MBRRE Archaeological Tour of the Southern New England Railroad Route
April 17, 2004

Between Palmer, Mass., and Providence, R.I., the remains of an unfinished railroad have long attracted attention. This is the route of what was officially called the Southern New England Railroad, a venture of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, from 1910 to 1915, to acquire Atlantic port access via Providence. Unable to make satisfactory arrangements with the New Haven Railroad, which was part of a unified transportation monopoly of Charles S. Mellen, backed by J. P. Morgan, the Grand Trunk chose to utilize rights on the Central Vermont to Palmer and its own railway to be built from Palmer to Providence.

Being heavily backed by British funding, the construction was carried on until the outbreak of World War I cut off the financing.

More of the story, as well as a stop-by-stop description of the tour, can be found in the trip brochure, Trip guide to the Southern New England (Grand Trunk) Railroad.. Contact our General Information representative for more information about the trip brochure.

Our trip was narrated by historian Larry Lowenthal, who tells the SNE's full story in Titanic Railroad, a 264-page hardcover book copiously illustrated with construction photos and other material, available from Marker Press, 6 John Haley Rd, Brimfield, MA 01010. The price is $39.95, plus $3.50 shipping; Mass. residents must add $2 sales tax.