
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , commonly known as The Consolidated, or simply as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated principally in the
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
region of the United States from 1872 to 1968. Founded by the merger of the
New York and New Haven and
Hartford and New Haven railroads, the company had near-total dominance of railroad traffic in Southern New England for the first half of the 20th century.
Beginning in the 1890s and accelerating in 1903, New York banker
J. P. Morgan
John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. As the head of the banking firm that ...
sought to monopolize New England transportation by arranging the NH's acquisition of 50 companies, including other railroads and steamship lines, and building a network of electrified trolley lines that provided interurban transportation for all of southern New England. By 1912, the New Haven operated more than of track, with 120,000 employees, and practically monopolized traffic in a wide swath from Boston to New York City.
This quest for monopoly angered
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era (1890s–1920s) was a period in the United States characterized by multiple social and political reform efforts. Reformers during this era, known as progressivism in the United States, Progressives, sought to address iss ...
reformers, alienated public opinion, raised the cost of acquiring other companies and increased the railroad's construction costs. The company's debt soared from $14 million in 1903 to $242 million in 1913, while the advent of automobiles, trucks and buses reduced its profits. Also in 1913, the federal government filed an antitrust lawsuit that forced the NH to divest its trolley systems.
The line became bankrupt in 1935. It emerged from bankruptcy, albeit reduced in scope, in 1947, only to go bankrupt again in 1961. In 1969, its rail assets were merged with the
Penn Central system, formed a year earlier by the merger of the
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected New York metropolitan area, gr ...
and
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy," was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its ...
. Already a poorly conceived merger, Penn Central
went bankrupt in 1970, becoming the largest U.S. bankruptcy until the
Enron Corporation superseded it in 2001. The remnants of the system now comprise
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...
's
New Haven Line
The New Haven Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Connecticut. Running from New Haven, Connecticut, to New York City, the New Haven Line joins the Harlem Line ...
, much of the northern leg of
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, Rhod ...
,
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
's
Shore Line East and
Hartford Line, parts of the
MBTA, and numerous freight operators such as
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...
and the
Providence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W; ) is a Class II railroad operating of tracks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, as well as New York (state), New York via trackage rights. The company was founded in 1844 to build ...
. The majority of the surviving system is now owned publicly by the states of
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, and
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, with other surviving segments owned by freight railroads; many abandoned lines have been converted into
rail trail
A rail trail or railway walk is a shared-use path on a Right of way#Rail right of way, railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed but may also share the rail corr ...
s.
History
Predecessors and formation (1839–1872)
The New Haven system was formed by the merger of two railroads that intersected in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...
: the
Hartford and New Haven Railroad, which began service between New Haven and
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
in 1839 and reached
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...
, in 1844, and the
New York and New Haven Railroad, which opened in 1848 between its namesake cities.
The two companies had a history of cooperation; for a time, they jointly leased the
New Haven and Northampton Railroad and coordinated their steamship services with each other.
An initial merger attempt between the two in 1870 was rejected by the
Connecticut General Assembly, largely over fears that the merged railroad would form a monopoly. But the legislature approved a second attempt just two years later, and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad was formed on July 24, 1872. The newly combined railroad owned a main line from
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
to Springfield via New Haven and Hartford, and also reached
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the outlet of the Thames River (Connecticut), Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, which empties into Long Island Sound. The cit ...
via a lease of the
Shore Line Railway (leased in 1870 by the New York and New Haven Railroad).
Expansion and acquisitions (1872–1900)
The company later leased more lines and systems, eventually forming a virtual
monopoly
A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...
in
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
south of the
Boston and Albany Railroad.
In 1882, the railroad leased the Boston, New York and Airline Railroad, the last railroad in New Haven not controlled by the NYNH&H. This new acquisition gave the New Haven Railroad a connection to
Willimantic, Connecticut
Willimantic is a census-designated place located in Windham, Connecticut, United States. Previously organized as a city and later as a Borough (Connecticut), borough, Willimantic is currently one of two Local government in Connecticut#Special ta ...
. Two more companies, the
Naugatuck Railroad and the
Connecticut Valley Railroad, were leased by the New Haven in 1887.
With these two leases, the New Haven was in control of 10 of the 22 railroads in Connecticut at the time.
