New York, New Haven, and Hartford RR, commonly called the New Haven RR; inc. 1872. Between 1872 and 1920, when dozens of small railroads were completed under the direction of financier John P. Morgan and company president Charles S. Mellen, the railroad's holdings were vastly expanded to include c.2,000 mi (3,220 km) of tracks throughout New England, intercity electric railroads, steamship lines, and public utilities. In 1913, the New Haven faced financial catastrophe, and in 1914 the railroad's operations were investigated by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Hurt by the growth of automobile and truck transportation and by the depression of the 1930s, the New Haven went bankrupt. It prospered during World War II under new management but collapsed in the late 1950s because of unprofitable passenger service. In 1968 the railroad, having been reorganized, merged with the newly formed Penn Central Company.
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