1954. The Spanish government then announced that it was abandoning further work.
Ferrocarril Santander - Mediterráneo[301] - begun in 1925 to connect the ports of Santander and Valencia with a new line from the former to a junction at Calatayud with the Ferrocarril Central de Aragón. The line from Calatayud to Cidad-Dosante south of Santander was finished and opened in 1930. Construction continued on the unfinished portion to the latter city until abandonment in 1959. This had to cross the Cantabrian Mountains, and the Engaña Tunnel would have been the longest railway tunnel in Spain.
Turkey
İzmir–Eğirdir railway - was intended to reach Konya, but work beyond Eğirdir was stopped at the outbreak of the First World War and never resumed. The line from Bozanönü to Eğirdir was abandoned 2003.
Cardiff Railway, Treforest Junction - A railway for coal traffic was opened from Cardiff docks to Treforest on the Taff Vale Railway in 1909. The junction was badly surveyed, and the latter rival company prevented its use after a single test train. No other trains ever ran between the junction and Rhydyfelin (Low Level) Halt. The unused portion included a viaduct.
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway - A main line was begun from Newbury to Southampton via Winchester in 1882. The company ran out of funds, with the section between the two latter cities left uncompleted. This was formally abandoned in 1888, despite substantial work in hand at Southampton. The route was later taken over and opened by the Great Western Railway between Newbury and Winchester.
East Kent Light Railway - in 1925 began construction on lines from Wingham (Canterbury Road) to Canterbury West, and from Eythorne to its own terminus at Deal but were abandoned shortly afterwards. Also, the west to north curve at Eastry and the main line junction connection at Shepherds Well were unfinished. Sandwich Road to Richborough Sidings (including station at Richborough Port) was built in 1926 conveyed occasional goods trains but never opened for passenger traffic.
Felin Fran at Llansamlet to Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen line. Finished to just beyond Clydach as well as to just south of Gwaen-Cae-Gurwen. Cwmgorse and Gwaen-Cae-Gurwen (South) had unused passenger stations, and an unused south-to east passenger curve to the existing Gwaen-Cae-Gurwen (Central) station had a viaduct. Middle portion of the line, including a tunnel, abandoned unfinished in 1923. Decline of the coal industry negated financial justification for completion.[304]
Uxbridge through line. In 1907, work began on a line from Denham to the Uxbridge branch from West Drayton, together with a new station for the town. Work was abandoned 1914, leaving only a branch to a temporary terminus at Uxbridge High Street.
Halifax High Level Railway - authorised 1884 as the Halifax High Level and North and South Junction Railway to serve as the terminal railway in Halifax, West Yorkshire for the Hull and Barnsley Railway and the Queensbury lines of the Great Northern Railway, with a central station separate from that of the rival Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. A strategic route from Sheffield to Glasgow via Huddersfield and Keighley and avoiding Leeds would have been created, hence the second part of the name. The HBR was unable to achieve anything in Halifax, the GNR made an arrangement with the LYR to use the latter's station and the HHLR was left as a goods branch to the upper part of town with a passenger service of minimal usefulness.
Hull and Barnsley Railway - as the Hull, Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company, began construction of a trunk line from Hull to Halifax, West Yorkshire via Barnsley and Huddersfield. Only managed to open to Cudworth near Barnsley, which left the passenger service exiguous. The company abandoned its proposed passenger terminus at Hull Charlotte Street, and handled passengers at its good depot site at Hull Cannon Street.
Mid Suffolk Light Railway - The company started work in 1906 on an extension from Cratfield to Halesworth which was abandoned in 1912. Some fencing of the route started from Cratfield end and some infrastructure work started at Halesworth but has since been erased with modern development. Also Kenton to Westerfield, also abandoned owing to bankruptcy in 1906. Track had been laid from Kenton to Debenham, but no facilities provided at the latter place.
West Riding Lines (Bradford Through Line) included the missing link in the company's London to Scotland trunk route, comprising a main line from Royston and Notton to Bradford Forster Square. Authorised 1896, begun 1905, completed to Savile Town in Dewsbury 1906, after various attempts the rest was abandoned 1920.[306]
West Riding Lines (Halifax terminus) - at Halifax, the MR was authorised in 1898 to obtain running powers on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway from its proposed Bradford line at Low Moor, Bradford to a new passenger and goods terminus at The Shay. An unused tunnel under Shay Syke is extant.[307]
West Riding Lines (Huddersfield and Halifax) authorised 1905 as a main line from Thornhill, West Yorkshire on the Bradford Through Line to Huddersfield and Halifax. The project morphed into a goods branch following the River Calder on a different alignment, terminating at Huddersfield Newtown and with proposed passenger services abandoned. The intended passenger station on the east side of St Johns Road was still an empty plot on the 1930 six-inch Ordnance Survey map.
Oxford and Aylesbury Tramroad - took over the private Brill Tramway in 1888, and upgraded it to common carrier standards so as to form part of an electric line to Oxford. No further work was done.
Rhondda Valley and Hirwain Junction Railway (note spelling) - began 1867 to build from Treherbert to Hirwaun, involving a very long tunnel. This would have given the Rhondda direct access to Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil. Completed to the south tunnel portal site, but further work abandoned. The Swansea outlet was later provided by the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway in a different direction. Survived as a Taff Vale Railway colliery spur.[308]
American lumber companies could have a sense of humor when naming their railroads. Titles such as Atlanta, Skeetercloud and Gulf are not, on their own, reliable indicators of unfinished projects.
