Trains, Trolleys & Transportation

Trains, Trolleys and Transportation. Danbury, Connecticut. , On March 1, 1852, the first train on the tracks of the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad pulled into the Main Street depot, located on the site of the present Post Office. The venture consisted of three locomotives, six passenger cars, twenty-four freight cars and three handcars. , With two trains arriving daily, connecting to points north and south, it brought with it the means for the city to become a viable economic powerhouse in the region. The hatting industry flourished as goods were more easily shipped around the country and throughout the world. , At certain points, Danbury was also a junction for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, transported passengers to connect with the Housatonic and Shepaug lines, and catered to those traveling on the New York and New England as well as the Central New England lines. , Danbury became home to a thriving trolley system in the late 1800s and took passengers to exotic locations like Kenosia Park and Bethel for mere pennies. Eventually the trolley system became too cumbersome to maintain and expand. It was replaced by a modern bus system. , In 1903, the Danbury Union Station opened on White Street. The new station could accommodate more traffic and enhance travel options. Several scenes in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 film Strangers on a Train were shot in and around Danbury Union Station. , In 1993, extensive work went into the preservation and reconstruction of the historic structure now home to the Danbury Railway Museum. The Old Danbury Station and the original turntable are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.