All Aboard Connecticut's Trains & Trolleys

The thrill of travel under steam power is part of the fun at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex. Here, the excursions run through the Connecticut River Valley, where the broad river and surrounding hills are gorgeous in any season.

Holidays are special here, featuring breakfasts and visits with Santa throughout December, a glamorous New Year's Eve dinner experience and its extremely popular North Pole Express excursions, with a "magical nighttime journey to the North Pole." Santa and Mrs. Claus make appearances, with festive singalongs, hot chocolate, and cookies, and kids are encouraged to wear pajamas. 

Views of the Naugatuck River Valley are part of the package when you ride out from the Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad Company in Thomaston. The ride begins at the 1881 Thomaston depot, rolls past industrial sites, goes through the forest and then runs across the face of Thomaston Dam, the only train in America that crosses a dam in such a fashion. Many locomotives, railroad cars and work equipment are on display as well.

Enjoy seasonal themed experiences all year round, including holiday rides with Santa and Mrs. Claus featuring gifts and Christmas carols.

The Shore Line Trolley Museum, operated by the Branford Electric Railway Association, Inc., aims to educate the public about the story of the trolley and related forms of mass transit in their historic context. The museum is full of vintage transit vehicles, photos, books, documents, and items like tokens, hat badges, and ticket punches. Visitors enjoy riding historic, restored trolleys through scenic surroundings.

 Unique holiday experiences include Visits with Santa, with rides on heated decorated trolleys; special pancake breakfasts with Santa, holiday-themed murder mystery rides, and special winter vacation tours and rides during the week after Christmas. 

The Connecticut Trolley Museum has over 70 pieces of rail equipment dating back to 1869. Step on board a restored vintage trolley car at the historic Isle of Safety and enjoy a relaxing 20-30 minute, three-mile round-trip ride through the countryside with a trolley operator in period uniform.  The Visitor Center features historical information, informative exhibits and artifacts, and kids' activities. As an added bonus, this site is also home to the Connecticut Fire Museum, with many examples of vintage firefighting equipment on view.

Special holiday events include the museum's annual Winterfest, running from late November through December with over 10,000 lights illuminating both the museum’s interior and exterior. Outside, hop aboard one of the museum's cozy, closed trolley cars and ride through the "Tunnel of Lights", or bundle up for a great view of the lights from an open-car air. Inside, the Visitor Center transforms into a Winter Wonderland, featuring elaborate model train layouts, twinkling lights, and holiday decorations.

December also features a Storytime Trolley experience with Santa, and an Elf experience, where kids can write letters to Santa and deliver them to the mailbox at the Skylark Airport station. 

The Danbury Railway Museum operates out of a fully restored 1903 station. You’ll be able to inspect the rolling stock on display, including locomotives, passenger equipment, freight equipment, self-propelled cars and even maintenance equipment. The train rides through the rail yard include a spin on a real operating turntable!

The museum is open year-round, with weekend train rides running April through October and special Santa Trains in December. Santa Train experiences feature a Letters to Santa coloring station, operating model railroads, and interesting museum exhibits, and a ride on a restored 1950s Rail Diesel Car through historic Danbury Railyard before a meet-and-greet and gift giving with Santa and Mrs. Claus.