 The west portal of the Taft Tunnel in 2017 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Current operator | Providence and Worcester Railroad (since 1976) |
| Dates of operation | 1839–present |
| Successor | New York and New England Railroad in 1869 |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 70.9 miles (114.1 km) |
The Norwich and Worcester Railroad (N&W) was a railroad in the U.S. states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Its north-south mainline ran between its namesake cities of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Norwich, Connecticut, (later extended to Groton). The Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W) owns the ex-N&W line and operates freight service.
The railroad was chartered in 1832 in Connecticut, and in 1833 in Massachusetts; the two companies merged in 1836. Construction began in 1835. The line opened between Norwich and Plainfield in 1839, and the full length to Worcester in 1840. An extension to Allyn's Point was completed in 1843 to improve connecting steamboat operations. The line was leased by the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad in 1869, and became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (the New Haven) system in 1898. The following year, a second extension to Groton was completed.
A section of the line was electrified for streetcar service from 1907 to 1925. Local passenger service ended in 1928, but resumed from 1952 to 1971. The line from Plainfield south was included in Conrail in 1976, while the remainder reverted to the N&W. The Norwich and Worcester tried to convince regulators and politicians it could resume service on its line, but was defeated by the efforts of the P&W, which took over operations that year. P&W purchased the remainder of the line from Conrail in 1980, and has operated it since.