The boston and albany railroad was formed between 1867 and 1870 from the merger of three existing lines, the boston and worcester chartered 1831, the western 1833, and the castleton and west stockbridge 1834. Lines in east boston and of the building of stations in framingham, worcester. Boston and worcester railroad corporation records, 1831. Boston and worcester station, beach street, 1852 bpl. The corporation was a primary eastwest transit through the commonwealth, with branches connecting towns including athol, ware, north adams, and. Boston and albany railroad engineering department map. The boston and worcester railroad corporation was incorporated in massachusetts in 1831.
Guild, william, map detailing miles 94100 west of boston on the boston and worcester railroad and the western railroad, in a chart and description of the boston and worcester and western railroads boston. A fearful catastrophe occurred on the boston railroad this forenoon, two miles east of this city, caused by the breaking of an axle. The boston chapter of the national railway historical society is a group of dedicated railroad enthusiasts who gather regularly for companionship and fun to preserve and enjoy the boston areas significant contribution to railroad history, as well as all other aspects of railroading. Established in 1848 by an act of the great and general court of massachusetts, the boston public library bpl was the first large free municipal library in the united states. Passenger service is still provided on the line by amtrak, as part of their lake. The providence and worcester railroad reporting mark pw nasdaq. Via connecting lines, destinations to cleveland, cincinnati, louisville or toronto were options. Heald has written several books on the history of new hampshire. It merged with the western railroad corporation in 1867 to form the boston and albany railroad co. I havent yet looked at it, but id bet based on my previous experience with arcadia publications that this would be a good. There are 121 volumes and several boxes of unbound materials dating from 1831 to 1882. Fascinating history of the norwich and worcester railroad which ran between norwich, connecticut and worcester, massachusetts as well as the steamboats that connected norwich to new york city.
May 05, 2011 boston and worcester station, beach street, 1852 bpl. Transportation worcester historical museum worcester. Boston and albany railroad engineering department map collection. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the. Everything, audio recordings, booksprinted material, films. Includes many beforeandafter photos comparing scenes along the westchester yesterday and today. The new york, new haven and hartford railroad reporting mark nh, commonly known as the new haven, was a railroad that operated in the new england region of the united states from 1872 to 1968, dominating the regions rail traffic for the first half of the 20th century. Mbta to offer express service to worcester trains magazine. There are many books on railroad history available to you, but none can give. Its opening jumpstarted worcester s rapid transition from agriculture to industry, and introduced the irish to town, the first of many immigrant groups that were to come in search of work and new homes. The boston and providence railroad was a railroad company in the states of massachusetts and rhode island which connected its namesake cities. Ive done a little more research on this linein ronald dale karrs the rail lines of southern new england, which, if i got it right, is referred to as the monadnock.
This is the earliest railroad map represented in the librarys map collections. History of the railways of massachusetts history of the railways of massachusetts. Welcome to one of americas oldest and largest used book shops. Volume 36 issue 4 braintree on the new haven railroad detailed history of the railroad in braintree, ma, an important junction of several branches south of boston. The boston and albany railroad line started as the boston and worcester in 1932. In 1867, the boston and worcester railroad changed its name to boston and albany railroad as service was extended all the way to albany, ny. It opened in two sections in 1834 and 1835 one of the first rail lines in the united states with a more direct route into providence built in. The boston and albany railroad was formed by a series of mergers beginning in 1867 that subsumed both the first commercial line in new england, the boston and worcester railroad chartered 1831 and the western railroad 1833, the. It is now part of amtraks highspeed northeast corridor.
The new york, providence and boston railroad, normally called the stonington line, was a major part of the new york, new haven and hartford railroad between new london, connecticut and providence, rhode island. Railroad maps, 1828 to 1900, available online, massachusetts. Baker library historical collections at harvard business school has vast. The new nonstop service should save riders about 30 minutes. Boston two express trains began service along the worcesterframingham line between worcesters union station and bostons south station beginning april 29. Sep 02, 2009 in 1867, the boston and worcester railroad changed its name to boston and albany railroad as service was extended all the way to albany, ny. Berliner, iiis courtesy page for the boston chapter. Coit and those run by the boston and providence owned by cornelius. Coit and those run by the boston and providence owned by cornelius vanderbilt is engagingly told. Includes a brief discussion of the old colony railroads shops at south braintree, ma. The current trip between worcester and boston takes about and hour and a half, stopping as many as 16 times before reaching south station. The bulk of the records date from 1831 until the 1867 merger. Railroad extra history of the railways of massachusetts.