Alabama
Birmingham and Gulf Railway and Navigation - the Black Warrior River was made fully navigable to Tuscaloosa in the 1890s, and in response this company bought the city's steam dummy streetcar system, the Tuscaloosa Belt Railway, in 1907 with the intention of using it to switch freight with its riverboats operating to Mobile, and of extending to Birmingham and Gadsden as an electric passenger and freight line. The scheme collapsed in 1912, and the city lost its streetcars until 1915 when an electrified system was built.[55]
Birmingham, Ensley and Bessemer Railroad - a subsidiary of the above, incorporated 1912 to build switching and terminal heavy-rail freight lines in Birmingham. It was briefly known as the Birmingham-Tidewater Railway before the bankruptcy of its parent later that year and a change of name, and what it built became part of the Birmingham streetcar system instead.[310]
Birmingham, Laney and Piedmont Railroad - began a line from Laney (south-east of Gadsden) east to Piedmont in 1892, but abandoned in 1895.[55][311]
Cullman Coal and Coke Company - attempted to build a public railroad from Cullman to Bremen 1911-17 but only completed six miles which were leased to a private lumber company.[312][313]
Tennessee River, Ashville and Coosa Railroad - began in 1890 to build from Anniston to Sheffield, 189 miles (304km). Completed a spur of 6 miles (9.7km) from Whitney to Ashville but failed and the track had been scavenged by 1900.[314][315]
Arizona
Arizona and Colorado Railroad - built 1908 from Cochise southwards to Black Knob west of Douglas. A subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Line completed, but was never used south of Kelton.[316][317]
Arkansas
Kansas City, Arkansas and New Orleans Railroad - began 1891 to construct the Arkansas portion of a proposed trunk line from Kansas City to New Orleans. Finished seven miles, running north of Stuttgart. This and some of the abandoned grade was later used for the Hazen branch of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway.[318][319]
Louisiana and Pine Bluff Railway - in 1926 the public timetable of this logging railroad offered service from Huttig via Dollar Junction to End of Tracks (sic), seven miles (11km). Twenty-four further miles (39km) to Moro Bay were allegedly under construction.[324]
San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose Railway - began 1908 to build an electric railway from Oakland to San Jose, but failed and evolved into the Key System.
Arkansas Valley Railway - this subsidiary of the Kansas Pacific Railway was begun in 1872 from Kit Carson to Pueblo with the expectation of substantial investment from the latter city. This was not forthcoming, because the city preferred the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. As a result, the AVR only opened to Las Animas in 1873 and was abandoned five years later.[331]
Denver, Laramie and Northwestern Railroad - began in 1906 to build a direct trunk line from Denver to Seattle via Fort Collins; Laramie, Wyoming; Boise, Idaho, and Lewiston, Idaho.[332] Began substantial works from Denver to Laramie, including the Butte Royal Tunnel just south of the state line. Only opened Denver to Greeley and abandoned the rest after bankruptcy in 1912.[333]
Denver and Rio Grande Railroad - began 1870 to build a narrow-gauge line from Denver to the Rio Grande at El Paso, Texas, but in 1880 famously lost a battle with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway over a right of way through the Raton Pass which could only accommodate one line of railroad. So, it turned westwards and became Colorado's east to west trunk line railroad system instead -without ever bothering to change its name.
Greeley and Denver Railroad - began in 1907 to build an electric interurban between Greeley and Denver, and graded some of its line from the former place. Only operated a small streetcar system on a loop route in Greeley.[335]
New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad - chartered in 1863 to run from White Plains, New York, northeast via North Salem, New York, Ridgebury, Danbury to Brookfield on the Housatonic Railroad. It was only finished north of Danbury in 1868, and 23 miles (37km) of unfinished line was abandoned.[337] The grade between North Salem and Danbury was occupied by the Danville and Harlem Traction.[85]
Florida
Tampa and Jacksonville Railroad - in 1906 took over the Gainesville and Gulf Railroad from Sampson City through Gainesville to Micanopy as part of a proposed main line from Jacksonville to Tampa, but only completed a dead-end extension to Emathla.[338]
Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans Railroad - begun in 1907 to build a direct link between Pensacola and Mobile with terminal facilities for the trunk line railroads using the two ports. Only built from Pensacola to a dead-end location called Pemona AL, and operated as a logging railroad. Became the Gulf Ports Terminal Railway in 1917. This is quoted as an example of a publicly expressed proposal being possibly fraudulent, to mislead investors.[339]
South Florida and Gulf Railway - graded 1914 from Kenansville to Basinger, and laid tracks to Prairie Ridge. This was part of an attempt to bring the area into cultivation, but it comprises fossil sand dunes and the railroad was scrapped in 1918.[340][341]
Tallahassee, Perry and Southeastern Railroad - built from Tallahassee through Covington to Waylonzo, and graded to Perry before abandoning work in 1907.[342]
Georgia
Atlantic, Waycross and Northern Railroad - in 1911 took over the St Marys and Kingland Railroad, a short line between Kingsland and the little port of St Marys, the intention being to make the latter a rival to Brunswick and to build a trunk line from the former to connect with the Southern Railway at Fort Valley. The effort was wasted.
Georgia Florida and Alabama Railroad - in 1898 took over the abandoned route of the Bainbridge, Cuthbert and Columbus Railroad which had attempted to build between Bainbridge and Columbus, for a line from the latter place to the Gulf port of Carrabelle, Florida. The GFA failed to reach Columbus in its turn.
