Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad
 Abandoned tracks of the line in Valley Falls, near Valley Falls Yard | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Operator | New York and New England Railroad New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad |
| Dates of operation | 1877–1963 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 13.5 miles (21.7 km) |
The Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad was a 13.5-mile (21.7 km)-long rail line built to connect Franklin, Massachusetts, and Valley Falls, Rhode Island, organized in 1875 and completed in 1877. The railroad was operated by the New York and New England Railroad, its northern connection, upon completion. Connection was made with the Providence and Worcester Railroad at Valley Falls Yard. The two railroads offered a connecting passenger service between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, though it was less direct than the competing Boston and Providence Railroad.[1]
After the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (the New Haven) assumed control of the New York and New England, it had relatively little use for the line other than as a detour for the Boston and Providence Railroad line as needed. The New Haven abandoned most of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts Railroad in 1941, keeping only the first two miles out of Valley Falls to Adamsdale, Massachusetts, which connected with another branch line originating at Norwood. This connection and most of the remaining branch were abandoned in 1963.[1] A final mile of the branch within Valley Falls survived into operation by Penn Central and subsequently the newly independent Providence and Worcester Railroad in 1973 but was abandoned by 1994.[2]
Preserved railroad structures along the line include a depot at Adamsdale and freight houses at Abbotts Run, Arnolds Mills, and West Wrentham.[3]
Station listing
| Station[1] | Milepost (km)[1] | Comments[1][3] |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin Junction | 0.0 (0.0) | Connection with the Norfolk County Railroad |
| West Wrentham | 4.0 (6.4) | Preserved freight house built circa. 1877 |
| Grants Mills | 5.0 (8.0) | |
| Diamond Hill | 7.0 (11.3) | Junction with the East Junction Branch (Boston and Providence Railroad) |
| Arnolds Mills | 8.0 (12.9) | Preserved depot built circa. 1877 |
| Abbotts Run | 9.0 (14.5) | Preserved depot built circa. 1877 |
| Adamsdale Junction | 11.0 (17.7) | Junction with the Old Colony Railroad branch line to Norwood |
| Adamsdale | 12.0 (19.3) | Preserved depot built circa. 1877 |
| Cumberland Mills | 13.0 (20.9) | |
| Valley Falls | 13.5 (21.7) | Junction with the Providence and Worcester Railroad at Valley Falls Yard |
References
- ^ a b c d e Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2nd ed.). Pepperell, Massachusetts: Branch Line Press. pp. 355–359, 365–366. ISBN 978-0-942147-12-4. OCLC 1038017689.
- ^ Hartley, Scott A. (June 1994). "Yankee Independence: How Providence & Worcester grew from being an obscure branch of the New Haven into today's 400-mile regional" (PDF). Trains. pp. 58, 60. OCLC 30498667. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Roy Jr., John H. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Pepperell, Massachusetts: Branch Line Press. pp. 120, 266, 279–280. ISBN 9780942147087.