Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Old Colony Railroad
Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 30
Old Colony Railroad
editLocation and General Description of Property
editThe railroad of the Old Colony Railroad Company, herein called the Old Colony Railroad, is a standard-gage, steam railroad, located in the States of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The principal main lines extend from Boston, Mass., to Newport, R.I.; Middleboro to Provincetown, Mass.; and Fitchburg and Lowell to New Bedford, Mass. The mileage is classified as follows:
| Company | Classification | First main tracks Miles |
Second and other main tracks Miles |
Yard tracks and sidings Miles |
All tracks Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The carrier | In Massachusetts. | 511.402 | 228.572 | 281.492 | 1,021.466 |
| In Rhode Island. | 18.128 | 1.341 | 13.095 | 32.564 | |
| Total. | 529.530 | 229.913 | 294.587 | 1,054.030 | |
| Boston and Maine Railroad | In Massachusetts. | ...... | 4.060 | ...... | 4.060 |
| Total. | Owned but not used. | 529.530 | 233.973 | 294.587 | 1,058.090 |
Jointly owned property
The Old Colony Railroad has no jointly owned property, with the exception of minor facilities, the reproduction costs for which are included with the wholly owned property.
Corporate History
editThe Old Colony Railroad was incorporated March 27, 1872, under a special act of Massachusetts and an act of Rhode Island passed at the May session of 1872. The organization was perfected on October 1, 1872. Its principal office is at Boston, Mass.
The following chart shows the names of the corporations, the respective dates of incorporation, and for each predecessor, the date of succession, the immediately succeeding corporation, and the manner of succession. Reference to each of these corporations is made in the last column by its respective number shown in the first column.
| No. | Name | Incorporation | Succession |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Colony Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 27, 1872; in Rhode Island, May, 1872. | |
| 2 | Old Colony and Newport Railway Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 25, 1862; in Rhode Island, May, 1860. | Consolidated with 15, to form 1, Sept. 30, 1872. |
| 3 | Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 25, 1854. | United with 10 to form 2, Aug. 5, 1863. |
| 4 | Old Colony Railroad Corporation (of 1844). | In Massachusetts, Mar. 16, 1844. | Consolidated with 5 to form 3, Sept. 30, 1854. |
| 5 | Fall River Railroad Company (of 1846). | See 6. | Consolidated with 4 to form 3, Sept. 30, 1854. |
| 6 | United Corporation of the Middleborough Railroad Corporation, and Fall River Branch Railroad Company and Randolph and Bridgewater Railroad Corporation. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 26, 1845. | Name changed to 5, Apr. 16, 1846. |
| 7 | Fall River Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 14, 1844. | United with 8 and 9 to form 6, Mar. 26, 1845. |
| 8 | Randolph and Bridgewater Railroad Corporation. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 25, 1845. | United with 7 and 9 to form 6, Mar. 26, 1845. |
| 9 | Middleborough Railroad Corporation. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 26, 1845. | United with 7 and 8 to form 6, Mar. 26, 1845. |
| 10 | The Newport and Fall River Railroad Company. | In Rhode Island, May 8, 1846. | Consolidated with 3 to form 2, Aug. 5, 1863. |
| 11 | Dighton and Somerset Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Feb. 21, 1863. | Conveyed to 2, Dec. 31, 1865. |
| 12 | Granite Railway Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 4, 1826. | Trackage sold to 2, Dec. 19, 1870. |
| 13 | Easton Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts Mar. 3, 1854. | Merged with 2, Sept. 25, 1871. |
| 14 | Shawmut Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, June 22, 1870. | Transferred to 2, Nov. 29, 1871. |
| 15 | Cape Cod Railroad Company. | See 16. | Consolidated with 2 to form 1, Sept. 30, 1872. |
| 16 | Cape Cod Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 8, 1846. | Name changed to 15, Feb. 22, 1854. |
| 17 | Cape Cod Central Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 28, 1861. | Merged with 15, July 28, 1868. |
| 18 | Plymouth and Vineyard Sound Railroad Company. | See 19. | Acquired by 15, Sept. 9, 1871. |
| 19 | Vineyard Sound Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, date unknown. [actually Apr. 11, 1861] | Name changed to 18, Apr. 11, 1861. [actually Apr. 13, 1868] |
| 20 | Middleborough and Taunton Railroad Corporation. | See 21. | Conveyed to 1, Apr. 28, 1874. |
| 21 | Taunton and Middleborough Railroad Corporation. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 21, 1848. | Name changed to 20, Mar. 17, 1853. |
| 22 | South Shore Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 26, 1846. | Merged with 1, Mar. 31, 1877. |