Early 20th century (1900–1935)

Around the beginning of the 20th century, New York investors led by
J. P. Morgan
John Pierpont Morgan Sr. (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. As the head of the banking firm that ...
gained control, and in 1903 installed
Charles S. Mellen as President.
Charles Francis Murphy's New York Contracting and Trucking company was awarded a $6 million contract in 1904 to build rail lines in the Bronx for the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad. An executive at the railroad said the contract was awarded to avoid friction with New York City’s
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was an American political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became the main local ...
political machine. In response to this contract, the
New York State Legislature
The New York State Legislature consists of the Bicameralism, two houses that act as the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York: the New York State Senate and the New York State Assem ...
amended the city's charter so that franchise-awarding power was removed from the city council and given to the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, which only became defunct in 1989.
Morgan and Mellen achieved a complete monopoly of transportation in southern New England, purchasing other railroads and steamship and trolley lines. More than 100 independent railroads eventually became part of the system before and during these years, reaching 2,131 miles at its 1929 peak. Substantial improvements to the system were made during the Mellen years, including
electrification between New York and New Haven. Morgan and Mellen went further and attempted to acquire or neutralize competition from other railroads in New England, including the
New York Central's Boston and Albany Railroad, the
Rutland Railroad, the
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad was a United States, U. S. class 1 railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expand ...
, and the
Boston and Maine Railroad
The Boston and Maine Railroad was a United States, U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. It was chartered in 1835, and became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022).
At the e ...
. But the Morgan-Mellen expansion left the company overextended and financially weak.
In 1914, 21 directors and ex-directors of the railroad were indicted for "conspiracy to monopolize interstate commerce by acquiring the control of practically all the transportation facilities of New England."
In 1925, the railroad created the New England Transportation Company as a subsidiary to operate buses and trucks on routes where rail service was no longer profitable.
Financial difficulties (1935–1969)
Under the stress of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
the company became bankrupt in 1935, remaining in trusteeship until 1947. Common stock was voided and creditors assumed control. During the
88 stations case, the railroad closed 88 stations in
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
and 5 in Rhode Island in 1938, and unsuccessfully attempted to abandon the Boston-area portion of the Old Colony Division. The twelve-year reorganization resulted in "eight
Supreme Court
In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
decisions, fourteen
circuit court decisions, five
district court
District courts are a category of courts which exists in several nations, some call them "small case court" usually as the lowest level of the hierarchy.
These courts generally work under a higher court which exercises control over the lower co ...
decisions, and eleven
ICC reports." The railroad emerged in September 1947 under a reorganization plan approved in federal court, without the vast majority of its previous non-railroad interests, and with a number of unprofitable passenger operations on marginal branches replaced with bus service.
In 1948, the company operated 644 locomotives, 1,602 passenger cars and 8,796 freight cars on 1,581 miles of track. After 1951, both freight and passenger service lost money. The earlier expansion had left NH with a network of low-density branch lines that could not pay their own maintenance and operating costs. The freight business was short-haul, requiring switching costs that could not be recovered in short-distance rates. They operated major commuter train services in New York and Boston (as well as New Haven, Hartford and Providence), but these had always lost money; though heavily patronized, these services operated only during the morning and evening
rush hours, and were unable to recover their infrastructure costs. The demise of the New Haven was likely hastened by the 1958 opening of the
Connecticut Turnpike, largely paralleling the railroad’s mainline across the state, and the subsequent construction of other interstate highways. With decades of inadequate investment, the New Haven could not compete against automobiles or trucks.In 1954, the brash Patrick B. McGinnis led a
proxy fight against incumbent president
Frederic C. "Buck" Dumaine Jr., vowing to return more of the company's profit to shareholders. McGinnis won control of the railroad and appointed Arthur V. McGowan, a longtime acquaintance, Vice President. McGinnis attempted to accomplish many of his financial goals by deferring all but the most essential maintenance. Under McGinnis,
Knoll Associates was retained to design a new visual identity for the company. Green and gold trim on rolling stock was replaced by black, red-orange and white, accompanied by a stylized "NH" emblem. Knoll employed architect
Marcel Breuer
Marcel Lajos Breuer ( ; 21 May 1902 – 1 July 1981) was a Hungarian-American modernist architect and furniture designer. He moved to the United States in 1937 and became a naturalized American citizen in 1944.