Lewiston, Nezperce and Eastern Railroad - in 1912 took over the abandoned grade of the Lewiston Southeastern Electric Railway which had graded from Lewiston to Tammany by 1907 and intended to reach Grangeville via Waha. The LNE began to build to Craigmont and connect with the Nez Perce and Idaho Railroad to Nezperce, also a branch to Asotin, but only opened to Tammany briefly.[346][347]
Pacific, Idaho and Northern Railroad - took over the abandoned grade of the Weiser, Idaho and Spokane Railroad at Weiser in 1899 and completed to New Meadows. Work on an extension to Seven Devils with a branch to Helena (now a ghost town) was abandoned.[348]
Alton, Jacksonville and Peoria Railway - only completed Alton to Jerseyville in 1912 but went no further.[350] The city of Carrollton paved its Courthouse Square in anticipation of its arrival, incorporating a length of track -and Ripley's Believe It or Not! described this at The Shortest Railroad in the World.[351]
Bloomington, Pontiac and Joliet Electric Railway - began 1905 to build a line from Bloomington to Joliet via Pontiac, which would have been part of an electric interurban passenger line from Chicago to St Louis. Only opened Pontiac to Dwight.[352]
Kankakee and Urbana Traction - begun 1909 to build an interurban line from Urbana to Kankakee, to connect with the Chicago and Southern Traction and to give Urbana a direct rail route to Chicago. Only opened to Paxton.[356]
Quincy, Carrollton and St Louis - purchased the Litchfield, Carrollton and Western from Litchfield to the port of Columbiana on the Illinois River just west of Eldred in 1899, but failed to build its extension to Quincy and its line to St Louis only reached Reardon.[351]
Bluffton, Geneva and Celina Traction - Tried to build from Bluffton to Celina, Ohio, via Geneva in 1909, but only reached Geneva and abandoned further work. The place only had 900 people and the venture was hopeless, being scrapped in 1917.[359]
Chicago and Wabash Valley Railroad - the Onion Belt began 1898 to construct a line from Rensselaer on the Monon Railroad to Crown Point and Gary. Only opened to Dinwiddie and graded to Crown Point. The Monon took over in 1914, and abandoned work.[360]
Toledo and Chicago Interurban Railway - began 1907 to build from Goshen to Bryan, Ohio, and a connection into Toledo via the Toledo and Indiana Railway, with a branch to Fort Wayne. Only finished the branch, and a segment of the main line between Kendallville and Waterloo before going bankrupt and re-emerging as the Fort Wayne and Northwestern Railway in 1913.[359]
St Joseph Valley Railway and St Joseph Valley Traction - this pair of putative interurbans tried to establish an electric passenger route from Elkhart via Lagrange and Angola to the Toledo and Western Railway at Pioneer, Ohio, and so create a Chicago to Toledo, Ohio, interurban. The Traction was from Elkhart to Lagrange, but only electrified to Bristol. The Railway only reached Columbia in Williams County in 1915, using grading left by the Toledo and Western Railroad but could not connect with the latter and was abandoned in 1918.[362]
Iowa
Chicago, Fort Madison and Northwestern Railroad - took over the Fort Madison and Northwestern Railroad in 1890. The latter began in 1871 to build a narrow gauge line from Fort Madison to Council Bluffs via Des Moines but only got to Collett. The CFMNW built to Ottumwa on the way to Des Moines, but went bankrupt and was taken over by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1899. All work west of Batavia was abandoned.[363][364]
Creston, Winterset and Des Moines Railroad intended a line from Creston to Des Moines, but abandoned work after reaching Macksburg in 1912.[365]
Kansas
Arkansas Valley Interurban Railway - built a fragment 1911 of an extensive proposed network centred on Wichita. The main line was to have been from Wichita to Salina via Newton, with a branch from Van Arsdale Junction (south-west of Newton) to Hutchinson and Great Bend. From Hutchinson, a third line would have run direct to Hudson.To the south of Wichita, a line would have run to Oxford via Belle Plaine, with a short branch to Wellington from the latter place. At Oxford, it would have joined a circular service running Oxford - Winfield - Arkansas City - Geuda Springs- Oxford which would have subsumed a pre-existing little interurban between Winfield and Arkansas City called the Southwestern Interurban Railway of Kansas.[366]
Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad - took over the bankrupt Scott City Northern Railroad 1913, which had been opened from Scott City to Winona in 1911. Began construction of a trunk line from the latter to Denver, also from Garden City to Forgan, Oklahoma, and the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway -trackage over the Santa Fe from Scott City to Garden City. Bankrupt 1917 without having opened any further lines.[367][368]
Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway - began 1900 to build a transcontinental from Kansas City, Kansas, to the Mexican Pacific port of Topolobampo. Did not complete from Kansas City to Wichita owing to bankruptcy in 1912, although grading was done from the latter place to Bazaar. The right of way from Lawrence and the terminal properties at Kansas City were purchased by the Kansas City, Kaw Valley and Western Railway which opened in 1914.[369]
Kansas and Oklahoma Railway - built from Liberal to a dead end at Woods to the east (now a ghost town) in 1922, on the line of the failed Santa Fe, Liberal and Englewood Railroad. Failed, in its turn, to achieve its purpose of providing Liberal with a connection to the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railway at Forgan, Oklahoma -Woods to Folsom was on the line of the failed Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad.[370]
Chesapeake and Nashville Railway 1883 inherited a line from Nashville, Tennessee, to Scottsville and began construction on a line to Danville via Glasgow. Work was abandoned, leaving grading between Scottsville and Glasgow.[372]
Covington, Flemingsburg and Pound Gap Railway - began 1876 to build a narrow gauge line from Covington to Hazel Green via Flemingsburg, Hillsboro and Salt Lick. This and its successor companies only opened from Flemingsburg Junction to Hillsboro, although much grading was done in the direction of Covington by the Cincinnati and Southeastern Railway and the terminus was altered to West Liberty by the abortive Licking Valley Railroad both in 1880. Ended up as the Flemingsburg and Northern Railroad. The Licking River Railroad built up the river from Salt Lick to Blackwater, but in its turn failed to reach West Liberty which never saw a railroad.[373][374]
Louisiana Central Railroad - 1883 purchased the Baton Rouge, Gros Tete and Opelousas Railroad from Baton Rouge to Musson via Rosedale, and began a line from Rosedale to Lafayette which it never completed.[377]
