![]() ![]() The State of Connecticut granted a formal lease to the Valley Railroad Company on June 1, 1970. This group managed to obtain a temporary lease from Penn Central in 1969 and on Augthe Penn Central turned over this branch line to the State of Connecticut. Then it failed under a variety of ownerships…Ĭoncerned volunteers got together to keep the now abandoned railroad from being torn up by the new owners, Penn Central. The initial schedules of trains operating along the Valley Railroad called for one mixed (passenger and freight) and four passenger trains each way daily (except Sunday) with fifteen stops along the way. Two days later the first “regular” train was run and on Augthe Connecticut Valley Railroad finally declared an official opening. With the ease of building a rail line in the Connecticut River Valley (no tunnels or major bridges), the line was completed during the summer of 1871 with the first ceremonial train run over the 45 mile line on July 29, 1871. Walkeley), obtained the state charter to build and form the company on July 17, 1868.ĭuring 1868-1869, survey crews worked to map out the line from Hartford to Saybrook Point, and in 1870, actual construction of the line began. After one failed attempt to start, the Valley Railroad Company, headed by the President of the Charter Oak Life Insurance Company (James C. In the 1830’s the first growth of railroads began in New England. They aren’t really open for you to climb into, but that’s okay. The parking lot is circled with old engines and train cars from different vintages. The whole experience is great if you like trains. Who doesn’t like old trains? Let alone the rare chance to ride on one? But it is certainly a cool town and worth visiting for a bunch of different things. That’s a lot for Essex so early in my CTMQ’ing. (So instead we went to the Connecticut River Museum a couple miles away.) This was the fourth separate visit to the beautiful New England town of Essex, near the mouth of the Connecticut River. Yeah, we thought we could last year too, but alas, a driving rainstorm and a longer than expected morning at the Norwich Spa caused us to miss our train. “I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I think I can – I think I can – I think I can I think I can–“ As they climbed, each little steam engine began to sing: Puff, puff! Chug, choo! Off they started! ![]() This page is just about the Essex Steam Train ride.
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