Massachusetts narrow the results by county barnstable berkshire bristol dukes essex franklin hampden hampshire middlesex nantucket norfolk plymouth suffolk worcester. Today the boston and maine railroad is still officially on the books although it survives now mostly in name only. Worcester is approximately 40 miles 64 km west of boston, 50 miles 80 km east of. Ames in researching his 1969 book pioneering the union pacific. While the collection is of great interest in regard to railroad history, it also holds. Further tickets were available for places as farflung as memphis and new. Plans have also been made to add two additional express trains to the worcester framingham line in both directions daily. Within a year, massachusetts interests had secured approval for the necessary rail link from worcester to boston. Named after worcester, england, as of the 2010 census the citys population was 181,045, making it the secondmost populous city in new england after boston. Beginning date 1832 ending date 1867 former title report of the directors of the boston and worcester railroad corporation to the stockholders together with the report of john m. The boston and albany railroad was formed by a series of mergers beginning in 1867 that subsumed both the first commercial line in new england, the boston and worcester railroad chartered 1831 and the western railroad 1833, the most important line in western massachusetts. Connecticuts early railroad history had at its core the goal of linking new york city and boston through a hybrid system of steamboats and trains.
The ten wheelers, the mastodons, the pacifics, and the other classes of locomotive are seen here as they pull passengers and freight throughout the northeast. Nov 16, 2019 construction at norwich began november 18, 1835. Here, in 1859, on this railroad line, travelers could head out from boston to albany to niagara falls. On the new york central railroad, michigan central railroad, boston and albany railroad effective july 16, 1946 and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Manchester s railroads 1965 1990 by rick kfoury 2019. Massachusetts narrow the results by county barnstable berkshire bristol dukes essex franklin hampden hampshire middlesex nantucket norfolk. Our society has published several books about the boston and maine railroad. The line approached boston through brookline, and cut across the back bay on a trestle bridge, intersecting the boston and providence line at one point the present site of the back bay train station. Location of the boston and worchester railroad, 1835. New havens worcester gateway and the railroads of worcester part 2 a detailed history of the railroads and their facilities in worcester from the 1800s into the 1950s, with particular focus on the new haven. Each of these pioneer railroad lines ran from boston to a major population center. Deed and location lines of the western railroad in worcester county, mass. Business leaders in nearby norwich also saw an opportunity to share in the economic boom associated with railroads and organized a stock company to construct a railroad linking long island sound with boston via norwich and worcester.
Guidebook to the boston and worcester and western railroads. The railroad connects from gardner in central massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of worcester and providence, rhode island, and west from rhode island through connecticut and into new york city. The boston and providence railroad was incorporated june 21, 1831, and chartered the next day to build a railroad between boston and providence, rhode island. The railroad system in and around framingham ca 1910. The context and significance of americas first railroad, on. New york, new haven and hartford railroad wikipedia. Plans have also been made to add two additional express trains to the worcesterframingham line in both directions daily. The boston and worcester railroad was chartered june 23, 1831 and.
Mbta improving boston to worcester service trains magazine. On bostons beacon hill, around 1805, the first railroad in the. Includes many before and after photos comparing scenes along the westchester yesterday and today. The eastern railroad was a railroad connecting boston, massachusetts to portland, maine. Timothy murray traveled on the inaugural express train from worcester to boston on and was joined by mayor petty of worcester and members of the legislative. Boston albany railroad abebooks shop for books, art. Rules and working conditions governing machinists, boilermakers, blacksmiths. In 2006, newparent pan am systems renamed guilford as pan am railways.
Boston and albany railroad wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Railroads, the pioneers building americas transportation backbone, and more. Its opening jumpstarted worcesters rapid transition from agriculture to industry, and introduced the irish to town, the first of many immigrant groups that were to come in search of work and new homes. Lessee as of 1956 0429, from employee timetable no. Boston and worcester railroad corporation records, 18311882. Wellesley, the boston suburb known to many because of its noteworthy college of the same name, developed from a hamlet into an independent community that celebrates both its past and its future. There are many books on railroad history available to you, but none can give firsthand information such as will be found in mr. Boston and providence railroad wikimili, the best wikipedia. Providence and worcester railroad pw was incorporated in massachusetts on. New york, providence and boston railroad wikipedia.
From 1778, when the townspeople of west needham petitioned for a separate meetinghouse, to the arrival of the boston and worcester railroad in 1834 and the successful secession from needham on april 6, 1881, the people of wellesley have taken an active role in their townas religious, social, economic, and educational development. Much of the railroads main line in massachusetts is used by the. The boston and lowell railroad was a railroad that operated in massachusetts in the united states. From 1778, when the townspeople of west needham petitioned for a separate meetinghouse, to the arrival of the boston and worcester railroad in 1834 and the successful. It merged with the western railroad corporation in 1867 to form. Compiled from locations filed in 18378 at the office of the county clerk, worcester, mass. Since the berkshires made construction of a canal infeasible, boston turned to the emerging railroad technology for a share of the freight to and from the midwestern united states. It was one of the first railroads in north america and the first major one in the state. The correct corporate name was boston, worcester and new york street railway which was adopted after a financial reorganization. The line later operated as part of the boston and maine railroad s southern division. Portland and rochester, and worcester and nashua railroads, most of which themselves were. After 1900, the old colony railroad lines came under the control of the new york, new haven and hartford system. Boston portland, boston concord, boston rotterdam junction and springfield white river junction.
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