At the Bauhaus he designed the Was ...
to design the interiors and exterior styling of the three experimental trainsets – the ''
Dan'l Webster'', ''
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth president of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States secretary of state from 1817 to 1825. During his long diploma ...
'', and ''
Roger Williams
Roger Williams (March 1683) was an English-born New England minister, theologian, author, and founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Pl ...
'' – that were ordered in 1955. Breuer also designed new station buildings for
Rye and
New London, neither of which were built, as well as the interior of a never-built design for articulated commuter coaches. When McGinnis departed in 1956, he left the company financially wrecked, a situation exacerbated by severe damage from the
1955 Connecticut floods.
In 1959, the New Haven discontinued passenger service on the
Old Colony Railroad network in southeastern Massachusetts. That year, the company reported close to $11 million in losses. Asked by the Connecticut Public Utilities Commission in February 1960 if the company's survival was in imminent danger, the New Haven's comptroller replied, "Yes, even with the best of management". Continuing financial problems forced the New Haven into bankruptcy on July 7, 1961, and federal court judge
Robert P. Anderson assumed
trusteeship.
The railroad reported it would have only $9,262,000 in funds to cover expenses of $33,480,000 at the year's end. Company president George Alpert blamed "government subsidies direct and indirect to our competitors, and inequitable taxes" for the railroad's deficits, pointing to billions of dollars in federal funding for highways and airports.
Merger with Penn Central (1969–1976)
At the insistence of the Interstate Commerce Commission, the New Haven was merged into
Penn Central on December 31, 1968, ending rail operations by the corporation. Penn Central
was bankrupt by 1970 and the New Haven corporate entity remained in existence throughout the 1970s as the Trustee of the Estate pursued just payment from Penn Central for the New Haven's assets. Leased by the New Haven since before 1900, the
Providence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W; ) is a Class II railroad operating of tracks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, as well as New York (state), New York via trackage rights. The company was founded in 1844 to build ...
(P&W) successfully exited its lease under Penn Central and resumed operating its own line in 1973.
A substantial portion of the former New Haven main line between New York and Boston was transferred to
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
in 1976 and now forms the northern leg of the
electrified Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, Rhod ...
, hosting high-speed ''
Acela Express
The ''Acela'' ( ; originally the ''Acela Express'' until September 2019) is Amtrak's flagship passenger train service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the Northeastern megalopolis, Northeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and ...
'' and
regional rail
Regional rail is a public transport, public rail transport service that operates between towns and cities. These trains operate with more stops than inter-city rail, and unlike commuter rail, operate beyond the limits of urban areas, connectin ...
service. The main line between
New Rochelle and New Haven is jointly owned by the state of
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
and the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a New York state public benefit corporations, public benefit corporation in New York (state), New York State responsible for public transportation in the New York metropolitan area, New York Ci ...
of New York, and is served by the
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...
’s
New Haven Line
The New Haven Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Connecticut. Running from New Haven, Connecticut, to New York City, the New Haven Line joins the Harlem Line ...
and
Shore Line East, providing commuter service from Manhattan’s
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal station, terminal located at 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York Ci ...
as far eastward as New London, Connecticut. The New Haven Line is coded red on Metro-North timetables and system maps, a nod to the red livery used by the New Haven for the last decade of its history.
MBTA's
Providence/Stoughton Line provides commuter service between
Providence and
South Station in Boston.
Amtrak took over passenger service on the
New Haven–Springfield Line in 1976, and was joined by the state of Connecticut's
Hartford Line in 2018.
On August 28, 1980, American Financial Enterprises, Inc., acquired the remaining assets of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company when the plan for reorganization was approved by the court and the company was reorganized. This brought to an end the 108-year corporate history of the storied railroad, and the end to the 19-year saga of its second bankruptcy reorganization. American Financial Enterprises would become the largest single stockholder of Penn Central Company shares by the mid-1990s, controlling 32% of the stock of the company.
