Old Colony Railroad - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Old Colony Railroad (O.C.R.R.) was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

and parts of Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

to points such as Plymouth, Fall River

Fall River

-Cities and towns:In Canada:*Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:*Fall River, Kansas*Fall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this name*Fall River, Tennessee*Fall River, Wisconsin*Fall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...

, New Bedford

New Bedford

-Places:*New Bedford, Illinois*New Bedford, Massachusetts, the most populous New Bedford**New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park*New Bedford, New Jersey *New Bedford, Ohio*New Bedford, Pennsylvania...

, Newport

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...

, Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

, Fitchburg

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg is the third largest city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,318 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is home to Fitchburg State University as well as 17 public and private elementary and high schools.- History :...

, Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...

and Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

. For many years the Old Colony Railroad Company also operated steamboat and ferry lines, including those of the Fall River Line

Fall River Line

The Fall River Line was a combination steamboat and railroad connection between New York City and Boston that operated between 1847 and 1937. It consisted of a railroad journey between Boston and Fall River, Massachusetts, where passengers would then board steamboats for the journey through...

with express train service from Boston

Boston

to its wharf in Fall River

Fall River

where passengers boarded luxury liners to New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. The company also briefly operated a railroad line on Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....

, as well as the freight-only Union Freight Railroad

Union Freight Railroad

The Union Freight Railroad was a freight-only railroad connecting the railroads coming into the north and south sides of downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Almost its entire length was along Atlantic Avenue and Commercial Street...

in Boston

Boston

. The Old Colony Railroad was named after the "Old Colony", the nickname for the Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...

.

From 1845 to 1893 the Old Colony Railroad network grew extensively largely through a series of mergers and acquisitions with other established railroads, until it was itself acquired by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...

under lease agreement on March 1, 1893 for its entire 617-mile network. After this date, all trains, lines, and stations became known as the Old Colony Division of the huge "New Haven" system. During this period, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

enjoyed a virtual monopoly on all passenger and freight rail service in southern New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

.

Passenger service on the New Haven Railroad's Old Colony Division ended in 1959, except for the main line

Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...

between Boston

Boston

and Providence

Providence

Providence may refer to:* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island* Divine providence, the idea of divinely ordained events and outcomes- Entertainment :* Providence , a French/Swiss film directed by Alain Resnais...

, which continues to be used for passenger service by Amtrak

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

and the MBTA. Since 1997, other former Old Colony lines have been reopened to passenger service, including the MBTA's Old Colony Lines with service from Boston

Boston

to Plymouth and Middleborough/Lakeville. In 2007 MBTA passenger service was also restored on the Greenbush Line

Greenbush Line

The Greenbush Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system. The line restores service along the New Haven Railroad's Greenbush Branch, from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the towns of Braintree, Weymouth, Hingham, Cohasset, and Scituate on the South Shore of Boston...

between Braintree

Braintree, Massachusetts

The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744...

and Greenbush Station in Scituate

Scituate, Massachusetts

Scituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....

. The MBTA currently has plans to also restore passenger service to Fall River

Fall River

and New Bedford

New Bedford

as part of its proposed South Coast Rail project.

Other parts of the former Old Colony Railroad system continue to be used for freight service by CSX and other short line railroads, including the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad

Massachusetts Coastal Railroad

The Massachusetts Coastal Railroad is the successor operator of portions of Bay Colony Railroad.-History:On December 31, 2007 the contract to operate the freight railroad lines owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts administered by the Executive Office of Transportation expired. These...

which operates on Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

and in southeastern Massachusetts

Massachusetts

. Parts of the former Old Colony Railroad network on Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

are also still used to operate the Cape Cod Central Railroad

Cape Cod Central Railroad

The Cape Cod Central Railroad is a heritage railroad located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.Originally founded in 1999, it operates a variety of excursion trains from downtown Hyannis to the Cape Cod Canal during spring, summer, and fall. Recently, it has expanded service in a limited capacity to offer...

tourist train from Hyannis

Hyannis

Hyannis may refer to a location in the United States:* Hyannis, Massachusetts* Hyannisport, Massachusetts* Hyannis, Nebraska...

to Buzzards Bay

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Buzzards Bay is a census-designated place in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The population was 3,549 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Buzzards Bay is located at...

during the summer and fall months. Another tourist railroad, the Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railway operates on part of the former Old Colony Railroad network from Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

on Aquidneck Island

Aquidneck Island

Aquidneck Island, located in the state of Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The island's official name is Rhode Island, and the common use of name "Aquidneck Island" helps distinguish the island from the state. The total land area is 97.9 km²...

.

Several abandoned portions of the former Old Colony Railroad network have, or are in the process of being converted into multi-use rail trails. These include the East Bay Bike Path

East Bay Bike Path

right|thumb|400px|The East Bay Bike Path in July 2009, facing south near the southern terminus of the bike path in Bristol.The East Bay Bike Path is a paved rail trail in Rhode Island....

in Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

, as well as others in Lowell

Lowell

- In the United States :* Lowell, Massachusetts** Lowell National Historical Park** Lowell * Lowell, Arkansas* Lowell, California* Lowell, Florida* Lowell, Indiana* Lowell, Bartholomew County, Indiana* Lowell, Maine* Lowell, Michigan...

, Mansfield

Mansfield, Massachusetts

Mansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population is 23,184. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island....

and Fairhaven, Massachusetts

Fairhaven, Massachusetts

Fairhaven is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located on the south coast of Massachusetts where the Acushnet River flows into Buzzards Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean...

and the popular Cape Cod Rail Trail

Cape Cod Rail Trail

The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a paved rail trail located on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.Operated by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it occupies an abandoned Old Colony Railroad corridor and extends from Route 134 in South Dennis to LeCount Hollow Road in South Wellfleet.Its...

on Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

Old Colony Railroad (1844-1854)

By the early 1840s, the city of Boston

Boston

had six major rail lines connecting it with other places including Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

, Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

, Fitchburg

Fitchburg

Fitchburg is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Fitchburg, Massachusetts*Fitchburg, Wisconsin-Other:*Fitchburg Railroad, named for the Massachusetts city*Fitchburg , current station...

