Connecticut Trolley Museum

Connecticut Trolley Museum

A New Orleans streetcar stops at the Isle of Safety (originally at State St, Hartford)
Established 1940
Location 58 North Road
East Windsor, Connecticut
Type Railroad museum
Website ct-trolley.org

Coordinates: 41°55′53″N 72°35′41″W / 41.93139°N 72.59472°W / 41.93139; -72.59472 The Connecticut Trolley Museum is the oldest incorporated museum dedicated to electric railroading in the United States, as it was founded in 1940.

The museum is located in East Windsor, Connecticut, and is open to the public April through December, featuring static and moving displays, and self-guided tours of the state's trolley history.

Also located on the same property is the Connecticut Fire Museum which exhibits antique fire apparatus and motor coaches.

Heritage railroad

The museum operates a 1.5 mile heritage railroad over the original right-of-way of the Hartford and Springfield Street Railway Company's Rockville Branch. The Rockville Branch started at the Main Fish Market, and ran 17 and a half miles to Rockville, Connecticut. The branch line saw factory workers, tourists, and even high school students. Yes, high school students. Because, in the years that the Rockville Branch was in service (1906-1926) there were only high schools regionally located, and this regions was in Rockville. The streetcars were more direct, and could hold more people then the few buses of the time. The line also saw park goers on Sundays. And Piney Ridge was an amusement park located just between Broad Brook and East Windsor. Most trolley companies built parks-like Piney Ridge-to create revenue on the one day no one went to work, Sunday. And the Rockville Branches was Piney Ridge. The park featured a large pipe organ, a dance floor on trolley springs, and a baseball field. The dance floor with trolley springs allowed people to ease their knees as they danced the nigh away. And the baseball field hosted games to two major players. Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig. Unfortunately when the Hartford and Springfield faced financial debts, the company went out of business. Their streetcars were brought to Piney Ridge, turned over and burned for scrap value. By 1926 all the track was gone, and the Rockville Branch with it. It would be 14 years until the Connecticut Electric Railway Association was formed, and began restoring service on this historic line. Unlimited rides on cars are included in the admission for the day. A minimum of two different cars are run each day. Many times up to three or four cars will be rotated through during the day, giving visitors an opportunity to experience many different types of streetcars and interurbans.

Collection

A 1929 Canadian Car & Foundry double truck
A trolley's interior

The museum has a diverse collection of equipment from the trolley era to help tell the story of the trolley era and its impact on society. Most of the equipment is stored in one of four car barns, the Visitor Center, or the car shop.

The Connecticut Trolley Museum has one or more of the following cars operating for the public when the museum is open:


In addition, the museum is currently working on the following car(s) in the restoration shop:


The Main Hall of the Visitor Center is set up with an exhibit detailing the progression of the era and its impact on society. The following cars are on display in the Visitor Center:

References

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