Freight service on Danbury branch Q's

Is there freight activity between South Norwalk and Danbury during late night hours? Or was I hearing track maintinence equipment.

It could of been P&W CT-2 They Have A Customer Over There..
Or They may have sent the waterworld up there...

Stand by for the Dutchrailnut for more accurate info...

Thanks Brakeman. This usually happens around 12:30 AM in Norwalk. I once saw a stone train some time ago. And once I saw Metro North moving some equipment to the Danbury Rail Museam. There is a new house that blocks my view now so when I hear something new or different I have to walk to the end of my block.

Well P&W Has atleast one customer on the Danbury Branch.. I believe there normal route of travel is south from danbury comming off the housatonic line. You will sometimes also see the PMMO Swap equipment this is very rare but it does happen. Ive seen it myself or the stamford yard crews. Or yet again the Waterworld which as of last week i was told never touched the danbury branch. But Dutch should be along by morning to clear this up!!

I know the guys on the CT2. That was, in all likelyhood, them you heard on the Danbury. They usually go to Bethel to service Ringwood lumber. It is easier on the crew if the RTC lets them come south to South Norwalk and then head East from there. They run a push-pull train (engines on both ends of the train) with crew members in both ends. The CT2 is usually abolished for the winter season until the spring when it resumes it's normal work. I am hoping to ride with them once it starts to get warm.

Having moved away from that area a couple of years ago I am no longer current on operations up there, hence the following questions:
1. Is Ring's End [BTW, not "Ringwood"] in Bethel the only remaining customer between Danbury & Norwalk?
2. When CT-2 is discontinued for the winter does Ring's End get service one way or another? I would guess they're less-than-pleased if they do not.
3. Does CT-2 regularly run via Norwalk (instead of via the HRR's Maybrook Line) these days? I was just wondering.

Rings end is only customer.
Yes P&W will service Rings end in winter which makes for long trip from Cedar Hill to Bethel with only one or two cars and 3 or 4 engines sometimes .

The Branch handles P&W in winter and in summer if CT-2 has a Bethel car or if HRRC has Maybrook out of service as happens often.

You might have heard Sperry rail testing equipment going back and forth. They have their headquarters and their own siding between the Bethel and Danbury terminals, so they could generate a fair amount of traffic at night.

Thanks for the info. If I'm out at that hour I will be more observant. I've seen and heard some realy neet things over the years on this line.

Tom Curtin wrote: 1. Is Ring's End [BTW, not "Ringwood"] in Bethel the only remaining customer between Danbury & Norwalk?

I meant Ring's End, not Ringwood. After 3 years on the New Haven, you would think I would know it by heart. My brain and my typing did not coordinate very well when I get home from work...

Quite all right . . . .

Apart from Ring's End in Bethel, what other freight customers are left on the Danbury Branch?

actual customers none, Vandebilt Chemicals has not used rail for more years, Sheppards warehouse had one car about 7 years back.
only thing going in at sheppards is private car NYC3 stored indoors for winter

all other freight customers are gone and disconnected.

Do Providence and Worcester still deliver to Rings End?

yes as needed, in stone train season the stone train will switch rings end, in winter a special move is called from cedar Hill.