I found a publication at a flea market called "Flood '55- New England's Greatest Disaster" which showed many pictures of flooding/devastation in New Haven territory, specifically the Naugatuck River Valley. Did the New Haven, as a result of this flooding, permanently abandon any lines in this area, or were they all rebuilt?
Question, was the book put out by the Waterbury Republican-American?
Also curious as to just where was the flea market where you found this
particular book and did they have any other old books?
I have that book which was done after the 1955 floods.
The only two abandonments as a direct result of the 1955 floods was the
branch between Collinsville and New Hartford and a portion of the
Hartford - Boston Line between Pomfret and Putnam both lines in
Connecticut.
The New Hartford - Collinsville segment of that branch had been a
marginal operation for some time before the 1955 floods and in fact had
been up for abandonment previously.
The Pomfret - Putnam section had regular passenger service and both
through and local freight operation as well. A bridge got damaged just
west of Putnam and the McGinnis bunch did not want to rebuild the bridge
and reopen the line. Today the line is abandoned all the way from
Manchester, Connecticut to Franklin, Massachusetts.
Essentially, everything else that received damage was rebuilt.
Some facilities such as Bank Street Junction Tower in Waterbury and the
passenger station in Ansonia were badly damaged and did not get rebuilt,
hand thrown switches replaced the interlocking at Bank Street while a
short platform and shorter canopy was put in at Ansonia and the old
station was put out of its misery.
Noel Weaver