| 23 | Duxbury and Cohassett[sic] Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 13, 1867. | Merged with 1, May 22, 1878. |
| 24 | Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Feb. 11, 1873. | Merged with 1, Mar. 6, 1883. |
| 25 | Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad Company. | See 26. | Consolidated with 30 to form 24, May 31, 1876. |
| 26 | Agricultural Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 26, 1847. | Name changed to 25, Apr. 17, 1867. |
| 27 | Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 16, 1846. | Merged with 25, June 30, 1869. |
| 28 | Mansfield and Framingham Railroad Company. | See 29. | Merged with 25, May 31, 1875. |
| 29 | Foxborough Branch Railroad Corporation. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 26, 1862. | Name changed to 28, Mar. 18, 1867. |
| 30 | New Bedford Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Feb. 11, 1873. | Consolidated with 25 to form 24, May 31, 1876. |
| 31 | New Bedford and Taunton Railroad Corporation. | See 32. | Deeded to 30, Mar. 20, 1873. |
| 32 | Old Colony Railroad Corporation (of 1838). | In Massachusetts, Apr. 13, 1838. | Name changed to 31, Mar. 26, 1839. |
| 33 | Weir Branch Railroad Corporation. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 16, 1847. | Location used by 31, 1848. |
| 34 | Fairhaven Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, May 1, 1849. | Conveyed to 31, July 1, 1861. |
| 35 | Proprietors of the New Bedford and Fairhaven Ferry. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 8, 1832. | Acquired by 34, Oct. 2, 1854. |
| 36 | Taunton Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 7, 1835. | Merged with 30, Feb. 2, 1874. |
| 37 | Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 16, 1846. | Merged with 1, Feb. 27, 1885. |
| 38 | Lowell and Framingham Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 31, 1881. | Merged with 1, Feb. 27, 1886. |
| 39 | Framingham and Lowell Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 23, 1870. | Acquired by 38, Sept. 29, 1881. |
| 40 | Hanover Branch Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Apr. 6, 1846, and Apr. 20, 1864. | Merged with 1, June 30, 1887. |
| 41 | Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, July 2, 1862; in Rhode Island, July 2, 1862. | Merged with 1, July 1, 1892. |
| 42 | The Warren and Fall River Railroad Company. | In Rhode Island, May 30, 1856. | Consolidated with 43 to form 41, July 2, 1862. |
| 43 | The Fall River and Warren Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 17, 1857. | Consolidated with 42 to form 41, July 2, 1862. |
| 44 | Fall River Railroad Company (of 1874). | In Massachusetts, Nov. 19, 1874. | Sold to 1, Nov. 12, 1896. |
| 45 | Nantasket Beach Railroad Company (of 1881). | In Massachusetts, Mar. 2, 1881. | Conveyed to 1, Jan. 24, 1906. |
| 46 | Nantasket Beach Railroad Company (of 1880). | In Massachusetts, Mar. 2, 1880. | Consolidated with 47 and 48 to form 45, Mar. 21, 1881. |
| 47 | The Hull and Nantasket Beach Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Sept. 2, 1880. | Consolidated with 46 and 48 to form 45, Mar. 21, 1881. |
| 48 | Boston, Hingham and Hull Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Oct. 4, 1880. | Consolidated with 46 and 47 to form 45, Mar. 21, 1881. |
| 49 | Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad Company. | In Massachusetts, Mar. 20, 1890. | Conveyed to 1, Dec. 27, 1911. |
Development of Fixed Physical Property
editThe following tabulation shows the elements of trackage that go to make up the mileage of road owned by the Old Colony Railroad on date of valuation. All of the cities and towns mentioned are in Massachusetts unless otherwise indicated.
- Acquired by merger and purchase, 459.64 miles, from—
- Old Colony and Newport Railway Company, Oct. 1, 1872, 143.40 miles—
- Constructed by that company, Montclair extension, date unknown, 0.50 miles.
- Constructed by Old Colony Railroad Corporation (of 1844)—
- Boston to Plymouth, 1845, 37.45 miles.
- Abington to Bridgewater, 1847, 6.22 miles.
- Constructed by Fall River Railroad Company (of 1846), Braintree to Fall River, 1846, 42.23 miles.
- Constructed by The Newport and Fall River Railroad Company, Newport, R. I., to Fall River, 1869, 19.50 miles.
- Constructed by Dighton and Somerset Railroad Company, Braintree to Stoughton Junction and Easton to Fall River, 1866, 33.20 miles.
- Constructed by Granite Railway Company, West River to Neponset River, 1.80 miles.
- Constructed by Easton Branch Railroad Company, Stoughton Junction to Easton, 1855, 2.50 miles.
- Cape Cod Railroad Company, Oct. 1, 1872, 74.95 miles—
- Constructed by that company, Middleborough to Yarmouth and Orleans to Wellfleet, 1848-1872, 56.25 miles.
- Constructed by Cape Cod Central Railroad Company, Yarmouth to Orleans, 1865, 18.70 miles.
- Middleborough and Taunton Railroad Corporation, Apr. 28, 1874; constructed by that company, Middleboro to Middleboro Junction, 1856, 8.05 miles.
