Lynn and Boston Railroad

The Lynn and Boston Railroad[1] was a streetcar railway chartered for operations between Boston and Lynn, Massachusetts in 1859.[2] Following a number of acquisitions, the railway was a part of a 1901 street railway merger that formed the Boston and Northern Street Railway.

The Thomson-Houston Electric Company developed and implemented electrification in Lynn on the Highland Circuit route of the Lynn & Boston, the first electrified streetcar in Massachusetts[3][4] with regular electric service begun November 19, 1888.[5][6] The electrified cars were able to ascend the steep 8% grade into the Lynn Highlands far easier than even a team of four horses.[7]

Acquisitions
Circa-1900 map of the Lynn and Boston system after most of its acquisitions were complete
  • Boston and Chelsea Railroad (leased in 1880)
  • East Middlesex Street Railway (leased in 1893)
  • Essex Electric Street Railway (purchased in 1894)
  • Lynn Belt Line Street Railway (purchased in 1894)
  • Naumkeag Street Railway (purchased in 1894)
  • Salem and Danvers Street Railway (leased to NSR in 1887, lease transferred to L&BSR in 1894)
  • Salem Street Railway (leased to NSR, lease transferred to L&BSR in 1894)
  • Boston and Revere Electric Street Railway (leased in 1895)
  • Gloucester Street Railway (purchased in 1900)
  • Gloucester and Rockport Street Railway (leased to GSR in 1895, lease transferred to L&BSR in 1900, purchased by L&BSR in 1901)
  • Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway (purchased in 1900)
  • Beverly and Danvers Street Railway (purchased in 1901)
  • Winnisimmet Street Railway (leased)

Merger

In 1901, the Lynn and Boston Railroad merged with the Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill Street Railway and the North Woburn Street Railway. The result was the formation of the Boston and Northern Street Railway.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Acts and resolves passed by the General Court". Commonwealth of Massachusetts via Internet Archive. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  2. "Annual report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners (1914)". Massachusetts Board of Railroad Commissioners via Internet Archive. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  3. "Famous Firsts in Massachusetts". History of Massachusetts. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2019-10-20. 1888 The first electric trolley in the state runs in Lynn.
  4. "A BRIEF HISTORY OF LYNN". About Lynn. City of Lynn. Retrieved 2019-10-19. The first Electric Trolley in the state ran from Lynn in 1888
  5. The Thomson-Houston Road at Lynn, Mass., The Electrical World, December 8, 1888, page 303
  6. Electric Railway at Lynn, Mass., Electric Power, January 1889, page 21
  7. Electrical Review: A Weekly Journal of Electric Light, Telephone, Telegraph and Scientific Progress. 13. Delano and Company. 1888-12-08. p. 8. Previous to the starting of the electric car, horses had been used on this line, and on the grades which the electric car easily climbs with full load of passengers four horses with great difficulty pulled the car with small loads.
  8. "EARLY STREET RAILWAY COMPANIES (NORTH SUBURBS)". Chicago Transit & Rail Fan. Retrieved 14 August 2014.


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