Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad explained

Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad
Start Year:1870
End Year:1882
Successor:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Operator:Providence and Worcester Railroad
Length:54.1miles

The Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad (commonly known simply as The Air Line, known as the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad before 1875) was a railroad in Connecticut.[1] Envisioned as a direct route between New Haven and Boston, it was hampered by difficult terrain in eastern Connecticut and did not find much success. The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the company in 1882. The tracks between Portland, Connecticut and Willimantic, Connecticut were abandoned in 1965, while the remainder of the line is operated by the Providence and Worcester Railroad.

History

The first attempt to build an air-line railroad connecting New Haven and Boston began in 1846, with the chartering of the New York and Boston Railroad Company. The railroad began building from New Haven in 1853, but construction quickly stalled and the company failed during the Panic of 1857.[2] In 1867, a group of investors decided to try again, chartering the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic Railroad Company. Starting from New Haven, service to Middletown commenced in 1870, while construction between Middletown and Willimantic was completed in 1873. Debt from construction brought the railroad into bankruptcy in 1875; it emerged under the new name Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad.

The Air-Line Railroad was leased by the rapidly growing New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1882. The tracks between Portland, Connecticut and Willimantic, Connecticut were abandoned in 1965, while the remainder of the line is operated by the Providence and Worcester Railroad. The eastern section of the line is now part of the Air Line State Park Trail.

Station listing

!Location!Station[3] [4] !Miles (km)!Connecting lines
New Haven0adj=ri11adj=ri1New Haven Line, New Haven and Derby Railroad, Canal Line, Shore Line, New Haven–Springfield Line
Cedar Hill1.68adj=ri11adj=ri1Shore Line, New Haven–Springfield Line
North HavenMontowese4.9adj=ri11adj=ri1
Northford8.24adj=ri11adj=ri1
WallingfordEast Wallingford12.48adj=ri11adj=ri1
MiddlefieldMiddlefield & Durham18.55adj=ri11adj=ri1
Middlefield Center19.53adj=ri11adj=ri1
Rockfall21.04adj=ri11adj=ri1
MiddletownMiddletown24.43adj=ri11adj=ri1Valley Line, Middletown Branch
East HamptonCobalt & Middle Haddam30.14adj=ri11adj=ri1
East Hampton33.23adj=ri11adj=ri1
ColchesterLyman Viaduct36.98adj=ri11adj=ri1
Westchester39.76adj=ri11adj=ri1
Amston (Turnerville)44.16adj=ri11adj=ri1Colchester Branch
LebanonLeonard's Bridge47.09adj=ri11adj=ri1
ColumbiaChestnut Hill49.53adj=ri11adj=ri1
Willimantic54.09adj=ri11adj=ri1New York and New England Railroad, Central Vermont Railway

The 3.6mile branch from Amston to Colchester had no intermediate stations.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Karr, Ronald Dale. The rail lines of southern New England : a handbook of railroad history. 2017. 978-0-942147-12-4. Second. Pepperell, Massachusetts. 82–88. 874835522.
  2. News: Waters. Martin J.. April 8, 2001. Here's a switch: Derelict rail line is back on track. Record-Journal. December 4, 2021.
  3. Book: Summer Schedule: Lines West of New London and Willimantic .

    commons:File:June 1915 New Haven Railroad western timetable.pdf

    . June 6, 1915 . New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad . 19 . Wikimedia Commons.
  4. Book: Local Time Table: Lines West of New London and Willimantic .

    commons:File:August 1912 New Haven Railroad western timetable.pdf

    . August 3, 1912 . New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad . 40 . Wikimedia Commons.