Kent County Railroad - began a dead-end line from Massey to Chestertown in 1870, and made two abortive attempts to reach the Chesapeake Bay. The original terminus was to have been Rock Hall from Worton, begun by the Bay Extension Railroad 1872 but only completed as a stub to a place called Belair, Fairlee, Parsons or Nicholson. There is evidence for a second stub from Chestertown, and possibly two stub termini (Nicholson was the northern one) with a triangular layout if the project had completed.[383] In 1873, the projected terminus was altered to Tolchester Beach from Nicholson, and this route was graded and a steamer pier begun by the Smyrna and Delaware Bay Railroad before the second abandonment the same year.[384]
Toledo, Ann Arbor and Detroit Electric Railway - began 1903 to build from Toledo, Ohio, to Ann Arbor, completed to Dundee and graded the rest but never electrified. The Dundee stub became theToledo-Detroit Railroad and then part of the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad.[388]
Meridian Brookhaven and Natchez Railroad - in 1882 bought a private logging railroad at Brookhaven in order to extend it as a trunk line to Meridian. Went bankrupt 1888, having achieved little beyond extending to a quarry. Became a very small Illinois Central Railroad subsidiary.[393]
Mobile and Northwestern Railroad - 1870 began a narrow gauge line from Trotters Point, across the Mississippi River from Helena, Arkansas, to Jackson via Yazoo City. Only managed to complete to Clarksdale before failing in 1886.[394]
Nashville and Mississippi Delta Railroad - began 1890 to build between Grenada and Nettleton, but failed and sold uncompleted works to the Southern Railroad. The latter opened Okolona to Calhoun City only, detached from its main system.[395] A predecessor company, the Vicksburg and Nashville Railroad, had constructed 5 miles (8.0km) of narrow gauge track on the route at Grenada in 1872.[396]
Kansas City Rock Island Railroad - this was a subsidiary of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad and was intended to be the terminal road in Kansas City for another subsidiary, the St. Louis, Kansas City and Colorado Railroad from St Louis to Hadsell near Gunn City. Did not get any nearer Kansas City than Leeds in 1904.[399]
Mexico, Santa Fe and Perry Traction - began 1907 to build from Mexico to Perry but only opened to Santa Fe in 1910, abandoning the rest. Shut down in 1915.[400]
Omaha, Lincoln and Beatrice Railway (OL&B) - formed in 1903 to build an electric interurban between Lincoln and Omaha, also from the former to Beatrice on which no work was ever done. A five-mile (8km) line was built from downtown Lincoln to Bethany, and grading for a further five miles. Grading was also done west of South Omaha. The Omaha and Lincoln Railway was allied to the project, and opened from Omaha to Papillion in 1914.[405] The OL&B survives to this day (2020) as a switching railroad.[406]
New Jersey and Pennsylvania Railroad - 1904 consolidated the Rockaway Valley Railroad (RVR) from Whitehouse Station to Watnong, and the Speedwell Lake Railroad (SLR) which was a failed attempt 1897 to build a line from Morristown to a resort on Speedwell Lake.[407] A serious attempt was made 1910 to extend the RVR to Morristown, over the grade of the SVR, but work was abandoned.[408] Intended to build from Morristown to Paterson and from Whitehouse to Flemington.[409]
Trenton and Mercer County Traction - built an interurban line from Trenton via Yardville to Crosswicks with the intention of going on to Allentown. The Pennsylvania Railroad won a court case preventing a crossing at Yardville, and the line from there to Crosswicks was scrapped unused in 1917.[410]
Santa Fe, Raton and Des Moines Railroad - began 1906 on a line from mines at Carisbrooke east of Raton to Des Moines via Cunningham on the St. Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Railway. The line from Cunningham to Des Moines was ready for rails when work was abandoned. This would have linked to the failed Santa Fe, Liberal and Englewood Railroad scheme.[412]
St Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Railroad - 1907 did some work on an extension from its terminus at Ute Park to Taos, including a tunnel at Eagle Nest Lake.[413]
Buffalo, Batavia and Rochester Railway - 1904 tried to build a heavy-rail electric interurban from Buffalo to Rochester via Batavia, but only finished a two-mile stub in Batavia which it operated as a little streetcar service.[415]
Buffalo, Corning and New York Railroad - 1851 began a line from Corning to Buffalo, and completed it to Batavia. Work from Batavia in the direction of Buffalo was abandoned.[416][417]
Buffalo, Thousand Islands and Portland Railroad - chartered 1890 to build terminal lines in the Buffalo and Niagara Falls area for the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad (RW&O) to get to Buffalo and the Lehigh Valley Railroad LVR to get to the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge. The RW&O became part of the New York Central Railroad (NYC) system in 1891, but work on grading went ahead.[419] The company still existed in 1908,[420] but the LVR obtained trackage rights over the NYC instead and stopped short at Tonawanda Junction. The right of way between Buffalo (Main & Erie) and Niagara Falls was used by the International Railway electric interurban for its Fast Line, opened 1918, but between North Tonawanda Junction and Tonawanda Junction (LVR), and Main & Erie and East Buffalo (LVR), it was abandoned.[421][422]
Delhi and Middletown Railroad- began 1870 to build between Delhi to Arkville via Andes but went bankrupt in the 1873 financial panic. The grade between Andes and Arkville was appropriated by the Delaware and Eastern Railroad for its Andes Branch, and that between Delhi and Andes by the failed Delaware Railroad.[424][425]
Lake Ontario, Auburn and New York Railroad - 1853 graded most of a line from Fair Haven to Ithaca via Auburn.[426] Most of this Murdock Line was taken up by later railroads, except for the section graded from South Lansing to Ithaca.[427]
New York, Boston and Montreal Railroad - 1873 consolidated several small railroads and began links between them to provide a trunk route from New York to Rutland, Vermont. Quickly went bankrupt, but was responsible for the New York and Putnam Railroad. Abandoned grading exists between Carmel and Clove Valley, also Pine Plains and Chatham.[428]
New York and Rockaway Railroad this subsidiary of the Long Island Railroad built from Hillside to Far Rockaway in 1872. The portion between Springfield Junction and Cedarhurst (nicknamed the Cedarhurst Cut-off) was abandoned 1876, relaid with third rail for electric trains 1908, scrapped again 1918, re-laid again 1928 and scrapped finally in 1936. It never saw a revenue train in the 20th century.