, and Salem

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...

to the north, Worcester

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....

to the west and Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island

to the southwest. The southeastern part of Massachusetts

Massachusetts

had yet to be served by a rail link to Boston

Boston

.

On March 16, 1844 the Old Colony Railroad Corporation was formed to provide a rail connection between Boston

Boston

and Plymouth, Massachusetts. Construction of the line began in South Boston

South Boston, Massachusetts

South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. One of America's oldest and most historic neighborhoods, South Boston was formerly known as Dorchester Neck, and today is called "Southie" by...

in June 1844 and the 36.8 mile line opened to Plymouth on November 10, 1845. The extension from South Boston to the newly-completed Kneeland Street in Boston

Boston

opened on June 19, 1847. Kneeland Street Station also served as the headquarters for the O.C.R.R. until the 1893 consolitation.

There had previously been an Old Colony Railroad formed in 1838 for a line between Taunton

Taunton, Massachusetts

Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...

and New Bedford

New Bedford

, but the name was change to the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad

New Bedford and Taunton Railroad

The New Bedford and Taunton Railroad was originally incorporated at the Old Colony Railroad Corporation in 1838 as an extension of the Taunton Branch Railroad between Taunton, Massachusetts and New Bedford. The name was changed to New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1839 before service began in 1840...

in 1839 before service began in 1840. This line would later become part of the Old Colony Railroad in 1879.

John Sever of Kingston, Massachusetts

Kingston, Massachusetts

Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...

served as the first president of the Old Colony Railroad Corporation from 1844-1845. Nathan Carruth

Nathan Carruth

Nathan Carruth was an American railroad pioneer.-Early life:Nathan Carruth, fourth son of Francis and Mary Hale Carruth, was educated in his native town North Brookfield, Massachusetts and resided there until seventeen years old...

served as the second president of the corporation from 1845 to 1848. Carruth was a successful businessman and enthusiastic supporter of the expansion of railroads in Massachusetts

Massachusetts

and elsewhere in New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

. With the opening of the Old Colony line through Dorchester

Dorchester, Massachusetts

Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...

in 1845, Carruth became actively involved in the development of the area. He built an estate on the east side of Dorchester Avenue called Beechmont/Beaumont which would become one of the first railroad suburbs in America.

All Old Colony locomotives were named until 1884, when they were just simply numbered. Among the early engines were the Mayflower, Governor Carver, Governor Bradford and Miles Standish. The new railroad company also built the Samoset Hotel near the end of its line in Plymouth.

In 1847, the Old Colony Railroad completed a short 6.2 mile connector line from its main line at Whitman

Whitman, Massachusetts

Whitman is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,489 as of the 2010 census. It is notable as being the place where the chocolate chip cookie was invented....

to the Fall River Railroad

Fall River Railroad (1846)

The Fall River Railroad was incorporated in 1846 as a merger between the Fall River Branch Railroad, the Middleborough Railroad Corportation and the Randolph & Bridgewater Railroad Corportation...

line at Bridgewater Junction.

On April 1, 1849, the O.C.R.R. signed a lease of the South Shore Railroad

South Shore Railroad

The South Shore Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 to provide rail service between Quincy and Duxbury, Massachusetts through the towns of Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Marshfield. The 11.5 mile line opened for service from Braintree to Cohasset, on January 1, 1849...

for a period of five years.

By 1851, traffic on the line had increased enough to warrant the opening of a second track running between Boston

Boston

and South Braintree.

Old Colony and Fall River Railroad (1854-1863)

The Old Colony Railroad and Fall River Railroad

Fall River Railroad (1846)

The Fall River Railroad was incorporated in 1846 as a merger between the Fall River Branch Railroad, the Middleborough Railroad Corportation and the Randolph & Bridgewater Railroad Corportation...

merged with a joint stock vote on June 20, 1854, forming the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Company, which provided a two-pronged line from Boston to Plymouth and Boston to Fall River, splitting at South Braintree. Alexander Holmes from Kingston

Kingston, Massachusetts

served as company president during this period, from 1854 to 1866.

The Fall River Railroad

Fall River Railroad (1846)

The Fall River Railroad was incorporated in 1846 as a merger between the Fall River Branch Railroad, the Middleborough Railroad Corportation and the Randolph & Bridgewater Railroad Corportation...

had been formed on August 8, 1845 with consolidation of three companies; the Fall River Branch Railroad

Fall River Branch Railroad

The Fall River Branch Railroad was incorporated in 1844 providing a rail link from the emerging textile town of Fall River to the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad at Myricks Junction. It began operating in 1845 with 12 miles of track...

, the Randolph and Bridgewater Railroad and the Middleborough Railroad. The Fall River Railroad

Fall River Railroad (1846)

The Fall River Railroad was incorporated in 1846 as a merger between the Fall River Branch Railroad, the Middleborough Railroad Corportation and the Randolph & Bridgewater Railroad Corportation...

was led by Richard Borden

Richard Borden

Colonel Richard Borden was undoubtedly the most influential person in the early history of the city of Fall River, Massachusetts. He co-founded the Fall River Iron Works in 1821, and later built several early cotton mills, as well as the Fall River Line, Fall River Gas Company, the Fall River...

, a prominent mill owner in Fall River

Fall River

who wanted a direct route from his city to Boston

Boston

, which did not require use of the Boston and Providence Railroad lines. The line from South Braintree to Myricks

Myricks, Massachusetts

Myricks, Massachusetts, is an association community or populated place located in Bristol County, Massachusetts at latitude 41.831 and longitude -71.027. The elevation is 62 feet. Myricks appears on the Assonet U.S. Geological Survey Map....

in the town of Berkley

Berkley, Massachusetts

Berkley is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,749 at the 2000 census, making it the least populated town in the county.-Geography:...

opened on December 16, 1846 as an extension of the Fall River Branch Railroad

Fall River Branch Railroad

which had been completed in 1845.