The Conrail era and beyond (1976–present)
Freight operations on former New Haven lines passed to
Conrail
Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do busine ...
with its government-overseen creation on April 1, 1976. During the subsequent 23 years, Conrail withdrew from much of that territory, abandoning some track and handing other lines over to the Providence & Worcester, Bay Colony, Boston & Maine, Connecticut Central, Pioneer Valley, Housatonic and Connecticut Southern railroads. Those lines still operated by Conrail in 1999 became part of
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of track, it is the lead ...
as the result of the breakup of the Conrail system.
The state of Connecticut frequently alludes to the New Haven in its modern transportation projects; much of the state’s commuter equipment is painted in McGinnis-era livery, while the iconic "NH" logo appears on everything from rolling stock, station signage, to tourism materials for the city of New Haven itself.
The
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (officially referred to as CTDOT, occasionally ConnDOT, and CDOT in rare instances) is responsible for the development and operation of highways, Rail transport, railroads, mass transit systems, por ...
has painted its diesel commuter rail locomotives used on the non-electrified Danbury and Waterbury Metro-North branches, as well as its Shore Line East operation, in the "McGinnis Scheme," composed of white, black, and orange-red stripes with the iconic NH logo.
Although a new livery was introduced with the opening of the
Hartford Line commuter service in 2018, much of its equipment is shared with
Shore Line East, of which some continue to bear the McGinnis livery and the rest have been repainted into the new "
CT Rail" livery.
All of these lines were formerly owned by the New Haven.
The
Valley Railroad, a preservation line based in Essex, Connecticut that runs both steam and diesel traction, has painted the authentic script-lettering insignia of the original "New York, New Haven and Hartford" railroad on the tenders of its resident steam locomotives, 2-8-0 Consolidation type Number 97 and 2-8-2 Mikado type number 40. There is a third steam locomotive in restoration to running order; a Chinese SY-class Mikado, formerly known as the 1658, it is being renumbered and painted as New Haven 3025, and is to be based on a Mikado-type engine that was typical to the New Haven.
The name of the
Hartford Yard Goats Minor League Baseball team reflects the old New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad history and the design of its logo is based on the original NYNHH logo. The team plays in downtown Hartford at
Dunkin' Donuts Park, which is adjacent to
Hartford Yard, originally built by NYNHH.
Operations
Passenger
* Passenger trains ran between Grand Central Terminal and Boston's South Station via
Providence,
Springfield or
Willimantic.
* Several passenger trains a day, including the overnight ''Federal'', ran between
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
and New York (
Penn Station) via PRR and on to Boston.
* Passenger service operated from Grand Central Terminal to
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
,
Springfield and beyond.
* The premier New York–Boston passenger service was the ''
Merchants Limited'', leaving Grand Central and South Station simultaneously at 5 PM. Also prominent was the ''
Yankee Clipper'', with 1 PM departures. For many years these trains carried no coaches, only
parlor car
A parlor car (or parlour car outside the U.S.) is a type of passenger car (rail), passenger coach that provides superior comforts and amenities compared to a standard coach.
History
Parlor cars came about on United States railroads to address ...
s, dining and
lounge cars.
NH introduced ideas for passenger rail travel, including early use of
restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
and
parlor cars in the steam era, and more during the transition to diesel. NH was a pioneer in many ways; in streamliners with the
Comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, gravitationally unbound atmosphere or Coma (cometary), coma surrounding ...
, in the use of
diesel multiple units (DMUs) in the U.S. with both Budd's regular
Budd Rail Diesel Car
The Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC), also known as the Budd car or Buddliner, is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit (DMU) railcar. Between 1949 and 1962, 398 RDCs were built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The cars ...
s (RDCs) and the all-RDC ''
Roger Williams
Roger Williams (March 1683) was an English-born New England minister, theologian, author, and founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Pl ...
'' trainset, in the use of rail-adapted buses, in lightweight trains such as the
Train-X-equipped ''
Dan'l Webster'', and in experimentation with
Talgo-type (passive tilt) equipment on the train ''
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth president of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States secretary of state from 1817 to 1825. During his long diploma ...
''.
An audacious experiment was the
UAC TurboTrain, which with
passive tilt,
turbine engines and light weight attempted to revolutionize medium—distance railway travel in the U.S. Sponsored by the
U.S. Department of Transportation, the Turbo Train holds the U.S.
railway speed record
This article provides an overview of speed records in rail transport. It is divided into absolute records for rail vehicles and fastest connections in the timetable.