New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railroad - 1885 was in the process of building a large passenger terminal station in Buffalo, on Michigan Street just north of the Chicago Street station of the Erie Railroad. The NYC purchased the bankrupt railroad in that year, and cancelled the project.[429]
Appalachian Interurban Railway - 1905 proposed an electric interurban from Hendersonville to Asheville,[431] and in the following year also from Hendersonville to Rutherfordton via Chimney Rock.[432] Opened a horsecar line from Laurel Park to Rainbow Lake as the first part of the former.[433] The equipment was three cars and three horses named Appalachian, Electric and Interurban. Taken over by the local streetcar company, Henderson Traction (which used battery cars), in 1912.[434][435]
Asheville and Northern Railway - 1905 projected as a steam road from Asheville north-eastwards via Weaverville, Mars Hill, Faust and English to the Tennessee border and a connection with the Clinchfield Railroad beyond.[436] Affiliated with the Asheville and Craggy Mountain Railroad.[437] Morphed into a small electric interurban to Weaverville, the Asheville and Eastern Tennessee Railroad, which got no further.[438]
Carolina and Northeastern Railroad - formed 1917 and opened a line from Gummberry near Weldon to Lasker. Lasker to Ahoskie was never completed.[439]
Carolina and Tennessee Southern Railroad - 1915 intended to connect with the Tennessee and Carolina Southern Railroad through the Deals Gap, but only got to Fontana from Bushnell.[440] This was the last of several attempts at this low-level route from Knoxville to Savannah. See Blue Ridge and Atlantic Railroad above.[441]
American Midland Railway - 1889 proposed a direct route from Jersey City to Fort Wayne and Chicago with, a branch to St. Louis. This would have been via a low-grade crossing of the Allegheny Mountains through Pennsylvania. Only built Findlay to Fort Wayne, and became the Findlay, Fort Wayne and Western Railway which went on to be part of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway.[443]
Cincinnati, Columbus and Atlantic Railroad - 1882 took on a project for a narrow-gauge line from Cincinnati to Nelsonville. Completed to Newtonsville and graded to Hillsboro but opened nothing before being wound up in 1891. A separate section (standard-gauge) was completed, and then operated 1890 from Kingston to Adelphi as the Marietta, Hocking and Northern Railroad. Two interurbans, the Cleveland and Columbus Railway (to Hillsboro) and the Cincinnati, Milford and Blanchester Railway, utilised part of the grade to Hillsboro. Another bit was taken over by the Columbus, Lancaster and Wellston Railway (see below).[444][445]
Columbus and Lake Michigan Railroad - 1902 took over from the Columbus, Lima and Milwaukee Railroad a scheme for a line from Columbus to Saugatuck, Michigan, and a ferry to Milwaukee. The section from Lima to Defiance had been completed, and Columbus to Lima was being graded.[448] The completed section became part of the Indiana, Columbus and Eastern Traction interurban in 1906.[449]
Columbus, Lancaster and Wellston Railway - began 1895 to build a line between Columbus and Wellston.[450] Opened from near Stoutsville to South Bloomingville and prepared a further four miles to Ash Cave. This, and the line from Laurelville to South Bloomingville had been originally graded by the Cincinnati, Columbus and Atlantic Railroad (see above). Ended up as the Columbus and Southern Railroad without achieving anything further.[451]
Columbus, New Albany and Johnstown Traction - began 1900 to build an interurban from Columbus to Johnstown via New Albany. Only opened a stub to Gahanna (then a small village) which was taken over by the city streetcar company.[452]
Columbus, Urbana and Western Railway - as the Urbana, Mechanicsburg and Columbus Electric Railway initiated an interurban project from Columbus to Urbana via Mechanicsburg in 1900. Changed name in 1904 for a new effort. Only achieved a very short line 1903 from Columbus to Fishinger Bridge near Griggs Dam.[453]
Fairport, Painesville and Eastern Railroad - began 1910 to build from Fairport to Austinburg on the Pennsylvania Railroad, but only eventually reached Harpersfield Township.[454]
Lorain and West Virginia Railroad - began 1906 on a line from Lorain to the West Virginia line at or near Marietta. Co-opted by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway, which opened Lorain to Wellington to gain access to the former place and abandoned the rest.[457]
Ohio Southern Railroad - 1883 took over the Cincinnati, Columbus and Hocking Valley Railroad line from Claysville Junction north of Waynesville to Jeffersonville which was to have gone on to Columbus. Tried to build to the latter place as well and to Cincinnati, but failed and only opened Jeffersonville to Sedalia (now Midway) and from McKay's Station to Kingman.[459]
Springfield, South Charleston, Washington Court House and Chillicothe Traction - 1904 proposed an electric interurban line from Springfield to Chillicothe but was only able to complete to South Charleston. Tried again in 1908 to get to Washington Court House only, but to no avail.[460]
Toledo, Angola and Western Railway - began 1902 on a steam road from Toledo to Angola, Indiana, but only managed to finish a short quarry line to Silica.[461]
Toledo and Indiana Railway - opened 1905 from Toledo to Bryan, but got no further. The best of several attempts to extend into Indiana came from the Fort Wayne and Toledo Electric Railway grading between Fort Wayne towards Bryant. The T&I tried to take this work over after the FW&T failed after 1913, with a line from Delta via Napoleon and Defiance instead of Bryan.[329]
Toledo and Western Railway - built 1903 from Toledo to Pioneer and graded in the direction of Angola in the hope of connecting with the Northern Indiana Railway and creating a through interurban route from Toledo to Chicago. Part of this grade was used by the St Joseph Valley Railway which had the same idea.[329]
Oklahoma
Denver, Wichita and Memphis Railway - operated 1905 to 1910,[465] a 14 miles (23km) stub[466] running south-east of Catoosa.[467]
Oklahoma, New Mexico and Pacific Railway - 1913 began a line from Ardmore to Lawton but only opened to Ringling. Incorporated a subsidiary, the Ringling and Oilfields Railway to build to Oklahoma City 1916, which opened a short stub to Healdton.[468]
Oklahoma-Southwestern Railway - 1920 began a line from Bristow to Okmulgee but only completed to Nuyaka.[469]
Allen Street Railway - opened an interurban trolley line between Nazareth and Bath in 1906, which also handled freight. Prevented from crossing a spur of the Lehigh and New England Railroad to the Penn-Dixie #5 Cement Plant, and had to operate in two sections.[471]
Chambersburg and Gettysburg Railroad - 1890 began a steam road from Conococheague near Chambersburg to Gettysburg but only completed to Wolf Hill, 10 miles (16km).[472] Operated briefly to Fayetteville, two miles (3.2km), but was abandoned in 1893. Not to be confused with the following.[473]
