Abandonment Notices
The following abandonment notices, petitions, sale documents and interchange contracts are digital files made from originals in the B&MRRHS Archives by Mr. David D. Ashenden and Rick Kfoury. These documents provide great insight into the railroad politics surrounding abandonment of these lines, the reactions of communities and customers, physical characteristics of the lines in question, and final dates of service. The list is given first in chronological order and then in alphabetical order. THIS PAGE IS CURRENTLY A WORK IN PROGRESS.
Updated April 7, 2021
1921 - Waumbek Branch
1924 - Suncook Valley
1925 - Acton Branch
1925 - Essex Lines
1925 - Lawrence Branch (Portland Div.)
1925 - Lowell-Salem Branches - in part
1925 - Nashua & Acton
1925 - Newburyport Branch-B
1925 - Newburyport Branch-C
1925 - South Reading Branch - Dist
1925 - South Reading Branch
1926 - Bethlehem Branch
1926 - Essex Branch - Exceptions
1926 - Kennebunkport Branch
1926 - Lawrence Branch (Portland Div.) - in part - Tariff Notice
1926 - Manchester & Milford Branch
1927 - Reformatory - North Billerica, Essex, and Ashburnham Branches
1934 - Dover Point Bridge
1934 - Lakeport Branch: Alton - Lily Pond
1934 - New Boston Branch
1935 - Hooksett
1935 - Worcester, Nashua & Portland: Hudson - Fremont
1935 - Lakeport Branch: Alton - Lily Pond (amended)
1935 - Suncook Loop-bridge
1936 - Ashburnham Branch
1936 - Bristol Branch
1936 - Concord & Claremont Branch (Proposed)
1936 - Lowell Branch: Lowell - Wamesit Station (Tewksbury)
1936 - Lowell Branch: Lowell - Wamesit
1936 - North Weare Branch: Goffstown - Henniker Junction
1938 - Fabyan Branch
1938 - Milford Branch: Pepperell - South Milford
1938 - Central Massachusetts Branch: Oakdale - Wheelwright
1938 - Salem Branch
1938 - Salem Branch A
1938 - Keene Branch: Keene - Coolridge Crossing (Hancock)
1939 - Keene Branch: Elmwood - Coolridge Crossing (Hancock)
1940 - Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Interchange Contract
1940 - Newburyport Branch
1941 - Central Massachusetts Branch: Forest Lake - Creamery
1941 - Central Massachusetts Branch: Norwottuck - Canal Junction
1941 - Conway Branch: Somersworth
1941 - Dover Branch
1941 - Franklin Junction - Franklin Falls
1941 - Worcester, Nashua & Portland: Hollis Depot - Nashua
1941 - Lancaster
1941 - Milford Branch: Squannacook Jct. - Pepperell
1941 - Newburyport Branch-A
1941 - Newburyport Branch-B
1941 - Newburyport Branch-B-1
1942 - Reformatory Branch: Bedford - Concord
1942 - Lakeport Branch: Dover - Gonic
1942 - Essex Branch-A
1942 - Essex Branch-B
1942 - Essex Branch-C
1942 - Lakeport Branch: Farmington - Alton
1942 - Lakeport Branch: Dover - Gonic
1942 - Milford Branch: Milford - End of Line
1942 - Milford Branch: Portion
1942 - Worcester, Nashua & Portland: Nashua - Hudson
1942 - Worcester & Contoocook Branch: Peterborough - Elmwood
1942 - Reformatory Branch
1942 - Suncook Loop
1943 - Hudson - Maynard
1943 - Eastern Route: Saco - Rigby
1944 - Eastern Route: North Berwick - Biddeford
1946 - Finance Docket 14430
1947 - Saratoga & Schuylerville Interchange Contract
1952 - Eastern Route: Kittery - North Berwick
1954 - Claremont Branch (Passenger Discontinuance)
1954 - Claremont Branch (Sale of Branch to Claremont & Concord Railway)
1954 - Portsmouth Branch (Passenger Service Discontinuance)
1955 - Saratoga Branch: Saratoga & Schuylerville Railroad
1959 - Central Mass Branch: Berlin - Clinton Junction
Central Mass Branch: Berlin - Clinton Junction Bridge Removals
1959 - Central Mass Branch: Berlin - Hudson (Abandonment Proposal)
1959 - Peterboro Branch: Heywood - Winchendon
1959 - Watertown Branch: Middle Segment
1960 - Claremont & Concord: Garrison - Contoocook (Abandonment by Claremont & Concord Rwy.)
1961 - Swampscott Branch
1962 - Bedford & Billerica: Bedford - Billerica Center
1962 - Reformatory Branch: Bedford, Mass. to Reformatory, Mass.
1962 - Salem Branch: Peabody - West Peabody
1971 - Wolfeboro Branch (Hearing for proposed abandonment, questioning of Don Hallock on future Wolfeboro Railroad)
1972 - Cheshire Branch
1972 - Peterboro Branch: Jaffrey - Peterborough
1973 - Branch Line Dispositions (Involving Potential State Purchases, Federal Agencies)
1973 - White Mountain Branch (Abandonment Petition Hearing second day, March 5, 1973)
White Mountain Branch Abandonment Petition Hearing third day, March 7, 1973
White Mountain Branch Abandonment Petition Hearing fourth day, March 15, 1973
1976 - Portsmouth Branch: East Manchester - Newfields, Fremont Branch (Abandonment Petition Hearing, July 12, 1976 )
Portsmouth Branch Abandonment Petition Hearing, July 13, 1976
Portsmouth Branch Abandonment Petition Hearing, November 1, 1976
1977 - Portsmouth Branch: East Manchester - Newfields, Fremont Branch (Master’s Report on Petition Hearings)
1979 - Hillsboro Branch (Bennington - Hillsboro), Greenville Branch (Townsend - Greenville)
1979 - Portsmouth Branch: East Manchester - Newfields, Fremont Branch (Abandonment Petition Hearing)
1979 - South Ashburnham, MA to Jaffrey, NH (Removal from Planned Abandonments List)
1980 - System Map - A
1980 - System Map - B
1980 - Wheelwright Branch (Part 1)
1981 - Newburyport Branch (Danvers to Topsfield), Goffstown Branch, Blackmount Branch
1982 - Amesbury Branch
1982 - Cheshire Branch: Winchendon - Swanzey (Unauthorized Removal of Previously Abandoned Track)
1982 - Eastern Route Mainline: Newburyport - Seabrook
1982 - Hollis Branch
1982 - Lakeport Branch: Dover Stub
1982 - Lakeport Branch: Rochester Stub
1982 - Portsmouth Branch: East Manchester - Newfields, Fremont Branch (Final Abandonment Proceedings, 1980-1982)
1983 - Ashuelot and Fort Hill Branches
1983 - Greenville Branch (Groton - Townsend), Manchester & Lawrence Branch (North Salem - Derry)
1984 - Cheshire Branch: Cold River - VT Border
1984 - Monadnock Branch
1991 - Lexington Branch
2016 - Northern Main Line (Concord - Boscawen) Notice of Intent, Sept. 2, 2016
2017 - Northern Main Line (Concord - Boscawen)
2021 - Madison Branch (Former Maine Central Branch) Notice of Intent, June 24, 2021