Abandoned ROW in South Norwalk (Wilson Point)

I have noticed an abandoned ROW near the South Norwalk train station, and in asking around have found out a spur broke off there and went out a couple of miles. Appears the switch would have been where the current high level platform is on the south side. Does anybody have more info on this? Where'd it go, how many customers, and when was it lifted?

The branch was referred to as the Wilson Point Branch and ran South towards the water. I can remember (I think) the switch at the mainline still being in during the 1970's but never ventured out to see how far it went.

The Wilson Point Branch was serviced by the South Norwalk Switcher in the New Haven days and it lasted at least until early in the Penn Central period. When the high level platform was built on the track four side it went right over the location where the switch was so by that time there were no longer any active customers on this branch. I worked the South Norwalk Switcher as a fireman in the early and mid 60's and at that time the switcher went down this branch just about every day, there were several customers and they went down to the end of the branch to run around the cars to take them back to Dock Yard.
Noel Weaver

The wilson point track was actually the original end of the Danbury & Norwalk railroad.
The trains came down from Danbury and connected with Ferry boats to take passengers to New York.
It was downgraded to a freight spur after the NYNH&HRR absorbed the Danbury & Norwalk RR.

Thanks for the info guys. About how long was it? Also what type of customers were on it? Does anyone know if the ROW is followable?

Nash Engineering was one that I remember and there was an outfit that got tank cars of something down there as well, it's been a long time. There were more but I don't recall.
Noel Weaver

Gulf oil got tank car I believe, Is right of way walkable, I believe so but its not all in best of neighbourhoods.
travel it with Bing maps and bird eye view, a lot easier.

now a question for Noel, off track 4 (eastbound local) track at Rowayton, there looks what is a right of way east of station, it heads towards what now is a school.
You know what that was ?

About how long was it?

Per Ronald Dale Karr's excellent history The Rail Lines of Southern New England, the branch was originally three miles long. It was cut back from the boat dock in 1938 and the last section was abandoned in 1972. I remember that the Wilson's Point track crossed the eastbound passenger platform at grade, so possibly the abandonment was connected with the then-impending construction of high level platforms for the M2s. It was also electrified for a short distance. In the 1960s, rush hour Danbury train #358 used it a pulloff to back off the mainline to be passed.

The eastbound platform in South Norwalk was 6 cars well into 1990 when switch was removed and platform extended to 10 cars.
when on the Westbound platform one can still see difference in color in concrete of extention.

Dutch, the only spur track I recall in Rowayton was a short spur off track 4 east of the station. I seem to think that even with the six car platform on track 4 at South Norwalk the platform went west of where the Wilson Point Branch switch was located.
Noel Weaver

Noel Weaver wrote:The Wilson Point Branch was serviced by the South Norwalk Switcher in the New Haven days and it lasted at least until early in the Penn Central period. When the high level platform was built on the track four side it went right over the location where the switch was so by that time there were no longer any active customers on this branch. I worked the South Norwalk Switcher as a fireman in the early and mid 60's and at that time the switcher went down this branch just about every day, there were several customers and they went down to the end of the branch to run around the cars to take them back to Dock Yard.
Noel Weaver

Does anyone know when the Wilson Point Spur was abandoned and when the track and rails were pulled up? There was also a railroad bridge over Rt 136 (Wilson) that was also taken down. One person has told me ten years ago and Norwalk PLanning said in the 80's. Very much varying answers! Yikes.

I thought for sure, someone would know the answer to this question, but it appears I may have stumped the group.

Kateconn1 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:18 am Does anyone know when the Wilson Point Spur was abandoned and when the track and rails were pulled up? There was also a railroad bridge over Rt 136 (Wilson) that was also taken down. One person has told me ten years ago and Norwalk PLanning said in the 80's. Very much varying answers! Yikes.

Yikes is right ~ ! I was cruising around in 1985 between Rowayton and South Norwalk and was very nearly in a head-on collision. I crossed the centerline of the road because I was busy looking at the damn train tracks when I shoulda had my eyes on the road~!

A couple of miles from the South Norwalk station I spied what was left of the Wilson Point branch. I was surprised that the rails were still there, but it was obvious they'd been out of service for years.

I can remember seeing the Wilson Point branch when I was a kid back when it was still active although I never saw a train on the line. I can also remember seeing a tank car spotted at that oil place. That was back in the early and mid 1960s.

Regards,

I did a quick scan on Google Earth and found no trace.

Jeff,

Yeah, I did that, too the other day. I could not see where a rail line had ever been there.