History
The Grafton Centre Railroad was chartered October 22, 1873 and opened August 20, 1874 as a narrow gauge connection from Grafton to a junction with the Boston and Albany Railroad at North Grafton. The last narrow gauge train ran on July 9, 1887. The line was rebuilt to standard gauge on September 1, 1887.
On February 17, 1888, the name was changed to the Grafton and Upton Railroad by an act of the state legislature. An extension to West Upton opened on March 12, 1889, and an extension to Milford opened on May 17, 1890, connecting to the Milford and Woonsocket Railroad, later a line of the New Haven Railroad.
The Upton Street Railway was absorbed in 1902 and named the 'Electric Loop' or 'Upton Loop'. Passenger service on this loop and the main line was provided by cars leased from the Milford and Uxbridge Street Railway.
In November 1894 William F. Draper of the Draper Company was appointed to the Board of Directors. The Draper Company eventually purchased the G&U and operated it as a subsidiary.
Electric operations typically took place during the daytime while steam locomotives used the tracks during the night hours. The G&U ceased passenger service on August 31, 1928. U.S. Mail service along with Railway Express service ceased in 1952. Electric operations ceased on July 3, 1946 and the railroad dieselized during the 1950s. It was at this time that the whole line was upgraded to a heavier grade of track, the first overhaul since the narrow gauge was replaced in 1887.
The Draper Company sold the G&U in 1967 to Rockwell International. Rockwell sold the G&U to a trucking company, Torco, Inc. of Worcester on January 29, 1979. Traffic has fluctuated over the years of Torco ownership.
The last train to Hopedale was in 1988 and for the next 5 years activity was localized solely to the Grafton yard. In 1993 the G&U bought their current engine, the St. Louis Union Station 212 and began hauling salt to Upton once again. This activity lasted until the late 90's.
Torco, Inc. eventually sold the G&U to the Lucy Family. In 2008 the G&U passed hands once again to Jon Delli Priscoli. Delli Priscoli has made clear his intentions to revitalize the railroad in its entirety from Grafton to Milford, and work began in earnest in early 2008.
Read more about this topic: Grafton And Upton Railroad
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