On May 19, 1847, the first "boat train" left the Old Colony's Kneeland Street Station in Boston

Boston

bound for Fall River

Fall River

where passengers would board a steamship for New York City

New York City

. Over the years, the "Old Colony Steamboat Express" train would become the most famous line of the Old Colony Railroad, with the finest and most up-to-date engines, cars and attention to detail.

In 1863 the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad acquired the Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad

Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad

The Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 as a branch off the Old Colony Railroad main line from Boston to Plymouth...

Company, which it had been leasing since 1848.

Old Colony and Newport Railroad (1863-1872)

The Old Colony and Newport Railway was formed in in July 1863 when the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad merged with the Newport and Fall River Railroad, which had been incorporated in 1846 to build a road from Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

to the Massachusetts state line at Fall River

Fall River

. However, the road from Fall River

Fall River

to the Rhode Island state line was not authorized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1860. The newly formed and renamed Old Colony and Newport Railway Company completed the final section of the line from Fall River

Fall River

to Newport

Newport, Rhode Island

which finally opened for service on February 5, 1864.

In 1865, the Old Colony and Newport Railway Company acquired the Dighton and Somerset Railroad

Dighton and Somerset Railroad

The Dighton and Somerset Railroad was incorporated in 1863 to provide a new rail link between Fall River, Massachusetts and Boston via South Braintree. The railroad ran from South Braintree through the towns of Randolph, Stoughton, Easton, Raynham to Taunton...

, and completed a new, more direct route between Fall River

Fall River

and Boston

Boston

via South Braintree on September 24, 1866. Part of the new route was over the Easton Branch Railroad between Stoughton

Stoughton, Massachusetts

Stoughton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,962 at the 2010 census. The town is located approximately from Boston, from Providence, and from Cape Cod.-History:...

and North Easton. In 1871 the Old Colony purchased the Easton Branch.

A portion of the old Granite Railway

Granite Railway

-References:** privately printed for The Granite Railway Company, 1926.* Scholes, Robert E. , .******Dutton, E.P. Published 1867. A good map of roads and rail lines around Quincy and Milton including the Granite Railroad.* * *...

line was acquired in 1870, and later extended to form a loop through West Quincy off the original Plymouth line. In 1872, the Old Colony & Newport Railway Corporation built the Shawmut Railroad as a connection between the Dorchester and Milton Branch

Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad

The Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 as a branch off the Old Colony Railroad main line from Boston to Plymouth...

and the main line to Boston

Boston

Old Colony Railroad (1872-1893)

The Old Colony and Newport Railroad merged with the Cape Cod Railroad

Cape Cod Railroad

The Cape Cod Railroad was a railroad in southeastern Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 as the Cape Cod Branch Railroad to provide a rail link from Fall River Railroad line in Middleborough to Cape Cod...

on May 1, 1872, and the two companies were consolidated on October 1, forming a new Old Colony Railroad Company under the leadership of Onslow Stearns

Onslow Stearns

Onslow Stearns was an American railroad builder and executive, and a politician from Concord, New Hampshire. Born in 1810 in Billerica, Massachusetts, he served New Hampshire in the state Senate and as a Republican governor for two terms. He died in 1878 in Concord, New Hampshire.-External links:*...

, who served as president of the company from 1866 to 1877.

The 1872 merger formed a system with three main branches; Boston

Boston

to Plymouth, South Braintree to Fall River

Fall River

, extending to Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

and a third splitting from the Newport branch at Middleborough

Middleborough, Massachusetts

Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....

to Hyannis

Hyannis, Massachusetts

Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...

. At this point, the newly acquired lines became known as the "Cape Cod Division", with a new superintendent's office located at Hyannis

Hyannis

Hyannis may refer to a location in the United States:* Hyannis, Massachusetts* Hyannisport, Massachusetts* Hyannis, Nebraska...

.

The Cape Cod Railroad Company

Cape Cod Railroad

had been established in 1846 as the Cape Cod Branch Railroad with a line off the Fall River Railroad

Fall River Railroad (1846)

The Fall River Railroad was incorporated in 1846 as a merger between the Fall River Branch Railroad, the Middleborough Railroad Corportation and the Randolph & Bridgewater Railroad Corportation...

from Middleborough

Middleborough, Massachusetts

to Sandwich

Sandwich, Massachusetts

Sandwich is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,675 at the 2010 census. The Town Hall is located right next to the Dexter Grist Mill, in the historic district of town....

opening in 1848. Among the proponents of the Cape Cod Branch Railroad were Richard Borden

Richard Borden

of Fall River

Fall River

, who saw the new line as an opportunity to bring more traffic and business through his hometown. In 1853, the extension of the line to Hyannis

Hyannis, Massachusetts

was started, reaching reaching West Barnstable

West Barnstable, Massachusetts

West Barnstable is a village or section in the northwest part of the City of Barnstable, Massachusetts. Once devoted to agricultural pursuits, West Barnstable now is largely residential.-Natural features:...

on December 22, 1853. On February 22, 1854, the Cape Cod Branch Railroad was renamed the Cape Cod Railroad Company. In the spring of 1854, construction continued, with the railroad reaching Barnstable village

Barnstable (village), Massachusetts

Barnstable is the name of one of the seven villages within the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts. The Village of Barnstable is located on the north side of the town, centered along "Old King's Highway" , and houses the County Complex of Barnstable County, a small business district, a working...

May 8, Yarmouth Port

Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts

Yarmouth Port is a census-designated place in the town of Yarmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,395 at the 2000 census...

May 19, and finally Hyannis

Hyannis, Massachusetts

on July 8, 1854. Connecting steamboat

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

service to Nantucket

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...

commenced from Hyannis in late September and would continue until 1872, when the railroad branch to Woods Hole was opened.

