Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad

In 1845, Worcester was becoming an important railroad junction in central Massachusetts, with numerous rail lines linking the city to Boston, Springfield, Providence, Rhode Island, and Norwich, Connecticut, with another line linking it to Albany, New York.

This acquisition also included the continuation from Rochester to Portland, via the York and Cumberland Railroad which was formed in 1846.

The three lines were tied together by the B&M as its Worcester, Nashua and Portland Division and covered over 147 miles (237 km).

By 1930, the construction of a new wye in North Chelmsford rerouted all freight up the Stony Brook and the Nashua and Lowell Railroad to reach New Hampshire.

The next abandonment came in 1942 when the line was cut off from Hollis, New Hampshire, to a point one mile from Union Station in Nashua.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts acquired this portion of the right of way; in 2002 it was officially opened as the Nashua River Rail Trail.