Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, Transportation museum in Essex, Connecticut.
The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat is a transportation museum in Connecticut that combines historic steam locomotives, passenger cars, and a steamboat for excursions. The facility uses a network of rail lines and follows the Connecticut River to take visitors through the valley landscape.
The Valley Railroad Company started operations in 1971 and runs steam locomotives and diesel engines that represent different periods of Connecticut's rail history. The collection includes equipment from several decades of North American railroad activity.
The site preserves industrial heritage through regular demonstrations where visitors watch how historic machines actually operate. The locomotives and coaches here tell the story of how railways shaped the region's development.
Visitors should know that rides on both forms of transportation typically last several hours and advance booking is required. Comfortable clothing and shoes matter since passengers switch between trains and boats and walk across different platforms.
One surprising feature is the chance to ride in converted freight cars on certain weekends, vehicles that normally carried cargo. This uncommon experience helps visitors understand what daily work on historic railways was like.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
