44:
432:
300:
393:
275:. The first portion of the line, from New Haven to Meriden, saw its first trains in December 1838, while the rest of the line to Hartford opened in December of the following year. When the first portion of the line opened in December 1838, it was the first railroad to operate in the state of Connecticut. With the railroad's two namesake cities now connected, the company turned its attention northward to
291:
Railroad, which was authorized to build from the
Connecticut border to Springfield. The new railroad company never operated independently, as it was simply a vehicle for the Hartford and New Haven to extend its line into Massachusetts. Construction began in 1842, and the first trains between Hartford and Springfield ran at the end of 1844. The complete route was 62 miles (100 km) in length.
485:
was another city bypassed by the original
Hartford and New Haven main line. Much like in Middletown, in 1852 citizens there chartered the New Britain and Middletown Railroad, which built a 2 mile (3.2 km) long branch connecting their city to Berlin in 1865. This short railroad contracted out train
452:
Middletown was initially planned to be directly served by the
Hartford and New Haven, but was bypassed. In 1844, a number of residents of the city took the matter into their own hands by forming the Middletown Railroad, which in 1848 built a 9 mile (14 km) long railroad line between Middletown and
320:
over any railroad, and the road is now regularly run with greater speed than any other railroad in the United States, and with double the average velocity of railroads out of New
England." The railroad's largely straight alignment, which followed natural topography and the Connecticut River, made
290:
As the company's original charter only authorized a railroad between
Hartford and New Haven, new charters from the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts were requested by the railroad company. On April 4, 1839, the Massachusetts legislature granted a charter for the Hartford and Springfield
187:. It built northwards from New Haven, opening its first segment in 1838, and reaching Hartford in December 1839. The company reached Springfield in 1844 under the auspices of the Hartford and Springfield Railroad, a subsidiary chartered in Massachusetts. Branches were later built to
419:, a joint project between both states to restore double track to the line and significantly increase passenger rail service. Construction on the project began in 2015, and it opened for service in 2018. After completion, service was increased to 29 trains a day, with 17 being a
384:. In the early 1990s, Amtrak elected to remove one of the two tracks on the line in a bid to reduce maintenance costs, a decision the company would come to regret in the 21st century when Connecticut and Massachusetts began a project to increase train service on the line.
443:
In total, four branches were built off of the main line by other companies, all of which were quickly acquired by the
Hartford and New Haven after completion. The addition of these branches brought the Hartford and New Haven's total mileage to 79 miles (127 km).
337:(the New Haven). For the next 90 years, the route remained a vital passenger and freight route for the New Haven, with continuous passenger service even as most other lines in the region gradually had passenger service discontinued from the 1920s onward.
460:
An extension of the
Middletown Railroad, appropriately named the Middletown Extension Railroad, was chartered in 1857 to connect Middletown and the Connecticut River. The railroad was built in 1860, and merged into the Hartford and New Haven in 1861.
473:
In 1845, interests in
Hartford formed the Branch Company, which built a short spur from the Hartford and New Haven main line in Hartford, to the banks of the Connecticut River. The Hartford and New Haven absorbed the Branch Company in 1850.
464:
The
Middletown Railroad was abandoned between Berlin and East Berlin in 1940, and from East Berlin to the outskirts of Middletown in 1961. Half a mile in Berlin and a mile in Middletown have remained in service for local industries.
307:
In 1845, the
Hartford and New Haven merged with the Hartford and Springfield Railroad to form the New Haven, Hartford and Springfield Railroad. The company reverted back to the Hartford and New Haven Railroad name in 1847.
1077:
251:
and New Haven. It was one of the earliest railroads built in Connecticut, and was intended both to improve New Haven's access to the interior of the state, and to provide an alternative to ship transport along the
311:
The railroad was noted for the fast speed of its trains by 1848, when a Hartford and New Haven passenger train made the trip from Springfield to Hartford at an average speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).
