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. Religion, Remembrances, Statuary, & Outdoor ArtĮssex Steam Train, Essex, Deep River, & Chester.Towers, Bridges, Forts, Tunnels, Roads, Canals, Dams, Fishways, Airports, & Ferries.Houses, Communities, Urban Legends, Lighthouses, Libraries, Schools, Businesses, & Theaters.Sports, Thrills, Cruises, Trains, Fairs, Parades, & Events.Animals, Farms, Gardens, Plants, Trees, Rocks, Waterfalls, & Caves.Firsts, Onlies, Oldests, Largests, Longests, Mosts, Smallests, & Bests.Homemade Ice Cream, Cheese, & Chocolate Trails.Best, Historic, & Unique Restaurants & Foods.Cycling, Multi-Use, & Rails-to-Trails Paths.Audubon, Nature Conservancy, RWA, and US Army Corps of Engineers Trails.State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites.

Essex train ride