Exploring bits of the Meriden, Waterbury & Connecticut River Railroad

It was a sunny and warm day!
https://rc-pedalpoint.blogspot.com/2022 ... ticut.html

1
Mattabesset Railroad Bridge (New Haven Berlin Branch)

2
Aerial MW&CR ROW west of I-91


3
MW&CR ROW by Highland Pond

In a state with a lot of "never should have existed" railroad lines I've always thought the MW&CR stands out as being one of the most pointless-- right up there with the Central New England's West Springfield extension. If I recall correctly the line was almost abandoned for lack of traffic in the early 1890's. It's amazing that there are this many remnants left.

There's quite a few remnants left in Waterbury too, where it at least locally served the brass mills.
Bridge over Washington St.
Bridge over Porter St
Bridge over 5th St
Bridge and trestle over Railroad Hill Ave and the Naugy Line
Amazingly, most of the bridge over the Naugatuck River is still intact, and the trestle leading east of it towards the Roller Magic rink was only demolished about a decade ago.
A couple remaining piers where it crossed the Mad River and Washington St again.
A pier where it crossed South Main St

A question ? I do not know what equals a tunnel but a highway bridge ? I wondered about the tunnel under I-84 and whether any evidence of the railroad exists east of that ? I mean remnants from modern times. For some reason they kept the tracks there east of I-84.

I was snooping the area a few months ago but had little time not living in the area. To the south of I-84 one could barely see that 'tunnel' I do not know if there is any access.

That trestle through Waterbury must be about to be dismantled. I recall there was an effort a few years ago to preserve as a trail. (that is what the signs said)

The old NY&NE goes from Waterbury to Rt. 8 badly overgrown and don't know why nobody uses. Commercial area. It wound up a hill to a lumber-hardware outfit that is abandoned now. Oddly the tracks continue a short distance with good trees amongst the tracks.

I think the whole downtown Waterbury railroad stuff is all dismantled now but not sure what. -- the old freight yard areas --

Yes..a necessary rail line...

I think it was a trolley once ? Winds through hills etc.

I snooped it many years ago.

Of interest. The quarry line in Meriden. I see old internet posts say ... not used in 40 years...

Time I snooped it it was about the most abandoned section of railroad one could see anywhere. Tracks still in place. I recall walking ended up at a pond ? where part of the ROW was washed out.

Part of the railroad of this thread ? Don't know. This quarry line I believe is now being converted to a rail trail. That makes it as interesting as walking I-95 or I-91...


Still waiting for a picture of the 'tunnel' in Waterbury !!! (under I-84)

An excellent link....https://web.tapr.org/~wa1lou/whs/mwcrrr.html



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An image below. (confusing the ads..where o where to post...)

If I recall the 'quarry line' went north at Center Street junction in Meriden. Back a few years ago various industrial spurs there so confusing...


My quarry line was part of the main railroad. Wonder what the abandonment dates were.

In Waterbury the little stub going East was left up to I-84 days. (I think)

Excuse me. I should be more organized. Turned on computer for a quickie and ----

My quarry line was part of the main railroad. Wonder what the abandonment dates were.

In Waterbury the little stub going East was left up to I-84 days. (I think)

Excuse place is mixing me up. 3 attachments ? (note such?)

shepaug wrote:
I think it was a trolley once ? Winds through hills etc.

Still waiting for a picture of the 'tunnel' in Waterbury !!! (under I-84)

Between Waterbury and Cheshire there was a parallel trolley line. Part of the trolley bed can be accessed at the top of the sledding hill in Mixville Park, and leads to a very cool stone arch bridge over Notch Road.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5209595 ... 384!8i8192

shepaug wrote: Still waiting for a picture of the 'tunnel' in Waterbury !!! (under I-84)

Its TIME...

(Seriously though, who tf put a clock in the middle of the tunnel? A homeless person? An agent of the defunct TIMEXPO museum across the highway?)

A view of the tunnel entrance from across the river where I parked at the end of Mill St. Looks like its grated off, naturally.

Crossing the river, we can see that the culvert is DOT structure 4319A and the tunnel is 4319B. According to the latest DOT inspection report, they were built in 1980, and the ex rail tunnel crosses " No Notable Feature". Ouch.

Approaching the tunnel, I was surprised to still see a rail sticking out of the ground.

"LACKAWANNA ? ? ? 1926 107LB"

Ah, someone jimmied open the gate already.

There is no light at the end of the tunnel The floor is covered with silt and debris from flooding. I did go as far as I could inside, but the end was just blocked with a pile of dirt, and it was too dark to get a good picture. Overall, its in very good shape. It would be neat if it could be reopened to provide a trail connection between South Waterbury and the mall and Hamilton Park.


Bonus:
Despite being rebuilt just last year, the E Liberty St bridge preserved the ROW, complete with tracks.

I can't believe how low the tracks were to the water, basically in the water today.


Remaining floodwall separating the tracks from the river.

I screamed and it happened !!! Just thought why not wonder about that 'tunnel'. I don't live in the area so such things are kind of difficult as to hanging around and trying to figure things out.

I assume the railroad was left with that short distance in Waterbury after the rest was abandoned. (after the tunnel eastbound)

Even that New York and New England westbound out of Waterbury kinda interesting. Goes under rt8 and up a hill to a lumber yard now abandoned. (the lumber yard) I'm not sure the tracks were ever removed up the hill but just covered over with some dirt excavation something. Little track sections exist westbound from there very very very overgrown. Somebody even went to the work of building little hills and mountains on the row west. Bet somebody was thinking of service restoration all those years ago. A railroad !!! From there into Waterbury a tragedy as to no business in a business zone and very overgrown.

The Meriden RR Somebody put signs up at one time as to preserving as a rail trail. Funny rail trail on a big trestle. BUT ---

I found a collection of old slides of some pictures I took of Waterbury to Meriden taken early 1970's. Very bad condition now. Guess if I had used better slide film maybe they would have lasted longer. Blotches and spots on pictures etc. I doubt any picture interesting as I just snapped pictures of old row's and most all old row's looked the same. If anything came up interesting would have snapped a shot.

Scanning old slides ends up with poor pictures to begin with. BUT upcoming will try to review such...

I went around taking pictures in an era when they started rail-banking and the thought was there maybe something would return to service.

All these years later where are the pictures of various rail lines and businesses on them and of coarse trains etc. Seems rare except some picture of a popular passenger line. Picture of last train on Meriden+Waterbury ?

I've yapped too much. Your pictures..save !!! Bet some day they are rare.

Just curious. Nice detailed pictures. Camera ?

Digital Camera with rechargeable batteries a miracle these days. Until recent I think most phone cameras are something like 2mp etc. (a joke)

For junk cameras I bought a whole little pile of old Kodak Digital Cameras that were 14mp when Kodak quit. Oddly I think they always took good pictures. Maybe they go for $15+ on Bay. I observe cameras sort of went obsolete with phones but are coming back with a huge price tag. Something to make money off of !!!

o--- the pictures... I am in haste mode again The track is from the 'tunnel' to the end of the line going east ?

Glad you like the pictures, Shepaug. They're just from my phone camera which is 3.6mp. I hear you about the Kodaks. My first digital camera was this nice simple 3mp Kodak. Not very adjustable, but it still made some nice photos.
The pictures I took were of the south/western portal of the tunnel, and the E Liberty St bridge about a quarter mile south(west) of the portal. I'll have to make another trip to look for the eastern portal under 84. and any track remnants through whats now Hamilton Park.