Rail history comes to life during revived Railroad Days in North Canaan

NORTH CANAAN – Trains chugged into North Canaan Saturday for Railroad Days, delighting rail enthusiasts and visitors who simply enjoy the sights and sounds of the rails.

Visitors strolled the grassy area behind Canaan Union Depot, taking in the trains on display, while some ventured up steep steps to tour open cars.

Railroad Days began in the 1960s as a way to celebrate Canaan’s railroading heritage. The depot, built in 1872, became a focal point at the intersection of the north-south Housatonic Railroad and the east-west Connecticut Western Railroad. The Victorian structure helped fuel the town’s growth.

Eventually, it housed commercial enterprises until 2001, when it was heavily damaged by an arson fire. The town rallied to have it restored. Today, the depot houses railroad and accordion museums on the premises.

The Railroad Days celebration has ebbed and flowed over the years, but recently the town’s Events Committee revived the event with a stronger railroad presence.

One train that captured a lot of attention Saturday was the locomotive built for the Boston-Maine line in 1953 by EMD, a branch of General Motors. Connor Mahar of Madbury, N.H., and Mike Labouliere of Berlin, N.H., who work in the railroad industry, were there to explain its significance.

“It served a long life in freight yards to carry local freight in the Boston area,” Mahar said. “Then up to three years ago, it was used on a short line railroad in Pittston, Pennsylvania.”

The two share a passion for trains — Mahar owns one caboose and Labouliere owns two — and when they learned in the fall of 2023 that the locomotive was going to be scrapped, they dove into action to save it. They joined forces with others, calling themselves Team 1127, the number on the train. With help from individuals and groups, they were successful in reaching the goal of $65,000 needed to save it. The car will now have a home at the Danbury Railway Museum.

Both men said their love of trains began in their childhoods, fueled by their fathers.

“Railroads always had their own appeal,” Mahar said. “They’re often forgotten by preservationists who mainly concentrate on buildings. People forget they are the backbone of the country.”

Labouliere added, “They are still the most efficient way to move items.”

Cars from the Housatonic Railroad and the Berkshire Scenic Line are displayed during Railroad Day on Aug. 8. Ruth Epstein

PJ Bailly, operations manager and rain master of Housatonic Railroad, was primarily responsible for gathering the participants for the event. Among those represented were the Danbury Railway Museum, Berkshire Scenic Railroad, Friends of the Valley in Essex, New Haven Technical Society, Naugatuck Railroad, Connecticut Operational Life Services, a Roger Williams train and the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society.

The Housatonic Railroad recently purchased the Canaan Union Depot and is housing most of its operations there. The freight line extends from Pittsfield to Danbury, with a branch going east to Derby, covering a total of 50 miles in Connecticut and 36.5 in Massachusetts.

Bailly said Housatonic Railroad is working on new initiatives, including purchasing more EPA-efficient engines and upgrading its fleet. The railroad has bought five engines in the past two years and also plans to clean up the rail yards on Route 7 south of town.

“Housatonic aims to partner with, and cooperate with, the community,” Bailly said. “We’re trying to reach out. We’ll be offering a Hazmat training session in the near future and are planning other programs. We’re here today not just to show trains, but to support the town. It deals with us every day, so we’re trying to give back.”

The railroad also has job openings in several areas, and Bailly encouraged interested people to apply.