“All aboard, toot toot! Chugga, chugga!” Every parent has been exposed to the enduring charm of the perennial Thomas the Tank Engine. Trains and preschoolers seem to be made for each other. My son and daughter, Daniel and Emma, were serious Thomas aficionados while still toddlers. They played for endless hours with their wooden trains and interlocking wooden tracks. As they grew, so did their fascination with trains.
The Real Deal
One of our favorite venues to see real trains is the Danbury Railway Museum (DRM), in Danbury, Conn. The DRM makes its home at the old Danbury Rail Station. This station was once a bustling stop on the New York, New Haven and Hartford line. The Danbury Station is also noteworthy because it appeared as an exterior set for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 suspense film Strangers on a Train. There is a wonderful display in the museum of photos taken during the production.
As rail museums go, DRM is unique. The museum boasts a truly eclectic collection of engines, cars and freight cars. We had a great time exploring the yard. Visitors are invited to step onto the club cars and sleepers and the engines as well. Daniel and Emma quickly found their favorite engine in the yard, a 1905 Alco 2-6-0 Mogul steam engine. This silver and black beauty isn’t the right color, but it comes very close in size and design to that famous tank engine from the Isle of Sodor. It’s a vintage piece and in wonderful condition and a must see. My wife and I particularly enjoyed touring the dining cars and sleeping cars. More than the other exhibits, they conveyed some of that glorious time when we weren’t in quite such a rush to travel from point A to point B and even daily commuter cars were comfortable and stylish. The tour guides were pleasant and extremely knowledgeable and their passion for trains was infectious. We had the good fortune to be guided by Wade Roese, who regaled us with stories of the station’s busy past.
All Aboard
No rail museum would be complete without the opportunity to actually ride a train and the DRM certainly provides that. Guests of the museum have the choice of riding in a passenger car, engine or caboose. We chose to ride in style in a passenger car. Our train pulled out for a 20-minute ride through the rail yard. At the halfway point of our trip, we were invited by our driver to exit the train and go for a brief spin on Connecticut’s only working turntable.
In addition to the trains we also enjoyed the Danbury Train Station itself. Once in disrepair, the building has been repurposed as an exhibition space and there were plenty of displays for my kids to explore. There are several model train dioramas in the main gallery. Each set-up is richly detailed and afforded our young engineers the chance to control the trains as they made their way through the miniature landscapes. The museum houses a wealth of railroad paraphernalia, and we especially enjoyed the vintage photos and posters hung throughout the station.
Special Events
Trains have always played a special role during the holiday season, and so the DRM offers a Santa Train ride each December. During the Easter season, there is the Bunny Train. Both Christmas and Easter events feature a visit with Santa and the Easter Bunny after the train ride. In the fall, DRM hosts the Pumpkin Patch Ride where children can select and decorate their own pumpkin and enjoy cider and cookies. Other events include National Train Day in May and Railway Day in August.
The museum also hosts birthday parties and offers a 10 percent discount to partygoers at the gift shop.
Bob Berry is a freelance writer and illustrator. www.bobberryillustration.com.
When You Go …
The Danbury Railway Museum – 120 White St., Danbury, Conn. 203-778-8337. www.danbury.org/drm
Hours
• Winter/Labor Day to Memorial Day: Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m.
• Summer/Memorial Day to Labor Day: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.
Admission
• $6 adults, $4 children ages 3 to 12, free under 3. Train rides extra ranging from $3 (coach or caboose) to $10 (cab).