Chartiers Southern Railroad - began construction from Thompsonville to Waynesburg in 1906, but only managed to complete two separate branches extending a Pennsylvania Railroad line from Brownsville. These were Besco to Mather, and Crucible to Nemacolin. The uncompleted main line from Thompsonville to Mather was abandoned, and the route from Mather to Waynesburg was completed by the Monongahela Railway in 1930.[474][475]
Montgomery and Chester Electric Railway - 1899 built a trolley line from Phoenixville to Spring City and by 1915 graded to a connection with the Pottstown Passenger Railway (the Pottstown streetcar system) via Royersford.[477]
Mount Pleasant and Latrobe Railroad - began 1881 on a line from Mount Pleasant to Latrobe.[478] Only opened a short spur to a coal mine.[479]
Phoenixville, Valley Forge and Strafford Electric Railway - 1909 began to build from Phoenixville to Strafford via Valley Forge, but only opened to the latter place.[480]
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway -Pacific Extension - a beginning was made 1908 on a bridge over the Missouri River at Lebeau and a line westwards in the direction of Broadus, Montana. The north-west corner of South Dakota with the south-east one of Montana were to remain a railroad-free zone, however.[486]
Decatur, Chesapeake and New Orleans Railway - began 1889 to build a trunk line from Gallatin to Decatur, Alabama, via Shelbyville and Fayetteville. The line was complete between the last two places and awaiting rails on bankruptcy. The Middle Tennessee and Alabama Railroad took over in 1893 and concentrated on the Fayetteville to Decatur portion, but this only eventually reached a dead end at Capshaw, Alabama.[489]
Knoxville and Charleston Railroad - 1867 began a trunk line from Knoxville to Charleston, South Carolina, but only reached Maryville. Became the Knoxville and Augusta Railroad 1879. There was never to be a railroad through the Deals Gap Pass, despite several other attempts.[491] The Tennessee & Carolina Southern Railway used abandoned grade to get to Calderwood in 1924, but no further.[492]
Middle and East Tennessee Central Railway - began 1883 on a line from the Chesapeake and Nashville Railway near Bethpage to Knoxville, but only completed to Hartsville.[372]
Tennessee Midland Railroad - 1888 began a direct-route trunk line from Memphis to Bristol but only completed to Perryville.[494]
Tennessee and Sequatchie Valley Railroad - 1882 began a narrow gauge line from a landing on the Tennessee River near Spring City to Nashville. Claimed to have laid 42 miles (68km) in 1883, when it went bankrupt.[495] Succeeded by the Tennessee Central Railroad (nothing to do with the Tennessee Central Railway) which had track from Rhea (now drowned by a reservoir) through Spring City and Jewett to Litton in 1889[496] but only operated Spring City to Jewett, 12 miles (19km).[497]
Troy and Tiptonville Railroad - 1887 began a line from Moffat south-east of Rives to Tiptonville via Troy but only opened to the latter.[498]
Texas
Beaumont and Great Northern Railroad - the Orphan Line between Livingston and Weldon, a detached portion of the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad, was a fragment of a trunk line scheme begun 1905 between Beaumont and Waco. Another attempt was made after the Katy dumped the line, as the Waco, Beaumont, Trinity and Sabine Railway in 1923.[499]
Corpus Christi Street and Interurban Railway - the streetcar company of Corpus Christi had this name because it began to build an interurban electric line to Ward Island in 1916.[500]
Eastland, Wichita Falls and Gulf Railway - 1918 began a line from May, the terminus of the Brownwood North and South Railway, to Newcastle via Mangum and Breckwalker south of Breckenridge. Only opened Mangum to Breckwalker.[502]
Galveston, Brazos and Colorado Narrow Gauge Railway - began 1875 to build a narrow-gauge railroad from Galveston along the length of the island to a bridge over the San Luis Pass, then along the Colorado River to Austin. Only built fifteen miles (24km) from Galveston to a place (now gone) called Seaforth. Taken over by the Galveston and Western Railway in 1888.[503]
Greenville Northwestern Railway - 1913 began to build an interurban electric line from Anna to Greenville via Blue Ridge but only opened to the latter place and never electrified.[504]
Gulf, Texas and Western Railway - 1910 was building from Lubbock to Dallas via Benjamin, Seymour, Jacksboro and Boonville with a branch from the last named to Fort Worth. Graded Benjamin to Seymour, opened Seymour to Jacksboro then built from there to the Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railway at Salesville on a new alignment -and gave up on the rest. Boonville to Dallas was to have used the unused grade of the Dallas and New Mexico Railway.[506][507]
Paris, Marshall and Sabine Pass Railway the line between Winnsboro and Elysian Fields via Marshall was a completed fragment of a trunk line scheme between Paris and the Sabine Pass. Begun 1888, had very many changes of name and ended as the Marshall and East Texas Railway.[509]
Rio Grande Northern Railroad - 1893 began a line from Van Horn via Chispa on the Southern Pacific Railroad south of Lobo and San Carlos (now a ghost town) to the Rio Grande at Sanchez Ranch. Only a spur from Chispa to a new coal mine at San Carlos was finished in 1895, but the company did not operate. The San Carlos Coal Company hired a locomotive on its own account to haul out a very few cars of coal before it failed and everything was junked in 1897.[512] The line had a tunnel.[513]
Castle Valley Railway - begun 1901 as part of a cut-off between the Union Pacific Railroad at Milford and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad near Green River. The later built from Salina eastwards, but only completed to Nioche in 1903. The line was damaged by flooding in 1903 and never had revenue service. Restoration was attempted 1913 and 1925, but the only revenue trains were from a coal mine at Crystal between 1929 and 1933. The route was to have been used by the California and Nevada Railroad, the 1884 proposed narrow-gauge transcontinental line.[520][521]
Salt Lake and Los Angeles Railway - took over a short line from Salt Lake City to Saltair in 1892, and intended to extend to Ophir in the first instance by using the grade of the Utah Western Railway (1874-1881) to Stockton (the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad was in the future).[522] Achieved nothing. Became Salt Lake, Garfield and Western Railway in 1916, electrified and tried to build into Garfield but could not cross the trunk line tracks at grade to reach downtown.[523]
