Valley Railroad (Connecticut)
| Valley Railroad | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route length: | approx. 36.48 km | |
| Gauge : | 1435 mm ( standard gauge ) | |
| Opening: | 1871 | |
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The Valley Railroad is a heritage railway in Connecticut and operates on routes from the Connecticut Valley Railroad was built in the 1868th She is known from the Essex Steam Train and the Essex Clipper Dinner Train .
history
construction
The first plans for a railway line arose when the then president of the Charter Oak Life Insurance Company , James C. Walkley, together with his friend Horace Johnson, drove the 70 km (44 mile) route by stagecoach. Walkley and a group of businesspeople obtained state permits on July 17, 1868 to establish the Connecticut Valley Railroad Company and build the railroad.
From 1868 to 1869, surveyors worked to determine the route between Hartford and Saybrook Point , and in April 1870 construction of the route began with a groundbreaking ceremony in Higganum . According to the plan, there were three construction phases. The "Northern Division" began in Hartford and ran to Middletown, the "Middle Division" continued to what is today Goodspeed Landing and the "South Division" led the route to its end in Saybrook Point. Construction of the Connecticut River Valley railroad was easy as no tunnels or major bridges were required. The line was completed in the summer of 1871 and the maiden voyage took place on July 29, 1871. The train ran at a top speed of 35 km / h (22 miles per hour). With a construction price of $ 34,000 / mile, the route cost a total of $ 1,482,903.
business
The first regular train ran on July 31, 1871. On August 24, 1871, the official opening of the Connecticut Valley Railroad took place. The first timetables provided for a mixed train and four passenger trains in each direction daily, except on Sundays, with fifteen stops in between. The company made $ 34,000 in its first year. That result rose to $ 250,000 in 1873.
Many early railroads plagued financial problems. The "Connecticut Valley" was not spared. In 1876 she was placed under receivership when she could not redeem her second Pfandbrief.
Hartford & Connecticut Valley Railroad
On July 1, 1880, the Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad took over administration under President Samuel Babcock.
Junction of the New Haven Railroad
The New Haven Railroad quickly gained a solid reputation in southern New England. The owners of the Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad saw this as a good opportunity to sell their route for a good price. So they convinced New Haven to purchase the usage rights. New Haven signed up in 1882, and ten years later (1892) the Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad became part of the New Haven system. The acquisition brought benefits to the Valley Railroad because New Haven brought money and improvements to the route. During this time, the Valley Railroad grew to its limits: However, it remained only a much-used branch line with passenger and freight traffic in the form of deliveries to dealers and companies along the route. Soon after the Second World War , when roads, cars and trucks became more and more comfortable, the demand for the Valley Railroad declined sharply and in the late 1950s traffic was only operated on working days and at a reduced speed: 48 km / h instead of 80 km / h km / h (30 mph instead of 55 mph).
In 1961 the New Haven Railroad also went bankrupt. There was no more money to maintain the line, so the Valley Railroad's condition deteriorated. There were only two slow freight trains running on the rusty tracks. The last train ran in March 1968.
State of Connecticut / Valley Railroad Company
Volunteers joined forces to protect the now abandoned route from being dismantled by the new owners, Penn Central . The group managed to negotiate a temporary lease with Penn Central in 1969 and on August 15, 1969, Penn Central handed this section of the route to the State of Connecticut .
The state in turn allowed a formal lease for the Valley Railroad Company . On June 1, 1970, the Company leased a 36,498 km (22,679 miles) section for freight and passenger transport. On July 29, 1971, exactly 100 years after the maiden voyage, after thousands of hours of mostly voluntary work, the first train of the new Valley Railroad steamed from Essex to Deep River. Robert C. Bell is currently President of the Museum Railroad.
vehicles
Steam locomotives
- Current locomotives in operation
| VRR engine number | Style | Construction year | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 2-8-2 | 1920 | 40 is commonly used by Essex Steam Train. It was built by the America Locomotive Company in Dunkirn, NY. The train was acquired in 1977 by the Valley Railroad from Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad . |
| 3025 | 2-8-2 | 1989 | Members of the Valley Railroad went 2008 after Kane (Pennsylvania) on the sale of Knox and Kane Railroad . They acquired the steam locomotive # 58 , a China Railways SY 2-8-2 type locomotive. This was completely renewed to match the New Haven Railroad J-1 Mikado and got the number NH # 3025. The new 3025 was completed in November 2011 and used for the North Pole Express . |
| 97 | 2-8-0 | 1923 | The 97 was in operation until 2010 and is waiting for a renewal. |
| 2 | 0-6-0 | 1941 | On January 9, 2009, Friends of The Valley Railroad , a group of volunteers who do track work, purchased the Simons Wrecking # 2 , a Porter 0-6-0 tank locomotive , from the town of Peabody, Massachusetts . This machine was part of the famous Steamtown collection . |
- Earlier steam engines
| VRR engine number | Style | Construction year | Current number | Current owner | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1647 | 2-8-2 | 142 | New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway | The Valley Railroad Company imported brand new steam locomotives from China in the 1980s and 1990s along with Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad and the Knox & Kane Railroad . At that time, VRR acquired two SY 2-8-2 type locomotives . Engine # 1647 was later sold to the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway and renumbered with the number # 142 after another order from NYS & W sank with the ship it was supposed to deliver. | |
| 103 | 2-6-2 | 103 | Naugatuck Railroad | This machine was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum and was used as the first steam locomotive. She had her last ride in 1975 when she was found to be too weak. It was sold to the Railroad Museum of New England in 1987 and moved to the museum's Naugatuck Railroad in 2009 after having been on display in Essex since 1975. |
