The Dighton and Somerset Railroad was incorporated in 1863 to provide a new rail link between Fall River, Massachusetts and Boston via South Braintree. The railroad ran from South Braintree through the towns of Randolph, Stoughton, Easton, Raynham to Taunton. The new railroad passed east of downtown Taunton and then crossed the tracks of the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad near Weir Village. The line then ran along the west bank of the Taunton River through Dighton and Somerset before crossing the river over a man-made causeway and bridge at the north end of Fall River.
In 1865 the Dighton and Somerset Railroad line was consolidated into the Old Colony & Newport Railroad. The line was used as an alternative, more direct route to Boston for the Fall River Line's "boat train".
Portions of the former Dighton and Somerset Railroad alignment between Taunton and Easton, Massachusetts are part of the planned South Coast Rail commuter rail link from Fall River to Boston via the Stoughton Line.
In 2007, Aquaria Water constructed a 20-inch water line within portions of the former Dighton and Somerset right-of-way from its desalination plant in Dighton through Taunton and Raynham to serve the city of Brockton.