The Pioneer Valley Railroad, founded in 1982, is a
Class III short line freight railroad operating the former
Conrail (née-
New York, New Haven & Hartford) trackage in the western part of
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
in towns of
Westfield,
Holyoke
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...
, and
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
. The railroad has been owned by the
Pinsly Railroad Company
Pinsly Railroad Company, based in Westfield, Massachusetts, is a short line railroad holding company. It is one of the oldest such companies in the United States, and has owned railroads continuously since its founding in 1938. Pinsly's sole rail ...
since its founding, with headquarters in
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. Westfield was first settled by Europeans in 1660. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population w ...
.
History
Before the PVRR (1847 - 1982)
The tracks that the PVRR operates on were originally constructed by the
New Haven and Northampton (also known as the Canal Line) from 1842 to 1856 as part of the company's line between its namesake cities. The branch line connecting Westfield and Holyoke was built in 1871. Both lines passed to the
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , commonly known as The Consolidated, or simply as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated in the New England region of the United States from 1872 to December 31, 1968. Founded by the merger of ...
when it took control of the New Haven and Northampton in 1887.
The bankrupt New Haven was included in the newly formed
Penn Central Railroad
The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an American class I railroad that operated from 1968 to 1976. Penn Central combined three traditional corporate rivals (the Pennsylvania, New York Central and the ...
on January 1, 1969, which abandoned the tracks north of Southampton. Penn Central promptly went bankrupt in what was at the time the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history, and was folded into government created Conrail in 1976, which became the new operator.
Conrail ended operations on the tracks around Westfield in 1982, claiming the two lines were no longer profitable to operate. At this time,
Pinsly Railroad Company
Pinsly Railroad Company, based in Westfield, Massachusetts, is a short line railroad holding company. It is one of the oldest such companies in the United States, and has owned railroads continuously since its founding in 1938. Pinsly's sole rail ...
purchased both from Conrail for under $300,000, along with making a guarantee to the state of Massachusetts to commit $800,000 in spending to track repairs and improvements within four years of the purchase.
Upon purchasing the two lines, Pinsly began railroad operations on the line under the Pioneer Valley Railroad name.
Pioneer Valley Railroad begins operations (1982 - 2000)
The Pioneer Valley Railroad began operations with three locomotives of 1939 and 1949 vintage, 13 employees, and 24 miles of trackage.
In 1983, the railroad had a total of 40 customers. The company began to reverse the fortunes of its lines by dropping a $590 surcharge per car that was instated by Conrail, pursuing small customers that Conrail ignored, and forging good relationships with shippers.
The company gained an additional of track in Easthampton by a $17,500 purchase from previous owner
Boston and Maine Railroad on March 20, 1984.
Similarly to its lines purchased from Conrail, PVRR pledged to drop a $276 per car surcharge that B&M had charged customers, which was responsible for the loss of most business on the line. Several customers which had previously switched to trucking expressed support of PVRR's purchase of the line and ending of the surcharge.
As traffic began to grow in the 1980s, the railroad received part of a $5.3 million appropriation from the United States Congress in the summer of 1987 to install heavier rail on its line between Westfield and Holyoke.
Service to Easthampton was discontinued following a April 23, 1987, derailment of a PVRR train. Despite criticism from residents and local industry, the company stated in January 1992 that it had no plans to resume service, and was considering selling the right of way, due to a downturn in Easthampton's industries during the 1980s.
The PVRR in the 21st century (2000 - present)
![Beneath_the_Mass_Pike](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Beneath_the_Mass_Pike.JPG)
The PVRR was one of 6 railroad companies to receive a request for proposals from the state of
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
in early 2000 to potentially operate a railroad line owned by the state between
White River Junction
White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,528 at the 2020 census, up from 2,286 in 2010, making it the largest co ...
and
Wells River. Ultimately, the state chose a railroad based in Vermont to operate the line.
On October 5, 2017, the
Massachusetts Department of Transportation awarded PVR a $495,000 grant to complete the PVR ''Knowledge Corridor Service Interchange'' project that is planned to reduce local truck traffic by improving the connection between
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. (PAR) is a subsidiary of CSX Corporation that operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine, to Rotterdam Junction, New York. Pan Am Railways is primarily made up of former Cla ...
and Pioneer Valley Railroad in
Holyoke
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...
.
MassDOT awarded the railroad a grant of $384,022 in September 2021 to expand its yard facilities in Easthampton, matching PVRR's commitment of 40% of the total project cost.
Routes
As of March 2022, the Pioneer Valley Railroad owns and operates 31 miles of trackage in Massachusetts, split between two lines which connect at Westfield Main Yard in Westfield, Massachusetts. It is also where the railroad interchanges with
CSX Transportation.
Major commodities transported include lumber, steel, and waste.
* Holyoke Branch: Westfield to
Holyoke
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield ...
* Southampton Branch: Westfield to
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
See also
*
Manhan Rail Trail
The Manhan Rail Trail is a rails-to-trails paved recreational trail and non-motorized commuter route located in the lower Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts in the town of Easthampton. The trail, completed in 2003, is part of a larger r ...
References
External links
*{{Official website, https://pinsly.com/
Massachusetts railroads
History of Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Westfield, Massachusetts
Pinsly Railroad Company
1982 establishments in Massachusetts