Utah Eastern Railroad - 1880 began a narrow-gauge line from Coalville to Salt Lake City via Park City in competition with the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). Only opened Coalville to Park City, but the UP simultaneously opened a closely parallel standard-gauge branch between the same two places which made the small company's situation hopeless. The UP bought it out in 1883 to get rid of it.[526]
Smithfield Terminal Railway - began 1948 to build a small network of industrial lines at Smithfield to serve three meat packing plants from a ferry pier. The line had no access to the main railroad system, but relied on a car float from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway terminal at Newport News.[528] Bankrupt and scrapped within a year, after laying one mile of track.[529]
Washington State
Northern Pacific Railway - Ellensburg Cut-off - the dead-end line from Warden to Schrag was a completed stub of a trunk line cut-off from Ritzville to Ellensburg 1909. Abandoned grading exists between Schrag and Ritzville.[530]
Oregon and Washington Railroad - this Union Pacific Railroad subsidiary began 1906 a line from Vancouver to Tacoma and Seattle,[531] a repeat of the Portland and Puget Sound Railroad scheme (see below). A long tunnel under Tacoma to reach the waterfront was begun in 1909 but failed, and so the UP arranged trackage on the parallel Northern Pacific Railway instead of continuing to build from Vancouver.[532] Reciprocal arrangements were made with the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad to get to Seattle from Tacoma, but a new line with a tunnel under the city to a marine terminal on Salmon Bay was begun. Both tunnels were abandoned and sealed off. This was UP's third attempt at a Tacoma line.[533]
Tacoma and Columbia River Railway - began work 1895 on a trunk line from Tacoma to The Dalles on the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company (an affiliate of the Union Pacific Railroad). Took over two small suburban lines in Tacoma: Tacoma and Lake City Railroad and Navigation from 6th St & Union Ave[536] to American Lake (already owned by UP), and Tacoma, Lake Park and Columbia River from Center Street to Spanaway (Lake Park). Was extending former to a proposed deep water port at Steilacoom, and the latter as the main line which reached a location called Terminus before abandonment 1901. Some of the grades went to trolley lines, terminating at Spanaway, American Lake and Stellacoom.[537] This was UP's second attempt at a Tacoma line.[538][539]
Parkersburg and Ohio Valley Electric Railway - began 1903 to build a major electric interurban between Wheeling and Parkersburg. Opened five miles (8.0km) between Sistersville and Friendly. The latter place was claimed as one of the smallest settlements in the USA with a dedicated interurban service, since it only had 217 residents at the time.[540]
During World War II triangle junctions were built at Griffith, Stockinbingal, which were removed soon after the war. A triangle at Goobang Junction near Parkes from west to south was only partly built. It was finally completed around 2000.
Germany
Strategic Railway Embankment - The German government ordered the construction of a dedicated military railway in 1904, running from the Ruhr towards the western border of Germany. This was solely in order to enable the rapid deployment of troops. The project was never completed.
Construction interrupted for decades
The following projects were completed long after initial abandonment.
The Ghan - the project to build a south-to-north Australian transcontinental railway was begun in 1878 at Port Augusta, but only reached Alice Springs as a narrow-gauge line in 1930. There it stalled until 1980, when a new standard-gauge line on a different route was opened. This was extended to Darwin, Northern Territory in 2004, 126 years after work had started.
Mexico
Ferrocarril Kansas City, Mexico y Oriente - this Mexican subsidiary of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway was to have been part of a trunk line from Kansas City to the Pacific port of Topolobampo. When the company went bankrupt in 1912 it had built three separate sections between Topolobampo and Presidio, Texas: Pacific Division between Topolobampo and El Fuerte, Mountain Division between Sánchez and Miñaca and Chihuahua Division between Chihuahua City and Marquéz. El Fuerte to Sánchez only opened in 1961 as part of the Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico, and Marquéz to Presidio opened in 1930.[544]
United Kingdom
Channel Tunnel - Tunnelling began in 1881 for a year, was resumed in 1988 and the tunnel finally opened in 1994.
Calverton Colliery was opened in 1951, and its railway used the abandoned route of the Mid-Nottinghamshire Joint Railway from Bestwood Park Junction, left uncompleted 1931.
Great Central Railway - built its Marylebone station terminus building in London at twice the width of the platforms behind. This was to accommodate extra platforms when traffic expanded, which never happened. The London Extension was built with two tracks, but engineered for a future four. The two west-facing junction curves on it connecting to the East and West Junction Railway were double-track, but that railway was single-track meaning that the junction at Byfield, Northamptonshire had five tracks merging into one.[545]
Elham Valley Railway - opened 1889, between Canterbury West and Folkestone West. The only traffic was between Canterbury and Folkestone with the small villages in between, since it formed part of no through route. It was, however, built with double track. The second track was completely redundant, since a single passing place sufficed.
Meon Valley Line - was built as a main line connecting the towns of Gosport and Fareham with London. Opened in 1903; engineered for double track although only one was provided. The main line service was a failure, and through trains were withdrawn in 1915. The track was never doubled.
Nile Valley Line - was intended as part of a trunk line between Southampton and Birmingham via a junction at Whitchurch with the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway, and was engineered accordingly. The DN&SR refused to build the authorised junction spur at Whitchurch, choosing to build to Southampton instead (it failed to complete), and the Nile Valley Line was left with very limited local traffic.
London Underground, Aldwych to Holborn line - opened 1907. This very short tube line had two tunnels, two platforms at either end, three lift (elevator) shafts and two lift-to-platform corridors. Two of the shafts and one of the corridors were never used, and the eastern tunnel with one from each pair of platforms was abandoned in 1914.
Freilassing–Berchtesgaden railway - Work was suspended on double-tracking in 1938, and part of line left with work uncompleted was abandoned and replaced with a bus service.
Work was done on prototypes of the following newly invented motive power systems, which proved to be failures by either not entering commercial operation at all or needing speedy abandonment once installed.
