The New Haven

Of all the rail companies, The New Haven Railroad probably had the most impact on the early history of rail in America.

Founded in 1872, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company was the result of a merger between the New York and Hartford and New Haven Railroads. More commonly known as the New Haven, this rail company and its many owners and managers set out and succeeded in expanding its reach to become the biggest transportation entity in the Northeast. This was achieved through a series of acquisitions and mergers of rail lines and track miles, steamship, trolley and truck companies. The New Haven, at one time, even pondered entering the airline business. In the rail industry, The New Haven acquired 25 railroad companies and over 2,000 miles of track, offering passenger and freight service in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The latest technology was always of interest to the company, which was the only entity to operate steam, diesel and electric trains simultaneously.

An Electric Plan

The New Haven was in the forefront of experimentation with electrical lines in the late 19^th Century. The plan was to run an electrified system of trains based in South Station.

It even built a separate space, now known as the Ghost Terminal, underneath South Station, designed to handle 25,000 daily commuters. A two-track loop was built along with an elaborate underground suburban depot replete with platforms, a waiting room and men’s and women’s restrooms. However, the New Haven's attempt at electrification failed and the terminal was then abandoned. During the 1940s, the tracks were removed and a small garage, expanded baggage facility and post office extension were put in its place. At one time, the space even housed a bowling alley. Today, it serves as a storage facility.

Not all the work behind electrification was lost, however and the New Haven’s efforts eventually led to the route between New York City and New Haven being put under electrical catenary wires during the second decade of the 20^th Century. The New Haven Railroad changed hands numerous times during its history. When financier J.P. Morgan took over at the turn of the century, his goal was to gain control of much of the industry, as well as other travel entities, such as steamship, trolley, truck and bus companies. His efforts would eventually lead to near financial ruin for the line, as well as a criminal investigation and charges of antitrust violations.

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."

Last Chapter

As time went on, the financial state of The New Haven continued to decline, with a reprieve of the ailing line coming in the form of the government takeover for the war effort during the first World War.

As the war ended in 1920, the government control also ended and there was new management and development of the New England Transportation Company, a bus and truck subsidiary of the New Haven. This year also saw the height of rail transportation, with over one billion passengers riding the rails.

However, the effects of the Great Depression soon followed and the New Haven filed for bankruptcy protection in 1935. Once again showing its technological innovation, that decade saw the line introduce the first streamlined diesel-electric passenger train to New England called the Goodyear Zeppelin Comet. The Comet broke speed records, reaching 110.5 miles an hour on a one-mile stretch near Kingston, Rhode Island. By the time World War II came around, the New Haven’s diesel locomotives proved important to the war effort, resulting in the War Production Board releasing rationed materials to the railroad so it could continue to grow into the most modern passenger train fleet in the country.

Post-WWII, the New Haven saw a bit of an upturn and emerged from bankruptcy. However, the 1948 takeover by Frederic Dumaine basically served as the beginning of the end of the fabled New Haven line. What followed were budget and jobs cuts, several unsuccessful management team changes and the ultimate draining of cash reserves. By 1961, The New Haven was again bankrupt. The New Haven was eventually absorbed into the PennCentral Transportation Company, an entity that was formed from a 1969 merger between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central Railroad. The Penn Central eventually became part of the government-formed Conrail system in 1976.