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Metro-North Railroad's Danbury Branch is a diesel branch of the New Haven Line from downtown Norwalk, Connecticut north to Danbury. It opened in 1852 as the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad. Metro-North took over operation of the line from Conrail in 1983.

The Cannondale Railroad Station, pictured at right, is one of the more scenic stations along the line.

Station stops

From north to south

proposed location for new stations at North Danbury, Brookfield, and New Milford

• Danbury current northern terminus
• Bethel
• Redding
• Branchville

proposed location for rebuilt Georgetown station

• Cannondale
• Wilton
• Merritt 7

splits from New Haven Line

• South Norwalk

Continues southwest to Grand Central Terminal northeast to Union Station New Haven on the New Haven Line

Main Line Station stops for Danbury Branch on the New Haven Line (AM:2 trains southbound, PM:2 train northbound)

• Rowayton
• Darien
• Noroton Heights

All peak trains and some off peak run to Stamford on weekdays

Continues southwest to Grand Central Terminal northeast to Union Station New Haven on the New Haven Line

Rolling stock

Unlike the Main Line or New Canaan Branch, the Danbury branch is not electrified and uses diesel locomotives in push-pull operation. Usually, the diesels push the trains towards Grand Central and pull towards Danbury. All of the rolling stock cars are Shoreliner series cars, powered by GE Genesis or Brookville BL20-GH locomotives.

• Georgetown station, about 1919
• Train at Noroton Heights in Darien
• Train at Stamford
• Car entitled The Connecticut Yankee

History

The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad began operating its line from Norwalk north to Danbury, on February 22, 1852. In July 1872 a branch from the main line at Bethel northeast to Hawleyville opened. At Hawleyville, the branch connected to the Housatonic Railroad, continuing north into Massachusetts. Also at Hawleyville connections with the Shepaug Railroad to Litchfield were possible.

On May 1, 1874 that connection was supplemented by the New York, Housatonic and Northern Railroad, running from Danbury northeast to the Housatonic. In 1881 the New York and New England Railroad was completed, giving another connection at Danbury and at Hawleyville.

A short branch from Branchville on the main line west to Ridgefield opened July 1, 1870. In July 1882 an extension was built in Norwalk to docks at Wilson Point. The Housatonic Railroad leased the D&N on July 21, 1887, and on July 1, 1892 the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the Housatonic.

The Danbury Line previously operated electric-powered trains during the early part of the 20th Century starting in 1925. Steel posts that once carried the overhead catenary system can still be seen along the line. The catenary system on the Danbury Line was removed in 1961 when diesel-powered locomotives resumed service on the line.

The NYNH&H merged into Penn Central in 1969. On January 1, 1971, the State of Connecticut leased the Danbury Branch from Penn Central. From 1976 until 1983 freight and passenger service on the line was provided by the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) under a contract with the state. In 1983 the newly formed Metro-North Commuter Railroad took over operation of the passenger service along the line. Conrail continued to provide freight service on the line until 1993. The Providence and Worcester Railroad now provides freight service along the Danbury Branch.

The Switchtower Museum in South Norwalk describes to visitors how railroad employees would switch the tracks for trains continuing on the Danbury branch line, then switch them back for trains traveling along the New Haven main line.

The Danbury Railway Museum is located in the former Union station of the D&N and NY&NE in Danbury. It lies just past the actual Danbury Metro-North passenger station. At the museum are examples of rolling stock retired from service as well as an indoor display of model trains.

Future plans

Plans are underway to re-electrify the Danbury Branch along with a plan to extend service north from Danbury to New Milford.

In connection with the planned redevelopment of the Gilbert and Bennet Company wire factory as a dense and walkable residential neighborhood, the reopening of the Georgetown station between the Cannondale and Branchville stations has been approved.

See also

• Connecticut Rail Commuter Council is the official state advocate for train commuters and brings station problems to the attention of officials.

References

1. ^ Ronald Dale Karr (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England, A Handbook of Railroad History. Branch Line Press. ISBN 0-942147-02-2.
2. ^ "Danbury Branch Electrification Feasibility Study". Retrieved 2007-01-06.
3. "Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials Danbury Branch History". Retrieved 2008-03-03.
4. "PRR CHRONOLOGY 1971, June 2005 Edition" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-03.
5. "Lisa Prevost, A Mill Town Writes Its Next Chapter, New York Times, January 30, 2005". Retrieved 2008-03-03.

External links

• Railroad History Database
• Philip C. Blakeslee, A Brief History Lines West Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. (1953)

v t e Metro-North Railroad
East of Hudson	Harlem Line      Hudson Line      New Haven Line Danbury Branch New Canaan Branch Waterbury Branch
West of Hudson (operated by NJ Transit)	Pascack Valley Line      Port Jervis Line
Non-revenue and Predecessor lines	Beacon Line Putnam Line
Other	Stations (accessibility) Rolling stock Highbridge Facility Hudson Rail Link Park Avenue main line Penn Station Access MTA Arts & Design

v t e Public transportation in Connecticut
Bus services	CT Transit Divisions Hartford New Haven Stamford Waterbury, Meriden, and Wallingford New Britain and Bristol Operators Collins Bus Service Dattco HNS Management New Britain Transportation North East Transportation Peter Pan Arrow Line Acquisition, LLC Bonanza Acquisition, LLC Services CT Fastrak dash Other bus agencies Bridgeport Enfield River Valley Housatonic Milford Northeast CT Northwest CT Norwalk Southeast Windham Former bus and streetcar agencies 1900-1950 Danbury and Bethel Street Railway Mastco New York and Stamford Railway Shore Line Electric Railway Groton and Stonington Street Railway New London and East Lyme Street Railway Norwich and Westerly Railway Waterbury and Milldale Tramway 1950-2000 Bridgeport Traction Connecticut Company Danbury Bus Comapany Intercity Coach NECTAR New England Transportation Company White Lines Since 2000 Arrow Line Bonanza Dattco Kelley Transit Middletown Area Transit
Rail services	Metro-North New Haven Line New Canaan Branch Danbury Branch Waterbury Branch Amtrak Acela Amtrak Hartford Line Northeast Regional Valley Flyer Vermonter CT Rail Hartford Line Shore Line East Proposed Central Corridor Rail Line
Other	Connecticut Public Transportation Council Connecticut Department of Transportation New Haven–Springfield Line Northeast Corridor

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• Metro-North Railroad
• New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad lines
• Rail infrastructure in Connecticut
• Passenger rail transport in Connecticut
• Danbury, Connecticut
• Norwalk, Connecticut
• Transportation in Fairfield County, Connecticut