The
Providence and Worcester Railroad regularly couples and uncouples freight cars on this section of the line between Mill Street and Church Street in Cumberland, Rhode Island. For an up-close, street-level vantage point, head to the west side of the High and Titus Streets intersection where the unbusy Railroad Avenue comes in from the north. There is a wide sidewalk and paved area beside the crossing signal and a steel truss barricade to safely position yourself out of the way. Note: There are horizontal red traffic lights accompanied by a bell signal, but there are no gates.
Click here to watch a video from the intersection.
It expands north to eight tracks wide -- with a good view from above on the south side of the Church Street bridge. The wood plank boardwalk along both lanes of the bridge is separated from the road by a railing for pedestrian protection.
Though there may be space to park on the neighborhood's streets, take a short walk from the Town Hall parking lot on Broad Street two blocks to the southwest of the High and Titus intersection. For viewing from the bridge, as Church Street is quite short, park in the CVS lot at the west end or on High Street at the east end.
From the PW website: "Unlike passenger trains, short line freight railroads do not run on set schedules. Service is flexible, based on customers’ needs and access to connecting railroads." That said, you're most likely to see some action weekday mornings around 7:00 to 9:00AM.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. acquired PW in 2016. PW info from their website:
Total Miles:
(Owned or leased as of 12/2019): 612 (Connecticut - 346, Massachusetts - 123, Rhode Island - 143)
Interchanges:
Canadian National (East Alburg, Vt.); Canadian Pacific (Willimantic, Conn. and Whitehall, N.Y.); Connecticut Southern Railroad (Hartford, Conn.); CSX (Worcester, Mass. and New Haven, Conn.); New England Central Railroad (Willimantic, Conn.); New York & Atlantic Railway (Fresh Pond/Queens, N.Y.); Norfolk Southern (Gardner, Mass.); Pan Am Railway (Worcester, Mass.); Pan Am Southern (Gardner, Mass.)
Capacity:
286k; 263k from milepost 15.00 to end of track for MB Branch and from milepost 4.95 to end of track for EPRT Branch
Railcar Storage Available:
606 spots
HISTORY
Providence and Worcester Railroad (PW) was incorporated in Massachusetts on March 12, 1844 (St. 1844, c. 89) and in Rhode Island in 1844 during the May session of the General Assembly (St. 1844, May Session). The two state-chartered companies merged on November 25, 1845, as the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company.
In 1845, PW acquired much of the Blackstone Canal and the land immediately surrounding it (including the old canal tow path) to begin construction of its main line between its two namesake cities. The main line opened in two sections, the part south of Millville on September 27, 1847, and the rest on October 20, 1847. The rail line from Providence to Central Falls was shared with the Boston and Providence Railroad Company (B&P), providing B&P an opportunity to extend their presence into Rhode Island. B&P built a connection from its old intrastate-only line (ending on the east side of Narragansett Bay in East Providence) over to the PW. In 1874, PW constructed a branch line from its main line in Valley Falls to East Providence, where a new coal handling facility had been built. The area was named the Wilkesbarre Pier after the point of origin of the coal shipped by the Wilkesbarre Coal and Iron Company in Pennsylvania.
In 1889, PW executed a lease with the New York, Providence, and Boston Railroad that was cancelled three years later in favor of a 99-year lease with the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad (the New Haven). During that lease term, many railroads in New England and throughout the region, including the New Haven, experienced economic hardships, ultimately leading to their decline. The New Haven filed for bankruptcy in 1961 and completed its merger with the Penn Central Transportation Company (Penn Central) in 1969. On April 6, 1970, PW announced its intention to separate from the merged entity and commence independent operations.
After a series of legal battles, the Interstate Commerce Commission approved PW’s request on August 25, 1972, and, on November 2, 1972, PW’s legal battle with Penn Central was resolved. On February 3, 1973, PW embarked on its inaugural run as an independent operating entity. Since then, the railroad has taken over many other lines from the former Penn Central, the Boston and Maine Railroad Company, and Consolidated Rail Corporation. On April 1, 1976, PW nearly tripled its operating territory and branched into the Connecticut. In 1982, with the support of the State of Rhode Island and various shippers, PW assumed all of Conrail’s rail freight operations in Rhode Island.
Through its various acquisitions and trackage rights agreements, PW now spans approximately 516 miles and covers operations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.
Source: PW website