The Watuppa Branch (also called the North Dartmouth Industrial Track, and formerly the Fall River Branch) is a roughly six-mile freight railroad line in southeastern Massachusetts. The track originates at Mount Pleasant Junction, where it diverges from the New Bedford Secondary, and runs through Dartmouth before terminating in north Westport. The line is owned by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and is operated by Bay Colony Railroad, which interchanges with Massachusetts Coastal Railroad at the junction in New Bedford. The abandoned western portion of the right-of-way is used by the Quequechan River Rail Trail.
Watuppa Branch
The Watuppa Branch in New Bedford in 2020
Overview
Other name(s)
North Dartmouth Industrial Track, Fall River Branch
Map of all Old Colony Railroad lines from 1893. The Watuppa branch is the segment of track extending westward from New Bedford and terminating near Fall River.
The Watuppa Branch originates in New Bedford, where it diverges from the New Bedford Secondary and passes beneath Massachusetts Route 140. After traveling through the western portion of downtown New Bedford, the railroad crosses into Dartmouth and travels just north of downtown, passing through the "Dartmouth Business Park II"[3][4] before crossing into Westport. After crossing the border, the track passes beneath Interstate 195 and continues for just over a mile, until passing beneath Massachusetts Route 88, at which point active trackage ends and only abandoned, disused track remains. The disused track continues for another short distance until it terminates near Watuppa Ponds, at which point the Quequechan River Rail Trail eventually takes over where the track formerly laid.
Historyedit
Map of the second Fall River Railroad
Bike path constructed over a portion of the former Fall River Railroad right-of-way, near South Watuppa Pond, Fall River, Massachusetts
The Fall River Railroad was chartered in 1874 and opened in 1875 from the New Bedford Railroad at New Bedford to Fall River through the towns of Dartmouth and Westport. The line was built to provide rail access to the mills in the eastern part of Fall River along the Quequechan River valley. The western terminus of the line was located Watuppa Station at Plymouth Avenue near Front Street. In 1882 the line was leased to the Old Colony Railroad for 99 years, but sold outright to the Old Colony in 1896.[5] At some point following the closure of Old Colony Railroad, the track between Westport and Fall River was removed; the current track ends shortly after the Massachusetts Route 88 crossing in the town of Westport.
Beginning in 1982, Bay Colony Railroad took over all freight operations on the line. While most of Bay Colony's operations were subsequently taken over by Massachusetts Coastal Railroad in 2007, the Watuppa branch remained under the operation of Bay Colony. In November 2023, the Massachusetts Coastal indicated it would be purchasing the line and taking over operations.[6]
In 2008, the first section of the Quequechan Rail Trail opened over a portion of the former Fall River Railroad right-of-way along the shore of South Watuppa Pond east of Brayton Avenue at a cost of $462,000.[7] It was later extended west to Britland Park and Rodman Street. State funding was awarded in 2022 for a 550 feet (170 m) extension east to the Westport town line.[8]
Referencesedit
^"MassDOT State Rail Plan". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. May 2018. p. 33. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
^"Map - Dartmouth Line". Bay Colony Railroad. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
^Robert Barboza (January 23, 2018). "Daycare, office space proposed for Dartmouth Business Park off Reed Road". South Coast Today. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
^"958 Old Reed Road Dartmouth MA - Business Park II – 6 Lots Remaining". Collins Commercial Real Estate. 29 September 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
^Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners, Feb 15, 1911
^(PDF). Surface Transportation Board. November 16, 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2023.
^"2022 MassTrails Awards (81 Projects)". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. June 2022. p. 3.