369:
From 1976 onwards, Amtrak maintained passenger service on the line, one of the few in the country it directly owned. Shuttle trains ran between New Haven and Springfield, and the line was also host to Amtrak's
511:
502:
in 1870. Upon the completion of construction and the railroad's opening on December 12, 1870, it was operated by the Hartford and New Haven, and was formally merged into that company in 1871.
772:
411:
By the mid to late 2000s, Connecticut and Massachusetts were both advocating for improvements and expansion of commuter service on the line, at that point consisting solely of Amtrak's
264:. However, Twining decided during his survey that building through the hilly terrain around Middletown would be too difficult, and instead chose an alignment further west, via
1112:
1092:
1020:
1107:
1087:
599:
43:
268:. The citizens of Middletown were unhappy about being bypassed, but they would have to wait for more than a decade before a branch line reached their city.
1032:
736:
1014:
918:
334:
176:
104:
1097:
984:
960:
764:
408:
in 1996. The new freight operator began to improve freight service on the line, reversing a general decline in business during Conrail's tenure.
1082:
948:
1102:
954:
575:
210:
with the rest of the bankrupt New Haven Railroad at the end of 1968; Penn Central itself went bankrupt and was merged into government-formed
909:
346:
303:
The 1848 built Hartford and New Haven train station in Berlin, Connecticut. This station was replaced by a more modern building in 1893.
207:
48:
Originally built by the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, the Windsor Freight House serves as the home of the Windsor Art Center today
1008:
996:
978:
85:
830:
1038:
936:
280:
928:
625:
436:
330:
200:
354:
219:
412:
405:
223:
70:
439:
across the Connecticut River was completed by the H&NH in 1866. A rebuilt version of the bridge carries trains today.
1044:
1026:
392:
990:
499:
276:
184:
1050:
482:
431:
257:
192:
299:
725:
902:
261:
222:, with Conrail handling freight operations and the various branches. Conrail sold its freight rights to the
196:
1056:
180:
887:
868:
656:
639:
495:
248:
188:
265:
247:
The Hartford and New Haven Railroad of Connecticut was chartered in 1833 to build a railroad between
1002:
486:
operations to the Hartford and New Haven, before the latter company purchased it outright in 1868.
454:
701:
494:
Formed in 1868, the Windsor Locks and Suffield Railroad built a 5 mile (8 km) long branch between
972:
593:
401:
377:
80:
17:
895:
966:
581:
571:
371:
253:
803:
675:
353:, formed in 1971, purchased the Hartford and New Haven route outright in 1976, becoming its
863:
75:
144:
226:
in 1996. Following track improvements and construction in the 2010s, in 2018 enhanced
1071:
416:
272:
260:
was commissioned to survey the railroad's route, originally intended to pass through
227:
415:, offering six trains each direction daily. Plans for expansion culminated in the
847:
271:
Construction started from New Haven in 1836, with a temporary halt caused by the
849:
Annual Report of the Railroad Commissioners of the State of Connecticut, for ...
832:
Resolutions and Private Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut
172:
116:
457:. The Middletown Railroad was purchased by the Hartford and New Haven in 1850.
345:
The New Haven era came to an end in 1969, when the company was merged into the
420:
585:
279:. In that city, the Hartford and New Haven would be able to connect with the
567:
The Rail Lines of Southern New England : a Handbook of Railroad History
376:, a train between New York City and Boston via Springfield, as well as the
565:
316:
asserted that "This is the quickest trip ever made in this country with a
381:
199:
and operated by the Hartford and New Haven. The H&NH merged with the
400:
Conrail transferred its operations on the New Haven-Springfield line to
358:
231:
211:
66:
350:
284:
215:
62:
658:
History of the Railroads and Canals of the United States of America
641:
History of the Railroads and Canals of the United States of America
171:), chartered in 1833, was the first railroad built in the state of
430:
391:
298:
179:(the New Haven). The company was formed to connect the cities of
852:
Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company. p. 262.
