New Haven and Northampton Company
The New Haven and Northampton Company was a railroad built in a canal bed in 1848 and was one of the many lines consolidated into the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad on April 1, 1887.
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | New Haven, Connecticut to Northampton, Massachusetts |
| Dates of operation | 1848–1887 |
| Successor | NYNH&H |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Corporate history
The New York and New Haven Railroad leased the first few sections soon after they opened, obtaining the line to Plainville in 1848 and the extension to Granby plus several branches in 1850.[1] In 1869, the leases expired,[1] and the railroad was independent until 1887 when the New Haven leased the whole line.
Route
The railroad was built along the right-of-way next to the former Farmington Canal and ran from New Haven north to Northampton, Massachusetts, and beyond to the Fitchburg Railroad's Troy and Greenfield Railroad. Most of the line is no longer in use, except for two segments. The first is operated by Pan Am Railways and extends from I-84 in Southington, CT, to Robertson Field in Plainville, CT. The second portion is used by the Pioneer Valley Railroad and begins in Westfield, MA, with track extending north toward Easthampton.
Trail
Much of the abandoned right-of-way is now being converted for the Farmington Canal Trail, excepting the parts which still see trains.
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Haven and Northampton Railroad. |
References
- Poor, Henry V. History of the Railroads and Canals of the United States of America. New York: John H. Schultz & Co. p. 206.