External linksedit
Media related to Watuppa Branch at Wikimedia Commons
Quequechan River Rail Trail Map
Alfred J. Lima Quequechan River Rail Trail
December 02, 2023
watuppa, branch, also, called, north, dartmouth, industrial, track, formerly, fall, river, branch, roughly, mile, freight, railroad, line, southeastern, massachusetts, track, originates, mount, pleasant, junction, where, diverges, from, bedford, secondary, run. The Watuppa Branch also called the North Dartmouth Industrial Track and formerly the Fall River Branch is a roughly six mile freight railroad line in southeastern Massachusetts The track originates at Mount Pleasant Junction where it diverges from the New Bedford Secondary and runs through Dartmouth before terminating in north Westport The line is owned by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and is operated by Bay Colony Railroad which interchanges with Massachusetts Coastal Railroad at the junction in New Bedford The abandoned western portion of the right of way is used by the Quequechan River Rail Trail Watuppa BranchThe Watuppa Branch in New Bedford in 2020OverviewOther name s North Dartmouth Industrial Track Fall River BranchOwnerBay Colony Railroad MassDOT 1 LocaleBristol County MassachusettsTerminiMount Pleasant JunctionNorth Westport active track 2 Watuppa station Fall River former ServiceOperator s Bay Colony RailroadTechnicalLine lengthActive 8 3 miles 13 4 km Total 12 1 miles 19 5 km Number of tracks1Track gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm standard gaugeRoute mapLegendMount Pleasant JunctionNew Bedford SecondaryRoute 140Mount PleasantNorth DartmouthHicksvilleWestport FactoryI 195Hemlockend of active trackRoute 88North Westport Quequechan River Rail TrailWatuppa PondsFlint VillageWatuppaThis diagram viewtalkedit Contents 1 Route 2 History 3 References 4 External linksRoute edit nbsp Map of all Old Colony Railroad lines from 1893 The Watuppa branch is the segment of track extending westward from New Bedford and terminating near Fall River The Watuppa Branch originates in New Bedford where it diverges from the New Bedford Secondary and passes beneath Massachusetts Route 140 After traveling through the western portion of downtown New Bedford the railroad crosses into Dartmouth and travels just north of downtown passing through the Dartmouth Business Park II 3 4 before crossing into Westport After crossing the border the track passes beneath Interstate 195 and continues for just over a mile until passing beneath Massachusetts Route 88 at which point active trackage ends and only abandoned disused track remains The disused track continues for another short distance until it terminates near Watuppa Ponds at which point the Quequechan River Rail Trail eventually takes over where the track formerly laid History edit nbsp Map of the second Fall River Railroad nbsp Bike path constructed over a portion of the former Fall River Railroad right of way near South Watuppa Pond Fall River MassachusettsThe Fall River Railroad was chartered in 1874 and opened in 1875 from the New Bedford Railroad at New Bedford to Fall River through the towns of Dartmouth and Westport The line was built to provide rail access to the mills in the eastern part of Fall River along the Quequechan River valley The western terminus of the line was located Watuppa Station at Plymouth Avenue near Front Street In 1882 the line was leased to the Old Colony Railroad for 99 years but sold outright to the Old Colony in 1896 5 At some point following the closure of Old Colony Railroad the track between Westport and Fall River was removed the current track ends shortly after the Massachusetts Route 88 crossing in the town of Westport Beginning in 1982 Bay Colony Railroad took over all freight operations on the line While most of Bay Colony s operations were subsequently taken over by Massachusetts Coastal Railroad in 2007 the Watuppa branch remained under the operation of Bay Colony In November 2023 the Massachusetts Coastal indicated it would be purchasing the line and taking over operations 6 In 2008 the first section of the Quequechan Rail Trail opened over a portion of the former Fall River Railroad right of way along the shore of South Watuppa Pond east of Brayton Avenue at a cost of 462 000 7 It was later extended west to Britland Park and Rodman Street State funding was awarded in 2022 for a 550 feet 170 m extension east to the Westport town line 8 References edit MassDOT State Rail Plan Massachusetts Department of Transportation May 2018 p 33 Retrieved March 9 2021 Map Dartmouth Line Bay Colony Railroad Retrieved March 9 2021 Robert Barboza January 23 2018 Daycare office space proposed for Dartmouth Business Park off Reed Road South Coast Today Retrieved March 9 2021 958 Old Reed Road Dartmouth MA Business Park II 6 Lots Remaining Collins Commercial Real Estate 29 September 2020 Retrieved March 9 2021 Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners Feb 15 1911 STB Docket No FD 36739 PDF Surface Transportation Board November 16 2023 Archived from the original PDF on November 19 2023 Herald News article August 1 2008 2022 MassTrails Awards 81 Projects Commonwealth of Massachusetts June 2022 p 3 External links edit nbsp Media related to Watuppa Branch at Wikimedia Commons Quequechan River Rail Trail Map Alfred J Lima Quequechan River Rail Trail Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Watuppa Branch amp oldid 1186111559, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
