Norfolk to Canan Ct- Old CNE track

I am trying to locate the original ROW from Norfolk Ct to East Canan Ct. I was able to follow the line out of Norfolk for a few miles. However I lost it on the north side of Haystack Mt. I also could locate the old ROW coming out of East Canan but it just seems to vanish between there and Haystack. I have been useing Google Earth in an attempt to locate it. Is anyone out there familar with that area ?.

You're talking about an area of deep forest and an ROW that has been abandoned for 70 years. I think nature has simply moved in and reclaimed it. There are two principal landmarks in the area that are easy to pinpoint: one is the stone arches over Whiting River. The other is Norfolk station. Between those two point are a few miles. I recall about the only spot in between where the ROW is reasonably visible is where it crossed a small dead-end road just west of the Canaan-Norfolk town line called "Locust Hill Way." (In CNE days this was called "Rice's Crossing") I sniffed around there about twenty years ago accompanied by an elderly local who remembered the line being active when he was a kid in the 20s. He pointed out to me "this spot" and "that spot" where the ROW was; and I distinctly recall I did not see a damned thing to suggest there had been a railroad there. So, I understand your frustration.

If you haven't already tried doing so I would suggest MSN maps, particularly the "Bird's Eye View," as these shots were usually taken in the winter and therefore old ROWs are more visible. In additon, here is a site with some pictures of the old ROW in this area; it might be helpful in locating some remains...http://www.siter.net/Trains/CNE/central ... ailway.htm

As someone who grew up in Canaan during the 30's, 40's and 50's, I will try to give you some details as to how to find the old CNE r-o-w east of there. At the current "end of track" of the present day branch approximately one mile east of downtown, the CNE once crossed US44 via a bridge. The line between East Canaan and Canaan remained in service until 1940 whereas the line from East Canaan to Norfolk Summit was abandoned in 1938. The New Haven only had one customer on the line in to East Canaan and that was a storage facility for Gulf Oil. The State of Connecticut wanted to force the New Haven to install a new bridge over Route 44 so that the highway could be widened; however, the railroad refused and even contacted Gulf Oil stating that they (NH RR) would help build a new facility for them in Canaan so that the line to East Canaan could be abandoned. This was done and with no longer a customer on the branch, the line was abandoned. - - As you head East on US44, the r-o-w can be seen on the right hand side of the road in many places. Best seen, of course, would be when there is no foliage. The former East Canaan station which is now a residence (was moved about a quarter mile west of it's original location) can be seen on the right side of the highway next to a liquor store. There is absoloutely no evidence of the r-o-w traveling through East Canaan as the fill that was once there was used in the rebuilding of US44 in the area. There is a very slight rise in the road where the railroad crossed US44 in the center of East Canaan and there is now a house built directly on the r-o-w on the left side of the road. You can, however, see the r-o-w directly beyond this house until it disappears behind a cemetery. It is just beyond this cemetery where the Gulf Oil facility was located. If you make a left hand turn on Canaan Valley Road and go about 3/4ths of a mile, you should be able to make out where the r-o-w crossed this road and on to a very high fill which was built over the Whiting River. There are twin stone arches below this fill where the river flows through one of them and the other was once for a road (Old Turnpike Road) which is now abandoned. Beyond the fill when leaves are gone, you can see the r-o-w in many places climbing the hill on the left side of US44. About a mile west of Norfolk Village, there is a road off to the left of US44 called Ashpohtag Road. Going up this road for about 1/4 mile you will come upon the area where the CNE crossed the road on a very narrow bridge. A pleasant walk along the r-o-w back towards East Canaan will bring you to a very steep rock cut that was called Stoney Lonesome. It was here that a steam locomotive of the Hartford & Connecticut Western (a CNE predecessor) jumped the track and went down the embankment back in 1888. The r-o-w here winds around the north side of Haystack Mountain and comes in to Norfolk along the east side of Rte272 (North St.) It looks like I am running out of space here and if you need any further information, I will continue on later as to how to find the line east of Norfolk up to Norfolk Summit.

