Wildcat Branch
Encyclopedia
The Wildcat Branch is a single track railroad branch line
which connects the MBTA Lowell Line
in Wilmington, Massachusetts
to the MBTA Haverhill/Reading Line
at Wilmington Junction. The total length of the branch line from the connection with the Lowell Line
to the merge with the Haverhill/Reading Line
is 2.88 miles.
at Wilmington north to Andover
, and entered service August 8, 1836.
The Andover and Wilmington became the Boston and Maine Railroad
and disputes with the B&L led them build their own line to Boston, beginning three miles north of Wilmington. Once completed, the B&M removed the tracks from North Wilmington to Wilmington in retaliation so the B&L could not use it.
In 1874, the B&L rebuilt the line just slightly west of the original ROW and met the B&M's main line at Wilmington Jct where it also met its own Salem Branch
line, giving it a direct line from Boston to Lawrence
.
The line today meets the old B&M main line about half a mile south of the current I-93 overpass. It is not known where the name "Wildcat" came from, but the entire length of the current branch line is within the town of Wilmington; it is possible that the name comes from the nickname of Wilmington High School
's sports teams, which are known as the Wildcats.
The only station on this line was at Salem Street and was used briefly by the B&M in the early 1960's after the Haverhill line was shut down north of Reading, eliminating the North Wilmington station (restored as a stop in 1980 by MBTA). No structures were ever built at Salem St., but the area is still paved and used for storage of railroad maintenance equipment.
Downeaster
service from Boston
to Portland, Maine
, as well as the MBTA commuter rail for certain rush-hour Haverhill trains to avoid the congestion on the single track between Wilmington Junction and Reading.
The line also carries some freight service by Pan Am Railways
, primarily the train "DOBO" (Dover, New Hampshire
to Boston
), which mainly hauls sand and gravel from the New Hampshire Northcoast
railroad to the Boston Sand and Gravel facility in Somerville.
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
which connects the MBTA Lowell Line
Lowell Line
The Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in...
in Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.-History:Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of Woburn, Reading and Billerica. Minutemen from Wilmington responded to the alarm...
to the MBTA Haverhill/Reading Line
Haverhill/Reading Line
The Haverhill Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns ofMalden,Melrose,Wakefield,Reading,Wilmington,Andover,...
at Wilmington Junction. The total length of the branch line from the connection with the Lowell Line
Lowell Line
The Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in...
to the merge with the Haverhill/Reading Line
Haverhill/Reading Line
The Haverhill Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns ofMalden,Melrose,Wakefield,Reading,Wilmington,Andover,...
is 2.88 miles.
History
The line was built by the Andover and Wilmington Railroad, which was incorporated March 15, 1833, to build a branch from the Boston and Lowell RailroadBoston and Lowell Railroad
The Boston and Lowell Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in Massachusetts. It was one of the first railroads in North America and the first major one in the state...
at Wilmington north to Andover
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
, and entered service August 8, 1836.
The Andover and Wilmington became the Boston and Maine Railroad
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
and disputes with the B&L led them build their own line to Boston, beginning three miles north of Wilmington. Once completed, the B&M removed the tracks from North Wilmington to Wilmington in retaliation so the B&L could not use it.
In 1874, the B&L rebuilt the line just slightly west of the original ROW and met the B&M's main line at Wilmington Jct where it also met its own Salem Branch
Salem and Lowell Railroad
The Salem and Lowell Railroad was a branch line of the Boston and Lowell Railroad and ran off the Essex Railroad in Peabody, Massachusetts to Tewksbury, Massachusetts where it met the Lowell and Lawrence Railroad at Tewksbury Jct....
line, giving it a direct line from Boston to Lawrence
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
.
The line today meets the old B&M main line about half a mile south of the current I-93 overpass. It is not known where the name "Wildcat" came from, but the entire length of the current branch line is within the town of Wilmington; it is possible that the name comes from the nickname of Wilmington High School
Wilmington High School (Massachusetts)
Wilmington High School is the public high school for the town of Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA. It is home to the Wilmington Wildcats. Eric Tracy is the principal.- Notable alumni :* Jason Bere, former MLB pitcher and American League All-Star in 1994....
's sports teams, which are known as the Wildcats.
Andover Remnants
This right of way continued behind the current location of Andover's South School, through woods to Andover's Recreation Park, across Abbot Street and into the current Spring Grove Cemetery before heading to Andover Center via Abbot Street. There are remnants of the right-of-way in the cemetery, and the entrance to Recreation Park is the old railbed. The railbed was higher during the 1800s and the track crossed Abbot Street via a bridge.Stations
Current uses
The line is currently used primarily for passenger service by both the AmtrakAmtrak
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...
Downeaster
Downeaster
The Downeaster is a 116-mile regional passenger train service managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority and operated by Amtrak, connecting North Station in Boston, Massachusetts, to Portland, Maine...
service 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 Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, as well as the MBTA commuter rail for certain rush-hour Haverhill trains to avoid the congestion on the single track between Wilmington Junction and Reading.
The line also carries some freight service by Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
, primarily the train "DOBO" (Dover, New Hampshire
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
to 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...
), which mainly hauls sand and gravel from the New Hampshire Northcoast
New Hampshire Northcoast Corporation
The New Hampshire Northcoast Corporation operates part of the former Boston and Maine Corporation's Conway Branch between Rollinsford and Ossipee, New Hampshire. The railroad's primary traffic is quarried sand...
railroad to the Boston Sand and Gravel facility in Somerville.