Current speed records
The world record for a conventional wheeled passenger ...
of 170 mph, set in 1968. The NH never operated the Turbo in revenue service, as the NH was purchased by PC, which operated the train.
Other passenger trains:
[New Haven timetable, April 24, 1955, http://streamlinermemories.info/Eastern/NH55TT.pdf]
* ''
Ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
'' (
New York-
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
)
*''
Bankers
A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...
'' (New York–
Springfield)
*''
Bar Harbor Express'' (
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
-
Ellsworth, Maine) ''(overnight; all-
Pullman)'' ''(summer only)''
*''Bay State'' (New York–
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
)
*''
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...
'' (New York–
Danbury–
Pittsfield)
*''Bostonian'' (New York–Boston)
*''Buttermilk Bay'' (Boston-
Hyannis, and -
Woods Hole)
*''
Colonial'' (Washington–Boston)
*''Commander'' (New York–Boston)
*''
Connecticut Yankee'' (New York-Quebec City) via
Boston & Maine (B&M),
Quebec Central Railway
*''Cranberry'' (Boston-Hyannis, and -Woods Hole)
*''
Dan'l Webster'' (New York–Boston)
*''
Day Cape Codder'' (New York–
Hyannis/
Woods Hole) ''(summer only)''
*''
Day White Mountains'' (New York–
Berlin, New Hampshire
Berlin ( ) is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coös County, New Hampshire, Coös County in northern New Hampshire, United States. It is the northernmost city in New Hampshire and the only city in Coös County. The population was 9,425 at ...
via B&M)
*''
East Wind
An east wind is a wind that originates in the east and blows in a westward direction. This wind is referenced as symbolism in culture, mythology, poetry, and literature.
In culture and mythology
In Islam, the east wind Saba holds religious signi ...
'' (Washington, D.C.–
Portland, Maine
Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...
, via
PRR and B&M) ''(summer only)''
*''
Federal'' (Washington, D.C.–Boston) ''(overnight)''
*''Forty–Second Street'' (New York–Boston)
*''Gilt Edge'' (New York–Boston)
*''Hell Gate Express'' (
New York (Penn Station)–Boston)
*''Housatonic'' (New York–Danbury–Pittsfield)
*''Litchfield'' (New York–Danbury–Pittsfield)
*''Mayflower'' (New York–Boston)
*''Merchants Limited'' (New York–Boston)
*''
Montrealer'' (Washington, D.C.–
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, via PRR,
Canadian National (CN),
Central Vermont Railway (CV), and B&M) ''(overnight)''
*''Murray Hill'' (New York–Boston)
*''Narragansett'' (New York–Boston) ''(overnight)''
*''Nathan Hale'' (New York–White River Junction) ''(overnight)''
*''Naugatuck'' (New York–
Winsted, Connecticut)
*''Neptune'' (New York–Hyannis/Woods Hole) ''(summer only)''
*''New Yorker'' (New York–Boston)
*''
Night Cape Codder'' (New York–Hyannis/Woods Hole) ''(overnight, summer only)''
*''
Night White Mountains'' (Washington, D.C.-Bretton Woods) ''(overnight, summer only)''
*''
North Wind
A north wind originates in the north and blows in a southward direction. The wind has had historical and literary significance, since it often signals cold weather and seasonal change in the Northern hemisphere.
Mythology
*In Greek mythology, ...
'' (New York-Bretton Woods) ''(summer only)''
*''
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is the seed, or the ground spice derived from the seed, of several tree species of the genus '' Myristica''; fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg ('' M. fragrans'') is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fru ...
'' (Boston-Franklin-Hartford-Waterbury)
*''Owl'' (New York–Boston) ''(overnight)''
*''Patriot'' (Washington, D.C.–Boston)
*''Pilgrim'' (Philadelphia–Boston) ''(overnight)''
*''Puritan'' (New York–Boston)
*''Quaker'' (Philadelphia–Boston) ''(overnight)''
*''Sand Dune'' (Boston-Hyannis, and -Woods Hole)
*''Senator'' (Washington, D.C.–Boston)
*''Shoreliner'' (New York–Boston)
*
''State of Maine'' (New York–
Portland/
Bangor via B&M and
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad was a United States, U. S. class 1 railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expand ...