The Cape Cod Central Railroad

Cape Cod Central Railroad

was incorporated 1861 as a branch from the Cape Cod Railroad

Cape Cod Railroad

, running from Yarmouth

Yarmouth, Massachusetts

Yarmouth is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 24,807 at the 2000 census....

east and northeast to Orleans

Orleans, Massachusetts

Orleans is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 5,890 at the 2010 census....

, and opening in 1865. The Cape Cod Central was purchased by the Cape Cod Railroad April 21, 1868, and the two railroads were consolidated on July 28, 1868.

The newly-formed Old Colony Railroad extended the line to Provincetown

Provincetown, Massachusetts

Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,431 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2007 population of 3,174...

, at the tip of Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

, opening July 23, 1873.

In 1874, Old Colony founded the Martha's Vineyard Railroad

Martha's Vineyard Railroad

The Martha's Vineyard Railroad was a gauge narrow gauge railroad on the island of Martha's Vineyard. It was built in 1874 to connect the Oak Bluffs wharf with the section of Edgartown known as Katama. The line closed in 1896.- Development :...

, built across nine miles (14 km) of sand on the island of Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....

, running from the Oak Bluffs steamer wharf to Mattakeeset Lodge in Katama

Katama

Katama is a residential area in the town of Edgartown, Massachusetts, on the south shore of the island of Martha's Vineyard. It is bordered on the west by Edgartown Great Pond, on the east by Katama Bay and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean.The word "Katama" comes from a Wampanoag word meaning...

, Edgartown. The locomotive Active (later renamed the South Beach) was the sole operating train. This branch existed until 1896.

The Old Colony Railroad acquired the Middleborough and Taunton Railroad in 1874 and the South Shore Railroad

South Shore Railroad

in 1877, which it had once leased until 1854. A year later in 1878 it acquired the Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad which gave the Old Colony a connection with its original 1845 main line at Kingston

Kingston, Massachusetts

. Beginning in 1874, the Old Colony operated the "South Shore, Duxbury and Cohasset and Plymouth Express" between Boston and Plymouth on this line.

In 1875 the Old Colony Railroad began operating the Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad

Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad

The Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad was a railroad in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island connecting the city of Fall River, Massachusetts with Warren, Rhode Island. It incorporated in 1862 as a merger of the Warren and Fall River Railroad Company of Rhode Island and the Fall...

, which had been formed in 1863 as a merger between the Warren and Fall River and Fall River and Warren Railroad Companies. The Old Colony would later acquire this line outright in 1892.

In 1879, the Old Colony Railroad greatly expanded its network into Central Massachusetts by leasing the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad

Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad

The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....

for 999 years, then purchasing it outright in 1883. The acquisition of this line provided important connections for the Old Colony, such as with the Boston and Providence Railroad at Mansfield

Mansfield, Massachusetts

, the Boston and Albany Railroad

Boston and Albany Railroad

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...

at South Framingham and the Fitchburg Railroad

Fitchburg Railroad

The Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...

at Fitchburg

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

, among others. This deal also gave the Old Colony Railroad direct access to the important industrial port of New Bedford

New Bedford

. Upon this acquisition, the lines of the former Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad became known as the Old Colony's "Northern Division", with headquarters in Fitchburg

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

, while the older OCRR lines became known as the "Central Division" with headquarters in Boston

Boston

.

In 1886 the Old Colony Railroad acquired the Lowell and Framingham Railroad, which had previously been known as the Framingham and Lowell Railroad

Framingham and Lowell Railroad

The Framingham and Lowell Railroad was a railroad in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1870 to provide a rail connection between Framingham to Lowell through the towns of Sudbury, Concord, Acton, Carlisle, Westford and Chelmsford...

before 1871.

In 1887 the Old Colony Railroad acquired the Hanover Branch Railroad

Hanover Branch Railroad (Massachusetts)

The Hanover Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 to provide a rail link from the Old Colony Railroad main line in Abington through Rockland to Hanover. The length of the line was 7.8 miles from North Abington to Hanover Four Corners...

. On April 1, 1888, the Old Colony Railroad signed a 99-year lease agreement the Nantasket Beach Railroad with service to Hull, Massachusetts

Hull, Massachusetts

Hull is a peninsula town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,293 at the 2010 census. Hull is the smallest town by land area in Plymouth County and the fourth smallest in the state...

.

Several days later, on April 7, 1888 the OCRR signed a 99 year lease on the Boston and Providence Railroad, one of New England's earliest railroads, which had been chartered in Massachusetts in 1831 and began service between Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

and Boston

Boston

in 1835. This major agreement gave the Old Colony Railroad operating rights on the busy double-tracked main line between the two capital cities, along with other branches to Dedham

Dedham, Massachusetts

Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...

and Stoughton

Stoughton, Massachusetts

. The deal also included use of the Boston and Providence Railroad's Park Square Station in Boston

Boston

.

In 1891 the OCRR signed a 99 years lease of the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad

Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad

The Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad was a railroad in Rhode Island connecting the city of Providence with Bristol, Rhode Island. It formed in 1854 by a consolidation of the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad Companies of Massachusetts and Rhode Island...

. In December, 1892, the OCRR signed a 99 year lease of the Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad

Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad

The Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1890 to provide a rail link between the towns of Middleborough and Plymouth, Massachusetts through Carver. The line was 15 miles long and opened for service on November 30, 1892...

properties.

In 1896 the OCRR acquired the Fall River Railroad (1874) line between Fall River

Fall River

and New Bedford

New Bedford

, which it had been leasing since 1882.

Old Colony Division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (1893-1969)

On March 1, 1893 the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

(NYNH&H) leased the entire Old Colony system for 99 years, which by then included the leased Boston and Providence Railroad and everything substantially east of it, as well as long branches northwest to Fitchburg

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

and Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

. Along with the lease of the New England Railroad in 1898, the 1893 lease arrangement gave the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

a virtual monopoly on rail transport in southern New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

.

With the opening of South Station

South Station (Boston)

South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...

in 1899, Kneeland Street Station taken over by the Boston and Albany Railroad

Boston and Albany Railroad

as a local freight office. It was demolished in 1918 after being deemed unsafe.

