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The Railroad Museum of New England, Inc. is a not-for-profit educational and historical organization that dates back to January of 1968. The mission of the Railroad Museum of New England is to tell the story of the region’s rich railroad heritage through their educational exhibits and operation of the Naugatuck Railroad. It is located in Thomaston, Connecticut.

The original Naugatuck Railroad was chartered in 1845, and opened in 1849 between Bridgeport and Winsted, adjacent to the Naugatuck River.  The old Naugatuck Railroad name was restored by state charter and the museum ran their first passenger trains ran in 1996.

Their beautiful Victorian station was built in 1881 by the original Naugatuck Railroad to serve the growing community of Thomaston. Passengers last used the station in 1958. Subsequently the neglected station was badly damaged by vandals setting fire to it but it is being restored by volunteers.

The museum also has a collection of engines and rolling stock and operate tourists trains on Sundays during the summer.

Last spring, Bob Dickson, our museum manager found himself in Connecticut and visited the museum. No one was around but he snapped a few pictures of the station (under restoration) and the collection of equipment in the yard.  One interesting building was the washroom. It is built to look like a passenger coach from the outside, but a modern washroom on the interior. 

Posting by Russ Milland; Photos by Bob Dickson