Did You Know... The Eastern RailroadThe Eastern Railroad was first built in 1836. The line hugged the Massachusetts North Shore, as opposed to Boston & Maine's more inland route, and serviced such cities as Lynn, Salem, Beverly, and Newburyport.

Coming along the shore, the Eastern Railroad chose to place its Boston terminus in East Boston a short ferry ride from the city itself, rather than complete the long, circuitous route around the Inner Harbor and Mystic River into Boston proper.

By 1843, the Eastern and the B&M entered into an agreement to share existing tracks in Maine which begin full Boston-to-Portland service.