Despite high ridership, this line had been a source of problems for the New Haven Railroad, which leased the system. In 1935, the bankrupt New Haven attempted to default on its lease and return ownership of the line to the Old Colony stockholders, however, this drove the Old Colony, which had not run trains in over thirty years, to bankruptcy in one day and the New Haven was forced to run the trains by court order, with a provision that if losses exceeded a certain amount they could abandon the line. The Old Colony Division enjoyed a brief renaissance in the early 1950s under the pro-commuter term of President Frederick C. Dumaine, Jr., however this was not to last. The New Haven's accountants used somewhat dubious practices to shift a greater amount of debt to the Old Colony Division, and the railroad announced that all passenger service would end in 1958. An emergency subsidy was approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for another year, and service finally ended in 1959 with the opening of the Southeast Expressway, which along with Route 24 runs alongside or parallel to the former Old Colony right-of-ways in many sections.

The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

merged into Penn Central in 1969, which was in turn merged into Conrail in 1976.

History since 1969

Since the early 1970s, Amtrak

Amtrak

has provided passenger service from South Station

South Station

in Boston

Boston

over the former Boston and Providence lines of the Old Colony Railroad. Since December, 2000, Amtrak

Amtrak

has also used this line for the Acela Express

Acela Express

The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...

high-speed passenger rail service to Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

. Between 1986 and 1996 Amtrak

Amtrak

also operated regular passenger service between New York City

New York City

and Hyannis

Hyannis

Hyannis may refer to a location in the United States:* Hyannis, Massachusetts* Hyannisport, Massachusetts* Hyannis, Nebraska...

on Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

during the summer months.

With the establishment of Conrail, freight service continued over various portions of the former Old Colony network after 1976. Beginning in 1982, the Bay Colony Railroad

Bay Colony Railroad

The Bay Colony Railroad is a shortline railroad operating in Massachusetts.The BCLR operates in the Millis - Milford - Needham Corridor. In addition to moving freight for its customers, Bay Colony also performs AAR-certified repairs on rolling stock and contract track construction projects for...

provided freight service on various lines which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had purchased from Conrail, including lines on Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

and in Middlesex County

Middlesex County, Massachusetts

-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...

. Since 1999, CSX has provided freight service over several portions of the former Old Colony Railroad network, including lines in Taunton

Taunton, Massachusetts

, Fall River

Fall River

, New Bedford

New Bedford

and Leominster

Leominster, Massachusetts

Leominster is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest city in Worcester County, with a population of 40,759 at the 2010 census. Leominster is located north of Worcester and west of Boston. Both Route 2 and Route 12 pass through Leominster. Interstate 190,...

. Since 2008, the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad

Massachusetts Coastal Railroad

has taken over operation of the state-owned freight lines on Cape Cod

Cape Cod

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...

from the Bay Colony Railroad

Bay Colony Railroad

.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...

currently operates passenger service on portions of the network, including the Red Line

Red Line (MBTA)

The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. The line begins west of Boston, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Alewife station, near the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 2...

rapid transit service to Quincy

Quincy, Massachusetts

Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...

and Braintree

Braintree, Massachusetts

, and the Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line. The MBTA also currently operates commuter rail service over portions of the former Old Colony Railroad network, including its Providence/Stoughton Line

Providence/Stoughton Line

The Providence/Stoughton Line is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system running southwest from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The main line was originally built by the Boston and Providence Rail Road, and now carries service between Boston and T. F. Green Airport, Rhode Island...

and portions of the Needham Line

Needham Line

The Needham Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running west from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the Boston neighborhoods ofRoxbury,Jamaica Plain,Roslindale,West Roxbury, and the town ofNeedham....

. The MBTA also restored service on the Plymouth/Kingston Line and Middleborough/Lakeville Line

Middleborough/Lakeville Line

The Old Colony Lines are branches of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, connecting downtown Boston, Massachusetts with the South Shore and cranberry-farming country to the south and southeast...

in the 1990s, and the Greenbush Line

Greenbush Line

(part of the South Shore Branch

South Shore Railroad

) opened in 2007.

Two portions of the O.C.R.R. network are also currently used for tourist trains during certain parts of the year, including the Cape Cod Central Railroad

Cape Cod Central Railroad

and the Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railway.

Presidents of the Old Colony Railroad

John Sever (June, 1844 to December, 1845)
Nathan Carruth
Nathan Carruth
Nathan Carruth was an American railroad pioneer.-Early life:Nathan Carruth, fourth son of Francis and Mary Hale Carruth, was educated in his native town North Brookfield, Massachusetts and resided there until seventeen years old...

(December, 1845 to January, 1848)
Elias Hasket Derby (January, 1848 to April, 1850)
Francis B. Crowninshield (April, 1850 to June, 1854)
Alexander Holmes (June, 1854 to July, 1866)
Onslow Stearns
Onslow Stearns
Onslow Stearns was an American railroad builder and executive, and a politician from Concord, New Hampshire. Born in 1810 in Billerica, Massachusetts, he served New Hampshire in the state Senate and as a Republican governor for two terms. He died in 1878 in Concord, New Hampshire.-External links:*...

(July, 1866 to November, 1877)
Charles F. Choate (November, 1877 to April, 1907)

Lines and branches

The following is a description of the Old Colony Railroad lines and branches at about the time of the 1893 lease to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad

, and shortly thereafter.

