Old Colony Railroad Company stock certificate 1940s (Boston Massachusetts) 

Nice Boston railroad collectible. Amazing vignette of early steam train in a harbor scene with ships in the background. Issued and cancelled.  Dated early 1940s. Measures approximately 11.5 x 7.5 inches.

The Old Colony Railroad (OC) was a major transportation system that dominated southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island from 1845 to 1893. Named after the "Old Colony" (the Plymouth Colony), it eventually operated over 600 miles of track, serving as a critical link for the region's textile, shipping, and tourism industries.

Foundation (1844):
The company was formed to connect Boston and Plymouth.

Expansion:
Through decades of mergers, it grew to include lines to Cape Cod, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, and Providence.

The Fall River Line:
The OC operated a famous "boat train" that connected Boston passengers to luxury steamboats in Fall River for travel to New York City.

Acquisition (1893):
The entire system was leased for 99 years to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, which eventually acquired it outright in 1947.

Key Routes and Divisions
The railroad was organized into four primary divisions:

• Central Division: Main lines from Boston to Plymouth and Fall River.
• Cape Cod Division: Routes extending to Hyannis, Woods Hole, and Provincetown.
• Northern Division: Connections reaching as far as Fitchburg and Lowell.
• Boston & Providence Division: The busy double-tracked main line between the two cities.

While most original passenger service ended in 1959, parts of the network have been revived:

Commuter Rail: The MBTA restored service on the Old Colony Lines (Plymouth/Kingston and Middleborough/Lakeville) in 1997.

South Coast Rail: A 2025 extension restored passenger rail to Fall River and New Bedford for the first time in over 60 years.

Product descriptions and images
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