Leroy Beaujon
Roseville, CA

Thanks Tom & Leroy for your replies. It is very hard to pick up the old ROW after it passes the old Cemetery in East Canan. On Tim Dowds web site. It stated the line turned north up the Canan Valley road. I think it is here I am having a problem trying to find the point it turned east again. On Google Earth it is very hard to decipher the actual distince it went up the Valley road. I did pick up an elevation change at a point the Canan Valley road turns straight north useing another type of map. It seems to show where the Whiting Viaduct is located. I envisioned the locust hill road to be too far south of where I was looking. I envisioned Burton lane as possibly being part of the old ROW. Could someone help me out on the Burton lane question. If Burton lane is not part of the old ROW. I am looking too far to the North.

SLR, you are too far to the north of the old CNE r-o-w on Burton Lane in the Canaan Valley area. As I mentioned previously, the CNE makes a turn to the east approximately one mile north of US44 on Canaan Valley Road and crossed it there. There is a well dug out area on the left side of the road at this point which was used for the fill over the Whiting River as well as the r-o-w for the railroad line. At one time (which I have done several times) you could park in this area in order to walk out on to the fill. Continuing north on Canaan Valley Road just about a half-mile (Old Turnpike Road North will veer off to the left) or more you will come upon College Hill Road. Turn right on College Hill Road (passing Burton Lane) for about 3/4th's of a mile and you should cross the railroad's r-o-w prior to the road junction at Old Turnpike Road South and Brown's Lane. The CNE more or less paralleled Old Turnpike Road just up on the hillside a few hundred feet. Off hand, I can't recall the proximity of the railroad r-o-w to Locust Hill Road. It either crossed in front of the road at it's end or it was crossed prior to the end of the road. - - As for the r-o-w on the north side of Haystack Mountain, it crossed under Rte 272/North Street just to the south of where Roughland Road veers to the left in a northwesterly direction and pretty much followed Wood Creek in a southerly direction going in to Norfolk. - - I hope this will help you on your next visit to the area.

Leroy Beaujon
Roseville, CA

Thanks for the info Leroy. I am about 3hrs north of Canan Ct. Very close to Saratoga New York. I was in the Canan-Norfolk area about five weeks ago. I stopped at the old Depot in Canan and also got as far southeast as the Norfolk Depot. I was very impressed with the old Norfolk Depot. One could say it was well constructed to say the least. My hobby is abandoned railroads. I travel throughout New England and Up-State New York looking around. If I could find the time. I would like to track the old CNE from Maybrook to Hartford. This is not the best time of year to view abandoned ROW!s. Late fall and early winter are the prime time. I was a soph in college in the mid-hudson valley when the Poughkepsie bridge (oops spelled it wrong) burned. I don!t know what it is with the old CNE. For some reason it holds my interest. I intend to go back to that area (Canan-Norfolk) in a few weeks. I would like to look around Twin Lakes and Taconic also. My last trip I spent a little time looking for what is left of the old yards in Canan. Sadly I found very little. I use Google Earth a lot (Satellite photos) . If the shot was taken in Winter , the detail is much easier to find. The photos of the Canan-Norfolk area were taken in late summer or early fall. However they are still a very usefull tool. I though I read somewhere. That they used to run ski trains up to Haystack out of Canan. This being in the time frame before ski lifts were invented. There is a lot of history in that old line. Any tips you can give me on these areas would be greatly appreciated.