Line	Segment / Branch	Opened	Length (miles)	Built By	Acquired by OCRR	Notes
Plymouth Line (Central Division)	Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... to Plymouth	November 10, 1845	36.8	Old Colony Railroad Corporation	1845	Line completed 0.5 miles from South Boston South Boston, Massachusetts South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. One of America's oldest and most historic neighborhoods, South Boston was formerly known as Dorchester Neck, and today is called "Southie" by... to Boston on June 19, 1847 with the opening of Kneeland Street Station; line between Boston and South Braintree doubled in 1848; line now part of MBTA Red Line to Braintree, MBTA Plymouth commuter rail Line, ending in North Plymouth
	Whitman Whitman, Massachusetts Whitman is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,489 as of the 2010 census. It is notable as being the place where the chocolate chip cookie was invented.... to Bridgwater Junction	June 21, 1847	6.2	Old Colony Railroad Corporation	1847	Connection with Fall River Railroad; this line has been abandoned
	Neponset to Mattapan	December 1, 1847	3.3	Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad Company Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad The Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 as a branch off the Old Colony Railroad main line from Boston to Plymouth...	1848	leased/operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1848 to 1863; merged in 1863
	Granite Branch	October 7, 1826	1.8	Granite Railway Company	1871	lines extended in 1873 and 1876 by Old Colony Railroad to connect with Plymouth line, forming a loop to West Quincy and East Milton
	Shawmut Branch	December 2, 1872	2.2	Old Colony and Newport Railway Company	1872	The MBTA bought the whole Shawmut Branch and part of the Dorchester and Milton Branch in 1926, using the rights-of-way Right-of-way (railroad) A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way... for their Dorchester Extension and Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line The Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line or also known as the "M-Line" in Boston and Milton, Massachusetts is considered to be part of the MBTA's Red Line, even though it uses different equipment and passengers have to change at Ashmont. The only MBTA line to run through a cemetery, the line opened on... , now two parts of the MBTA Red Line Red Line (MBTA) The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. The line begins west of Boston, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Alewife station, near the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 2... .
	Braintree Braintree, Massachusetts The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744... to Cohasset Cohasset, Massachusetts Cohasset is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, though it is not contiguous with the main body of the county. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.- History :...	January 1, 1849	11.5	South Shore Railroad Company South Shore Railroad The South Shore Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1846 to provide rail service between Quincy and Duxbury, Massachusetts through the towns of Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate and Marshfield. The 11.5 mile line opened for service from Braintree to Cohasset, on January 1, 1849...	1877	leased by Old Colony Railroad from 1849 to 1854; now part of MBTA Greenbush commuter rail line
	Westdale to Elmwood	April 1, 1885	0.75	Old Colony Railroad	1885	short connector between Fall River-Middleborough line and Bridgewater-Whitman line
	Hanover Branch	July 18, 1868	7.8	Hanover Branch Railroad Company Hanover Branch Railroad The Hanover Branch Railroad Company was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century. The company was incorporated on March 16, 1847 and began operating trains in 1852...	1887	continued to carry freight to a wood box factory in West Hanover into the 1960s
	Matfield Junction to Easton	January 1, 1888	7.6	Old Colony Railroad Company	1888	also known as the Easton Branch
	Nantasket Beach Branch	July 10, 1880	7.0	Nantasket Beach Railroad Company	1888	leased to Old Colony Railroad from April 1, 1888; deeded outright to OCRR February 24, 1906; The Nantasket Beach Branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railway had the first electric train in the U.S. It had its first run on Sunday, June 30, 1895.
	Union Freight Railroad		2.2
	Plymouth to Middleborough Middleborough, Massachusetts Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....	November 30, 1892	15.0	Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad The Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1890 to provide a rail link between the towns of Middleborough and Plymouth, Massachusetts through Carver. The line was 15 miles long and opened for service on November 30, 1892...	1892	this line has been abandoned
	Cohasset Cohasset, Massachusetts Cohasset is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, though it is not contiguous with the main body of the county. The population was 7,542 at the 2010 census.- History :... to South Duxbury	1871	17.5	Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad Company	1904	line now part of MBTA Greenbush commuter rail line; other parts have been abandoned
	South Duxbury to Kingston Kingston, Massachusetts Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.-History:Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people...	1874	3.2	Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad Company	1904	this line has been abandoned
Fall River & Newport Lines (Central Division)	South Braintree to Myricks Myricks, Massachusetts Myricks, Massachusetts, is an association community or populated place located in Bristol County, Massachusetts at latitude 41.831 and longitude -71.027. The elevation is 62 feet. Myricks appears on the Assonet U.S. Geological Survey Map....	December 31, 1846	30.5	Fall River Railroad (1846) Fall River Railroad (1846) The Fall River Railroad was incorporated in 1846 as a merger between the Fall River Branch Railroad, the Middleborough Railroad Corportation and the Randolph & Bridgewater Railroad Corportation...	1854	consolidation of Randolph and Bridgewater Railroad with Middleborough Railroad and Fall River Branch Railroad Fall River Branch Railroad The Fall River Branch Railroad was incorporated in 1844 providing a rail link from the emerging textile town of Fall River to the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad at Myricks Junction. It began operating in 1845 with 12 miles of track... ; this line now used by MBTA Middleborough/Lakeville commuter rail line; portion between Middleborough and Myricks has been abandoned
	Myricks Myricks, Massachusetts Myricks, Massachusetts, is an association community or populated place located in Bristol County, Massachusetts at latitude 41.831 and longitude -71.027. The elevation is 62 feet. Myricks appears on the Assonet U.S. Geological Survey Map.... to Fall River Fall River -Cities and towns:In Canada:Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:Fall River, KansasFall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this nameFall River, TennesseeFall River, WisconsinFall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:...	June 9, 1845	10.8	Fall River Branch Railroad Fall River Branch Railroad The Fall River Branch Railroad was incorporated in 1844 providing a rail link from the emerging textile town of Fall River to the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad at Myricks Junction. It began operating in 1845 with 12 miles of track...	1854	still used by CSX for freight; sold to Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2010 for proposed South Coast Rail project.
