# Essex Steam Train -- Valley Railroad Company & Connecticut Valley Line



## tjcruiser

I took the kids down to Essex, CT last weekend. A couple mile on the steam train brought us to a spot where we could hop on a tiny ferry across the Connecticut River. From there, we hiked up to the museum home / castle built by noted turn-of-the-century actor William Gillette. He was a train buff, and built a 1:4 scale actual steam railroad that ran around his large estate.

Some pics of the Essex Steam Train yard and of Gilette's loco follow ...

TJ

*We rode this 2-8-2 Mikado alongside the river ...*




























*A little switcher*



















*Are these old snow plow cars usually double-ended llike this one ???*










*One of Gillette's 1:4 steam locos ...*


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## Big Ed

The links are not working for me, it says see an administrator.


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## Big Ed

All the links are gone now TJ?


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## gunrunnerjohn

I can't imagine the utility of a double-ended plow, where do you connect the locomotive to power it!


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## tjcruiser

*&%#*!!

I had problems embedding the pics ... I thought I fixed it. Do you see the pics now???

TJ


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## tjcruiser

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I can't imagine the utility of a double-ended plow, where do you connect the locomotive to power it!


Couplers on both ends of the plow.

It surprised me, too.

Perhaps this style was used on point-to-point short lines with no turnaround, only bypass lines? Seems that would dictate a plow like this.

If you look at my pic, you'll see a small plow in the middle/underside of the car ... this can be flipped around to work in either direction.

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn

Well, you still have to get the locomotive on the other end, right?


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## Big Ed

This is all I see,


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## tjcruiser

I guess before too much snow comes!

Or perhaps the guys would have to put that coal shovel to double duty!

TJ


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## tjcruiser

Ed -- when I look at your re-post of my original post, I see my pics just fine.

John -- do you see my pics ???

TJ


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## Big Ed

tjcruiser said:


> Ed -- when I look at your re-post of my original post, I see my pics just fine.
> 
> John -- do you see my pics ???
> 
> TJ



You guys don't see what us peons see.:worshippy:

All I see is what I copied and pasted, before you "fixed" it I saw the attachment links but when you clicked on them, it says I am not authorized to see them see an admin.


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## Gansett

Don't see pics in either post, just a lovely collection of red X's.


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## tjcruiser

Sorry guys ... I think I'm a victim of my own self-induced lobotomy.

Let me try that pic upload again.

Do you see them _now_???

TJ


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## Big Ed

Well now I see pictures in my copy of your post but none in your original post.:laugh:

What the heck are you doing?


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## Big Ed

Now the pictures turned to attachment links in my copy of your post.

Nothing in your original post is showing.


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## tjcruiser

Honestly, Ed ... I don't know. It's been a while since I've upload pics, and I'm feeling a bit like an idiot here today.

:retard: :retard: :retard:

I think I editted your post (rather than my original one) by mistake.

This is where one of you guys need to step in and say:

"TJ ... PUT THE MOUSE DOWN, AND STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER. WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED. PUT THE MOUSE DOWN NOW!"

Dohh!

(Can you see the pics NOW ???)

I give up!


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## Big Ed

tjcruiser said:


> Honestly, Ed ... I don't know. It's been a while since I've upload pics, and I'm feeling a bit like an idiot here today.
> 
> :retard: :retard: :retard:



That is what you get for drinking your lunch and not eating.


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## Big Ed

OK all fixed now, I will go back and look.


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## Big Ed

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I can't imagine the utility of a double-ended plow, where do you connect the locomotive to power it!


I see a coupler on the right side, I think.
I never saw one like that?

Nice pictures TJ, now for each picture you have to put some history on the engines.
You should have asked someone about the 2 sided plow.

If you don't mind me asking,what did they charge for the 2 mile train ride?


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## Big Ed

You should have took some of the passenger cars too, outside and inside.:thumbsup:


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## tjcruiser

$17 adult, $9 kids ... less 10% for military discount.

The deal of the day was the ferry ride ... $2 round trip for all three of us. One of those open-deck, double-ended ferries that fit about 10 cars. Cross the river in about 3 minutes!

One more pic of the double-ended plow ... couplers on both sides.

TJ


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## Big Ed

I found a little history on the plow.


Someone actually rode inside of it controlling the wing plow on the sides and the flanger under the frame the flanger plow could only be operated in one direction.
This plow was built by the Hoosac Tunnel & Willmington RR around 1900 in their Vermont shops. The frame is made up of huge timbers bolted together.

Restored in 1995 and is fully functional.
Now that was 17 years ago I wonder if they would still use it today.

I think this may be a one of a kind snow plow, unless someone copied it I can't find anymore like it.

Good find TJ.:thumbsup:

Enough history for tonight.


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## tjcruiser

Ed,

That's great history / tech info you found ... thanks!

The Hoosac Tunnel build is a fascinating story in and of itself.

http://www.hoosactunnel.net/history.php

Cheers,

TJ


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## tjcruiser

big ed said:


> I think this may be a one of a kind snow plow, unless someone copied it I can't find anymore like it.


I found this modern equivalent online ...

Double-ended branchline snow plow at New Brunswick Railway Museum









... via the trainboard.com website. Photo by "upstate gator", with source link here:

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?91757-Cutting-room-floor/page7

TJ


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## Big Ed

I wonder if they had heat in them?

A little history of the Chinese #3025.
Why not everything else is made in China.

It is a nice looking Loco.