SLR, there have been annual bus tours along various segments of the CNE that some of my friends and I have operated for several years now. We virtually completed them this past Spring and will be repeating them beginning next Spring. Probably next Spring's tour will begin in the Hartford area and cover in detail the former Tariffville, CT to Agawam Jct.line (which was called the Springfield Branch) that was not covered on the previous trip a few years back. Details on this trip should be on this website before the end of the year. - - The Norfolk Station was not paid for by the railroad. It was built and donated to the railroad by a very wealthy former resident in town. Passenger service on the line ended in 1927; however, the station was manned by an Agent (for freight service) until mid-1938. - - The railroad line out of Canaan to the west is impossible to follow except by foot until you get to Twin Lakes. There is a road off of Twin Lakes Road in a southwest direction called South Shore Road and the r-o-w (where it hasn't been destroyed for the road itself) can be seen on the left (south) side until you get to Between the Lakes Road. The r-o-w can be followed on foot from there to where it crossed Lake Washinee (the second of the Twin Lakes) on a fill. This fill was dug out for a quarter of a mile or so after the rail line was abandoned in 1965. - - The former CNE Yard in Canaan is now occupied by a Senior Housing complex called Wangum Village. Very little evidence is left until you walk past the complex up to the Blackberry River. There are cement footings next to the river for the water tank that was once located there. You can also see some evidence of a coal trestle right next to the water tank foundation. This was used to coal up locomotives (using a Brown hoist that the locals called the "clam digger) until the service was discontinued in 1925. - - Ski trains from New York ran up the CNE to a point behind the Blackberry River Inn located on US44 between East Canaan and Norfolk. Skiers had to cross US44 to ski on the other side along the edge of Canaan Mountain. These trains started running up there around 1935 or so and ended when the line was abandoned back to East Canaan in 1938.


Leroy Beaujon
Roseville, CA

cnefan wrote:- - Ski trains from New York ran up the CNE to a point behind the Blackberry River Inn located on US44 between East Canaan and Norfolk. Skiers had to cross US44 to ski on the other side along the edge of Canaan Mountain. These trains started running up there around 1935 or so and ended when the line was abandoned back to East Canaan

The snow trains Lee is talking about used a cinder platform the RR installed just for that purpose at "Rice's Crossing," or Locust Hill Way. You can drive up Locust Hill Way today.

The RR called the spot "Norfolk Snow Train Station" even though it a few hundred feet west of the Norfolk Town line, in East Canaan!

Thanks Tom. Since the last time I have posted. I have found a map ( Bing Map) which shows the ROW crossing the Whiting river and turning toward rt 44. It has an adjunct which is called birds eye. In reality it is just like Google Earth (Sattelite map). The big differance is the shot taken on the Bing map was taken in the Fall. The Row is pretty clear on the map. If my memory serves me. The ROW is Sunset Ridge road until this road ends. It then runs pretty close along Turnpike road south ( maybe 50 yards or so) . Then turns toward Norfolk and runs across Locust hill road (Rice!s Crossing) and on to Stoney Lonsome . This is where the Ski place was that you mentioned. I am wondering if the dwelling on the end of Locust Hill road could be the Hotel you or Leroy mentioned ?. Could it be the same building but altered through the years ?

SLR, the Blackberry River Inn sits right on the north side of US44 and is not up the hill on Locust Hill Road. It is just over the town line between Canaan and Norfolk and carries a Norfolk address. The building to the right at the former Rice's Crossing on Locust Hill Road looked like an old creamery to me; however, I can't be sure that it ever was one. By the way, Sunset Ridge Road is a new one to me and I don't see it at all in my Street Atlas of Northwest Connecticut. If it was built on the old r-o-w, it is probably a turn off of College Hill Road and paralleling (east side) Old Turnpike Road. I am hopeful of getting back to CT in November and will have to check this all out again to refresh my memory.

Leroy Beaujon
Roseville, CA

I was just up in this area today; hiked Haystack Mountain, then drove 44 from Norfolk to Winsted and back to Canaan, looking for remnants of the CNE. Can't say I saw much apart from the station and old overpass railings in Norfolk, the remaining stub end track in Canaan, and the area on the west end of Winsted where the CNE came in and met the Naugy.

Got to say, though, that that must have been one heck of a climb out of the valley at Winsted up to Norfolk Summit. What was the ruling grade on the old CNE main? Did they have to use helpers out of either Winsted or Canaan on heavy freights?

Hard to believe that the CNE was once promoted as a viable route for heavy tonnage through freights, including Pennsylvania coal!