New Canaan Branch Discussion

[checkthedoorlight]

I remember reading a while ago on this board that there were a couple closed stations on the New Canaan branch. When I was riding it this weekend, I noticed a raised platform about halfway between Glenbrook and Springdale which only looked wide enough to hold one door. Does anyone know what station this used to be?

[Noel Weaver]

When the M-2's hit the railroad in the early 1970's, there were three
station changes on the New Canaan Branch.
Springdale station was moved somewhat to the south about a tenth of
a mile to a location where the track was straight, no crossings were
involved and at least some parking could be made available.
Springdale Cemetery which is located at Camp Avenue was closed entirely
as was Woodway which was less than a mile from Talmadge Hill Station.
Springdale Cemetery was one third of a mile from the old Springdale
Station.
No other passenger stations existed on this branch at least back to 1920.
Noel Weaver

[Tom Curtin]

When I was riding it this weekend, I noticed a raised platform about halfway between Glenbrook and Springdale which only looked wide enough to hold one door. Does anyone know what station this used to be?

No, I can't imagine. A temporary station of some kind put there recently perhaps?

[Nester]

Could it be an e-stop for a tower or other MN facility? I don't know the New Caanan branch well, but the wooden platform could be like the stair/platform combination used elsewhere.

[Terminal Proceed]

It is a employee platform for a MNR facility in proximity to the tracks there.

[Otto Vondrak]

Oh right- isn't the MN Signal Dept. or Radio Dept. or something like that located along there?

-=otto=-

[NJD8598]

There is a Metro North office building on Viaduct Road basically exactly between Glenbrook and Springdale stations, the building isnt adjacent to the tracks, but probably within walking distance. Theres a bunch of offices in one half, and then more of a warehouse section in the other.

[checkthedoorlight]

that's probably what I saw. The platform looked similar to the employee stops in Stamford and Bridgeport yards.

Is there anything left of the Cemetery and Woodway stations? I know you can still see some remains of the Kensico Cemetery station on the Harlem line...

[Noel Weaver]

Woodway had a three sided shelter along the track with an earth platform.
There was an access path through the woods. There were one or two
lights fed by power from Cos Cob.
Springdale Cemetery had no platform, no station, no lights, people were
dropped off or picked up on Camp Avenue Crossing and the light was a
regular street light on a telephone pole.
The powers to be felt that neither one of these stations had enough use to
justify building high level platforms and Springdale Cemetery was very
close to the Springdale Station.
Noel Weaver

[Tom Curtin]

I wandered around both locations --- Springdale Cem. & Woodway --- a few years ago doing exactly what you are wondering about, i.e., looking for remnants, and found absolutely nothing. Even the aforementioned "Footpath in the woods" to reach Woodway has apparently been reclaimed by nature.

By the way, if this kind of archeological hunting interests you, there were a couple of really long-abandoned (i.e., 1930s) stations as well as 3 or 4 long abandoned meet sidings on the Danbury line that are easier to locate remnants of today.

[checkthedoorlight]

the other day when I was on the Danbury line, I was trying to look for what remained of Kent Road. Obviously the ROAD is still there, so I knew where to look, but didn't see anything. Glenbrook Main Line's location is still visible due to the platforms on the track that allowed passengers to walk to a middle track without stepping over the tracks. A number of still open stations on the New Haven line still have these platforms, usually north or south of the current station.

Funny how Mott Haven, 183 St and Clairmont Parkway stations have been abandoned since before I was born, yet you can easily spot them due to the wedges in the walls at trackside.

[Tom Curtin]

Kent Road station was about 50 - 100 feet south of the crossing, on the east side of the tracks.

Now . . . the New Haven once had a station there called "South Wilton" or "Hopkins" (Almost any station that had a "qualifier" in its name, i.e., north, south, east, west, or "new" also had another station name that was used when telegraphing train orders, this in order to prevent confusion with a similarly named station). Hopkins station was north of the Kent Road crossing, on the east side of the main. There was also a short meet siding there. Both station and siding disappeared around 1939.

[Clean Cab]

There were two other station stops on the New Canaan line as have been mentioned before. One was Springdale Cemetary and the other was Wood Way. Both were flag stops. There is nothing left of the Springdale Cemetary station because as Noel Weaver explained, they used the Camp Ave crossing. Wood Way though did have a small shelter. A picture of it can be seen in Jack Swanberg's book "New Haven Power" on page #407.

[checkthedoorlight]

was Kent Road a low or high platform? My schedules from 1978 and 1983 have some trains skipping only this station on the branch. Speaking of which, does anyone know why Merritt-7, the newest station on the branch, was built as a low platform, considering that the rest of the line has high platforms?

[DutchRailnut]

Kent road was a low level station only two cars long only two rush hour trains stopped to drop people for perkin elmers and one other plant.

Merrit 7 is about 18 years old now and is not owned by MNCR/CDOT.
It was build by Merrit 7 Office park in the day of RDC's, before 1841 was added train 1939 use to terminate at South Norwalk and make a trip up to Merrit 7 for the employees. it then deadheaded back to South Norwalk to turn for 1812 to Danbury