Along the Valley Line. Max R. Miller

      

       ALONG the VALLEY LINE

      A DRIFTLESS CONNECTICUT SERIES BOOK

      This book is a 2017 selection in the Driftless Connecticut Series, for an outstanding book in any field on a Connecticut topic or written by a Connecticut author.

      ALONG the VALLEY LINE

      THE HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY RAILROAD

      MAX R. MILLER

      Wesleyan University Press

       Middletown, Connecticut

      The Driftless Connecticut Series is funded by the BEATRICE FOX AUERBACH FOUNDATION FUND at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

      Wesleyan University Press

      Middletown CT 06459

       www.wesleyan.edu/wespress

      © 2017 Max R. Miller

      All rights reserved

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      Designed by Paul Costello

      Typeset in Adobe Caslon Pro and Blair Medium

      Cover photo (bottom) by Tom Nanos

      Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Miller, Max R.

      Along the Connecticut Valley Line / Max R. Miller.

      Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references.

      LCCN 2016049091 (print) | LCCN 2016051301 (ebook) | ISBN 9780819577375 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780819577382 (ebook)

      LCSH: Railroads--Connecticut River Valley—History. | Connecticut River Valley Region—History.

      LCC TF25.C65 M55 2017 (print) | LCC TF25.C65 (ebook) | DDC 385.06/5746—dc23

      LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016049091

      5 4 3 2 1

      Front cover photo (bottom) Tom Nanos

      CONTENTS

	List of Illustrations	ix
	Prologue	xv
Chapter 1	Events Leading Up to the Construction of the Railroad	1
Chapter 2	The Business of Building the Railroad	11
Chapter 3	Operation of the Connecticut Valley Railroad	49
Chapter 4	Connecticut Valley Railroad’s Locomotives and Rolling Stock	67
Chapter 5	The Springfield to Old Saybrook Route	71
Chapter 6	The End of the Connecticut Valley Railroad and on to the Hartford & Connecticut Valley Railroad	75
Chapter 7	Train Wrecks and Accidents	79
Chapter 8	The Competition: Boats, Cast Iron Wheels and Rubber Tires	89
Chapter 9	Abandonment of Service and New Charters	93
Chapter 10	Washouts	101
Chapter 11	The Valley Railroad’s Chinese Locomotive No. 1647	107
Chapter 12	The Valley Line on the Big Screen	111
	Epilogue	117
Appendix 1	Along the Connecticut Valley Line: Timeline and Track Stats	119
Appendix 2	Connecticut Valley & Springfield Railroad Schedule, 1876	123
	Endnotes	125
	Bibliography	127
	Acknowledgments	129
	Index	131