History of the Willimantic Branch

Mile Post

Plainfield Ross Hill Versailles Baltic Scotland S. Windham Willimantic

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New Haven Operations Train Symbol: BX-37 From: Plainfield, CT Time: 7:00 A.M. Days: Monday-Saturday Effective: Oct. 28, 1962

Penn Central Operations Train Symbol: BX-37 From: Plainfield, CT Effective: 1970

P&W RR Operations Train Symbol: XE-6 From: Plainfield, CT Time: 7:30 A.M. Days: Monday-Friday Effective: 1979

P&W RR Operations Train Symbol: NR-WO From: Plainfield, CT Time: 8:00 P.M. Days: Sunday-Thursday Effective: Present

P&W RR Operations Train Symbol: NR-1 From: Plainfield, CT Time: ? Days: ? Effective: Early-mid 1980's

One of the main uses the P&W had for this line was the interchanging of cars with the Central Vermont RR. One of the main reasons why the line was eventually shut down were the bridge abutments over the Willimantic River at the south end of the yard needed some expensive work, too much to justify re-opening the line. The line has not been used past Versailles since around 1985. Interchange with the New England Central RR (former Central Vermont RR) now takes place in New London.       Currrently the line is used only as far west as the Versailles Yard Limits.  The P&W road job that services this section of the branch is presently NR-WO. This work only occurs during the night time hours.  Every so often NR-2 gets called for extra duty to work the Willimantic (Versailles) Branch during daylight hours, the symbol for that train would be NR-2X.  The remaining customers left on this branch include Amgraph Packaging and Caraustar Paper.