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History

1835-1852

The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad was chartered May 1835 as the Fairfield County Railroad. The objective of the railroad was to build from Danbury to somewhereon Long Island Sound. The backers wanted to end Danburies isolation. Professor Alexander C. Twining of Yale was hired to conduct a survey. Several options were researched, and Professor Twining recommended the route following the Norwalk River. This route would come through Norwalk and South Norwalk, and terminate on the shores of the Long Island Sound at Belden's Point. It was longer than other options, but the total travel time to New York was shorter, because less travel over water was needed. The railroad was initially planned as an horsedrawn railroad. As financing the project was a problem, attention was paid to the area north of Danbury, along the Housatonic River. If these places would be connected, more options would come available to financing the railroad. A survey was performed By Mr. E H. Broadhead. This route would connect Danbury by a 70 mile route with the Western Railroad at official_name = West Stockbridge, Massachusetts . Then in 1836 the Housatonic Railroad Company is chartered in Bridgeport. Danbury is offered to subscribe in the extent of $100,000 and to secure a railroad connection in this way. Danbury declines. The Housatonic Railroad starts building its railroad, bypassing Danbury, and going north along the route that was surveyed for the Fairfield County Railroad. On May 29, 1850 the charter of the Fairfield County Railroad was again renewed, but the name was changed to Danbury and Norwalk Railroad. On June 7, 1850 the company was organized with Eli T. Hoyt as president. The surveyed route to Norwalk from Danbury was build, but not the extension to Belden's Neck. The railroad would connect to the New York & New Haven in South Norwalk. On February 25, 1852 the railroad opened to regular service. A simple schedule of two trains in each direction was run each day. One mixed and one passenger train. The initial dividend at the end of the first year was 5.25%.

1853-1872

An additional passenger round trip was added to the schedule. The railroad was making a good profit. The railroad did not have any competitors along its road. These resulted in slow speeds and high profits. In 1862 the Norwalk Horse Railway Company was formed with Edwin Lockwood as president. This company would connect South Norwalk with Norwalk. This would take revenue away from the railroad. The response of the D&N was to compete. To make its track suitable for horse drawn carriages, boards were placed between tracks. In April 1862 operation between Norwalk (Wall Street) and South Norwalk started with little tiny cars. The next year 9 steam or horse drawn trains would run between these two stations. But in 1863 the horse railway got operational and was a major success. Higher frequencies, lower fares and more stops were pleasing the public. The D&N withdrew its service very soon. In 1864 Edwin Lockwood became president of the D&N. The Lockwoods were major stockholders in this railroad, and natives of Norwalk. A line from Danbury to Brookfield was considered. This would give the D&N an important connection. But another railroad was already organised to build along the right of way needed by the D&N. The New York, Housatonic & Northern was opened between Danbury and Brookfield in 1868. During construction there was a connection between the D&N and the NYH&N, but it was torn up after construction finished. In 1869 construction of the branch from Branchville (formerly Ridgefield) to Ridgefield started. This 4 mile branch was very difficult to construct, due the steep climb needed to reach Ridgefield. On June 25th, 1870 the first trains started running, the official opening was on July 1st, 1870.

In Spring 1872 a branch between Bethel and Hawleyville was started. This would give a connection with the Shepaug Valley Railroad, Housatonic Railroad and eventually the Boston, Hartford & Erie Railroad once it would be completed through Hawleyville. There were plans in which the D&N would be a link in a railroad connecting New York and Boston, but these died with LeGrande Lockwood in 1872. LeGrande Lockwood was the nephew of Edwin Lockwood, and his financial backer.

1872-1886

In 1873 the railroad was running six locomotives, which all were running on coal. Three of them were new and three were converted from wood. On June 18th, 1873 Roswell Pettibone Flower became president of the railroad. Even through the depression the railroad was kept into good shape and investments were being made. The railroad remained a very modern one. Plans for further extensions were put aside, and focus was on improving the lines already present. 56 Pound steel was replacing iron rails. The best iron rails were being used to relay yards and sidings. Also the branches were improved with the old iron rails. In 1879 all passenger cars were equipped with air brakes. In 1880 a tract of land in Redding was bought. It was already used for religious camps. The railroad promoted it as an ideal place for a day in the country. The summer resort attracted quite a lot of passengers. Most of which were moved on regular trains. The schedule called now for three passenger trains and a freight train in each direction on the mainline. Three trips were made on the Ridgefield Branch. The Hawleyville branch was operated by the Shepaug Valley Railroad. Also an additional train was running between Bethel and Danbury, which provided service for the large number of commuters between these two towns, working in the facturies near the Danbury yard. In 1881 Mr. James W. Hyatt succeeds as J.P. Flower as president. Just before the take over plans were started to build the final stretch from South Norwalk to Belden's Point. This would give the railroad a direct connection with New York and other point along the Sound by means of ferries. Construction started quickly and on July 4th, 1882 the pier could be opened. The new pier was a enormous boost to traffic on the line. Trains were running 24 hours a day. Just after completing of the pier W. Hyatt was succeeded by F. St. John Lockwood. The new pier made the D&N a very interesting railroad to take over. On October 1st, 1886 the D&N would become the Danbury & Norwalk Division of the Housatonic Railroad, by means of a 99 year lease. This was 8 years after the first proposal by the Housatonic Railroad.

1886 and later

The Housatonic Railroad relayed tracks between Hawleyville and Bethel with steel track. Trains were now routed towards Wilsons Point instead of Bridgeport. The D&N division was getting busier every year. Especially when the NY & NE railroad started diverting its traffic towards Wilsons Point after it lost its original connection with New York. In 1892 the Housatonic Railroad was taken over by the NYNH&H railroad. The D&N was subsequently leased to the NYNH&H railroad. Later on there was a exchange in stocks, and the NYNH&H Railroad now outright owned the D&N.

Rolling Stock

Locomotives

The D&N has owned 13 locomotives in total. All of which were 4-4-0. Never more than 7 locomotives were operated at the same time.

Passenger Cars

In 1858 the railroad had 4 coaches. It went up to 6 in the early 1870s and finally became 8 in the 1880s. Number 5 of these had a monitor roof. The road had 2 baggage cars in 1870, the number of merchandise cars had risen from 48 to 62 in 1870.

Freight Cars

The following data is from the 1888 ORER, after the take over by the Housatonic.

Routes

Main line

South to North

• only if opened after rest of line.

Ridgefield Branch

This branch had one station, Ridgefield and two flag stops along the way, Florida and Cooper. Trains generally consisted of two cars. One passenger car, plus a combination car for baggage, express and mail. Freight cars were added as needed. Ridgefield had a one stall engine house and a turntable.

Hawleyville Branch

There was only one flag stop along this branch. It had a siding as well.