I h ave been a member of the Branford Electric Railway Association since 1957, having first visited the property at age 15 on 29 June 1947, after a Connecticut Company open-car fantrip, the day after the last Manhattan streetcar lines ran (Kingsbridge-Broadway-125th Street and 125th Street Crosstown). The organization ran several steam train trips, including a 1957 K4 New York and Long Branch and Freehold Secondary Track PRR trip, but most remembered were the yearly autumn folliage Central Vermont trips, 1957-1963. The CV still had servicable some semi-streamlined Mountain types (I think they were 4-8-2’s but perhaps they were 4-8-4’s, or perhaps they were borrowed CN power?). The trips started at the New Haven Station and used New Haven power to New London. There, the FL-9 pair was removed and the steam locomotive coupled on. We went slowly over the curing interchange track and through the CV yard, then picked up steam, ran at a pretty steady 50mph or so, stopped for some photo runbys, and reached either Brattleboro or Bellows Falls, Vermont, where the locomotive was turned, passengers had an opportunity to try restaurants, anda dok at items of historic interrest, at one time incuding Nelson Blouont’s Steamtown collection. On at least one occasion, non-air-conditioned old New Haven coaches were used, and at least one time lightweight CN cars were used. The return was to New Haven, again with New Haven diesel power from New London to New Haven.t
I was always a volunteer car attendant, which meant opening up for photo stops and closing up afterward, generally with two vestibules together, cars coupled appropriately. I enjoyed playing trainman for a day and coordinating with the regular CV conductor and his assistant trainman (only one assigned). Even though it mean I could not enjoy the open door and barred baggage car directly behind the tender.