or MEC)
''(overnight)''
*''Valley Express'' (New York-White River Junction)
*''
Washingtonian'' (Montreal–
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, via PRR, CN, CV and B&M) ''(overnight)''
*''William Penn'' (Philadelphia–Boston) ''(overnight)''
*''
Yankee Clipper'' (New York–Boston)
Commuter
* Commuter service from New York ran through
New Rochelle to
Stamford,
New Canaan,
Danbury (and on to
Pittsfield), and through
Bridgeport to
New Haven
New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is the third largest city in Co ...
and
Waterbury
Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Waterbury had a population of 114,403 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census. The city is southwest of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury i ...
(and on to
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
and
Winsted).
*Commuter service from Boston went to destinations on the OC system of
Greenbush,
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
,
Brockton/Campello,
Middleboro,
Hyannis/
Woods Hole on
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...
,
Fall River,
Newport,
New Bedford
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, New Bedford had a ...
and
Providence,
Woonsocket, Needham Heights, West Medway and
Dedham.
Yale Bowl trains
Beginning November 21, 1914, the railroad operated special trains to bring football fans to and from the new
Yale Bowl stadium in New Haven. Passengers rode extra trains from Springfield, Boston, and especially New York to the New Haven Union Station, where they transferred to trolleys for the ride to the Bowl.
On November 21, 1922, for example, such trains carried more than 50,000 passengers.
"There is nothing which can be compared with the New Haven's football movement except a record of one of the mass-movements incidental to the European war," one observer wrote in 1916.
Freight
* Major freight yards were at
South Boston
South Boston (colloquially known as Southie) is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay (Boston Harbor), Dorchester Bay. It has under ...
,
Taunton
Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England. It is a market town and has a Minster (church), minster church. Its population in 2011 was 64,621. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century priory, monastic foundation, owned by the ...
,
Fall River,
New Bedford
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, New Bedford had a ...
,
Providence (
Northup Avenue Yard),
Worcester,
Springfield,
Hartford
Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
,
Waterbury
Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Waterbury had a population of 114,403 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census. The city is southwest of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury i ...
,
New Haven
New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is the third largest city in Co ...
(the major
Cedar Hill hump
classification yard), Maybrook (another hump yard and interchange point for western connections), New York
Harlem River
The Harlem River is an tidal strait in New York City, flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the United States mainland.
The northern stretch, also called the Spuyten Duyvi ...
and New York
Bay Ridge (where interchange was made with the PRR and other railroads in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, via barge (
car float
A railroad car float or rail barge is a specialised form of Lighter (barge), lighter with railway tracks mounted on its deck used to move rolling stock across water obstacles, or to locations they could not otherwise go. An unpowered barge, it i ...
)).
* Multiple through freight trains traveled at night between
New York or
Maybrook and Cedar Hill yard and on to
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. Other through freights served the yards above as well as intermediate points and also State Line (New York Central interchange),
Brockton,
Framingham and
Lowell (B&M interchange for traffic for Taunton, New Bedford and Fall River).
Company officers
See also
*
EMD FL9 – a dual-power electro-diesel locomotive
*
EP-5 electric locomotive
*
FM P-12-42 – a streamlined locomotive
*
Joy Steamship Company
*
List of New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad precursors
References
Further reading
*
*
* Covers the railroad's history from 1951 to 1995.
* Details the company's passenger boats
*
*
*
*
*
External links
New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical AssociationNew York New Haven And Hartford Railroad Company Stations(complete listing by branch)
*
Historic American Engineering Record
Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). It administers three programs established to document historic places in the United States: Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American E ...
(HAER) documentation:
**
**
University Railroad Collection: New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroadat Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Library
New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company recordsat Baker Library Special Collections, Harvard Business School.
A Great Railroad at Work(1942 documentary on New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company)
{{DEFAULTSORT:New York New Haven Hartford Railroad
Defunct Connecticut railroads
Defunct Massachusetts railroads
Defunct New York (state) railroads
Defunct Rhode Island railroads
Former Class I railroads in the United States
Predecessors of Conrail
Railway companies established in 1872
Railway companies disestablished in 1968
Standard-gauge railways in the United States
1968 disestablishments in Connecticut
1872 establishments in Connecticut