Ware River Railroad stock certificate 1952 (Massachusetts)

Mass railroad! Nice vignette of one of the railroad founders. Modern cert with an older look. Issued and cancelled. Dated 1952. Incorporated Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Measures approximately 12 x 8 inches.   

The Ware River Railroad was an independent line that ran from Palmer to the Cheshire Railroad in Winchendon. Building started in 1868. The first section, from Palmer to Gilbertville, opened in 1870, and the rest three years later. Until 1873 it was leased to and operated by the New London Northern Railroad; at that time the lease was transferred to the B&A, as a reorganization of the earlier company.

Ware River Railroad Company was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On May 22 1873, Ware River Railroad Company property sold at foreclosure to Ware River Railroad and acquired the property, rights, and franchises on July 12 1873.

It was eventually taken over by the Boston and Albany Railroad and run as its Winchendon Branch. By 1968, the line came under the control of the Penn Central, and tracks were abandoned between South Barre and Waterville, splitting the line in two. The Boston and Maine Railroad took over the line from Waterville to Winchendon and operated it until it was abandoned in 1984. Conrail operated the line between Palmer and Ware and applied for abandonment of the remainder of the line.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts acquired most of the line in 1978, except a few miles in Palmer to the Palmer Depot and the B&A main line. The State contracted out the continued service to the newly formed Consolidated Rail Corp. (Conrail).

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