PASCOAG LINE

PROVIDENCE & SPRINGFIELD RAILROAD

The Providence & Springfield opened between Dike Street in Providence and Pascoag in 1873. For the two miles from Dike Street to the area of Union Station the railroad used the Hartford Providence & Fishkill which became part of the New York & New England. In 1890 the NY&NE leased the P&S and used the line in connection with its Woonsocket & Pascoag branch to offer another route between Providence and Boston. In 1895 the New Haven gained control of the NY&NE.

William Tinkham was the force behind the creation of the P&S. He and other mill owners along the Woonasquatucket River needed transportation. Moreover, the P&S was seen as a possible way to reach Springfield in Massachusetts and connect with trunk lines to the west and north. Under the NY&NE an extension of the P&S to Douglas Junction was accomplished in 1893 but the NY&NE was too weak to continue. The extension was abandoned in 1937 but remainder of the line lasted until the early 1960's.

P&S Number 1 with what appears to be an inspection train around the time the line opened in 1873.

"Hercules" was built by Rhode Island in1873

RIHS COLLECTION

P&S Number 2 with a "gravel" train. The "William Tinkham" was built by Rhode Island in 1873,

one of the three original 4-4-0 type engines that were built when the P&S commenced operations.

Two additional engines were purchased before the NY&NE leased the line.

PASCOAG

Providence is to the left. The postcard was mailled February 9, 1909 with the message,

"This is our Depot - hope you will like it."

Pascoag

The water tank, engine house, turntable and station are shown left to right. View is north.

PASCOAG ROUNDHOUSE

"Mars", Number 4, was built by Rhode Island in 1882. The first four P&S locomotives had names from

Greek mythology but "Stentor" was changed to William Tinkham to honor the road's president

Vertical is elevation in feet, Horizontal is miles, Numbers on grades are rise in feet per mile.

OLNEYVILLE - 2.25 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

OLNEYVILLE AT HARTFORD AVENUE

The New Haven RR GE 44-ton locomotive No.0813 was a small diesel used on branches or remote locations.

MANTON - 4.09 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

CLIMBING ABOARD AFTER FLAGGING THE CROSSING AT MANTON

New Haven K-1-b 2-6-0 Number 291 was built by Cooke in 1907.

LYMANSVILLE - 4.67 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

CENTREDALE - 6.23 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

Route 44 is on the left.

CENTREDALE DEPOT --- JULY 20, 1969

The depot served as a small restaurant for a time but the area is now a shopping plaza. Note the ex-grain elevator.

The Centredale Depot as the Railroad Deli and Sandwich Shop. Putnam Pike - Route 44

March 1981 -- Photo by Edward J. Ozog

Breakfast Special, 2 Eggs, Fries, Toast and Coffee 95 Cents March 1981 Photo by Edward J. Ozog

CENTREDALE FREIGHT HOUSE AND DEPOT - 1909

ESMOND - 7.69 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

Esmond Passenger Depot on the right - Freight Station on the left.

Esmond Mills water tower displays Esmond Bunny Baby Blanket symbol.

GEORGIAVILLE - 8.53 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

GEORGIAVILLE

STILLWATER - 9.77 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

SMITHFIELD - 12.06 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

PRIMROSE - 14.2 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

Blank Boards Are For Advertisements

FIELDS STATION - 15.73 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

TARKILN - 16.72 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

The semaphore blade in the box is for flagging passenger trains.

OAKLAND - 19.49 MILES FROM PROVIDENCE

THE COMBINE ONCE SERVED AS A TEMPORARY STATION AT OAKLAND

DOUGLAS JUNCTION EXTENSION

The seven mile extension to Douglas Junction where the NY&NE's line between Boston and the Hudson River was met was built in 1893 and required two long wrought iron trestle bridges. The beginning of the extension is at the end of the high bridge in Pascoag where the station was located.

ONE OF THE HIGH BRIDGES AT PASCOAG - 1893

A HIGH BRIDGE NORTH OF PASCOAG

The extension was officially abandoned in 1937.

Bridgeton was listed in employee timetables as 0.77 miles north of the Pascoag station and 3.82 miles south of the Wallum Lake station. The train is northbound.

THE 7:47 A.M. TRAIN FOR PROVIDENCE ARRIVING AT WALLUM LAKE

The State Hospital for Consumptives (tuberculosis) was opened at Wallum Lake in 1905 and for many years the extension was busy carrying visitors to the hospital and coal to the hospital powerhouse.

Locomotive is New Haven C-11d class 4-4-0 No. 1717 built for NY&NE as No. 20 in 1884 and scrapped in Feb. 1917.

WALLUM LAKE WAS AN IMPORTANT STATION ON THE EXTENSION

THE DEPOT WAS THE HIGHEST IN RHODE ISLAND - 570 FEET

THE HIGHEST POINT IN RHODE ISLAND IS 812 FEET

THE EXTENSION REACHED SLIGHTLY OVER 600 FEET AT THE MASSACHUSETTS BORDER

THE GRADE ON THE EXTENSION WAS A RELATIVELY STEADY 0.8 PER CENT

Vertical is elevation in feet, Horizontal is miles, Numbers on grades are feet of rise per mile.

WOONSOCKET & PASCOAG

The Woonsocket & Pascoag completed a 9.5 mile line to Harrisville on the Providence & Springfield in 1890 and both came under the control of the New York & New England that year. The two roads provided the NY&NE an indirect route from Boston to Providence. Most of the road was abandoned in 1937 but a few miles of track at Woonsocket have remained in operation.