Boston and Albany Railroad Co. - 1940's-50's dated Railway Stock Certificate

Railroad Stock. Great triple vignette including train scene, Coat of Arms of MA., boat scene. 2nd vignette of Coat of Arms. Superb! Great for Framing! Available in Olive or Blue. Please specify color.

The Boston and Albany Railroad (reporting mark B&A) was a railroad that connected Boston, Massachusetts, to Albany, New York. It later became part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The line is currently used by CSX for freight transportation. Amtrak provides passenger service on the line as part of their Lake Shore Limited service, while the MBTA Commuter Rail system owns the section east of Worcester and operates it as the Framingham/Worcester Line. When the Erie Canal opened in 1825, New York City’s advantageous water connection through the Hudson River posed a threat to Boston’s historical dominance as a trade center. 

Since the construction of a canal in the Berkshires was deemed infeasible, Boston turned to the emerging railroad technology to secure a share of the freight traffic to and from the Midwestern United States. On June 23, 1831, the Boston and Worcester Railroad was chartered, and construction commenced in August 1832. The line was opened in sections: to West Newton on April 16, 1834; to Wellesley on July 3; to Ashland on September 20; to Westborough in November 1834; and the entire length to Worcester on July 4, 1835. Initially, the single-track line was double-tracked from Boston to Framingham in 1839 and extended to Worcester by 1843. In 1843, the B&W introduced season passes to West Newton for $60, marking a significant milestone in the history of commuter rail.