	Fall River Fall River -Cities and towns:In Canada:Fall River, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:Fall River, KansasFall River, Massachusetts, the largest city with this nameFall River, TennesseeFall River, WisconsinFall River County, South Dakota-Rivers:In Canada:... to Newport Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...	February 5, 1864	19.0	Old Colony and Newport Railway Company	1864	segment completed after 1863 merger of Newport and Fall River Railroad Company with Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Company
	Mayflower Park (Braintree Highlands) to Somerset Junction (Fall River)	September 24, 1866	32.8	Old Colony and Newport Railway Company	1866	utilized part of Easton Branch Railroad between Stoughton and North Easton
	Stoughton to North Easton	May 16, 1855	3.8	Easton Branch Railroad Company	1869	operated by Boston and Providence Railroad from 1855 to 1856; operated by Old Colony and Newport Railway from 1866 to 1871
	Middleborough to Taunton	July 4, 1856	8.0	Middleborough and Taunton Railroad Corporation	1874	originally Taunton and Middleborough Railroad Corporation, name changed in 1853 before line built; still used by CSX for freight
	Warren to Fall River	1875	8.0	Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad Company Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad The Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad was a railroad in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island connecting the city of Fall River, Massachusetts with Warren, Rhode Island. It incorporated in 1862 as a merger of the Warren and Fall River Railroad Company of Rhode Island and the Fall...	1875	completed from Warren to Somerset by April, 1875; extended to Fall River with opening of Slade's Ferry Bridge Slade's Ferry Bridge The Slade's Ferry Bridge was a steel swing double layered truss bridge that spanned the Taunton River between Somerset, Massachusetts and Fall River, Massachusetts. It carried rail traffic on top and included a swing span to allow river traffic through. It was built in 1875 and removed in 1970... ; operated by Old Colony Railroad from December 1, 1865; deeded to Old Colony Railroad in 1892
	Whittenton Branch	September 10, 1882	2.5	Old Colony Railroad Company	1882	first 0.8 mile segment from Taunton Branch Railroad line to Whittenton Mills opened in 1881; connected to Mayflower Park-Somerset line at Raynham Raynham, Massachusetts Raynham is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,739 at the 2000 census. It has one village, Raynham Center.-History:... in 1882; allowed Somerset line trains to stop at Taunton Central Station, instead of Dean Street Station Old Colony Railroad Station (Taunton, Massachusetts) Old Colony Railroad Station is an historic train station at 40 Dean Street in Taunton, Massachusetts.The station was built in 1876 as part of the Old Colony Railroad east of downtown Taunton on a line that was originally part of the Dighton and Somerset Railroad.It was added to the National... , east of downtown Taunton
Cape Cod Division	Middleborough to Wareham	January 26, 1848	14.7	Cape Cod Branch Railroad Company	1872	name change to Cape Cod Railroad in 1854
	Wareham to Sandwich	May 29, 1848	12.9	Cape Cod Branch Railroad Company	1872	name change to Cape Cod Railroad in 1854
	Sandwich to Hyannis	July 8, 1854	16.7	Cape Cod Branch Railroad Company	1872	name change to Cape Cod Railroad in 1854
	Yarmouth to Orleans	December 1, 1865	18.7	Cape Cod Central Railroad Company	1872
	Buzzards Bay to Woods Hole	July 20, 1872	17.5	Old Colony Railroad	1872
	Orleans to Wellfleet	December 29, 1870	11.6	Cape Cod Railroad Company	1872	now part of Cape Cod Rail Trail Cape Cod Rail Trail The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a paved rail trail located on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.Operated by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it occupies an abandoned Old Colony Railroad corridor and extends from Route 134 in South Dennis to LeCount Hollow Road in South Wellfleet.Its...
	Wellfleet Wellfleet, Massachusetts Wellfleet is a New England town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the town had a population of 2,749 at the 2000 census, which swells nearly sixfold during the summer... to Provincetown Provincetown, Massachusetts Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,431 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2007 population of 3,174...	July 23, 1873	14.3	Old Colony Railroad Company	1873	this segment of line has been abandoned
	Harwich to Chatham	November 21, 1887	7.1	Chatham Railroad Company	1905	Acquired by New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts... in 1905
	West Wareham to Fairhaven	October 2, 1854	15.9	Fairhaven Branch Railroad Fairhaven Branch Railroad The Fairhaven Branch Railroad was a short-line railroad in Massachusetts. It ran from West Wareham on the Cape Cod main line of the Old Colony Railroad, southwest to Fairhaven, a town across the Acushnet River from New Bedford.-History:...	1879	deeded to New Bedford and Taunton Railroad New Bedford and Taunton Railroad The New Bedford and Taunton Railroad was originally incorporated at the Old Colony Railroad Corporation in 1838 as an extension of the Taunton Branch Railroad between Taunton, Massachusetts and New Bedford. The name was changed to New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1839 before service began in 1840... in 1861; leased in 1879 by OCRR and merged in 1883 with the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad.... ; also included ferry from New Bedford to Fairhaven
	Martha's Vineyard Railroad	August 7, 1874	9.0	Martha's Vineyard Railroad	1892	sold to Old Colony Steamboat Company in 1892, closed in 1896
Taunton & New Bedford Lines	Mansfield to Taunton	August 1836	10.9	Taunton Branch Railroad Taunton Branch Railroad The Taunton Branch Railroad was one of the earliest railroads to be established in Massachusetts. It was chartered by the state in 1835 as a branch of the Boston and Providence Railroad running between Mansfield and Taunton, Massachusetts...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad.... ; also Weir Branch, opened in 1840 with New Bedford and Taunton Railroad New Bedford and Taunton Railroad The New Bedford and Taunton Railroad was originally incorporated at the Old Colony Railroad Corporation in 1838 as an extension of the Taunton Branch Railroad between Taunton, Massachusetts and New Bedford. The name was changed to New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1839 before service began in 1840...
	Taunton to New Bedford	July 2, 1840	20.0	New Bedford and Taunton Railroad New Bedford and Taunton Railroad The New Bedford and Taunton Railroad was originally incorporated at the Old Colony Railroad Corporation in 1838 as an extension of the Taunton Branch Railroad between Taunton, Massachusetts and New Bedford. The name was changed to New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1839 before service began in 1840...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	Taunton to Attleborough	August 1, 1871	5.6	Taunton Branch Railroad Taunton Branch Railroad The Taunton Branch Railroad was one of the earliest railroads to be established in Massachusetts. It was chartered by the state in 1835 as a branch of the Boston and Providence Railroad running between Mansfield and Taunton, Massachusetts...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	New Bedford to Fall River	December 16, 1875	12.4	Fall River Railroad (1874)	1896	leased by Old Colony Railroad from 1882 to 1893
