As of February 2022, a total of five railroads operate in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Freight services are largely operated by the Providence and Worcester Railroad, which interchanges with the state's only other freight railroad, the Seaview Transportation Company, a switching and terminal railroad serving the Port of Davisville. Passenger service is provided along Rhode Island's portion of the Northeast Corridor by Amtrak, supplemented by MBTA Commuter Rail service from Wickford Junction northbound towards Boston. Rhode Island is also home to one heritage railroad, the Newport and Narragansett Bay Railroad, which operates excursions on a segment of track on Aquidneck Island which is disconnected from the rest of the United States rail network.
Freight carriers
| Name | Reporting Mark | Image | Predecessor(s) | Starting Year | Description | Owner | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence and Worcester Railroad | PW, PWRZ |
|
1844 (originally)
1973 (current system) |
Originally founded in 1844, was leased by the New Haven in 1892 but continued to exist as a company. Split from NH successor Penn Central in 1973. Took over all Conrail operations in Rhode Island in 1982. Has trackage rights on the Northeast Corridor, in addition to owning its main line from Providence to the Massachusetts state line and a branch to East Providence. | Genesee & Wyoming | [1] | |
| Seaview Transportation Company | SVTX |
|
United States Navy | 1978 | Formed in 1978 to continue freight service for customers in and around Quonset Point Air National Guard Station, formerly operated by the United States Navy. Serves a major industrial park, interchanges with the Providence and Worcester. | Independent | [2] |
Passenger carriers
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Key
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| Name | Reporting Mark | Image | Predecessor(s) | Starting Year | Description | Owner | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak | AMTK |
|
Penn Central | 1971 | National intercity passenger railroad of the United States. Took over intercity passenger service from Penn Central starting May 1, 1971. As of February 2022, operates the Northeast Regional and Acela in Rhode Island. | Federal government of the United States | [3] |
| MBTA Commuter Rail | MBTX |
|
Penn Central | 1976 | The MBTA began subsidizing Rhode Island service on the Providence/Stoughton Line in 1976, and purchased the line's rolling stock from Penn Central that year. As of February 2022, service operates to and from Boston to a southern terminus at Wickford Junction. | Massachusetts Department of Transportation | [3] |
| Newport and Narragansett Bay Railroad |
|
Newport Dinner Train
Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railroad |
2014 | Heritage railroad operating excursions on Aquidneck Island. The railroad operates several different heritage trains, and also offers railbike rides. | Seaview Transportation Company | [4] [5] |
Defunct railroads
- Electric
 |
- Bay State Street Railway
- Fall River and Stone Bridge Street Railway
- Groton and Stonington Street Railway
- Middletown and Portsmouth Street Railway
- Newport and Fall River Street Railway
- Newport and Providence Railway
- Newport Street Railway
- Norwich and Westerly Railway
- Old Colony Street Railway
- Pawcatuck Valley Railway
- Pawtucket Street Railway
- Providence Cable Tramway Company (also a cable-car line)
- Providence and Danielson Railway
- Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad
- Rhode Island Company
- Rhode Island Suburban Railway
- Sea View Railroad
- Union Railroad
- United Electric Railways
- Warwick Railway
- Not completed
Bibliography
- Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2nd ed.). Pepperell, Massachusetts: Branch Line Press. ISBN 978-0-942147-12-4. OCLC 1038017689.
Notes
- ^ This is one or more of the Class I railroads that the railroad became part of, if any.
References
- ^ Cleaves, Herb (January 22, 1982). "Boston & Maine to get some Conrail trackage". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ Bessette, James (July 1, 2016). "All aboard! Seaview Transportation Company rides the rails to success". The Independent. Retrieved 2021-09-02.
- ^ a b Belcher, Jonathan (December 19, 2021). "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA District 1964-2021" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association. pp. 364–366. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
- ^ Baptista, Edelinda (2021-10-08). "How Rail Explorers Became the Easiest, Breeziest Daytrip in RI and Beyond". Rhode Island Monthly. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
- ^ Flynn, Sean (August 29, 2018). "Newport rail tracks are being replaced". Newport Daily News. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
- ^ a b Karr 2017, p. 157-160.
See also
- List of railroad lines in Rhode Island (a list of all corridors that have existed, not dealing with ownership changes)