From Wiki,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_Railroad_(Connecticut)

On October 10 and 11, 2008, members of the Valley Railroad went to a liquidation auction in Kane Pa. for the Knox and Kane Railroad. They walked away purchasing steam Locomotive #58, the SY 2-8-2 type locomotive from China. The Valley Railroad completely rebuilt the locomotive to resemble a New Haven Railroad J-1 Mikado, and renumbered it VRR #3025. The new 3025 was completed in November 2011, and was immediately pressed into service pulling the second section of the North Pole Express on November 25, 2011. Along with the 3025, the Valley Railroad purchased a bulk amount of parts from the same auction, and those parts will go to keeping the other two steam engines (#40 and #97) in service, or used to overhaul the other two locomotives, as the #97 has already run out of its flue time, and the #40 will run out of its flue time in 2014, or earlier if it is used more frequently.


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## Big Ed

#40 & 97.

The original steam locomotive on the Valley was #97, a coal-fired 2-8-0 "Consolidation" built by Alco's Cooke Works in 1923. The first owner was the Birmingham and Southeastern (an Alabama shortline). Stored from the 1950's until 1964, #97 worked a while for the Vermont Railway before going to the steam department of the Connecticut Electric Railway. After the takeover of the former New Haven by the Penn Central, which tended to discourage steam excursions, the locomotive sat in Danbury for almost a year before being shipped to the VRR. 

#40 is a 2-8-2 "Mikado" built by Alco's Brooks Works in 1920. It was a "boomer" and worked for railroads all around the country. Purchased by the VRR in 1977, #40 is a favorite of engine crews even if not quite as economical to operate as #97. #40 is currently being overhauled. 

There are several other steam locomotives on the VRR which are currently unserviceable or static displays: #3 is an 0-4-0 Fireless built by Porter in 1930. #10 is an 0-4-0 Saddle Tank built by Baldwin in 1934. This locomotive is being restored to service with funding by donations of beverage containers (for "bottle bill" refunds). #103 is a 12-6-2 "Prairie" built by Baldwin in 1925 and last run in 1975. #148 is a 4-6-2 "Pacific" built by Alco's Richmond Works in 1920 for Florida East Coast's passenger service. #148 switched for a sugar refinery before going to the New Hope & Ivyland. Destined for the Adirondack Railway, it finally ended up on the VRR and is stored unserviceable. 

From here,
http://sh1.webring.com/people/bk/king5021/Railroad/Essex1.html

They have a lot more there then you showed huh?
All interested check out the link.


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## Big Ed

A little about the #2 Porter Loco.
From wiki,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamtown,_USA

*Simons Wrecking Company No. 2*

 
SWCL No. 2 on Static display at Steamtown, USA, Bellows Falls, Vermont, c. 1974


Simons Wrecking Company No. 2 is a H.K. Porter, 0-6-0T steam engine built in 1941. The tank engine, which is oil fired, worked for the US Navy during World War II in Virginia as #14. Later the engine was put into service with Simons Wrecking Co. as No. 2.[42]
Once part of Blount's Steamtown collection, Locomotive #2 was sold before Steamtown moved to Scranton, and languished for many years in an auto salvage yard in Newbury, Massachusetts. In 2006, the engine was removed from the junkyard by Peabody, Massachusetts Public Works Director Dick Carnevale, and restoration began in hopes for it to be displayed in a city park in Peabody.[42] The restoration of the engine was done by Carnevale personally, along with some volunteers. After he resigned in October 2008, the city gave him 60 days to remove the engine from city property. Local residents contacted the Friends of Valley Railroad in Essex, Connecticut, who purchased the engine from Carnevale and transported it to Connecticut where, as of July 2010, the locomotive is undergoing cosmetic restoration and will be displayed at Essex Steam Train and Riverboat.


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## Big Ed

*And last a little about the **Gillette's 1:4 steam loco,


*Visitors for the first time can now see a restored railroad locomotive of William Gillette's Seventh Sister Railroad. Gillette, a famous actor known for his on-stage performance as Sherlock Holmes, had the 3.2-mile railroad built in 1930 at his estate at 67 River Road in East Haddam.
He passed away in 1937 and while Connecticut acquired the land and castle for the Gillette Castle State Park in 1943, they sold Gillette's train for $3,000 to the Norton family, then owners of Lake Compounce State Park.
In the 1980's, the Nortons sold the park and placed the trains in storage before giving them back to Connecticut in the 1990's.


Read more in the link if you want.*
http://voices.yahoo.com/restored-locomotive-arrives-gillettes-castle-state-610757.html?cat=37
*

I wonder if that would work on Greg's RR?
It is a handsome little Loco.:thumbsup:




History lessons over for today, too bad TJ ran out of film  as there seems to be a lot more there.


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## seabilliau

Another fun thing to do at the VRR is have a birthday party. 







































































More later.


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## tjcruiser

Hey Ed,

You ARE the research machine! Great info above.

I'm glad you cleared up the 3025 history for me. The conductor said it was Chinese, but also referred to it as a Mikado, which were US built. I scratched my head in confusion. Your bio above, though, confirms that the loco was, indeed, built in China, and then modified recently to resemble a US-built Mikado.

You drive through CT all the time ... you should stop by some time soon ... it's a nice collection, and Essex is a very quaint New England town.

You guys would all like the Gillette castle, too. Gillette had master carpenters working for 5 years building the interior ... it's all tricked out with incredibly intricate wood lock mechanisms on the doors, secret latches, and the like. It's run / operated by the State of CT, and open for tours during the summer (through Columbus Day).

Cheers,

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn

seabilliau said:


> Another fun thing to do at the VRR is have a birthday party.
> 
> ...
> 
> More later.


That's really cool, I'll bet they got a charge out of that!


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