Connecticut River Crossing at Middletown, CT

I agree, that's actually what I meant and clarified; rail trails can be good things for sure (many here have hiked the old Put in Westchester and Putnam counties in NY). And rail trails can be bad things (along lines such as the Beacon in NY, disused but with potential, the trail as designed hinders its very rare use).

Sarge, you're absolutely right. There are some instances where rails to trails are definitely not good. Anyways, what railroad would want to use the Airline nowadays? Thanks for responding.

Nobody has mentioned all the work P&W and the state did a few years back on the bridge. On the swing span they replaced all the ties and rail, as well as 80- 90% of the steel beams directly under the ties, this was a major undertaking, removing 30' sections of the bridge at a time while keeping it open for daily traffic. at the same time the electrical lines suppling power out to the control cabin were replaced. the bridge operator told me that dramatically increased power and speed to the swing span. sections of rail, ties and steel were also replace on the fixed spans too.
Also of note, the one through girder section over the south bound section of RT 9 used to have the burlin branch RR pass under it going down to Middletown's water front before the highways were built and Middletown lost all of it commercial water front section of town, to asphalt.

All in all, the state of CT has a fairly good record of preserving railroad rights of way for further use - restored rail operation or trail use. But they did drop the ball a few times, and one of those when they failed to purchase the line within the town of Portland east of the route 66 crossing next to the freight house. IIRC this section was kept after the c.1965 abandonment of most the line east of Portland to Willimantic, and this line was kept as there was a possible freight customer in the east end of town - think it was a quarry. This stretch of trackage was acquired by Penn Central when they took over the New Haven and remained intact but unused - there was even an approach signal to the swing bridge at Middletown that shined off into the the brush that grew thickly on the old Air Line Main at least into the early 1970s. In 1975 the CT D o T aqcuired the mostly trackless part of the line east of Portland, but they never moved to acquire the Portland track except years later west of the route 66 crossing. At some point the Penn Central (estate) removed the remaining track and [url][/url]finally sold this part of right of way, probably to adjacent landowners, so now there is about a 2 mile gap where the right of way is not under state control - and in some areas it has been obliterated.
All that remains east of Portland trackwise is some yard trackage at Willimantic that saw some use by the P&W after they took over the former Providence line east of Willimantic and was used to store surplus boxcars. After the P&W ended service to Willi, the trackage sat unused until being eventually taken over briefly by the RMNE c 1990. When the RMNE decided not to relocate to that area the yard was soon transferred to the newly formed Conn. Eastern RR Museum, which controls it today as part of their museum complex.

i remember right before the CCCL was sold to P and W. and going over the bridge in tom"s high rail truck. to get hot dogs.


easy ways to tell if the bridge is about to open. the smell of cigars around the yard as franny pulls in.



also south of the pooo plant got alot of work done as well