Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 67.86.73.252 (talk) at 05:03, 4 March 2008 (→History). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Metro-North Railroad's Danbury Branch is a branch of their New Haven Line from downtown Norwalk, Connecticut north to Danbury. It opened in 1852 as the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, and was later connected to other lines at its north end.

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

Station stops

Continues southwest to Grand Central Terminal on the New Haven Line

• South Norwalk

splits from New Haven Line

• Merritt 7
• Wilton
• Cannondale
• Branchville
• Redding
• Bethel
• Danbury

History

The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad was chartered May 1849. The line opened in full, 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.

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 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.

Unlike the New Haven Line, trains that run on the Danbury Line are powered by diesel locomotives because the line is not electrified. The Danbury Line did operate electric-powered trains during the early part of the 20th Century, and 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.

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

In connection with the planned redevelopment of the Gilbert and Bennet Company 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. "Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials Danbury Branch History". Retrieved 2008-03-03.
2. "PRR History" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-03.
3. "New York Times A Mill Town Writes Its Next Chapter article 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

Template:US-rail-stub

• Metro-North Railroad
• Mass transit in Connecticut
• New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad lines
• Companies affiliated with the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
• Danbury, Connecticut
• Transportation in Fairfield County, Connecticut
• Heritage railroads in Connecticut