Following a threat by the state of Connecticut to revoke the railroad's charter, the New Haven returned it to service in January 1899.

[1] Meriden's citizens and industries championed the new railroad as an answer to what they felt were excessive rates charged by the New Haven.

[2] The railroad began construction in September 1883, and ran into difficulties from Connecticut's winter weather and swampy ground near a pond along the route.

[1] The Waterbury extension was significantly more expensive than planned, in particular because the Connecticut Railroad Commission forbid any grade crossings on the route.

[1] As part of the extension, the railroad relocated the Meriden station, with the original location becoming a freight depot instead.

[4] Construction on the final section in Waterbury to connect with the New York and New England Railroad (NY&NE) began later that month and was completed early in 1889.

Passenger service was cut back to Dublin Street in August 1890, with the NY&NE connection only used for freight.

[2] The bridge over the Mattabesset River east of Westfield collapsed under a train in January 1891, taking the Westfield–Cromwell section out of service for two months.

[11] The state of Connecticut was displeased with the line's closure, and in 1898 threatened to revoke the MW&CR charter unless train operations resumed.

The New Haven heeded the warning and brought back train operations in December 1898 to January 1899, after reorganizing the MW&CR as the Middletown, Meriden and Waterbury Railroad and leasing it directly.

[17][18] All service between Meriden and Waterbury ended on June 24, 1917, as the New Haven was short of personnel and rolling stock.

[23] A further two miles (3.2 km) between downtown Meriden and the quarry were abandoned in 1969 by New Haven successor Penn Central, which took over that year.

[24][25][26] The remaining trackage in Waterbury was abandoned east of near Silver Street in 1958 to facilitate construction of Interstate 84, which reused some of the right-of-way.

[31][32] It continued east along the Mad River and Beaver Pond Brook valleys, then climbed southeast into the hills.

Descending, the line crossed the west ridgeline of the Metacomet Ridge between Mount Sanford and Peck Mountain.

[37][38] After crossing the Valley Line in Cromwell, it turned north along the Connecticut River waterfront to the terminal.