Ridgefield station (New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad)
Ridgefield station was a station on the Ridgefield Branch of the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad and later the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad. Located in the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Opened in 1870 as the terminus of its namesake branch line. The station would serve passengers until the discontinuation of passenger service on August 8, 1925. Although the station would continue to accommodate freight service until the NYNH&H discontinued freight service in 1964. The station would remain as a cornerstone of the Ridgefield Supply Company's headquarters until 2015, when the original station was disassembled, refurbished, and moved to the other side of the property where it still stands today.
History[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Ridgefield_station_1909_postcard.jpg/220px-Ridgefield_station_1909_postcard.jpg)
In 1869, LeGrand Lockwood, then the president of the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad. Had the Ridgefield Branch constructed in order to stop rival companies from building a route through the town of Ridgefield.[1]: 29 On June 25, 1870, the final rail was laid and trains began running on the branch, with coincidentally, construction on the Ridgefield station also being completed on that same day.[1]: 31 Initially, the Ridgefield station was the only station on the branch,[2] But later on, the stations of Florida and Cooper also opened on the line.[1]: 29 On April 17, 1905, a train about 1 mile south of the station derailed after the coal tender derailed from the tracks. The accident killed the engineer, while injuring the fireman and inflicting minor injuries on the train's passengers.[3] On August 8, 1925, the final passenger train ran on the Ridgefield Branch.[1]: 31 Although the Florida and Cooper stations closed with the ending of passenger service.[4][5] Freight service continued to serve the station up until 1964, when the Ridgefield Branch was abandoned by the NYNH&H.[6]
Station layout[]
The station building was noted for its interestingly shaped roof which was used for a rainwater-powered cistern.[6] The station would continue to stand as a storage facility at the Ridgefield Supply Company until it was razed and then rebuilt on the other side of the property,[7] where the replica of the station maintains a handsome appearance today.[6]
References[]
- ^ a b c d Cornwall, L. Peter (1987). In the shore line's shadow, the six lives of the Danbury and Norwalk railroad. Littleton, Massachusetts: Flying Yankee. ISBN 0-9615574-5-1.
- ^ Brennan, Joseph. "Danbury Railways". columbia.edu. Columbia University. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ News-Times. "Ridgefield's terrible train wreck". newstimes.com. Danbury News-Times. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ Bell, Bob. "stations:CL-CR". Tylercitystation.info. Tylercitystation. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ Bell, Bob. "STATIONS:F". Tylercitystation.info. Tylercitystation. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ a b c Bell, Bob. "stations:Q-R". Tylercitystation.info. Tylercitystation. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- ^ Benjamin, Scott. "Historic Ridgefield train station incorporated into supply company's overhaul Scott Benjamin". newstimes.com. Danbury News-Times. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
Coordinates: 41°16′58″N 73°29′47″W / 41.28272°N 73.49632°W
- Railroad stations in Fairfield County, Connecticut
- Buildings and structures in Ridgefield, Connecticut
- Former railway stations in Connecticut
- 1870 establishments in Connecticut
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1870
- Former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad stations