Northern Division	Mansfield to Framingham	May 1, 1870	22.1	Mansfield and Framingham Railroad Mansfield and Framingham Railroad The Mansfield and Framingham Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1862 as the Foxborough Branch Railroad to provide a rail connection from Mansfield through Foxborough to Walpole...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	Framingham to Northborough	December 1, 1855	13.2	Agricultural Branch Railroad Agricultural Branch Railroad The Agricultural Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1847 to provide a rail connection between the towns of Framingham and Northborough through Southborough.Service began on December 1, 1855 with 13.2 miles of track...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	Northborough to Pratts Junction	July 1866	14.0	Agricultural Branch Railroad Agricultural Branch Railroad The Agricultural Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1847 to provide a rail connection between the towns of Framingham and Northborough through Southborough.Service began on December 1, 1855 with 13.2 miles of track...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	Fitchburg to Sterling Junction	February 11, 1850	18.7	Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad The Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts.It was incorporated in 1840 to provide a rail connection between Fitchburg, Massachusetts and Worcester....	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	Marlborough Branch	June 1855	1.5	Agricultural Branch Railroad Agricultural Branch Railroad The Agricultural Branch Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1847 to provide a rail connection between the towns of Framingham and Northborough through Southborough.Service began on December 1, 1855 with 13.2 miles of track...	1883	operated by Old Colony Railroad from 1879 to 1883 by lease from Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad The Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad was a railroad in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1876 as a consolidation of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad with the New Bedford Railroad....
	Framingham to Lowell	October 1, 1871	26.1	Framingham and Lowell Railroad Framingham and Lowell Railroad The Framingham and Lowell Railroad was a railroad in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It was incorporated in 1870 to provide a rail connection between Framingham to Lowell through the towns of Sudbury, Concord, Acton, Carlisle, Westford and Chelmsford...	1886	later operated by Conrail and Bay Colony Railroad Bay Colony Railroad The Bay Colony Railroad is a shortline railroad operating in Massachusetts.The BCLR operates in the Millis - Milford - Needham Corridor. In addition to moving freight for its customers, Bay Colony also performs AAR-certified repairs on rolling stock and contract track construction projects for... into the 1990s; now being converted into the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
Boston & Providence Division	Boston to Readville	June 4, 1834	8.1		1888
	Readville to Providence (India Point)	August, 1835	33.4
	Seekonk Branch	1838	0.25	Seekonk Branch Railroad Company	1888
	Readville to Dedham Dedham, Massachusetts Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...	June, 1842	2.1		1888
	Stoughton Branch	April 7, 1845	3.4	Stoughton Branch Railroad Company	1888
	East Junction to Blackstone River	October, 1847	4.0	Boston and Providence Railroad	1888
	Blackstone River to Providence	October, 1847	5.4	Boston and Providence Railroad and Transportation Company	1888	one-half of right of way deeded to Providence and Worcester Railroad Providence and Worcester Railroad The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. 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... in 1853
	Forest Hills to Dedham Dedham, Massachusetts Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...	June, 1850	5.3	Boston and Providence Railroad	1888
Bristol, Attleboro & Wrentham lines	Providence to Bristol	July 12, 1855	14.1	Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad Company Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad The Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad was a railroad in Rhode Island connecting the city of Providence with Bristol, Rhode Island. It formed in 1854 by a consolidation of the Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad Companies of Massachusetts and Rhode Island...	1891	leased to the Old Colony Railroad from July 1, 1891; now used for East Bay Bike Path East Bay Bike Path right\|thumb\|400px\|The East Bay Bike Path in July 2009, facing south near the southern terminus of the bike path in Bristol.The East Bay Bike Path is a paved rail trail in Rhode Island....
	Attleborough Branch	1871	4.6			Attleborough to North Attleborough; became a streetcar line after 1903 when Adamsdale Branch opened and NY,NH&H ended its lease of this line
	Wrentham Branch (Walpole Junction to North Attleborough North Attleborough, Massachusetts North Attleborough, commonly written North Attleboro, is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,712 at the 2010 United States Census.The village of North Attleborough Center is located in the town.-History:... )	December 1, 1890	12.8	Old Colony Railroad	1890
	East Walpole Branch (Walpole Junction to Norwood Norwood, Massachusetts Norwood is a town and census-designated place in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,602. The community was named after Norwood, England... )	February 15, 1892	5.7		1896	also known as East Walpole Branch Railroad; connected with the New York and New England Railroad New York and New England Railroad The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by... at Norwood Norwood, Massachusetts Norwood is a town and census-designated place in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,602. The community was named after Norwood, England...
	Adamsdale Branch	June 27, 1903	9.6		1903	extension of Wrentham Branch from North Attleborough to Adamsdale; connected with Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad near state line

External links

Edward Appleton, Massachusetts Railway Commissioner, History of the Railways of Massachusetts (1871)
"Railroad Transportation in Dorchester" - History by the Dorchester Atheneum
New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association -- non-profit history group focused on the history of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company and its predecessor and subsidiary companies, including the Old Colony Railroad.
1899 Map of Dorchester, Massachusetts with the N.Y. N.H. & H. R.R. running on the Old Colony line
Photo of Braintree Highlands, Mass. railroad station, undated

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Old Colony Railroad (1844-1854)

Old Colony and Fall River Railroad (1854-1863)

Old Colony and Newport Railroad (1863-1872)

Old Colony Railroad (1872-1893)

Old Colony Division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (1893-1969)

History since 1969

Presidents of the Old Colony Railroad

Lines and branches

Further reading

External links