Connecticut Valley Railroad
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| Reporting mark | VRRX |
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| Locale | Middlesex County, Connecticut |
| Dates of operation | 1971–present |
| Predecessor | New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Length | 22.67 miles (36.48 km) |
| Headquarters | Essex, Connecticut |
| Website | essexsteamtrain.com |
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The Valley Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Connecticut on tracks of the Connecticut Valley Railroad which was founded in 1868. It operates the Essex Steam Train and the Essex Clipper Dinner Train.
The Valley Railroad Company operates the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. This excursion starts with a 12-mile ride aboard the historic Essex Steam Train from the Essex Station with scenic views of the Connecticut River up to Chester. The train reverses direction back to the Deep River Station/Landing. Passengers who have purchased the riverboat tickets can board the Becky Thatcher at this station. The riverboat brings people on a 1-hour, 15-minute trip up the Connecticut River to the East Haddam Swing Bridge and then back to Deep River Landing. The train then picks up passengers to bring them back to Essex Depot. The whole trip takes about 2 hours 30 minutes.
The Essex Clipper Dinner Train is a 2.5-hour train ride that departs Essex Depot and offers scenic views of the Connecticut River along the way. The train brings passengers to the northern end of the operable line in Haddam. A seasonal four-course meal is prepared on-board and served in restored 1920s Pullman dining cars.
Each November and December, the North Pole Express brings passengers on a fictituous ride to the North Pole for children and their families. Amenities include on-board entertainment, singing, trackside displays, cookies, hot chocolate, and a gift from Santa.
The vision of a Valley Railroad started in the 1840s when President of the Charter Oak Life Insurance Company, James Clark Walkley traced the 44-mile route by stagecoach with friend Horace Johnson. Walkley and a group of business men obtained a state charter on July 17, 1868, to form the Connecticut Valley Railroad Company and start the process of building a railroad.
During 1868-1869, survey crews worked to map out the line from Hartford to Saybrook Point.
In April 1870, construction of the line began, with ground breaking taking place in Higganum, Ct. The plan called for three phases, the "Northern Division" starting in Hartford, Ct and continuing to Middletown, Ct, the "Middle Division" which continued to what is known today as Goodspeed Landing, and the "South Division" which finished the line to Saybrook Point. The Connecticut River Valley allowed for an easy construction as no tunnels or major bridges where required. The line was completed during the summer of 1871 with the first ceremonial train run over the 45 miles (72 km) on July 29, 1871, at a steady speed of 22 mph. At $34,000 per mile the line ended up costing $1,482,903.
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Wikipedia