Connecticut RR History - a bit more "Then and Now"

Narrow Gauge Quarry Railroad (Portland CT)
https://rc-pedalpoint.blogspot.com/2021 ... ride.html


Farmington Rail Trail
https://rc-pedalpoint.blogspot.com/2021 ... trail.html

Nice kiosk info on both the Crossings

• Meriden, Waterbury and Connecticut River Railroad

• Cheshire Street Railway

What was the gauge of this railroad? Was it consistent or was it eventually converted to standard gauge? Also, according to Wikipedia, construction along the Farmington river was difficult, so they nicknamed it "Satan's Kingdom"

BandA
Read the Further Info links
-Farmington was standard gauge
-The Portland Quarry was narrow gauge

BandA wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:22 pmAlso, according to Wikipedia, construction along the Farmington river was difficult, so they nicknamed it "Satan's Kingdom"

Satan's Kingdom wasn't on the Canal Line main-- what's now the Farmington Rail Trail. It was on the Canal Line branch to New Hartford and, separately, the Central New England's main line from Winsted to Hartford. It's here:
https://goo.gl/maps/Yoe8aG1H37RYCSkf6
The CNE through here bit the dust in the late 1920's/early 1930's. The New Hartford branch lasted on into Penn Central days.

Thanks Ridgefielder
Here’s the location on the Open Railway Map:
https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?style=s ... 25&zoom=14

Per "The Rail Lines of Southern New England" by Ronald Dale Karr (Branch Line Press, Pepperell, MA):
Ex New Haven & Northampton RR New Hartford Branch - built 1849 from Farmington, reached New Hartford in stages by 1876. Cut back New Hartford-Collinsville 1956, Colliinsville to Farmington 1968 just before Penn Central - this part of the line was once proposed for a tourist railroad but those folks decided to establish on the ex Conn. Valley RR from Essex.
CNE out of service 1932 thorugh Satan's Kingdom, officially abandoned by 1938.

CVRA7 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 05, 2021 11:05 pm Cut back New Hartford-Collinsville 1956, Colliinsville to Farmington 1968 just before Penn Central - this part of the line was once proposed for a tourist railroad but those folks decided to establish on the ex Conn. Valley RR from Essex.

That's a shame, since I bet this line would have been much more scenic for a tourist line than the river line.

One would have to wonder, if CVRA had established up there and not on the 'Valley, would the operation have become "isolated" (truck in/out) with the eventual abandonment of the Canal line? Or would they have acquired the Canal Line to maintain that "outside world" connection? I've ridden my bike a few times on the Farmington River trail and it is quite scenic. Operating riverboats on the Farmington wouldn't have been possible, though!

I think they'd certainly have acquired the ~2.5 mi from Farmington down the diamond crossing with the Highland at Plainville. Even if not, the traffic generated (inbound coal, etc.) might well have been enough to keep that stub of the Canal Line in service.

For a bit more on Portland Quarries see "Portland" by Robert W. McDougall 2004 - Arcadia Publ