726:"New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Rail Program Stations Factsheet"
203:
in 1872, forming the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
891:
1078:
Predecessors of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
703:
Manual of the Railroads of the United States: For ... 1875/76
570:(Second ed.). Pepperell, Massachusetts. pp. 82–88.
206:
The Hartford and New Haven Railroad's lines were merged into
512:
List of New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad precursors
218:
purchased the main line for passenger operations as its
846:
Connecticut Board of Railroad Commissioners (1893).
151:
115:
110:
100:
92:
58:
53:
230:service commenced, operated jointly by Amtrak and
29:Defunct railroad in Connecticut and Massachusetts
765:"Hartford Line commuter rail to launch in June"
621:Attorney General v. New York, N.H. and H.R. Co.
903:
804:"The Hartford and New Haven Railroad Company"
8:
498:and the Hartford and New Haven main line at
32:
615:
613:
611:
609:
329:The Hartford and New Haven merged with the
175:and an important direct predecessor of the
157:79 miles (127 km) (including branches)
910:
896:
888:
661:. J.H. Schultz & Company. p. 127.
644:. J.H. Schultz & Company. p. 192.
598:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
388:Connecticut Southern and the Hartford Line
42:
1113:American companies disestablished in 1872
919:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
357:. Freight service passed to newly-formed
335:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
177:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
105:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
78:(overhead rights and Berlin-New Britain)
1093:Railway companies disestablished in 1872
1021:Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River
835:. Press of Elihu Geer. pp. 248–249.
453:the Hartford and New Haven main line at
523:
396:The Hartford Line began service in 2018
380:, travelling between New York City and
283:, which was building its own line from
1108:American companies established in 1833
591:
31:
1088:Railway companies established in 1833
775:from the original on January 10, 2022
742:from the original on October 20, 2016
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
7:
798:
796:
794:
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790:
759:
757:
670:
668:
545:
543:
541:
539:
537:
535:
533:
531:
529:
527:
490:Windsor Locks and Suffield Railroad
478:New Britain and Middletown Railroad
347:Penn Central Transportation Company
208:Penn Central Transportation Company
1033:Newburgh, Dutchess and Connecticut
628:, 739 (Mass. May 8, 1908).
349:. National passenger rail carrier
155:62 miles (100 km) (main line)
25:
256:, which froze during the winter.
86:Providence and Worcester Railroad
18:Hartford and Springfield Railroad
1015:Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern
423:between New Haven and Hartford.
341:Penn Central and Amtrak purchase
325:New York, New Haven and Hartford
1098:Defunct Massachusetts railroads
985:New York, Providence and Boston
437:Warehouse Point railroad bridge
331:New York and New Haven Railroad
201:New York and New Haven Railroad
165:Hartford and New Haven Railroad
33:Hartford and New Haven Railroad
864:"The Suffield Branch Railroad"
1:
1083:Defunct Connecticut railroads
413:New Haven-Springfield Shuttle
406:Connecticut Southern Railroad
224:Connecticut Southern Railroad
71:Connecticut Southern Railroad
1103:Railway lines opened in 1844
83:(overhead trackage rights)
1129:
564:Karr, Ronald Dale (2017).
355:New Haven–Springfield Line
277:Springfield, Massachusetts
243:Formation and construction
220:New Haven–Springfield Line
185:Springfield, Massachusetts
979:New Haven and Northampton
944:
926:
314:The Hartford Weekly Times
41:
37:
1039:Poughkeepsie and Eastern
1009:New York and New England
997:Providence and Worcester
258:Alexander Catlin Twining
769:Progressive Railroading
655:Poor, Henry V. (1860).
638:Poor, Henry V. (1860).
262:Middletown, Connecticut
214:in 1976. At that time,
933:Hartford and New Haven
929:New York and New Haven
676:"Great Railroad Speed"
440:
397:
304:
181:New Haven, Connecticut
869:Hartford Weekly Times
808:Hartford Weekly Times
735:. November 29, 2016.