Diesel locomotives
| VRR engine number | Style | Construction year | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0900 | 80-ton | 1947 | In use for the Essex Clipper Dinner Train and for shunting and track work. She was originally employed at the General Electric plant in Schenectedy, NY. |
| 0901 | 80-ton | 1940 | In use for the Essex Clipper Dinner Train and for shunting and track work. It was originally deployed at the US Navy Base in Groton, CT. |
| 1606 | 80-ton | 1940s | Acquired by the US Air Force in 2014 . |
Wagons
- Dining car / first class
| VRR car name | Style | Construction year | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meriden | Pullman Parlor Car | 1924 | Essex Clipper Dinner Train carriage . Originally a Pullman Company car in use on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad . The car has been renovated and has a capacity of 54 seats. |
| Wallingford | Pullman Parlor Car | 1927 | Essex Clipper Dinner Train carriage . Originally a Pullman Company car in use on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad . First used as the first class of the VRR, converted for current use in 1994. |
| Dacosta | 28 Seat Pullman Parlor Car | 1927 | Pullman's original name, Dacosta, was acquired by a tourist railway in Ohio in 1988. It was only renovated and put into operation in 2013. To be renamed Middletown . |
| Kitchen wagon | |||
| Colonial Hearth | US Army Kitchen Car | 1953 | US Army Kitchen car , acquired in 1986. |
Investments
Route
The Valley Railroad Company leases from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection , the route of Old Saybrook by Essex, Deep River , Chester , Haddam and Middletown , a total of 36.5 km (22.67 mi). The track bed is gravel with tracks made from conventional wooden sleepers and steel tracks. The route connects to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor route near Old Saybrook Station . Currently, 21.3 km (13.25 miles) of the route has been restored to traffic. The remaining sections of the route were last in operation in 1968. The rail corridor between Haddam and Middletown, which is constantly being kept clear, is still awaiting restoration.
The Valley Railroad Company is also responsible for various level crossings. This includes small warning signs, but also flashing lights, bells and barriers on public roads. The most popular crossings are on Route 153 and Route 154 in Essex and Route 82 at the East Haddam swing bridge in Haddam.
Stations
The main train station, where tickets can also be purchased and all vehicles are stationed, is in Essex; in the village of Centerbrook . The main entrance and parking lot is off Route 154 ; A station building on Deep River Landing in Deep River is used to manage boat traffic and a small station in Chester ( Quinnipiac Station , CT.) Is used for maintenance work.
Goodspeed Station is located on Route 82 in Haddam, houses an antique shop and is no longer connected to the rail company. On the other side of the track is the Goodspeed Yard Office . This was the original North Chester passenger station on Dock Road in Chester. It was sold and relocated in 1874 when it was realized that the incline at the point was too steep for trains to stop or start there. In 1993 the station building was donated by the Zanardi family, picked up by volunteers from the Friends of the Valley Railroad and taken to its current location on a flatbed truck. It is believed that this building is the only remaining building from the time the railway line opened.
In 2009 the Friends of the Valley Railroad built a passenger shed in Chester on the site of the original Hadlyme Station . The building is a replica of South Britain Station , an abandoned station on the Danbury Extension of the Hartford, Providence & Fishkill Railroad . The station served the passengers of Hadlyme on the opposite side of the Connecticut River. Passengers use this station today to take the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry , the second oldest ferry in the United States, to reach Gillette Castle State Park .
deals
Essex Steam Train and Riverboat
The Valley Railroad Company operates the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. This tour first uses the historic Essex Steam Train from Essex Station and travels along the Connecticut River in scenic areas to Chester . After 19 km (12 miles) the train will return to Deep River Station / Landing . Passengers can transfer to the Becky Thatcher river steamer there . The Thatcher returns in a 1¼ hour drive on the Connecticut River to the East Haddam Swing Bridge and from there to Deep River Landing . The train then picks up passengers to take them back to Essex Depot . The whole excursion takes 3.5 hours.
Essex Clipper Dinner Train
The Essex Clipper Dinner Train offers a 2½ hour excursion from Essex Depot to Haddam . On the way, a freshly prepared four-course menu is served in the beautifully decorated Pullman Dining Cars from the 1920s.
North Pole Express
In November and December, the North Pole Express takes children and families on a fun trip to the North Pole . Children also receive a present from Santa Claus .
See also
- Connecticut Valley Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable Site
- Deep River Freight Station
- Essex Freight Station
- State Parks in Connecticut
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Essex Steam Train Is Remnant Of Connecticut Valley Railroad . The Hartford Courant. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
- ↑ a b Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park . Connecticut DEEP. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
- ^ Essex Steam Train Management . Archived from the original on June 18, 2011. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- ↑ a b c d Essex Steam Train Rolling Stock Jan 2014 . The Valley Railroad Company. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ Essex Steam Train Locomotive History . The Valley Railroad Company. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ↑ News From The Naugy . Naugatuck Railroad Blog. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ↑ a b c The Essex Clipper Dinner Train . The Valley Railroad Company. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat . The Valley Railroad Company. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ The North Pole Express at the Essex Steam Train . The Valley Railroad Company.
Web links
- The History of the Valley Railroad Company essexsteamtrain.com
- Official homepage