- South Shore Railroad Company, Apr. 30, 1877; constructed by that company, Braintree to Cohasset, 1849, 11.51 miles.
- Duxbury and Cohasset Railroad Company, May 22, 1878, constructed by that company, 20.67 miles—
- Cohasset to South Duxbury, 1871, 17.47 miles.
- South Duxbury to Kingston, 1874, 3.20 miles.
- Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad Company, Mar. 6, 1883, 122.40 miles—
- Constructed by Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad Company—
- Framingham to Northborough, 1855, 12.30 miles.
- Northborough to Pratt Junction, 1866, 13.95 miles.
- Reformatory to Sherborn, 1875, .70 miles.
- Marlborough Junction to Marlborough, 1855, 1.47 miles.
- Clinton to Lancaster Mills, 1875, 2.00 miles.
- Constructed by Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad Company, Fitchburg to Sterling Junction, 1850, 13.73 miles.
- Constructed by Mansfield and Framingham Railroad Company, Mansfield to South Framingham, 1870, 21.29 miles.
- Constructed by New Bedford Railroad Company, New Bedford extension, 1873, 1.35 miles.
- Constructed by New Bedford and Taunton Railroad Corporation, New Bedford to Taunton, 1840, 20.25 miles.
- Constructed by Weir Branch Railroad Corporation (franchise), Weir Junction to Taunton, 1848, 0.96 miles.
- Constructed by Fairhaven Branch Railroad Company, Fairhaven to Tremont, 1854, 14.95 miles.
- Constructed by Taunton Branch Railroad Company—
- Taunton to Mansfield, 1836, 10.95 miles.
- Attleborough to Attleborough Junction, 1871, 8.50 miles.
- Constructed by Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad Company—
- Dorchester and Milton Branch Railroad Company, Feb. 27, 1885; constructed by that company, Neponset to Mattapan, 1847, 3.23 miles.
- Lowell and Framingham Railroad Company, Feb. 27, 1886; constructed by Framingham and Lowell Railroad Company, Framingham to Lowell, 1871, 26.60 miles.
- Hanover Branch Railroad Company, June 30, 1887; constructed by that company, North Abingdon to Hanover, 1868, 7.85 miles.
- Fall River, Warren and Providence Railroad Company, June 1, 1892; constructed by that company, Brayton, Mass., to Warren, R. I., 1865, 6.65 miles.
- Fall River Railroad Company (of 1874), Nov. 12, 1896; constructed by that company, Mt. Pleasant to Watuppa, 1875, 11.69 miles.
- Nantasket Beach Railroad Company (of 1881), Jan. 24, 1906, 6.95 miles—
- Constructed by Nantasket Beach Railroad Company (of 1880), Allerton to Nantasket Beach, 1880, 3.10 miles.
- Constructed by The Hull and Nantasket Beach Railroad Company, Allerton to Pemberton, 1881, 3.00 miles.
- Constructed by Boston, Hingham and Hull Railroad Company, Nantasket Beach to Nantasket Junction, 1881, .85 miles.
- Plymouth and Middleborough Railroad Company, Dec. 27, 1911, constructed by that company, Plymouth to Middleborough, 1892, 15.69 miles.
- Old Colony and Newport Railway Company, Oct. 1, 1872, 143.40 miles—
- Acquired by construction, 73.90 miles:
- Commenced by Old Colony and Newport Railway Company—
- Harrison Square to Shawmut Junction, 1872, 2.91 miles.
- West Quincy to Braintree, 1876, 3.11 miles.
- Commenced by Cape Cod Railroad Company—
- Buzzards Bay to Wood's Hole, 1872, 17.28 miles.
- Wellfleet to Provincetown, 1873, 14.25 miles.
- Constructed by Old Colony Railroad—
- Fall River to Slades Ferry, 1875, 3.25 miles.
- Whittenton Junction to Raynham, 1882, 3.44 miles.
- Elmwood to Westdale, 1885, .82 miles.
- Matfield to Easton, 1888, 6.95 miles.
- Walpole Junction to North Attleborough, 1890, 11.80 miles.
- Walpole Junction to Norwood Junction, 1892, 5.66 miles.
- North Attleborough to Adamsdale, 1903, 4.43 miles.
- Commenced by Old Colony and Newport Railway Company—
- Less, difference between total recorded mileage and mileage inventoried as of date of valuation, 4.010 miles.
Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation, 529.530 miles.
Leased Railway Property
editThe Boston and Providence was leased to the Old Colony Railroad on March 31, 1888, for 99 years, which lease was transferred to the carrier on February 15, 1893, as shown in detail in report on the carrier.
The Providence, Warren and Bristol was leased to the Old Colony Railroad on July 1, 1891, for 95 years and 9 months, which leased was transferred to the carrier on February 15, 1893, as shown in detail in report on the carrier.
The Old Colony Railroad leased its railroad system to the carrier from March 1, 1893, for 99 years, as shown in detail in report on the carrier.