France
Aérotrain - a hover monorail system was developed between 1965 and 1977 by Jean Bertin. Four experimental tracks (one in the USA) and five prototypes were built before abandonment.
Germany
Scherl Monorail - the German publisher August Scherl arranged a one-day demonstration of a Gyro monorail at the Berlin Zoological Garden on 10 November 1909. The small railcar stayed on one rail owing to the conservation of angular momentum supplied by two heavy horizontal flywheels rotating in opposite directions. No investor interest was forthcoming. See Shilovsky Monorail and Brennan Monorail below.
Russia
Shilovsky Monorail - the Russian aristocrat Pyotr Shilovsky was developing his gyro transit system after 1910, both for road vehicles in England and for monorail in Russia. For a gyrocar his system was dangerous because it involved only one flywheel, and so vehicles were unstable on bends. A gyro monorail railway project was begun in 1922 by the nascent Soviet Union between St Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo, but funding was pulled after construction began.
United Kingdom
Atmospheric Railway - the Samuda and Clegg System was developed from 1838 and initially used by the London and Croydon Railway and the South Devon Railway Company. It involved an iron pipe containing a piston attached by a rod to the train, which was pulled along by pumping the air out of the pipe in front of the piston. This was a materials technology failure, since the continuous valve containing the piston rod was sealed by leather which quickly perished. Also used on the Dalkey Atmospheric Railway in Ireland, and the Paris to Saint-Germain Railway in France.
Bennie Railplane - George Bennie opened a short prototype demonstration line of his elevated monorail system in 1930, at Milngavie in Scotland. The individual cars hung on a single rail, with guide rails underneath. The propulsion was by propeller, hence the name. The idea was to build lines above conventional railways, and use them for fast passenger traffic. The idea attracted no investment, and Bennie went bankrupt in 1937.
Behr Monorail - Fritz Behr developed the successful Lartigue Monorail system to create a high-speed electric monorail, which he demonstrated as a full-scale model at the Brussels International Exposition (1897). As a result, the Manchester and Liverpool Electric Express Railway was authorised in 1901 to run between the two cities via Eccles and Warrington. Only minor preliminary work was done, as Behr could not attract funding.[546][547]
Brennan Monorail - Louis Brennan patented his monorail system in 1903. This was a gyro monorail, whereby the train stayed on one rail owing to the conservation of angular momentum supplied by a pair of heavy vertical flywheels, rotating in opposite directions. He demonstrated a full-sized model at the Japan–British Exhibition of 1910, and photos taken of the two trains were widely circulated. He failed to attract backers, and abandoned work.
Great Eastern Railway, Decapod - the GER did not have the funds to electrify its London suburban lines at the start of the 20th century, so instructed its motive power department to create a steam engine (locomotive) that could match the speed and acceleration of an electric train and so take charge of these services. The result was a ten-wheel (0-5-0) monster. Unfortunately the permanent way department was not consulted, and the engine was too heavy for both track and bridges. Only the prototype was built, and hauled no revenue train before being rebuilt for goods (freight) service.
Kearney High-Speed Tube - Elfric Wells Chalmers Kearney promoted his monorail underground rapid transit system from 1905 to the 1940s in Britain and elsewhere, but only a single prototype passenger car was built.
Rammell Pneumatic Railway - Thomas Webster Rammell was the engineer for the London Pneumatic Despatch Company, which involved cars being pushed along underground tubes by stationary air pumps. He demonstrated a passenger version at Crystal Palace in 1864, as a prototype subway system. This involved a carriage in a large tube with a ring of bristles at one end forming a seal, being moved back and forth by alternately pumping in and extracting the air in the tube. The system was taken up by the failed Waterloo and Whitehall Railway.
Beach Pneumatic Transit - this was the first attempt to build an underground public transit system in New York City. The system was developed by Alfred Ely Beach in 1869, and a short demonstration subway line running on pneumatic power was opened in 1870. It was abandoned in 1873. The independently developed Rammell Pneumatic Railway (see above) in England was very similar.
Macke's Three-Rail System - this three-rail elevated urban rapid transit system was proposed for Boston between 1888 and 1891, and discussed by the Massachusetts state legislature. Unlike its competitor the Meigs system (see below), no demonstration line was built. It features two load-bearing rails and a third traction rail in a gully between the two, with vertical driving wheels attached to the rail by wrap-round flanges.[550]
Miami and Erie Transportation Company - the Miami and Erie Canal ran from Cincinnati to Toledo, Ohio, and like all canals in the 19th century relied on horses and mules to tow the boats. The idea was floated to replace the animals with electric locomotives, running on rails laid on the towpath (Electric Mules). Rails were laid from Cincinnati through Dayton by 1904. The idea failed in general because of the new availability of internal combustion engines to power boats, and specifically because the canal was already moribund.[552]
Tunis Monorail - the inventor Howard Hansel Tunis demonstrated his monorail system the Jamestown (Virginia) exposition of 1907, and this was used for the Pelham Park and City Island Railway which was a New York suburban transit line. The monorail had s single ground rail, and two elevated guide rails. It ran from 1910 to 1914, and was then replaced by conventional streetcars.
↑ "Railroad Program Next Wednesday". Verona-Cedar Grove Times. Verona, New Jersey. September 17, 2015. p.D1. Retrieved January 3, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
↑ The Atlantic and Great Western Railway: connections, stations, distances, map, &c., &c.: the great through route between the East and West, Northwest, South, and Southwest 1866 p. 5
↑ Booth, Chris: The Lancashire Derbyshire and East Coast Railway. A Pictorial View of the ?Dukeries Route? and Branches Volume 2: Langwith Lunction to Lincoln, the Mansfield Railway and Mid-Notts Joint Line. Fonthill Media 2019.
↑ J. Wallace Higgins, III: THE ORIENT ROAD: A History of the KANSAS CITY, MEXICO AND ORIENT RAILROAD The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin No. 95 (OCTOBER, 1956), pp. 10-46 (available on JSTOR)
↑ Oeters & Gulick: The Miami and Erie Canal Arcadia 2014 pp. 47ff.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
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.
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.
