Dighton and Somerset Railroad

Dighton and Somerset Railroad
Map
Overview
LocaleMassachusetts, United States
Dates of operation1863 (1863)–1865 (1865)
SuccessorsOld Colony and Newport Railway (1865),
Old Colony Railroad (1872),
New Haven Railroad (1893)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Dean Street Industrial Track
former track, currently being rebuilt
Former Whittendon Branch
to Middleboro Secondary
Taunton (2030)
Middleboro Secondary
to Pilgrim Junction
Middleboro Secondary
to Northeast Corridor
Weir Junction
removed track
Fall River Secondary
to Fall River
Fall River Secondary
to New Bedford Subdivision

The Dighton and Somerset Railroad, currently referred to as the Dean Street Industrial Track, is a railroad that ran between Fall River and Braintree, Massachusetts. It opened in 1866; from the 1890s to the 1930s and again in the late 1950s, it was the primary rail route from Boston to the South Coast. Passenger service ended in stages with the final regular service in 1958, though freight service on two short segments continues into the 21st century. MBTA Commuter Rail service is proposed to be extended onto the northern part of the line around 2030 as part of the South Coast Rail project.