680:Hartford Weekly Times
434:
395:
333:in 1872, forming the
302:
829:Connecticut (1857).
266:Meriden, Connecticut
1045:New York Connecting
1027:Central New England
872:. December 17, 1870
706:. 1876. p. 104
682:. September 2, 1848
626:84 N.E. 737
448:Middletown Railroad
34:
961:Connecticut Valley
771:. April 18, 2018.
441:
402:shortline railroad
398:
365:Conrail and Amtrak
305:
93:Dates of operation
81:CSX Transportation
1065:
1064:
733:NHHS Rail Program
577:978-0-942147-12-4
287:to Springfield.
254:Connecticut River
161:
160:
88:(Middletown only)
16:(Redirected from
1120:
1051:South Manchester
912:
905:
898:
889:
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881:
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652:
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645:
635:
629:
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604:
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597:
589:
561:
361:that same year.
281:Western Railroad
147:
141:
137:
135:
134:
130:
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59:Current operator
46:
35:
21:
1128:
1127:
1123:
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862:
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845:
844:
840:
828:
827:
823:
813:
811:
810:. April 4, 1878
802:
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327:
321:this possible.
297:
245:
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156:
143:
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125:
123:
122:4 ft
121:
96:1838–1872
84:
79:
76:Pan Am Southern
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30:
23:
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15:
12:
11:
5:
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469:Branch Company
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145:standard gauge
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60:
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1057:Union Freight
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500:Windsor Locks
497:
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475:
468:
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462:
458:
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447:
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418:
417:Hartford Line
414:
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274:
273:Panic of 1837
269:
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229:
228:commuter rail
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140:1,435 mm
120:
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68:
64:
61:
57:
52:
45:
40:
36:
27:
19:
949:Harlem River
932:
921:subsidiaries
876:November 29,
874:. Retrieved
867:
858:
848:
841:
831:
824:
814:November 29,
812:. Retrieved
807:
779:December 15,
777:. Retrieved
768:
746:December 15,
744:. Retrieved
732:
720:
708:. Retrieved
702:
696:
686:November 28,
684:. Retrieved
679:
657:
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633:
620:
566:
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205:
168:
164:
162:
26:
710:October 17,
483:New Britain
318:heavy train
193:New Britain
173:Connecticut
117:Track gauge
1072:Categories
1003:Old Colony
991:Housatonic
967:New Canaan
937:Shore Line
518:References
421:short turn
378:Montrealer
295:Operations
197:Middletown
73:(freight)
973:Naugatuck
594:cite book
586:874835522
373:Bay State
111:Technical
101:Successor
955:Air Line
773:Archived
737:Archived
506:See also
496:Suffield
427:Branches
404:startup
382:Montreal
249:Hartford
189:Suffield
169:H&NH
136: in
54:Overview
359:Conrail
238:History
232:CT Rail
212:Conrail
131:⁄
67:CT Rail
1053:(1933)
1047:(1917)
1041:(1907)
1035:(1905)
1029:(1904)
1023:(1898)
1017:(1898)
1011:(1898)
1005:(1893)
999:(1892)
993:(1892)
987:(1892)
981:(1887)
975:(1887)
969:(1884)
963:(1882)
957:(1879)
951:(1873)
939:(1872)
624:,
584:
574:
455:Berlin
351:Amtrak
285:Boston
216:Amtrak
195:, and
183:, and
152:Length
63:Amtrak
740:(PDF)
729:(PDF)
878:2021
816:2021
781:2021
748:2021
712:2017
688:2021
600:link
582:OCLC
572:ISBN
435:The
163:The
1074::
935:/
931:/
866:.
806:.
789:^
767:.
756:^
731:.
678:.
667:^
608:^
596:}}
592:{{
580:.
526:^
234:.
191:,
142:)
911:e
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897:v
880:.
818:.
783:.
750:.
714:.
690:.
602:)
588:.
167:(
138:(
133:2
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126:+
124:8
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
