Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

South Station is more than bricks and mortar. Its history is carved by the great railroad companies that thrived - and collapsed - almost taking the grand terminal with them. One such saga is that of the New Haven Railroad.

A Giant is Born
The New Haven, as it is commonly known, was formed in 1872 - a quarter-century before South Station celebrated its grand opening. And the New Haven was, in reality, a merger of the New York - New Haven and the Hartford-New Haven lines. That marriage resulted in the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company.

Early on, the management focused on expanding the company through an aggressive merger and acquisition policy and consequently, by the turn of the century, the New Haven had absorbed over 25 railroad companies, increasing its trackage five-fold to over two thousand miles of track.

Technologically advanced, the New Haven was experimenting with electrical lines as early as the 1890s - and the intention of the company was to install an electrified system into South Station - a goal yet to be realized, but looming on the near horizon - one hundred years later.

In anticipation of this electrification, a second terminal was constructed underneath the main concourse of South Station. A two-track loop along with an elaborate underground suburban depot complete with platforms, a waiting room and men’s and women’s rest rooms would greet the passengers arriving on the electric cars.

The Movers and Shakers
The person most responsible for the growth (and eventual demise) of the New Haven, was financier J.P. Morgan. As Bill Reidy, of the New Haven Historical and Technical Society points out, “Back in the turn of the century, railroads were the only way to get around by land, so it was easy to build an empire.” But J. P Morgan wasn’t content stopping there and he tried to capture control of the trolley lines, the steamship lines, the bus lines and eventually air lines.

As Morgan tried to acquire more and more properties and gain his stranglehold, he mortgaged everything to the hilt - and soon came under criminal investigation for his business dealings. His quest to control “everything that moves” resulted in many of the antitrust laws that are still on the books today.

What followed was a spiral into financial collapse. If it hadn’t been for the first World War, the inevitable bankruptcy would have ensued. When the government took control of the rails for the war effort, Morgan bought himself some time, and the war effort infused cash back into the system.

In 1920, as the country emerged from the war, the ownership of the New Haven reverted back to civilian hands and management began to rebuild. mprovements to the equipment and infrastructure took place, and a bus company and trucking subsidiary call the New England Transportation Company was formed.

But the roller coaster ride continued and the Great Depression also took its toll on the New Haven. By 1935, the New Haven petitioned the court for reorganization under bankruptcy law to shield it from its many creditors. And, once again, the New Haven chugged along.

During the pre-war 30s, the New Haven introduced the very first streamlined passenger trains to New England, the Unique Goodyear Zeppelin “Comet” and the first diesel switchers and modern lightweight passenger cars were bought.

Saved by the War
By the onset of World War II, the New Haven and its large number of diesel passenger locomotives were considered so important to the war effort that the War Production Board released enough rationed materials to permit the railroad to continue to grow.

By war’s end, the New Haven boasted one of the most modern passenger train fleets in the country; and the railroad was coming out of bankruptcy. But tough times were still around the bend for the railroad and workers who had stayed with it through the tough times.

The Decline Continues
In 1948, new man took charge, financier Frederic C. Dumaine Sr., who in the interest of tightening the purse strings eliminated the jobs of any employees making over $10,000 per year.

From then on, it was a down hill ride. Three different management teams caused infinite headaches, and drained the cash reserves and by 1961 the New Haven was once again bankrupt - this time almost taking South Station with it.

This article originally appeared in the July 1999 edition of South Station’s STATION BREAK nwsletter.

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