Passenger Rail History – Trains In The Valley

Passenger rail service in the Connecticut River Valley region of western Massachusetts started in 1845 when the Connecticut River Railroad completed a “rail road” between Springfield and Northampton.

Service operated until the late 1960s when the Boston and Maine Railroad discontinued its passenger rail service north of Springfield.

Amtrak resumed service on the line in 1972 with an overnight train known as the Montrealer.”

Operation of the Montrealer was suspended north of Springfield in 1987 due to deteriorating track conditions on portions of the rail line in southern Vermont.

Amtrak resumed operation of the Montrealer in July 1989 on a route via New London, Connecticut that bypassed both Springfield and Northampton. This service operated until it was replaced by Amtrak’s Vermonter service in 1995.

Here are a few historic timetables through the years that provide some detail of passenger rail service that once operated in the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts.

Boston & Maine Railroad timetable - 1948-04-25 — Greenfield – Springfield – New York | eff. April 25, 1948
(Boston and Maine Railroad / New Haven Railroad)

Springfield Line - 1960-10-30 — Springfield Line | eff. October 30, 1960
(Boston and Maine Railroad / New Haven Railroad)

Springfield and Greenfield
Boston and Maine Railroad Employee Timetable | eff. October 30, 1966
(Note that these trains only stopped in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield)

Amtrak Montrealer timetable - 1986-04-27 — The Montrealer | eff. April 27, 1986
(Amtrak)

Other Historic Timetables

Springfield – New Haven – New York (Penn Station)

New York – Springfield Timetable | eff. April 25, 1976
(Amtrak)

Pittsfield – Springfield – Boston (South Station)

Albany – Pittsfield – Springfield – Boston | eff. July 1, 1958
(New York Central Railroad)

North Adams – Greenfield – Boston (North Station)

Other Historic Timetables

Further reading