DIESEL ERA

On April 27, 1952 New Haven Railroad steam locomotives pulled passenger trains into Providence for the last time. On that day I-4 Pacifics 1372 and 1388 operated through Providence with two special trains sponsored by railroad entusiasts to say farewell to steam. The end of steam coincided with an acceleration of the decline of passenger patronage. Highway and air travel had been eroding the demand for rail travel for some time but the advent of modern highways such as the Connecticut Turnpike which opened in 1958 drew most travelers from the railroads. As railroad revenue declined it became impossible to support an expensive infrastructure including large stations such as Providence's. Highways and airports supported by public funds made competion difficult. Moreover, heavy taxation, high labor costs and outdated government regulations were a heavy burden that the railroads could not carry.

Despite the handicaps, the New Haven Railroad provided Providence with a reasonable level of service until its demise. New passenger cars were purchased after World War II to improve all mainline trains. Dining cars, parlor cars and sleeping cars continued to provide a good level of comfort. Budd Rail Diesel Cars improved local service. However, the inability to meet expenses caused maintenance and service to suffer. Union Station declined in line with shrinking needs. Passenger service on the PW&B line, which accounted for about a hundred trains a day, was abandoned not long after the 1938 hurricane destroyed much of the track. The Express Building burned in the 1940's and was not rebuilt. By 1970 the restaurant, barber shop and information booth were closed and the newsstand only opened for a few hours. The New Haven Railroad was absorbed by the Penn Central Railroad on January 1, 1969 and on June 21, 1970 the Penn Central declared bankruptcy. In a half-hearted move to preserve passenger service the U.S. Congress created Amtrak in 1971. The low point in the history of the Union Station passed and slight improvements were made to preserve tolerable conditions at the old building until the construction of a new station. Thankfully the second Union Station did not meet the fate of Tefft's Union Station and is preserved and actively used by several tenants.

PROVIDENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION

Introduced in 1935, "The Comet" was one of the first streamlined, high-speed, lightweight trains. On a test run, April 29, 1935, The Comet reached 109.1 mph between Providence and Boston. It was built for Providence-Boston service and covered the 44 miles in 44 minutes despite two intermediate station stops. The Comet was moved to another less busy location in 1943 because war-time passenger loads exceeded its limited seating capacity.

In 1952 the Train Shed was dismantled and replaced with a shelter over each platform. The 792 is a diesel electric passenger locomotive built in the same year by Fairbanks Morse..

A New York express alongside one of the track shelters that replaced the train shed in 1952. The pair of Alco DL109 type diesel electrics were built during World War II and were the first passenger diesels on the New Haven Railroad.

A New York and Washington train arriving from Boston in 1955 pulled by Alco PA-1 type diesels built in 1948-49

PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

A two car local from Boston powered by an ALCO DL109 arriving after a March 1956 snowstorm.

The State House is to the left.

A train from Washington with Alco PA-1 power.

PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

A westbound freight hauled by a four-unit Alco FA type locomotive rolls into the setting sun while a local to Boston with an Alco DL-109 loads passengers. PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

A railroad enthusiast extra train enters Union Station from the tunnel in the mid-1950's. By this time there were no regular passenger trains which used the tunnel under College Hill. PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

PA-1 type diesel-electric built by Alco 1948-49.

PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

A train for New York loads passengers on the left while a train for Boston arrives on the right in October 1966.

The Penn Central Railroad acquired the New Haven on January 1, 1969

PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

The red-nosed "TuboTrain" operated through Providence from 1969 to 1976 but was not successful. It is September 1975 and the goldenrod growing in the foreground reflects the declining fortunes of the station.

PHOTO BY EDWARD J. OZOG

UNION STATION IN THE 1970's

The portal of the New Haven railroad's tunnel under college hill can be seen at the top center. Note the post office building at the far end of the station and the connecting passageway to the mail and express railroad sidings below the tunnel. A careful examination of the photograph will reveal the portal of the trolley tunnel just above the roof of the post office. The sidings with cars at the bottom right once held sleeping cars for the overnight train to New York. Library of Congress Digital Collection